Reviewing the AMK Heat Sheet

Great review, but why didn't you test a regular old garbage bag at the same time to compare the two? Now you have to get wet and cold all over again. ;)

The only thing I would change is the candle. Those little tea candles don't last long at all. If I were you, I would get those small TIKI liquid candles like these. The small one is one ounce and burns for 10 hours and the larger one is 3 ounces and burns for 30 hours. You can light them with a ferro rod or anything that sparks, but I have not tried to use a rod when it is very cold outside. I just picked these up this summer to replace my tea candles.

If you are wet, it will take more than one tea candle to dry you out. If you are lost, it will probably take longer than one tea candle to rescue you.

Here is a place that has some nice burn time on their candles, and they are small as well. A 32 hour candle is only 2 7/16"h x 2 7/16"d.

http://www.candleland.com/oilcartridges-c-65.html



 
:DThank you!!! That was a awesome review. I definitely feel better about my choice of a two person heatsheet as a emergency shelter.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Awesome test and thank you.

Can anyone suggest where to get tea candles that won't melt when left in the car in TN? The UCO candles will melt, at least enough to flatten. My BOB and my Bushbag ride in my car so they're exposed to some pretty hot temps.

Thanks,

Charlie
 
Great test. This is just the kind of thing that makes a forum great.

This also reminded me that I need more candles!
 
CShepherd said:
Awesome test and thank you.

Can anyone suggest where to get tea candles that won't melt when left in the car in TN? The UCO candles will melt, at least enough to flatten. My BOB and my Bushbag ride in my car so they're exposed to some pretty hot temps.

Thanks,

Charlie
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I've had one melt in my car this miserable wet summer in England so it is a real problem :(

Here you can buy a deeper version of the tealight that burns for 8 hours which should be long enough. You can always carry 2.

Thanks for the test btw! :D
 
Thanks for the kind words, everyone. :)

Unsub - I bought the one I tested at "Out There" in downtown Calgary, and have also seen them at Camper's Village. MEC sells one, and it looks like the two-person model, since it has survival instructions printed on it. The one I tested was the one person.

Fonly - I had actually hoped that it would be a little colder, but seeing as how I'm a Florida boy, +4°C is plenty cold. :)

Storl - Folding it back up small enough to fit in the plastic package was no trouble at all. It comes in a flexible-but-stiff plastic outer package, and then an inner sealed crinkly plastic bag. The inner bag I tossed, but even hand-folded down, the sheet still fit in the outer package. I think storing it in the outer package is a good idea, since it protects the sheet itself from snags.

cz75b - You know, I didn't have another one to compare it to, but I think I have a cheapy floating around the house somewhere. If I find it, I'll compare the two. I did try to tear this one on the corner, and it's basically the same consistency as a good garbage bag; it stretches and then tears, rather than just tearing right away like the cheap ones.

1 Big Bunker - I didn't think about comparing it to a garbage bag, but I think it would turn out very similar. I suspect that most of the heat retention is just from holding in a bubble of warm air, but not sure. On the other hand, it would take a few garbage bags to equal the area of this one sheet. I think a garbage bag would be a good addition, though, since you could cut a hole in it and use it as a makeshift rain jacket.

As to the candle, the tea light was just one I had handy. Those liquid candles look handy, but I would worry about the liquid fuel leaking out. In a quick search for "emergency candles" on Google, I ran across the Nuwick candles... they sell a 44 hour candle and a 120 hour candle! http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___87525 These might be worth trying out, eh?

Fox
 
I am pretty sure you are right about the garbage bags working about the same, but then again, it is just a guess.

Those liquid candles do not leak at all. I bought a few cases of them and I turned the boxes upside down and they have been that way for a few months now, and not even a hint of a leak from any candle. The caps, when snapped on, are all but impossible to get off unless you have a knife or screwdriver to pry them free. I even threw them in the air a few times with the caps on to see if I could break them, but they held up great.

Tea candles will make a heck of a mess in your gear before the liquid candles ever will. You also have to let them cool and the wax harden before you can move them. Spilling hot wax and loosing all your fuel is another problem with them especially if you are very cold and not at 100% with motor skills.

Now if you are still set on the tea candles, here is what I did. Remove the wax that is in the tin cup, and replace it with bees wax. Bees wax has a much higher melting point and you will never have trouble with melted wax again. I use my coffee maker and turn on the warmer and set the tin on it and just add little shavings of wax until it is filled. This is the easiest way I have found to fill the cups and keep the wick centered. When you have it filled, shut off the warmer and let it cool. You can make 7 or 8 at a time this way to.
 
1_BIG_BUNKER said:
I am pretty sure you are right about the garbage bags working about the same, but then again, it is just a guess.

Those liquid candles do not leak at all. I bought a few cases of them and I turned the boxes upside down and they have been that way for a few months now, and not even a hint of a leak from any candle. The caps, when snapped on, are all but impossible to get off unless you have a knife or screwdriver to pry them free. I even threw them in the air a few times with the caps on to see if I could break them, but they held up great.

Tea candles will make a heck of a mess in your gear before the liquid candles ever will. You also have to let them cool and the wax harden before you can move them. Spilling hot wax and loosing all your fuel is another problem with them especially if you are very cold and not at 100% with motor skills.

Now if you are still set on the tea candles, here is what I did. Remove the wax that is in the tin cup, and replace it with bees wax. Bees wax has a much higher melting point and you will never have trouble with melted wax again. I use my coffee maker and turn on the warmer and set the tin on it and just add little shavings of wax until it is filled. This is the easiest way I have found to fill the cups and keep the wick centered. When you have it filled, shut off the warmer and let it cool. You can make 7 or 8 at a time this way to.
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Do those liquid candles have the horrible smell of a typical Tiki lamp?...or just the normal smell you'd get from an unscented candle?
 
They don't smell at all. I just lite one again and had the wife smell it. She hates when I make her do things like that. Anyway, she said that it doesn't smell at all.


rt014 said:
Do those liquid candles have the horrible smell of a typical Tiki lamp?...or just the normal smell you'd get from an unscented candle?
Click to expand...
 
I love to see other people torture themselves for my benefit and entertainment.

Great review and candle tips.

Try Bulldog clips for holding the edges together you can pick them up at most office supply stores.
 
Awesome review!
Thanks for being cold so the rest of us can learn to say warm

I have a heat sheet in my daypack. I just added a candle.
 
Great review man, I could see my wife's face now if she saw me doing that.

At least now I don't have to, Thanks!
 
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