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Initial Report: Heat Treat Warmers
Date: May 4, 2005
Tester
Information:
Name: Pam Wyant
Age: 47
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in
(1.65 m)
Weight: 165 lb (77
kg)
E-mail address: pamwyant(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location: Western
West Virginia, U.S.A.
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Backpacking Background:
Last year I finally
acted on a long time interest in backpacking, starting out slowly by
day hiking,
researching backpacking products and techniques, purchasing gear, and doing a few overnight
trips, including one solo. This year I
hope to fit in at least one longer trip in addition to several more
overnight and weekend trips. I hike and
backpack mainly
in the hills and valleys of West Virginia, and use a hammock sleeping
system. For a two-day trip my typical pack
weighs
22-30 lb (10-14 kg), and I hope to lighten that a bit.
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Product Information
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Manufacturer: Grabber
Year of manufacture:
2003 & 2004
Date of Delivery: April 31, 2005
Manufacturer Website: www.warmers.com
MSRP: Body Warmer 6 pack $10.00 USD; Foot Warmers 10 pack $34.99
USD; Hand Warmers 10 Pack $16.99 USD
Weight:
The manufacturer's website does
not list a weight. I was shipped two each of the body warmer, and
two pairs of foot warmers and hand warmers. Weight as delivered
for each body warmer is 1.4 oz (39.7 g) and for each pair of foot
warmers 1.7 oz (48.2 g). Interestingly, the weight of the hand
warmers varied slightly, with one package weighing 1.6 oz (45.4 g) and
one weighing 1.5 oz (42.5 g).
Size of packaging:
The body warmer package measures 4.75 x 6.5 in (12 x 16.5 cm), the foot
warmer package 4 x 11.75 in (10 x 30 cm), and the hand warmer package
4.5 x 6.5 in (11.5 x 16.5 cm). All three varieties are less than
0.25 in (0.5 cm) thick.
Appearance of packaging:
The packaging of each product is consistent with its appearance on the
company website. The warmers are packaged in a thin sealed sheath
of plastic. The front of the package is primarily orange, with a
sunburst pattern of yellow featured on each package. The
handwarmers also feature a picture of a darker set of handprints, the
footwarmers feature a single footprint picture, and the body warmer
features a stylized body shape. The name of each product is
featured on the front in English and Spanish. Additional
information on the package front includes contents, length of time the
heat should last, the words "Instant Heat Air Activated" and logos for
"The Professional Ski Instructors of America" and "National Ski
Patrol". The back of the package features various information
about the product in English and Spanish, including directions on using
the products properly, average temperatures the product will reach,
cautions to heed in using the product, ingredients, and that the
product is manufactured in Japan. Also on the back of the package
is a "validity date", website address, distributor name and phone
number, a logo for "The Conservation Alliance" and a "Ease-of-Use
Commendation by Arthritis Foundation" logo, all in English only.
The body warmers feature a graphic showing correct use, and the foot
warmers feature a graphic showing correct use and two graphics showing
no trimming and no peeling.
Ingredients:
Each package states the warmers are "a non-toxic, environmentally
friendly, odorless heat source using all natural ingredients that are
non-combustible". The ingredients list on the body and hand
warmers is the same: Iron, water, cellulose, vermiculite,
activiated carbon and salt. The foot warmer ingredient list is
slightly different - Iron powder, water, activated carbon, cellulose
and salt.
According to the website, the warmers work due to the iron oxidizing
when exposed to oxygen, producing heat in the process. The salt
is a catalyst, the carbon disperses the heat, vermiculite acts as an
insulator, and cellulose is a filler. The ingredients are
surrounded by a "polypropylene bag", allowing air to permeate the
ingredients while holding in moisture".
Use and Cautions:
In general, each warmer works by simply opening the package and
exposing the product to air, with no shaking necessary. Specific
directions are supplied for each product. In general, the warmers
caution not to use the warmer on infants or small children, on bruising
or swelling, on frostbite or desensitized skin, or while sleeping, and
to supervise the elderly, children, handicapped individuals, and those
unable to remove the warmers by themselves. Further cautions
include that the warmers are for external use only, to remove the
product immediately if it becomes uncomfortably hot, and not to
puncture the product or allow contact with eys or mouth. The
directions state to contact a physician immediately if swallowed.
To use the body warmers, directions state to remove the protective
backing to expose the adhesive surface of the warmer, and to apply it
to the inside of clothing in the area to be warmed. Temperature
of the warmer will gradually increase to reach the average temperature
in about 20 minutes. The average temperature of the body warmer
is stated to be 127 F (53 C) the maximum temperature 154 F (68 C) when
used as directed, and the heat to last 12+ hours. Additional
cautions are not to apply the adhesive directly to the skin, not to use
the body warmer with external heating devices or with liniments or
analgesic products and for those who are pregnant, diabetic, have poor
circulation, nerve damage, paralysis, or sensitive skin to consult a
physician before using.
The foot warmers are available in two sizes: S/M (women's shoe
size 5-8 or men's shoe size 4-7) and M/L (Womens shoe size 9+ or mens
shoe sie 8+). To use the foot warmers, directions state to
immediately place the insoles inside any pair of closed toe shoes or
boots with fabric side up, white side down, without peeling or
trimming. The foot warmer directions state they are intended for
use inside a shoe or boot where oxygen is restricted, and are not to be
used in ventilated type footwear. The average temperature of the
foot warmer is stated to be 95 F (35 C), the maximum temperature 102 F
(39 C) when used as directed, and the heat to last 5+ hours.
