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While some may scoff at the idea of carrying a pair of hand warmers in their backpack because of the added weight, it’s a negligible penalty for the benefits they bring, should I need them. They put out an incredible amount of heat for up to 10 hours (at least the brand I prefer, Hot Hands) and activate quickly.
Safety Consideration for Carrying Hand Warmers
My hands are very sensitive to cold temperatures, and my dexterity and grip becomes almost nonexistent if they get too cold. If I were in an emergency situation where I needed to build a fire, set up a shelter, etc. and I couldn’t make my fingers function, I’d be in a real bind. For that reason, a pair of hand warmers are a staple in my backpack, whether I’m going on a day hike or a multi-day backpacking trip. For most folks I recommend carrying a pair, at least in the colder months, for safety purposes.
As a side note, if you don’t have a pair of hand warmers and need to warm up your hands, place them in your armpits or groin area (without gloves or mittens on). It will usually do the trick as well, but hand warmers are a better way to keep them warm and accessible for tasks, especially if your gloves/mittens aren’t doing a sufficient job on their own.
My cute nephew warming up his hands in his armpits on a hike!
Hand Warmers for Electronics and Water Filters
Aside from the obvious function of warming my hands, another useful tip for hand (or foot) warmers is keeping a hollow fiber membrane water filter, such as a Sawyer Squeeze, (which is on sale for $20 at the time of this post publishing) from freezing, which renders it ineffective.
The same tip can also be used with a smart phone, whose battery life is diminished more quickly with cold temperatures. One astute member of my Facebook group mentioned that she wraps hers around her phone with a ponytail holder to keep it in place.
While foot warmers do the best job of keeping feet warm, since they have an adhesive that keeps them in place on your sock, hand warmers can also be used at the bottom of a sleeping bag to warm cold feet while camping.
Extend the Life Span of Hand Warmers
You can also arrest the activation of a hand warmer‘s warmth by sticking it in a non-oxygenated space, like a small Ziploc bag. I am able to successfully reuse them this way if I don’t need them for their entire “life span.
In the picture above, I was able to arrest the heat emanating from this hand warmer by sticking it in the bag and expressing as much air as possible out of the bag before sealing it shut. Since the heat dissipated gradually, I had the added bonus of keeping my water filter a bit warmer, as temperatures slowly warmed up that morning.
Hypothermia Consideration
One final thing to mention is that hand warmers are not effective in warming someone’s core body temperature if they are suffering from hypothermia. In fact, they can actually burn a patient, so it’s best not to use them on someone who is not lucid enough to shift them around if they become too hot (and they’re not doing any good for someone in that advanced of a hypothermic state anyway).
If you don’t know much about hypothermia, I implore you to read this article about it. It’s one of the most important risks you need to learn about in the backcountry, no matter where you hike.
Have another use for hand warmers that I haven’t mentioned? Leave it in the comments and pay it forward with your knowledge to other hikers who might read this!
Happy trails,
Nancy
If you’re not a member already, I invite you to join my Facebook group, Backpacking, Hiking and Camping Deals, where I post things as quickly as I find them! It’s also an incredibly friendly and helpful community of outdoor enthusiasts who are eager and willing to share their knowledge about all things hiking and backpacking.