The Field & Stream Tips Blog

Make a Heater with a Water Bottle

When camping in cold weather, I fill a Nalgene bottle with near-boiling water and place it in the foot of my sleeping bag right before I turn in for the night. The bottle provides a nice source of heat for much of the night—just make sure it doesn’t leak before you try this.
Ben Wagner, Bozeman, Mon.

Make a Coffee-Can Blind Heater

You can use an empty 1-pound coffee can and an empty 3-pound coffee can to make a duck blind heater. Drill around 30 1/4-inch holes in the bottom of the larger can. Fill the small can with charcoal and light it. Once the coals are hot, invert the large can over the can of hot coals. This allows you to warm your hands and keep your drinks hot, so you’re able to sit in your duck or goose blind longer.
Dennis Radke, Hutchinson, Kansas

Keep Your Feet Warm Using Antiperspirant

To keep your feet warm during cold weather, spray your feet with antiperspirant before putting your socks on. The antiperspirant helps prevent your feet from sweating. Dry feet are warm feet.
Thomas Holcomb, Henderson, Miss.

Stay Warm at Night by Sleeping on a Sunshade

Place a silver, reflective sunshade, the kind sold for car windows, under your sleeping bag to stay warm at night. The sunshade will reflect your body heat and acts as a ground dampness barrier as well.
Shawn Cloutier, via E-mail

Keep Your Rod Tips from Freezing

To prevent the tips of your rod from freezing up when fishing in extreme cold, simply spray some non-stick cooking spray on your rod, and your guides will not freeze up.
Frank Petrosino, Via E-mail