Re-using Outdoor Hand Warmers

I read a January 2015 Appalachian Mountain Club article on re-using outdoor hand warmers. Once exposed to air, the iron in the hand warmer package oxidizes and releases heat in the process - and you now have warm hands! 

Therein lays the crucial piece of information. In order for the reaction to occur, the hand warmer needs a supply of oxygen. If you cut off the supply of oxygen, the chemical reaction ceases. And to cut off the oxygen, all you need to do is put the hand warmer in an air-tight zip-lock bag.

I decided to experiment with the content of this article.  Not only did it work, BUT I successfully used the same two hand warmers two more times!

Certainly there is money saving here, but a hand warmer is not a big expense – generally about $1 a pair.  My message is that since hand warmers are capable of being reused you do not need to carry an excessive number of them.  Just be sure to save the used hand warmer in an airlock bag.

I recommend keeping the unused packaged hand warmers as emergency spares.

Go to http://tiny.cc/kr2zux and read the AMC hand warmer article. To join or learn more about the Appalachian Mountain Club go to Outdoors.org/

Try this outdoor handwarmer experiment for yourself!

See more OutdoorSteve.com tips at http://outdooradventurers.blogspot.com/

Re-using Outdoor Hand Warmers can also be seen on Bedford Community TV (BCTV).

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"Everyone must do something.  I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

Steve’s latest book, Outdoor Play "Fun 4 4 Seasons" is available as an e-Book at Kindle ($3.99) and hard copy at Amazon.com ($11.95)