Oden and Otis:
I tried the rice sock at first, and it worked OK. But I am one to
experiment. I have used ELBOW MACARONI for over 4 months.
I don’t know how long I can go before changing the macaroni. I knot
the first sweat sock, and put two more socks over the knotted one.
The macaroni is lighter, and holds heat for 10 minutes or longer if
you cover it with 3 or 4 layers of bath towel. There is a slight
scorched smell, but not quite as much as with rice.
For those who prefer a shower because it is wet, will find that
you get a moist heat from the macaroni. It must absorb moisture
from the air between uses. I have a low powered microwave, and
need 2.00-2.25 minutes to get it hot.
I experimented with small rocks that we call pea gravel in local
construction circles. I figured they would hold heat for a long time.
The rocks were white and gray in appearance, but must have
had iron content. I had a smoldering mess after 30 seconds in
the microwave.