I use mine every year. To load it, you remove the burner tip at the top and fill the base with lighter fluid; that is, saturate the cotton stuffing. Obviously, you don't want it to be so full that liquid pours out when you tip it over, which is probably what happened during the kid's coat-fire. Then, replace the burner top, stand the device on a table, and light it with a match or cigarette lighter. Let it burn about a minute to get the catalytic element hot enough to sustain flameless combustion, then blow out the flame and put it in its little cotton bag for use. When you're finished using it, you can stop the combustion process by using a knife blade or something to flip-off the combustion tip. Let it cool before replacing the tip. I usually store my heater in a plastic bag during hunting season so that the remaining fuel doesn't evaporate and thus can be used for the next trip. The cheapest way to fuel it is with Naphtha, which can be bought for maybe $10 per gallon at Ace. It's the same stuff as Ronson et al lighter fluid, only much cheaper. A gallon lasts a number of years. I keep my Naphtha tin in a large plastic bag to prevent excess evaporation. This system is the cheapest way to keep warm, but it does smell a bit from the fuel. I never have noticed it stopping the deer, however.
