Is the water that is heated by an MRE heater safe to drink? Or is it contaminated by the chemical reaction inside the heater. I'm trying to think of a way to heat water while on the move, or without fire. I have plenty of ways to start a fire.. just looking for bug out alternatives.



Don't need a lot of water, just for things like hot tea, oatmeal, ramen...



If the water isnt safe to drink, maybe use it for a double boiler setup?

Don't drink water out of the bag the heater is in.


I've heated water for shaving by filling an empty MRE bag with water and then placing the heater bag inside of it, I suppose you could drink water heated that way but you would have to be careful to keep the steam/liquid from the heater from getting mixed in into your potable water.

Isn't there a Hot Beverage Bag in most MRE's now?

IIRC the MRE heaters use an iron, magnesium, silica, and sodium chloride combo. All the ingredients are non toxic but unless you had a severe water shortage I would not drink the water, probably tastes like rusty salty water anyways.

Besides if you have a severe water shortage you got bigger problems than needing a warm meal.

The by-product stinks to high-hell and give off a flammable gas.  I can't imagine it would taste too good, even if it was safe to consume.  Plus my younger soldiers had a great time crushing the heater component into dust/chunks, pouring them into empty plastic 16oz. bottles, adding a little water, capping, shaking and them lobbing them at unsuspecting people.  They gave off a satisfying mini-tannerite KA-BOOM!

Hmmm....maybe you should drink some and then jump up and down for a little while (on video please...) and give us a report!  

That would be one helluva burp!

trioxane and a old coke can would be a lot better for your needs, during the day no smoke and can't be seen, at night a simple poncho or hasty H cut out on the ground would keep you concealed.

ive used it in survival training with great resuls

Good info. Thanks for the replies. I know the basic principles behind the heaters, Ive just never used one. I'll probably go the trioxane route, since they are compact and nicely sealed. A surplus store here had a big stash a while back.