I had tried both Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrap and Reynolds Wrap to boil water and all I get is leaks through the foil. I experimented with several new rolls from the store and all leaked while trying to make a bowl to boil water. I held the foil up to the light before I started and no small pin holes, but after adding water it degrigated the material real fast and caused small pin holes. I went to there site and they basically shy away from water. Does anyone know of a replaceable material I could use that would store flat and use as a emergency pot for boiling water or cooking on besides going to a Titanium cup?

Try a different brand- I use the generic stuff and it's fine for a few times. Or cut the bottom out of a disposable turnkey panm and fold that up.

Thanks ironraven, I'll try both, the Reynolds Wrap would start to drip from the small pin holes when water was held, the pan idea is a good idea. Also I was going to see if I could find some thin Inconel sheet from work and test it also

I know one company that makes Reynolds Wrap - Norandal. They have two plants side-by-side here in TN. They make many other brands of aluminum foil with the SAME equipment. Just different standards SUPPOSEDLY for different brands. So I guess not all Reynolds Wrap can be the same. I have a friend and also a 1st cousin who works there. I've heard descriptions of the way it is made and it sounds like mistakes can easily be made on getting the thickness right. The thickest and best foil was some heavy duty aluminum foil my friend brought me that was just labeled "Norandal." I wish I still had a bunch of it. He was lucky to get one case out of a limited run, apparently.

Cool,Thanks for the info Simon, I'll keep an eye out for the Norandal wrap. I was very surprised with the lack of quality of the wrap. But like you said I was just sampling a small quantity.

I've gone to including a meal cup with each kit for boiling water -- usually the type that fits over the end of a water bottle.

tro

You may want to consider putting the water in a hole in the ground that you have lined first with plastic, then with foil,. You boil the water by putting hot rocks in the hole. Works for me!
Al

That's what I did and it's far more heavy duty than plain foil.

Al,

Would you mind describing the quantity of water to heated rocks it takes to boil? Always thought of this as an option but havent met anyone other than you that has made it work.

Thanks in advance.

Cameron

Thanks norad45, I went with that Idea (Modified Turkey pan aluminum) for the edc but for the bob, I am using the stainless steel cups that attach to the bottom of your 32oz nalgine bottle. I saw a video of a guy up in Sweden try the rock in the water method that alvacado had said and it was the SURVIVAL: Episode 3 - Quest for The Stone video. It didn't look that productive but the theory is there.


Stone Heating

Nalgine Cup

I just tried boiling water in some foil I had in my PSK. As I unfolded the square foot of foil to make a container I found that the foil had torn at one of the creases. With the remaining 8 X 12 inch sheet I folded the foil over itself to form a dual layer container that held about 8 ounces of water. No leaks so far. I put it over a small flame from a burner on my stove and let it sit. After a few minutes I got small bubbles. A short while later the foil began to make a popping/crackling sound, but the water never came to a rumbling boil. I tried this test a second time but could not get the water to violently bubble. When I turned up the flame it just pushed up on the center of the container causing water to spill out. After my experiment I set the container aside and noticed a couple drips falling off of it. Very small, but a leak none the less. I would like to try one of those disposable baking trays that you guys have talked about. Has anyone that has boiled water in foil been able to produce large bubbles that are normally associated with boiling or am I doing something wrong?

I never bought the idea of boiling water in folder aluminium foil. Find a metal cup you like instead.

You need to bring it with you for it to be useful (different story!).

I dug my baking sheet foil out of my BOB, folded a 9" X 8" piece into a single layer cup, and set it over a can of Sterno. There was one pinhole at the very edge of the foil that I easily avoided. I had bubbles within 7 minutes and a full boil within 10. It did not come to what I would call a rolling boil like you would get in a pan, but I don't think that is very important. As long as the water reaches boiling temps you will be fine.

One interesting thing I noticed was that the foil cup boiled much faster over the Sterno than my Campmor steel cup does. (10 minutes vs. 18 minutes.) I attribute this to the uneven surface of the foil cup acting more like a chimney (for want of a better word) than the smooth surface of the cup, or maybe it has to do with the properties of aluminum vs. steel.

Or do what many of us do and bring both. It never hurts to have a backup, and you can also use the foil for roasting, as a fire reflector, or to shiny up a fishing lure. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Buckshot13 , I agree with Bee and Norad45, I had tried Hefty Oven liners, turkey pans etc.. and they did not leak when I first took my fist and made a cup out of the aluminum,
But when I took another sheet out (had to cut the sheet out of the pan) (Very Very sharp edges) I tested it after I packed it. I folded it and folded it as if it were going in my pack, then unfolded it and held it up to the light and noticed the pin holes again. It would definitely boil water after some time but it leaked a lot as the hotter it got. I realized that all this is fine until you start folding things together and the metal starts work harden and starts to get small cracks resulting into small holes. Then I decided to go with the stainless steel 32 oz bottle cup and use the aluminum as a primary cooking surface. I wouldn’t put my life on the line with this thin aluminum, maybe a aluminum cup but definitely not foil of any kind. If going out into a unknown, take the cup.


Cup