View Full Version : A hiker thermos?
ShelterLeopard
10-08-2009, 13:49
After reading the hot cocoa thread, I was inspired. Does anyone know of a good thermos that doesn't weigh a huge amount that would fit nicely into my pack? I have a Nissan Bullet thermos right now (for work and home) which I LOVE. Put hot goodness in there at night, still burns your tongue the next morning. But it's a bit big... Does anyone know of a perfect hiker thermos?
It would be so nice to wake up on trail in February with a thermos full of HOT chocolate......
Hmm...never looked at a Thermos from a weight standard, but I use this one and just weighed it at 11oz:
http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Nissan-16-Ounce-Stainless-Steel-Insulated/dp/B00009V4FI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1255025025&sr=8-1
The "2 cuppa" works well for solo use. Stick it in your sleeping bag and you should have at least a very warm to just under hot beverage in the AM.
I have a "4 cuppa" that I use for group hikes sometimes.
Thermos USED to make a Titanium (yes!) version of the 2 cuppa for only 2 oz less..and it looks like they retailed for almost $200!
Egads...
http://www.theme-gifts.com/thernisallti.html
You can still find them for sale on gear wonk forums (http://www.trailspace.com/forums/classifieds/topics/53552.html) if you really want to save 2 oz. ;)
I'll stick to the 11 oz version for $25. ;)
After reading the hot cocoa thread, I was inspired. Does anyone know of a good thermos that doesn't weigh a huge amount that would fit nicely into my pack? I have a Nissan Bullet thermos right now (for work and home) which I LOVE. Put hot goodness in there at night, still burns your tongue the next morning. But it's a bit big... Does anyone know of a perfect hiker thermos?
It would be so nice to wake up on trail in February with a thermos full of HOT chocolate......
You can always wrap a lesser Thermos with Reflectix for a warmer one ;)
I will say that for snowshoeing I have a simple metal bullet shape by Thermos and it works great.
Skidsteer
10-08-2009, 17:27
http://www.rei.com/product/759224
http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/images/2355-0008L.jpg
I don't know if it will keep Cocoa hot overnight(never tried it)but it might.
Weighs @ 3 oz. IIRC...
Tipi Walter
10-08-2009, 17:32
Whatever you do, don't make the mistake I made and get a Sigg liter thermos. Heavy as a motard with double walled stainless steel. Looks cool and keeps liquids hot all night long, but unpackable due to the weight. I know, after 75lbs, who cares?
Skidsteer
10-08-2009, 17:41
Wow. I don't even want to think about how much that sucker weighs if Tipi won't carry it.
:D
Dicentra
10-08-2009, 17:42
I have one of the silver bullet ones too. That isn't what I call it... but this is a family forum. ;)
Tipi Walter
10-08-2009, 17:44
Wow. I don't even want to think about how much that sucker weighs if Tipi won't carry it.
:D
With a full liter it feels like I'm holding an old timey car jack.
Tipi Walter
10-08-2009, 17:45
An old timey hydralic car jack.
http://www.rei.com/product/759224
http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/images/2355-0008L.jpg
I don't know if it will keep Cocoa hot overnight(never tried it)but it might.
Weighs @ 3 oz. IIRC...
Something like the above keeps water warmish (non-freezing, anyway) for during the day. Popular with the backcountry crowd in winter for making sure the water does not freeze. It does not keep liquids as warm as a thermos I find, though
You can make your own cozy with an old foam pad and duct tape, an old wool sock (or synthetic) for a liner and a heavy plastic shopping bag to waterproof it all.
It ain't pretty, but it makes use of the odds and ends many of have kicking around in our gear room. I know I do. :)
Snowleopard
10-08-2009, 18:24
The OR equivalent of the Nalgene cozy, filled with boiling water in the AM, will keep the water unfrozen but not real warm at the end of the day at 0F temps. In the same 0F temps a 1 liter thermos kept hot chocolate warm verging on hot.
The real deal would not use Titanium, but Uranium, as the inside layer of a thermos. It has greater thermal mass, plus the radioactive decay would warm the hot chocolate.
In the same 0F temps a 1 liter thermos kept hot chocolate warm verging on hot.
A few years back, we did a snowshoe trip out and back to Mt. Audubon. A local peak that is fairly straightforward in the summer..but a little more challenging in the winter. During the winter, due to a gate closure, the trip is over 13 miles R/T and 3000' gain. On showshoes, you can imagine it being a bit more of a butt kicker vs summer.