Additional cautions are not to use the foot warmers with bare feet or
sheer hosiery, with sandals or open shoes, on parts of the body other
then the feet, or on infected areas. Those with diabestes, poor
circulation, nerve damage or paralysis should only use the warmers as
directed by a physician. No mention is made of needing to consult
a physician if pregnant on this particular product. The cautions
also state the foot warmer is not designed to withstand the impact of
jogging or running and if used incorrectly higher temperatures may
occur causing burns.
The hand warmer directions state to use them inside an enclosed area
such as a pocket or glove for best results. Average temperature
is stated at 135 F (57 C), maximum temperature at 156 F (69 C) when
used as directed, and heat length at 7+ hours. Specific cautions
include: not to apply directly to skin for extended periods of
time, not to use on parts of the body other than the hand, and that if
used incorrectly higher temperatures may occur causing burns. No
mention of those needing to consult a physician before using is stated
on this particular product, although those needing supervision are
detailed as on the other products.
The information on the packaging, the informational booklet mailed with
my shipment, and the website indicates each different type of warmer is
specifically formulated for maximum effectiveness and safety and should
not be used otherwise. For example, the foot warmers are have
cooler average and maximum temperatures than the body or hand warmers,
and are meant to operate in lower oxygen levels. Misusing the
product could result in either ineffectiveness, or in overheating and
burns to the skin, making using a hand warmer inside a boot or using a
foot warmer to soothe an achy back muscle a risky venture.
Shelf Life/Age of Product:
The website indicates a shelf life of four years. "Validity
dates" are printed on the back of the packages. The body warmers
I received are dated August 26, 2007; the foot warmers August 26, 2008;
and the hand warmers July 30, 2008, leading me to the conclusion these
products were manufactured in 2003 & 2004.
Field Information -
The mountainous eastern regions of West Virginia
are
typically cooler than the western region.
I have a trip scheduled for mid-May on the Greenbrier
River Trail, with expected average low temperatures at 39F (4C) and
plan to test at least one set of warmers there. If
temperatures are relatively low, I will test a set earlier in May at an
overnight camping event in the western part of West Virginia. If
temperatures are too warm during this camp, I will be testing both sets
on the Greenbrier River Trail trip.
Testing plan –
I’m interested to find out exactly how warm and
cozy the Heat Treat Warmers
make me feel. Will they become a luxury
I want along on every cool weather trip? Do I feel they might be
beneficial even if I don't expect cool temperatures?
Some things I'll be looking at include:
Fit – do the hand warmers fit easily into my
gloves, and is it
still easy to use my hands with them in place? Do I prefer them on the
palm
side or the top side of my hand? Do the
foot warmers fit well inside my insoles?
Do they make my feet feel crowded in my shoes?
Do they work well with my existing insoles or do I have to take
them out? Do the body warmers flex to
fit my curves?
Warmth – Are they comforting, overly hot, or not
hot
enough? What low range of temperature
was I able to test them in, and did I find they felt more or less
comfortable
as the temperatures changed? I will try
to measure the heat produced by each by wrapping it briefly around a
small
thermometer I always carry & report on temperatures noted for each
product. Is the time the product stays
warm consistent with that on the manufacturer’s website?
Convenience – are they reasonably easy and
convenient to pack? Are they easy to open and
apply properly? Do I resent having
to carry the weight of
the used products, since they are strictly one time use?
Comfort – Do they
make me feel cozier without feeling constricted? Does
the adhesive on the body warmer stick well to my clothing
whether dry or damp? Do I have any
adverse reaction to them such as a rash, swelling, or reddened skin?
Personal use – what do I end up using them for –
to provide
warmth, or to make achy muscles feel better?
Do I use them at night as a relaxant, or in the morning to make
it
easier to leave my warm sleeping bag and face morning cooking and camp
breaking
chores in a little more comfort?
The manufacturer cautions against using the
product while sleeping – should I choose to disregard this caution will
I suffer a burn or a skin reaction? It
seems I always get coldest
toward morning, and it may be very tempting to snuggle
up with one or more of the warmers inside my sleeping bag. Do I
feel I can safely do so in spite of the manufacturer's warnings?
Likes so far:
Relatively light
Minimal flexible packaging
Clear instructions for safe use
Dislikes so far:
Not reusable or recyclable
Shouldn't use while sleeping
Stay tuned for my Field Report to find
out whether mother nature cooperates with nice cool temperatures during
my tests allowing conventional use of the Heat Treat Warmers, or
whether I have to get inventive to provide an effective test if
temperatures are warmer. Perhaps I will need to sit with my feet
in a cool running stream for a
while and then test how the foot warmers warm them up, to use the hand
warmers to keep a cup of
tea warm in my mug, and to use the body warmer for an aching back or
calf muscle. This might provide an even better chance to gauge
the effectiveness of "instant heat" on the trail.
Thanks
to Grabber and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test the
Heat Treat Warmers.
Read more reviews of Grabber Performance Group gear
Read more gear reviews by Pamela Wyant
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