flameless heaters

[tinkerer]

hello everyone ive been using the forum for a while now but this is my first post . i was looking at these http://www.shoponthefarside.co.uk/Camping_Equipment_1_X_Flameless_heater.asp (hope thats how you do a link)and wondering if anyone has used them? have used rat packs before (even been known to boil up a corned beef hash at home in fact i actually quite like it). im due out for a little mooch about the coast in a few weeks and i like my bacon and beans in the morning these would mean not having to carry as much water and the price isnt too bad. any thoughts anyone.

 

[Matt.S]

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[harryhawk]

Another Chris the Cat? Surely there can be only one?

 

[Ahjno]

hello everyone ive been using the forum for a while now but this is my first post . i was looking at these http://www.shoponthefarside.co.uk/Camping_Equipment_1_X_Flameless_heater.asp (hope thats how you do a link)and wondering if anyone has used them? have used rat packs before (even been known to boil up a corned beef hash at home in fact i actually quite like it). im due out for a little mooch about the coast in a few weeks and i like my bacon and beans in the morning these would mean not having to carry as much water and the price isnt too bad. any thoughts anyone.

They are good, as they are light, cheap easy to pack and if you like the smell and don't bother with the stuff it'll leave on your pot / mug: go for it. I've got one and use it every now and then if I'm going light.

On here they're also known as / you can find more on them if you search for exbit stove, hexi cooker.

They are not flameless though! It might look like that if you use them during daytime. If you're after real flameless heaters, than have a look at ones that are pack with American MRE's. You find them on e-bay when you search for MRE.

 

[bigandy]

have used these before best results i got were luke warm

 

[Melonfish]

I was going to say they should rename these to Flameless luke-warmers. not very good at getting anything but the thinnest pouches warm i'm afraid.

 

[Zeph]

I went to my local surplus store recently to buy a hexy cooker, on their website they were advertised at £3.50 but in store they wanted just over £6, I asked why there was a difference and was told because I wasn't paying postage lol !!!!!

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[bigandy]

i went to my local surplus store recently to buy a hexy cooker, on their website they were advertised at £3.50 but in store they wanted just over £6, i asked why there was a difference and was told because i wasn't paying postage lol !!!!!

see the swap section!!!!!!!!esp as you are nt that far away!!

 

[AJB]

Like people say, tepid at best, but don't forget they're designed for US MRE and not UK Rat packs, I'm not sure how well a UK pack would fit in a US heater, worth checking the dimentions before you buy.

 

[rik_uk3]

The brit rat packs are a tight fit in the flameless heaters, IIRC the MREs are a tad smaller.

 

[tinkerer]

thanks for the replies.. think i might purchase a couple and do a few experiments in the shed will let you know how i get on. if theyre rubbish i could always use them as hand warmers next winter

 

[jayuk]

The Canadian army had larger versions of the US heaters which fit UK ration pouches. I bought some a few years ago during a sale in a camping store in Swansea - theres a bit more info and some pictures in my thread here:

http://www.mreinfo.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=66&p=453&hilit=canadian+heater#p453

 

[tinkerer]

thanks jay

 

[nigeltm]

Over the past couple of years I've had 30 or 40 of the MREs & the flameless heaters. They are just right for the US entrees (main meals) but as has been mentioned the entrees are smaller than the UK rat packs. As a result you can't really use them for the rat packs as they don't heat them enough. That said, while I haven't tried it yet, they look about the right size of the Uncle Ben's rice packs, Look What We Found and some others.

I bought a case of MREs to take to the first aid course next week (I'm a lazy bu**er and would rather spend the lunchtime break revising!). If I have enough left over I may give the supermarket pouched meals a try.

PS: if anyone is interested you can buy a case of MREs on the German eBay site for around £90 including delivery, not the £140 they cost in the UK. Thank God for the online text translation websites!