Long story short, we arrived back at the car at just about dark (it was just a couple of weeks Christmas. Gets dark really early..and a few of us were a little hungover and tired from the Xmas party we went to the night before. Not smart. :o).
Anyway..my "four cuppa" was in the car, waiting. Who knows how cold it was at that hour in the dark. And we were at 10k feet in the parking lot. It was a bit...brisk.
All I know is that the tea was piping hot.
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5579&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=119b28e3dc3f09387b46a5aa240c9c76
It tasted damn good.
(The above photo is not me. :) I'm much less easy on the eyes!)
LaurieAnn
10-08-2009, 19:05
I have an Aquatherm by Granite Gear and in the cool fall weather it keeps the contents of my Nalgene hot for 1/2 hour and warm for about 1 hour.
Toolshed
10-08-2009, 20:19
http://www.rei.com/product/759224
http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/images/2355-0008L.jpg
I don't know if it will keep Cocoa hot overnight(never tried it)but it might.
Weighs @ 3 oz. IIRC...
Skids, I carry two of these in the winter in the DAKs. they will keep water from freezing solid during the course of a day. I usually fill them with close to boiling water and they are lukewarm by lunch. 'Course this is in zero to minus temps. For a 30 degree day, they might last a little longer.
In addition to the OR water bottle Parkas, I also carry the 16 Oz Nissan Stainless Steel Vacuum bottle for longer days when I need some coffee or soup late in the afternoon. In subzero weather, the contents will still be warm around 4PM if filled at say 6AM.
For overnights, (only if I am if I am pulking), I carry the 2 litre Stainless Vacuum bottle and that will keep boiling water very hot all night in subzero weather.
I would recommend that if you are getting a thermos, get a good one and pay the money. you don't want to buy junk and have a vacuum leak a few years from now and end up with cold liquids in a few hours. My Nissans are at least 15 years old and still keep liquids piping hot all day in cool weather.
LaurieAnn
10-08-2009, 20:34
Toolshed that's good to know about the Nissans as I am thinking of picking one up for my tea. It would be nice to have hot tea when walking to Tobias' school and after taking the kids outside for their recesses.
If you want truly hot water over the course of a day, suck up the weight of a real thermos. The half-liter version is well worth the weight when you're in sub-freezing conditions all day. The ability to have a hot drink or soup at lunch time is a real blessing and if you get the first warming signs of hypothermia creeping up, it is very helpful to not have to fumble with a stove in order to get that first warming drink.
I carry this one (http://www.rei.com/product/752886) when solo and the bigger one (http://www.rei.com/product/752887) (only 5 ounces more!) with my wife.
I find it funny how we are all suggesting the same Nissan Thermos. :)
(The REI one looks to be the same, just REI branding ?)
This may be a record thread...everyone is in agreement on WB. :D
Mother Nature
10-08-2009, 21:43
After reading the hot cocoa thread, I was inspired. Does anyone know of a good thermos that doesn't weigh a huge amount that would fit nicely into my pack? I have a Nissan Bullet thermos right now (for work and home) which I LOVE. Put hot goodness in there at night, still burns your tongue the next morning. But it's a bit big... Does anyone know of a perfect hiker thermos?
It would be so nice to wake up on trail in February with a thermos full of HOT chocolate......
I have the 16 oz Nissan thermos and I carry it empty or half full. It is great to wake up to a hot cup of whatever the next morning. I fill it up at dinner the night before.. sometimes I drink half at breakfast and half at lunch the next day.
take-a-knee
10-08-2009, 22:02
I find it funny how we are all suggesting the same Nissan Thermos. :)
(The REI one looks to be the same, just REI branding ?)
This may be a record thread...everyone is in agreement on WB. :D
No, we don't, 11 oz of alcohol would heat LOTS of water.
Alligator
10-08-2009, 22:15
The pint size ones usually end up in the clearance rack, I see them practically every year. I have one, the instant gratification is worth the weight.
The bullet I carry in winter will keep hot for many hours - even when snowshoeing. Now though, the secret is you fill it up with hot water, let it warm up then fill with your boiling liquid. Otherwise you shock the good stuff and it chills down. Do that step and you will be sipping hot stuff 5 or 6 hours later with no issues.
ShelterLeopard
10-08-2009, 22:54
Hmmm... I may just stick with my Nissan and deal with the slight extra weight. It does such a good job of keeping stuff hot (and everyone else seems to love it too). Maybe I'll bring the Nissan for nights, and make a nalgene cozy out of those car windshield shields for during the day. Well, we'll see...... Shakedown hike in November will definitely be a help on the decision making front.
