I had an idea the other day about how I could modify one of my platys that just might save me some fuel. I am using alcohol for most of my cooking needs in the summer and to decrease the amount of fuel I use I thought I could preheat my water with the sun. I usually get in to camp and immediately try to get water so that the water will have a chance to warm up a bit before I try to heat it up with my stove.

Almost all of my hiking is at pretty high elevation and therefore my water sources tend to be quite cold. I think I could take a platy and darken one side with maybe a large black permanent marker (or something similar) and then set the water out in the sun to heat up for a bit prior to cooking. I still own one of the solar showers and they operate on the same idea. I've used the solar shower before to heat water when car camping and have been amazed with how hot the water will get with just setting it out on a sunny day.

I wouldn't be carrying any extra gear as I would just be carrying the same water container that I would normally have anyway.

Any comments or ideas on darkening one side of the platy?

-Skippy