everclear works, is it cost effective? i seem to remember .. can you use gasoline? whos using what? how should i carry the stuff? 20oz plastic bottle of everclear, waiting to see if it eats through..

everclear works, is it cost effective? i seem to remember .. can you use gasoline? whos using what? how should i carry the stuff? 20oz plastic bottle of everclear, waiting to see if it eats through..

Everclear works great but it's not cost effective compared to denat or Heet.

Don't use gasoline.

Soda bottles hold up very well. No need to worry about the alcohol eating through it.

I carry SLX Denatured Alcohol (http://www.kleanstrip.com/Art/Products/ThinnersSolvents/GSL26.png) in a used 16.9oz Kroger brand water bottle (http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/products/kroger-water.jpg). No leaky.

at the bottom end, you can "get by" with 80% rubbing alcohol. It burns a bit yellow and sooty. It may be a problem in the cold. I don't know first hand.

I presently use 90 % rubbing alcohol. it seems to work fine; burns blue, with a tinge of yellow on the tip of the flame. Boil times are comparable to the paint thinner alcohol. It costs $1.70ish locally, compared to $5 for the paint thinner.

Miles of Smiles
Tom

Just back from walmart. 91% rubbing alcohol . 1 quart for $1.94, no tax. It works for me.

Miles of Smiles
Tom

Listen to all of the above.
* Don't ever use gasoline. Never ever. It is really dangerous in any stove designed for alcohol.
* Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) - 90 percent or above - is a little more heat efficient than ethyl or methyl. It is harder to light in the cold. It does not work well in some stove designs since it is slower to vaporize, making some stoves harder to prime. It tends to leave a greasy soot on pots.
Ethyl is the next most efficient alcohol fuel, and pure methyl last. But pure methyl lights easiest in the cold.
* The efficiency difference between the different alcohols is not particularly noticeable, as long as the concentration is over 90%. Anhydrous alcohol (100%) absorbs water from the air, so reverts to 90+% pretty quickly if not kept in a proper container. 90+% alcohol is produced by running it through a dewatering agent (distilling can't reach 90% alcohol), so 90-something percent is about the best you can ever find.
* Denatured alcohol is a mixture of ethyl with a little methyl (usually 5%). The methyl makes it poisonous - and easier to light in the cold.
* Look for denatured alcohol that is also labelled "marine fuel" or "marine stove fuel." It does not contain other solvents - which may be more toxic when burned. Do not use "paint thinner" or "laquer thinner" unless labelled "marine fuel." Some thinners contain toluene, acetone and other toxic substances best left alone.
* Yellow HEET is denatured alcohol, sometimes with a large proportion of methyl. Red HEET is isopropyl. You can find one or the other at most gas stations or convenience stores. Yellow HEET can be hard to find because the methyl in it is thought to cause deterioration of automotive gaskets.

* Given all that, it is a good idea to have a stove that will run on either isopropyl or denatured alcohol - or Everclear if you can afford it.

ive always used yellow heet, never had any major problems finding it. dont use the iso crap, it gets soot all over your stuff. yellow heet now comes with a screw off cap in case you just want to use that bottle although i never did. I always carried a bit extra for starting campfires quickly.

about how long would 20 ounces of alcohol last on the trail? a week, two?

Heet, Heet, Heet. Nothing else needed except two pepsi can bottoms and a sharp knife. You'll be light and free of soot and grime on your hands and camping gear for your whole trip.
You'll be eating as well as the folks with $300 worth of cook gear and you'll be a couple pounds lighter in the pack. It's reliable and easy to find even in the most remote towns. :) :)

how long it lasts depends on how much you use. Do you need one two cup meal a day, or do you also want hot drinks and breakfast?

One of the MANY information sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage-can_stove

about how long would 20 ounces of alcohol last on the trail? a week, two?

how long it lasts depends on how much you use. Do you need one two cup meal a day, or do you also want hot drinks and breakfast?

One of the MANY information sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage-can_stove

AND it depends on the effeciency of your stove and set-up.

It's possible to cut your fuel use in half with the right mindset.

ive always used yellow heet, never had any major problems finding it.

Ditto. Found in gas station/convenience stores, larger grocery stores, auto parts stores, department stores. I like the new screw top but know of a guy that sent opened and half used snap top bottles in his mail drops (not recommended) with no leakage.

about how long would 20 ounces of alcohol last on the trail? a week, two?

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From my personal experience at about 1 ounce per "cook" ...I'd say 20 meals, give or take.

'Slogger