Cozy=Good. I use a thin neoprene cozy for my mug as well in winter. Works like a charm as does Reflectix.
ShelterLeopard
10-08-2009, 22:55
Or maybe I'll get an aquatherm like Laurie said... probably 'll last longer than something I make. Thanks all!
I got a few sigg thermoses to replace my nissans that i use at work. They are about half the weight but don't keep warm as long as the nissans. If you do what sarbar said they keep warm for about 5 hours. The only bad part is that they were $30 a pop.
Watch Target for clearance sales in spring ;-) That is how I got mine for 1/2 off :D
Long feet
10-09-2009, 01:55
I got a Caldera Cone stove that comes with this cozy:
http://antigravitygear.com/proddetail.php?prod=AGCZCDY
I'm going to give this a shot for when I go on my next section in a couple of weeks. It weighs about an ounce. Can't beat that.
No, we don't, 11 oz of alcohol would heat LOTS of water.
Not in real winter hiking...and not with cold numb hands. :) Give me the thermos with its instant hot liquid versus pulling out a stove and heating up said water. Again, for the real winters and not those wussy winters down in Georgia. :p
(Unless of course the alcohol you are talking about is peach schnapps or spiced rum..mmm mmm mmm)
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1771/215/82/563440020/n563440020_2185106_9021.jpg
Real winter at -5F or so. 11k+ feet. Snow blowing. I sure as hell am not going to use a stove here. Esp an alcohol one! And the chicken soup tasted damn good! :D
(All in good fun! Please don't get angry. I love me my thermos..I love me my backcountry ski trips. Just a PITA to use a stove in the conditions above! Also, check out the old school wool pants. :) )
LaurieAnn
10-09-2009, 09:33
lol Mags... I know all about real winters.... we use white gas because alcohol and canisters will often fail on a Canadian snowshoeing excursion in January. And a thermos is like a best friend.
faarside
10-09-2009, 10:06
Thermos ... never use em. No need. Just another extra weight 'luxury' item. I heat water when I need it to make hot-coffee/tea/cocoa/soup, drink my drink, put my cup away, and move on.
ShelterLeopard
10-09-2009, 10:42
Not in real winter hiking...and not with cold numb hands. :) Give me the thermos with its instant hot liquid versus pulling out a stove and heating up said water. Again, for the real winters and not those wussy winters down in Georgia. :p
(Unless of course the alcohol you are talking about is peach schnapps or spiced rum..mmm mmm mmm)
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1771/215/82/563440020/n563440020_2185106_9021.jpg
Real winter at -5F or so. 11k+ feet. Snow blowing. I sure as hell am not going to use a stove here. Esp an alcohol one! And the chicken soup tasted damn good! :D
[clapping] BRAVO! That's my plan.
Thermos ... never use em. No need. Just another extra weight 'luxury' item. I heat water when I need it to make hot-coffee/tea/cocoa/soup, drink my drink, put my cup away, and move on.
See above about wussy southern AT winters vs. real winters. :p If you pull out a stove in the conditions (or worse) above..then bravo! You have more hair on your chest than me. ;) (and that's saying a lot! :D)
Mags, there are times when at Rainier even I don't want to deal with a stove. Usually when it is 5* out and the wind is howling so loudly one side of your body is white, the other is black ;) (That is the best snowshoeing weather...hehheh!) That is when the Bullet rocks! Pull it out, sip away and then trudge back up and over a couple ridges :D
LaurieAnn
10-09-2009, 15:00
Mags, there are times when at Rainier even I don't want to deal with a stove. Usually when it is 5* out and the wind is howling so loudly one side of your body is white, the other is black ;) (That is the best snowshoeing weather...hehheh!) That is when the Bullet rocks! Pull it out, sip away and then trudge back up and over a couple ridges :D
That is a mere -15°C. Sometimes we are snowshoeing in temps that reach -25°C (which is about -13°F for my American friends)... and that's without windchills which can get even lower. Now, go up north to Algonquin and you can expect it to be even colder. Then again you are probably less sheltered by trees than we are down here in the lowlands.
Watch Target for clearance sales in spring ;-) That is how I got mine for 1/2 off :D
Are these rugged, like the "unbreakable" Stanley units? I am a clod.
Do they look yuppy? I don't want anyone calling me McFancy pants.
Do they look yuppy? I don't want anyone calling me McFancy pants.
Use the yuppie thermos like me..BUT, use surplus wool pants (with a duct tape patch sewed on) and no one will you McFancy pants...
