Despite their preparedness value...I don't have any of these in my emergency bags. Why? Well...because I believe the word of Jim Phillips who says they have a very limited shelf life. Something like having a battery that is losing its charge just sitting in storage...until one day they won't work at all. If a person doesn't have a regularly scheduled regiment of going through their emergency bags to make sure that all of their supplies are still good...then they may one day find that they will have just as much luck getting heat from rubbing a tea bag between their hands!
I am also reluctant to purchase preparedness items with one time use. I love items that I don't have to worry about running out. That is why I have been such a big advocate of the Sawyer water filters that back flush and can be used theoretically indefinitely (as I know many of you are too...as we bought so many!!)
Now...thanks to the miracles of science...or perhaps black magic...there are hand warmers that can be used and reused!!! They are plastic bags filled with a benign product called sodium acetate. There are now a ton of videos on youtube describing how they work. Watch those videos to learn more.
If you go looking for companies selling them...you will find that there are a growing number of distributors...the warmers come in all different shapes and sizes...and that the prices are all over the place. Generally you are going to get the best deal by purchasing them in bulk. I purchased 100 from a seller on Ebay named Newcat619 who sold me them for $2 each (including shipping) which was as good a deal as I could find. Even better than buying direct from China. (You know...the country that manufactures most everything for the US). Newcat619 sells "Heatinaclick" which is a more name-brandy sort of version of the product. Featured on the "Today Show" and that sort of thing.
I have also heard that people have found these warmers at the "Dollar Tree"...though I have never confirmed that.
I have sent these with my children to school on chilly days...then they bring them home...we boil them up...set them out to cool...and they are ready for the next chilly day! We purchased enough for all of our emergency bags...some for daily use...a few to give away...and a few to accidently lose!
A great product to consider for your preps!
Oh...PS...you can find videos of people on Youtube showing you how to make your own. You can actually go on EBAY and find people selling sodium acetate so you can make your own warmers. Personally...I'd rather just purchase them done...but to each their own!
If you go looking for companies selling them...you will find that there are a growing number of distributors...the warmers come in all different shapes and sizes...and that the prices are all over the place. Generally you are going to get the best deal by purchasing them in bulk. I purchased 100 from a seller on Ebay named Newcat619 who sold me them for $2 each (including shipping) which was as good a deal as I could find. Even better than buying direct from China. (You know...the country that manufactures most everything for the US). Newcat619 sells "Heatinaclick" which is a more name-brandy sort of version of the product. Featured on the "Today Show" and that sort of thing.
I have also heard that people have found these warmers at the "Dollar Tree"...though I have never confirmed that.
I have sent these with my children to school on chilly days...then they bring them home...we boil them up...set them out to cool...and they are ready for the next chilly day! We purchased enough for all of our emergency bags...some for daily use...a few to give away...and a few to accidently lose!
A great product to consider for your preps!
Oh...PS...you can find videos of people on Youtube showing you how to make your own. You can actually go on EBAY and find people selling sodium acetate so you can make your own warmers. Personally...I'd rather just purchase them done...but to each their own!
