Zippo/ Peacock handwarmers

[ninjapuppet]

With winter soon upon us, I was hoping if anyone has used one of these zippo or peacock handwarmers?
Ive used the disposable ones army ones a decade ago which didnt cut it for me.
Hoping to get some feedback regarding its usage.

Looks like the burner lasts 70 burns, and each refill lasts 6-12 hours.
I see the zippo ones can be found for $20 delivered, but I think i prefer the peacock ones due to way it fills up and drawstring pouch rather than zippo's velcro pouch. The cheapest peacock however, appears to be $50 delivered from the UK.

http://www.zippo.com/products/handwarmer.aspx

[alliecat]

With the zippo style of hand warmer, just make sure you don't use it in a small enclosed space, eg. a tightly closed up bivy. If it's burning lighter fluid it will be emitting carbon monoxide - not the best thing to be breathing in all night long It might not (probably wont) kill you but it could do some serious damage and impede your decision making abilities the next day.

The modern disposable chemical warmers I've found to be good in an emergency. I've handed them out to a couple of people just starting down the road to hypothermia and they certainly helped. And once I dropped my bed socks in a puddle of ice water so I used the chemical warmers on my feet as I went to sleep.

The reusable type that can be "recharged" by putting them in hot water give off a lot less heat and last a lot shorter time than the disposables. But they are rechargeable... I think they are a lot less useful because they really are a lot less efficient than the disposable types unfortunately.

Cheers,
Alliecat

[HitchHiking]

The peacock hand warmers work on a catalytic reation . Something to do with the platinum inside. I though this didnt produce any dangerous gas but my chemisty is very basic. Ive heard they can go for a full day and its a pain to stop them. Ive had play with few and they look fatastic until I smudge my fingerprints all over it.

Everyone I speak too rates them as long as they dont carry the spare fuel.

[Rod]

Hi ninja
I have one of the peacock warmers
A mate who has great taste in things gave me one for my 40th a few yrs ago
They are fantastic as far as I am concerned
Certainly last for several hours,very warm in the little sleeve(would be too hot without)
I've never tried to stop it-just let it burn out
Beautiful in a jacket pocket-I only use mine skiing .I haven't taken it on walks mainly because of the need to carry fuel.
Can thouroughly recommend as one of those esoteric luxury items..
Cheers
Rod

[ninjapuppet]

Great! thats all I needed to hear.

Just bought a peacock for $58, and a zippo for $19. They appear to be made from the same factory.

Will do a full review when they come. Mainly intended for mountaineering, so i can just leave it in my boots over night.
Also during the day the macpac prophet XPD jackets have hidden little pockets designed for handwarmers, so I thought they might be handy there too.

[Franco]

Yes I think that Peacock does make the Zippo.
I have the Zippo and a Chinese version (Winfire) . The one from China burns for less time using the same amount of fuel.
It also seam to be not as hot.

I used Shellite in my home tests. never used in the bush..
Franco

[ninjapuppet]

Franco, I noticed that the instructions said that only zippo fuel is to be used.

Did you notice any bad smell or soot from using shellite? it would definitely be a much more economical and handy fuel than to bring an extra bottle of zippo fuel along. have you managed to compare zippo fuel VS shellite burn times?

[Franco]

Hi
It would have been easier if you asked those questions about two years ago...
(that is because I forgot most of my research on this since then...)
Never used Zippo fuel but from memory (....) it is just some sort of refined nafta not that dissimilar to Shellite or Coleman fuel.
Right now, at 7:10PM, I am out of Shellite but I know that you can smell that at the start but not (again that I can remember...) as it "burns".
I might do some more test when I finished playing with stoves and the candle light holder I am about to test.
(40g, water cooled)
Franco

[ninjapuppet]

after having tried these in the field, I can certainly recommend the zippo over the peacock.

The pouring pouch for the zippo is better since it doesnt accidently leak like the peacock.
The head burner unit on the zippo is slightly different to the peacock, and appears to burn better.
The outer shell is exactly the same, except the zippo says zippo, and peacock says peacock.
The zippo comes with a velcro closure pouch, and peacock comes with a drawstring pouch. The peacock sometimes got tangled in my pockets.
They fit my macpac's prophet handwarmer pouches perfectly! I used them without the pouch.
Generally they can burn for up to 12 hours with 12ml of fuel, but for some reason if the head is in contact with the fibre underneath it with good contact, it can burn less strongly but for up to 16 hours.
I tried sleeping with it but the fumes were really offputting in an enclosed sleeping bag. a litre of hot water in a nalgene works better.
They work great in the early mornings after washing your hands, or in the evenings when hanging around the hut.
after a week of constant usage I think my head burners units are wearing out.

I will definitly be taking them whenever I shall be camping with involved snow from now on. it weighs 107g incl pouch + the zippo fuel which can be used with shellite.

Highly recommended: zippo handwarmer.

[ninjapuppet]

just another note.

if anyone is contemplating buying these, there are 2 types of heads that come with these.
me and my mates have 10 of these all up and zippos sometimes use the bottom type of head burner, and sometimes the top type. The peacock also sometimes use the first one in the pic, and sometimes the 2nd.

I highly recommend the head type on the bottom as it tends to burn hotter. I have done abit of reading on the net about these and dont think this info is available elsewhere.