Long feet
10-09-2009, 16:18
I don't want anyone calling me McFancy pants.
That's *Mr.* McFancy to you :D
Rocket Jones
10-09-2009, 16:59
See above about wussy southern AT winters vs. real winters. :p If you pull out a stove in the conditions (or worse) above..then bravo! You have more hair on your chest than me. ;) (and that's saying a lot! :D)
LOL As someone who had an outdoor job for 5 winters in North Dakota, I know a little bit about winter. It's a bear wherever you are. Even winter in Hawaii is rough because the ice in your drink melts too fast. :D
LOL I know a little bit about winter. It's a bear wherever you are. :D
Yes. Yes you do.
Even before the wind.
Wise Old Owl
10-10-2009, 21:43
Don't forget to Preheat & dump with boiling water for ten minutes and then put in your favorite drink.
That is a mere -15°C. Sometimes we are snowshoeing in temps that reach -25°C (which is about -13°F for my American friends)... and that's without windchills which can get even lower. Now, go up north to Algonquin and you can expect it to be even colder. Then again you are probably less sheltered by trees than we are down here in the lowlands.
It isn't the cold, it is the altitude that is brutal, 5 to 7K and a wind factor often at 15 to 30 mph. So 5* is often -10 or -20. Altitude plays a big factor in the snowstorms. And no, this is above or just at treeline. Rainier is a hard mistress in winter. Add in a couple Lenticular clouds and it gets extra "fun";)
One of the prettiest things about Rainier in winter is they dry snowstorms where the snow flakes can be seen 3D to the eye. Mt. Baker, which sits just South of the Canadian border tends to get wet, heavy "Cascadian Concrete" and is easier to deal with the cold. Rainier creates her own weather due to her mass/height.
Hmm...never looked at a Thermos from a weight standard, but I use this one and just weighed it at 11oz:
http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Nissan-16-Ounce-Stainless-Steel-Insulated/dp/B00009V4FI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1255025025&sr=8-1
The "2 cuppa" works well for solo use. Stick it in your sleeping bag and you should have at least a very warm to just under hot beverage in the AM.
I have a "4 cuppa" that I use for group hikes sometimes.
Thermos USED to make a Titanium (yes!) version of the 2 cuppa for only 2 oz less..and it looks like they retailed for almost $200!
Egads...
http://www.theme-gifts.com/thernisallti.html
You can still find them for sale on gear wonk forums (http://www.trailspace.com/forums/classifieds/topics/53552.html) if you really want to save 2 oz. ;)
I'll stick to the 11 oz version for $25. ;)
The 34 oz. is on sale for $26.58 and the shipping weight is listed as 1#, the same as the 16 oz. Must be similar in weight.
http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-34-Ounce-Stainless-Steel-Insulated-Briefcase/dp/B00009V4FM/ref=pd_sim_hg_1
I might just pick one of these up at this price.
The 34 oz. is on sale for $26.58 and the shipping weight is listed as 1#, the same as the 16 oz. Must be similar in weight.
http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-34-Ounce-Stainless-Steel-Insulated-Briefcase/dp/B00009V4FM/ref=pd_sim_hg_1
I might just pick one of these up at this price.
The weights on those are off. Remember, they are selling them for the non-gram weenie public..unlike us. :D
The 16 oz is 11oz..I just weighed it a few days ago at home.
The 34 oz? I dunno. But, I suspect, like the 16 oz, it is rounded off. What's 5-6 oz +/- to the average, sane, non-backpacking public? :) (My 4 cuppa is still in the truck from my hiker earlier today).
I know my 1/lt vs .5 ltr feels heavier FWIW. Definitely bulkier.
Good price though! I like both sizes depending upon what I do. :)
According to the one's on the REI site, the larger, 1 liter bullet is 4.75 oz heavier than the .5 liter. So not bad for double the capacity.
Skidsteer
10-11-2009, 21:15
Mags(or anybody else),can you give me an estimate of the insulation thickness in the Nissan? IOW, the outside diameter versus the inside diameter? Thanks.
According to the one's on the REI site, the larger, 1 liter bullet is 4.75 oz heavier than the .5 liter. So not bad for double the capacity.
Not bad at all. As an aside, I find carrying the extra bulk (and weight from the extra .5 ltr of liquid) is sometimes not worth it if it going solo. As I said, I bring one or the other depending upon the trip. I like 'em both. :) YMMV.
As for thickness, I don't know to be honest. If I took a half-ass guess, 1/8" or so? But, that is just a guess.
Skids-You need a gal to measure for you. If you want accurate.