Our family has a goal to live more environmentally friendly.

But, the only way we have been able to enjoy the outdoors and snowboarding in the winter months has been to use disposable handwarmers. You probably know the ones.

Where we are from, the weather hovers below 0 Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) for 8 months of the year. During the coldest months we average -20 Celsius (4 Fahrenheit) with the coldest temperatures reaching below -40 Celsius (-40 Fahrenheit).

There is no way that we can enjoy the outdoors without some sort of handwarmer which is why I was so happy to find the company Aurora Heat which makes reusable hand warmers.

The Aurora Heat Reusable Handwarmers are made of sustainably-sourced beaver fur up North in Canada using traditional indigenous practices.

I have been eyeing up this company since I heard of them.

There is so much to love about this company.

I have been talking about them with my family and friends and now I am excited to finally share them with all of you in a detailed post!

Want to skip the full post and purchase a pair of Aurora Heat warmers?

Use the code “BTBA10” for 10% off any priced item!

Purchase the Aurora Heat Handwarmers here.

Purchase the Aurora Heat Footwarmers here

Purchase the Sekui Kids Hand Warmers here

Purchase the Sekui Kids Foot and Hand Warmers here.

Disclaimer: I make a small amount if you purchase through our link which supports our families pizza night and taco fund.

Aurora Heat Reusable Hand Warmers

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About Aurora Heat

Overview of Aurora Heat products

How to use them?

Do they work?

How long do they last?

Will kids like them?

Cleaning the warmers

The Case for Fur

About Aurora Heat

Background

One day, Brenda Dragon’s son came to her frustrated that it was challenging to snowboard in freezing cold weather because he found himself so cold.

When she thought about her childhood and being able to stay warm in -40C with the use of beaver fur, she turned to wild fur and the practices she had learnt from her heritage.

She cut some pieces of the beaver fur for her son to use while snowboarding outdoors.

Soon his friends wanted them, and then his friends friends and their parents too!

Founding of Aurora Heat

Seven years ago, Aurora Heat was founded by Brenda Dragon.

Aurora Heat products are sustainably made of beaver fur. In fact, every piece of the pelts is used and there is NO leftover waste.

“Live in harmony with Nature” is the company’s slogan and one that forms the foundation of every product that they create.

Brenda’s vision is for the world to be more thoughtful about the day to day products they purchase and choose more sustainable solutions that are good for the whole world.

Overview of Aurora Heat’s Products

Aurora Heat has a wide range of reusable warmers to help stay warm in the winter months. They even have cell phone warmers to keep the battery on your phone from dying in the cold!

All of Aurora Heat’s warmers are made of beaver fur. They all have one side made of beaver fur and the other side is leather. The side with the fur goes directly on the skin.

The fur really compacts down to be very thin and is easy to fit into mitts and boots.

The products do come in different sizes and thickness. Measuring will help you decide on the right size for you.

How you plan to use the product will determine the desired thickness.

For a ski or snowboard boot you will most likely want the thin version of the foot warmer or the ultra foot warmer. The regular thickness will fit most footwear and the thick version offers a bit more warmth but takes up more space in a boot.

Their most popular products are the reusable hand and foot warmers which come in adult and child sizes.

To add more warmth to the hands and feet, you can also try their are thumb, wrist, and ankle warmers.

The thumb warmers wrap around the thumb and tuck into the mitt.

The thumb warmers, just like any of the warmers, can also be used in other places like on the feet!

The wrist warmers are particularly good if your hands become cold from frequently going in and out of mitts, such as when helping kids with their gear or to taking photos in the cold.

I have not had a chance to try them out but they are on my list since my hands are always helping the girls with their snowboard bindings or taking photos. I’ll update you when I do!

Aurora Heat has a few other products including head and body warmers as well as the Sets’éni Comforter which can help keep children cozy and warm when they sleep!

How to Use Them

How to use the Aurora Heat products?

Any way you like.

Though I do have 6 tips to help you enjoy the warmers.

6 Tips to Enjoy the Aurora Reusable Heat Warmers

1. Place warmers directly against your skin. Yes, even the foot and body warmers. The warmer uses YOUR body heat to keep you warm.

2. Hand and Foot Warmers can go on top or on the bottom of your hand or foot.

3. If you are like me and have to take your hands out of the mitts to help your kids with gear or to take photos, your hands will warm up faster if you have already had your hands against the warmers for a period of time beforehand.

4. Try different ways to use the warmers. You may find it better to wrap the warmer around the fingers and toes instead of having them on the center of your hands and feet.

5. Be flexible. Let’s say you bought hand and thumb warmers and your feet are really cold. You CAN wrap the warmer around your toes and use it as a toe warmer or you could use the thumb warmer as a foot warmer for kids!

6. Double check you are purchasing the best size and thickness for your needs before purchasing.

Do They Work?

Yes they do! Combined with your body heat, the warmers will keep you pleasantly warm.

They are a high quality eco-friendly and sustainable option that has been used for many generations to help people around the world stay warm in temperate and in extreme -40 Celsius (-40 Fahrenheit) weather.

One thing to note: If your hand is already freezing cold, you can move your fingers around against the fur and your hands will soon be toasty warm.

How long do they last?

Aurora Heat has been around for 7 years and their very first products are still being used today! There is a 3-month money back guarantee on the Aurora Heat products to enjoy ample time testing the products.

The current hypothesis, which is supported by long lasting tradition, is that the products will last a lifetime or longer.

Either way, I think it is safe to say that they will last a long time AND save the environment AND money in the long run compared to buying disposable hand warmers.

Will Kids Like them?

The warmers are soft and cozy like little stuffies without being bulky.

So yes… I think most children will love these. My kids love them.

I showed the Aurora Heat reusable kids handwarmers to my daughter and her face lit up as she looked at me and said

“It’s like hugging a cloud. They should make a stuffie out of this.”

The challenge with kids is that their warmers can get lost. Some parents have sown them directly to the mitt. We haven’t done this yet.

For now, our kids only use these for big outdoor family adventures like when we go snowboarding or hiking together. We do not let them use them at school.

When they are not being used, we keep them in our reusable Cookina ziplocks.

Cleaning the Warmers

Can you clean the warmers?

Let me ask you a question. Do beavers swim? YES!

All jokes aside because I actually asked the same question. It is not recommended to purposefully wet the warmers but they can be cleaned with a rubbing alcohol and water mixture or check out their Natural Fur Cleaner.

Everyday care: Every once in a while, take your handwarmers out, lay them flat, and air dry them.

If they become wet: If the warmers are wet, shake them, gently reshape them before laying them flat to air dry by leaving the fur side up.

Deep Clean: To keep the warmers fresh for years to come, consider buying the Natural Fur Cleaner with a hint of sage.

The case for fur

If sustainable, and ethical products are your thing, then Aurora Heat is one of the best, maybe even the best.

Here are three reasons why:

No Waste. They use all of the fur from the beaver so there is no waste unlike single-use products, fast-fashion, battery operated warmers, and synthetic/petroleum based materials.

Long Lasting. They can only claim that the products last 5 years because that is how long they have been around BUT they most likely will last forever based on traditional indigenous clothing.

Handmade with Living Wages. Each product is handmade in Canada by Indigenous artisans, who are paid a living wage and higher while also offering flexible hours.