The Vault Regulars

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Insulated food warmer

 Readers will know that i love to make my own gear and i get a great deal of satisfaction from doing that. It stems from my working background in engineering that things can always be improved upon, that there is a better, cheaper, more practical way of making it. I know there are quite a few of you think similar.

So progressing from my last post, once you have heated up which ever type of outdoor grub you prefer you need to place it in a food warmer.

Well i am pleased to release here for the first time a fantastic new product that in no way i can improve upon. It's manufacture and specification is as good as i have seen and i don't think any other manufacturer is offering a product quite like it.

I am also pleased to say that it's from Brenig, the small British outdoor gear manufacturer from whom i reviewed their Aran smock a little while ago. Here

It's an insulated food warmer. Designed to accept dehydrated/freeze dried food pouches that need to stand for a number of minutes to allow the food to re-hydrate once you have added the boiling water.

My old pouch is made from silver roofing insulation. I know that like me, many of you use it for pot cosy's. It has served me well. But this new insulated warmer leaves it standing.

The warmer's heart is Thinsulate covered inside and out with a material which is for all intensive purposes the same as Pertex. It's soft, warm to the touch, in fact it feels just like your own insulated jacket. It packs down really small and it only weighs 65 grams.





Where it excels is it's temperature specification. It has been successfully tested down to -50C. Yes -50C. (-58F). So for even the hardiest souls who build igloo's in the Cairngorm in winter, traverse the Munro's in the harshest of weather or plan Arctic adventures, having one of these with you will ensure your food stays hot because it retains the heat longer. For the mere mortal backpacker it's a luxury worth having.

With it being so soft and warm you can also put an item of clothing inside it, a down Gilet for instance and use it as a pillow. We like our backpacking gear to be multi functional don't we.
I'm sure you will think up numerous other uses for it. eg. Protecting a Kindle or in my case a Nexus 7 for one.

Another nice surprise is the cost! It can be purchased for the very reasonable price of £12.50 plus postage and packing. Here.
And when it needs it, it can be washed at low temperature.

I must see if i can get one for my cooking pot too. Now there's a thought.

12 comments:

  1. Hi Alan,that looks ideal. An email has been sent in regards to one for a cooking pot.

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  2. Hi Dawn,
    Funnily enough i know that it is in work right now. I’m hoping to view it soon. Brilliant stuff.

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  3. Alan what are the dimensions please?

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    Replies
    1. Dimensions. The inside dimensions of the pouch itself is 20cm x 18cm. The lid section is 13cm tall. I didn't include the dimensions because I know that Graham at Brenig has only sent me a prototype. He may have altered the production pouch slightly. I'm sure he will read this and follow up with a verification. Thanks for asking, it is a valid point.

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  4. Hi Alan and Readers,
    Testing with a Mountain House meal yesterday, I think the pouch could do with being 2-3cm wider. Real Turmat meals fit okay and Bla Band can be inserted sideways, but the larger MH ones (albeit mostly packaging) would benefit from the pouch being slightly wider.
    Graham@Brenig

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  5. Thanks Graham, I have also tried Fuizion, Adventure Food and MX3 adventure and they fit fine too.

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  6. Replies
    1. Thanks Alan. I thought it would be of interest.

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  7. Looks nice. I have been using one from Optimus: http://www.optimusstoves.com/seen/optimus-products/products/katadynshopconnect/optimus-zubeh246r/optimus-heat-insulation-pouch/

    It swallows a 1-litre-pot of the tall type, too. But I wouldn't use it as a pillow.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Maria, There are not too many insulated pouches or pot warmers about. I believe the cosy you have was tried by Graham and the results were not that good. There will be a new pot cosy released soon, so keep reading.

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  8. The Optimus cosy is open from the top and heat can escape that way. I have used a pot holder to prevent that from happening but yes, a cosy with a flap (like in your pictures) is better.

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    Replies
    1. I agree. Just like humans, most heat escapes through the top.

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