I had one of these back in the 80s and it seemed to work pretty good. While I was doing the reading for the posts on contact heating I ran across the naptha handwarmers again. Previously I’d used lighter fluid; the cost wouldn’t break me but since I carry Coleman fuel now I figured I’d give them another shot.
I ordered a Zippo 6hr model off Amazon as I heard the devices ran much longer than their 6hr/12hr names suggested. And the smaller one stands on a flat bottom for filling while the 12hr is curved.
It came in and I used the little filler to the 6hr mark (~10ml). Subsequently I use little 30ml squeeze bottles that hold 3 fills.
It runs for something like 10 hours, hot enough in the little bag that it’s uncomfortable through one shirt. Through a shirt and vest it’s perfect.
Lighting has been a bit of a PITA. Part of it is the inherent design, and part is the crappy catalyst used now – the old ones were platinum. Apparently they can be improved/rebuilt with actual platinum cats. See the Mountain Parameters YT channel for more info, staring with this one:
According to MP the Zippo is actually the most difficult to tune/use/upgrade, so people who want to tweak them might pick another brand. It looks like pretty much an cheap Chinese model will be fine for upgrading.
running costs
A gallon of CF is 378 fills at $0.026 (2.6 cents) per fill. Using 12oz lighter fuel bottles from the fuel cost would be about $0.37.
If we assume a cat head lasts for 50 sessions and costs $8 ($0.16/use), the overall cost per use with coleman is $0.19/use and with lighter fluid $0.53/use.
10hr HotHands and similar chemical products bought in bulk are about $0.59/use, so folks who don’t lug around a gallon of CF might consider that route instead.
a boondocking retirement 
Very interesting video on a amazing little device. Maybe shoes could have a toe warmer built into the toe of the shoe kind of like warm steel toed boots? Nah, probably not a good idea. Electric socks might be better.
But thanks for reminding me to get something, I don’t have any fingerless gloves and my hands get cold when I’m using my tablet. I quickly found out the touch screen won’t work if I’m wearing my mechanics gloves. I saw fingerless mits in one of your pictures. I’m curious, have you considered electric gloves or any electric heated clothing? Ive been considering buying a few rechargeable batteries and a charger for headlamps, devices, radios, bike lights, etc and maybe the same batteries would work for electric gloves ? I’m just not sure how much I’d actually use it. Everything I currently have plugs into a USB port or 120 volts from the inverter. Do you cook with white gas also. Why do you carry it? I used it for years with my Svea stove. Now I’m using solar with propane backup and fire backup to the propane but only used fire once last year for fun when a friend visited camp. Thanks.
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>I don’t have any fingerless gloves and my hands get cold when I’m using my tablet. I quickly found out the touch screen won’t work if I’m wearing my mechanics gloves. I saw fingerless mits in one of your pictures.
My hands get stiff/cold easily, and I’ve found the fingerless option to work well. There are also full gloves with capacitive (?) fingertips that allow touchscreen use. Haven’t used them.
> I’m curious, have you considered electric gloves or any electric heated clothing?
That was part of the testing in the “contact heating” link above. I have a 10w heated vest that works quite well ‘though it’s built chintzier than I’d like. I have a 20/30/45w heating pad that gets turned on from time to time. On cold days Muffin likes to sleep on it in the LO mode.
In the past I’ve used electric vest, sleeves, gloves, and insoles on motorcycles before that and gave them away with the bike when I sold it to move into the van.
> Ive been considering buying a few rechargeable batteries and a charger for headlamps, devices, radios, bike lights, etc and maybe the same batteries would work for electric gloves ?
Yes, I used NiMH on the insoles since power demands were low. The vest/sleeve/glove combo pulled 90w combined so I ran that off the motorcycle electrics.
> I’m just not sure how much I’d actually use it. Everything I currently have plugs into a USB port or 120 volts from the inverter.
My vest is USB; I use a USB extension to reach my position at the “workstation”. It also works off a USB pack when away from the van (18650 Li-po inside typically).
> Do you cook with white gas also. Why do you carry it? I used it for years with my Svea stove.
My main stove is an MSR Dragonfly which runs on CF, unleaded, and kero. I use propane in the van in bad weather or when I want to absorb the extra heat. The backup is a Coleman Exponent multifueler and I did have to use it once.
> Now I’m using solar with propane backup and fire backup to the propane but only used fire once last year for fun when a friend visited camp. Thanks.
Solar as in “solar oven” or solar as in “cooking with electricity from solar”? I haven’t played with the solar ovens. I do have a 200w immersion heater I run sometimes if there is excess power, and have considered small, sub-300w crockpots and rice cookers. Normally I’d pick those up in a thrift store but Corona is reducing the number of open thrifts.
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