How to Heat Your Water Bottles

Winter camping is an exciting way of experiencing the icy environment. Because water is crucial to survival, and is particularly important in warding off hypothermia, a way of heating water bottles and keeping them warm is necessary. Fortunately there are tested methods and tips to warm and heat water bottles once they are full of the precious fluid. In addition, one can keep you a bit warmer when curled in the sleeping bag.

Things You'll Need

  • Camp stove and pot
  • Ice, snow or water
  • Heating packets
  • Insulted cover for bottle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Heat snow and ice in a camping pot until melted. Warm the water until just under boiling. Do this about 15 minutes before ready to crawl into a sleeping bag for the night.

    • 2

      Pour the hot water into the water bottles and tighten the caps. Wipe down any excess drips or overflow so the outside of the bottle is dry.

    • 3

      Push the water bottles deep into the sleeping bag and let them heat up the inside of the bag as well as "cool down" to a temperature suitable to sleep next to. Leave the water bottles in the sleeping bag during the night to keep you and the water warm.

    • 4

      Remove the water bottles in the morning to have melted drinking water. When storing the water bottles in packs during the day, store them in insulated carriers and open one or two self-heating packs and slide them between the water bottle. The insulation will keep the water bottles warm through the day. Change the heating packs every few hours.