Winter Cycling - Reusing chemical toe warmers

I use chemical toe warmers and remember reading about them somewhere. Was that here? Searched but no luck.

Has anyone tried that?

I was down to my last pair the other morning and tried reheating them, but just scorched them in the microwave.

Anyone tried reusing them?

There are reusable toe warmers and disposable toe warmers. I've never seen the reusable ones. Toe warmers use oxygen as their catalyst. Therefore cutting of the oxygen supply is the way to preserve them. I buy the 10 hour or 24 hour toe warmers . When I come home after using them for a couple of hours I put them in a sandwhich bag and squeeze the air out of the bag.

Get a small glass jar if you really want to keep those chemical warmers nice and fresh.

You can't reuse em by scorching em in the microwave, it's metal and rust in there.

They sell reusable ones though that are dual stage. They're warm after u boil em (which should work on your way to work). Then you press a switch that activates the chemical reaction in the evening and they'll stay warm on your way home.

Another vote for storing them in a sandwich bag.

I remember reading about how to store them. As soon as you're finished using them, put them in an airtight storage container until you're ready to use them again.

Baggies might be a little fragile to use for this, but a storage container would probably be cool.

Koffee

I use chemical toe warmers and remember reading about them somewhere. Was that here? Searched but no luck.

Has anyone tried that?

I was down to my last pair the other morning and tried reheating them, but just scorched them in the microwave.

Anyone tried reusing them?

This winter I used whatever brand Brooks Drug store was selling. I think CVS had them too.

They react to the air and a chemical reaction with the air causes the heat. If you still have run time left on them, you need to take away the air to save them for later. A zip lock bag works great.This stops the chemical reaction. If you don't do that they will keep going and become useless. If you stored them with out air just open the bag and they start again. Not microwaveable, as you found out.

. Not microwaveable, as you found out.

Yes, I admit that it was a dumb move and glad the wife wasn't around that morning to comment on the odor.

Thanks for all of the tips, they seem to keep heat a long time after riding and it seems a shame to just waste the heat(and money)


I like "toasti toes" brand foot warmers( Home Depot) though I have used other brands. They are not as bulky but are flatter and have a nice self adhesive surface to keep them in place.

Yeah I've been surprised at how long they will last if you store them somewhere airtight. I don't use them for my feet, but I always stick some in my mittens. Usually I can use them for three rides of 90 minutes each.

BY they way I can't believe you actually stuck them in the microwave. I bet it did stink!

I have a jar that used to hold strawberry jam. It's about 2" in diameter and 5" tall. Perfect to store 2-4 sets of hand/toe warmers.
Once you seal it, the warmers are good for up to a year.

There doesn't seem to be much room in my shoes...do you put warmer on the arch of your foot?

I have those Grabber toe and hand warmers that I've been using all winter. I get 2 - 3 uses out of each. When I finish my ride, I put them in a zip lock baggie and then I put them in a tupperware container. They last 6 - 8 hours.

vrkelley -- the toe warmers are very thin with an adhesive strip to put on the top of your toes... The Grabber toe warmers will fit in your shoes.

Anyone know how these work (http://www.preparedness.com/reheater.html) or if they work, for that matter?