What hand warmers for dog walkers are available?
When you have been outside walking your dog on a cold winters day and your hands are freezing, probably your thoughts run along the lines of, what hand warmers for dog walkers are there available?
The vast majority of dog owners (there are very few exceptions) will take their dog for a walk at least once a day, some twice and even more, each and every day whatever the weather 365 days a year. For most dogs, this is not an issue but for the dog owner, it very much can be!!
When you take on the commitment of owning a dog, probably the single most important issue for keeping a dog fit and well, is exercise. There are very few people who have the luxury of open space that they own, to allow their dog to run loose and exercise itself.
Also, it is a major part of the bonding process, as well as great discipline training for the dog. It is much easier to train a dog once it has let off steam to get it to then walk to heel, sit, wait, walk on, etc. when you have more of the young pup’s attention.
Out walking your dog in winter
For those of you that haven’t owned a dog before…nothing gets you in touch with nature more than taking your dog out on a beautiful day into the countryside, up in the hills, along the beach, or wherever. The changing seasons are a beauty to behold. What better way to enjoy it than with your dog?
There is however one major drawback, this has to be done every day, without exception.
So even when the wind is howling and the rain is lashing down the dog is still looking at you expectantly to go for its customary walk. You will need good walking shoes, (or boots) along with all-weather clothing and a pair of decent gloves.
However, for some of us that may not be quite enough. (expand)
Whilst you are out with your dog, you may want to play fetch with your dog with its favourite ball, stick, so off comes your gloves and very soon your hands are no longer warm but blocks of ice. How do you overcome this? Well using hand warmers will dramatically help.
What products for dog walkers?
What options of hand warmers for dog walkers are there?
There are a number of products available, to meet most people’s requirements and budgets. These can be quickly ordered online and then be shipped to you in a very short space of time.
They start from inexpensive single use gel packs which has an “element’ which once broken will release a supply of warmth for a while, enough to get your hands back to temperature before running out.
Single-use hand warmers
Single-use hand warmers are activated by exposing the pad to air, it comes in a sealed packet, so don’t open until you are ready to actually use them. The operation is a chemical reaction of oxygen molecules reacting with iron particles and moisture to quickly form rust. This produces the heat, quite a lot of it! It will last for 1 to 10 hours and possibly can be halted for a period of time by resealing in a bag.
The pad can get quite hot so care must be taken, especially keep away from children as it could easily burn them. You may require to wrap it in something, such as a sock, to use it comfortably if it does get too hot for you. Whilst they are fairly inexpensive to buy individually, it can mount up over a period of time as they are used only once and then disposed of.
Re-usable hand warmers
Re-usable hand warmers with a metal disc work by using a solution of Sodium Acetate which crystallizes, with the help of a metal strip, the crystallization produces heat typically it lasts for between 20 mins to 2 hours and is normally at a more controllable temperature (typically under 60 degrees)
Fuel hand warmers
Fuel hand warmers come in two sorts, either lighter fuel or a charcoal stick. Both of these require a protective pouch due to the amount of heat produced. These products also need hazard awareness and are not suitable for children. Whilst the fuel type will fit into a glove the charcoal stick is much larger so it will not be able to.
Battery-powered hand warmers
Battery-powered hand warmers usually have a lot more functionality with a number of different heat settings. They also can act as a power store for your phone, recharging it if necessary.
Which hand warmer for dog walkers is the best?
The best product for the dog walker?
There are no restrictions on what you can carry when you are out walking your dog. With other activities, size and weight are much more of an issue. With this in mind, it’s not easy to say, it is very much down to choice. For one-off ease, the single-use hand warmer will be fine.
It will fit comfortably in your hand either inside or outside (if it gets too hot) of your glove. The same can be said for the re-usable hand warmer and this will probably save you money in the long run, however, you will need to boil them in water if you want to re-use them.
Fuel lighter hand warmers will appeal to people who are unconcerned with the extra precautions required to use them and are attracted to their more stylish appearance. The battery-powered hand warmers will appeal to anybody who is concerned with the health of their phone battery whilst out walking their dog!! They are much larger, as are the charcoal hand warmers, so they are unable to fit inside of a glove however they will comfortably fit into most coat pockets.