To me, having hot water on any camping trip is a necessity, no matter the season. As someone who routinely spends half the year in the field, it's a creature comfort that I'm just not willing to go without anymore. Having hot water for meals or making morning coffee goes a long way toward keeping morale high, and there's nothing like a hot drink or hot water bottle at the end of a long, cold day outside.
But heating water is easier said than done when you have limited tools on hand. While there are plenty of options for camp stoves and fuel on the market, you may want to run a little simpler on some camping trips or reduce the weight of your backpack by leaving the stove at home. Fortunately, YouTuber WayPoint Survival has created a video detailing how to make a simple, cheap hot water heater for all of your camping needs. All you need is a metal can, a screwdriver, a pair of pliers, and a funnel.
WayPoint Survival's water heater is so simple, it's brilliant. He could be a post-apocalyptic MacGyver. We love that you can leave it in the fire and have a steady supply of hot water indefinitely, making those cold winter nights a whole lot more comfortable. Just keep supplying fuel for the flames and water for the heater.
Obviously, using a food-grade container would be the best for building this kind of heater. We'd stay away from containers that had held liquids such as paint thinner or other hazardous substances unless it is an extreme emergency and that's all there is to work with. We also recommend trying this at home first, before needing it in a survival situation. This would also be a great method for heating water at a remote backwoods cabin or a basecamp for hunting.
