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  1. #1
    Going for A walk left52side's Avatar
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    Default Alcohol Fuel on the AT

    Ok so when using an alcohol stove on A thru hike like many do,I am assuming there is alot of ample opportunities along the long trail.
    Anyone ever run into any problems running low on fuel ?

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    Sources of alcohol are abundant. All outfitters and many hostels have it available. Yellow HEET dry gas makes a good fuel and is sold in convenient 12 oz bottles. It can be found at Walmart and NAPA part stores. Many towns along the AT have a close by NAPA store.
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    How much do they cost and how long will they last?


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    Quote Originally Posted by kh1033 View Post
    How much do they cost and how long will they last?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Cost: Google is your friend
    How long will it last: Depends on your usage. Run a test and see how much you use.

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    Going for A walk left52side's Avatar
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    How much do they cost and how long will they last?
    My Question was not about the longevity of my stove or the fuel,I know how much it takes to boil 2 cups of h2o.
    My question was about the abundance of fuel available on the trail, Ie ... how many days I should plan on carrying at one time etc.

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    Quote Originally Posted by left52side View Post
    My Question was not about the longevity of my stove or the fuel,I know how much it takes to boil 2 cups of h2o.
    My question was about the abundance of fuel available on the trail, Ie ... how many days I should plan on carrying at one time etc.
    How much to carry depends on many variables which have to be determined at the time. Mostly it depends on how often you want to have to stop to buy more and how close you want to cut it and risk running out.
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    Going for A walk left52side's Avatar
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    How much to carry depends on many variables which have to be determined at the time. Mostly it depends on how often you want to have to stop to buy more and how close you want to cut it and risk running out.
    I am planning on carrying roughly 8 ounces or so at a time.

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    Registered User kayak karl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by left52side View Post
    I am planning on carrying roughly 8 ounces or so at a time.
    so if you use 2 ounces a day then your into town no more the evern 4 days. I only cook one meal so 8 oz would work for me. I carry more in the winter.
    I'm so confused, I'm not sure if I lost my horse or found a rope.

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    If you carry more alcohol than you think you will need, you are unlikely to run out, but you will carry some extra ounces to do that. You might want to consider a system like a Caldera Cone Ti-Tri that lets you burn twigs as a backup to your alcohol, or just be prepared to make a small cooking fire in a fire ring if you run out of alcohol unexpectedly. Or, you could use a wood burner as a primary stove and use alcohol or Esbit as backup, which is my personal preference.
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    As stated, you need to figure out what you use per day, divide what you carry by what you use & Ta Da how long it will last.
    2 Oz a day, dividing 8 Oz fuel, = 4 days. That is assuming you measure accurately!
    I get by on 0.6 Oz fuel per meal, & average about 3 meals cooked per 2 days.
    In colder weather, I too carry more, up to about 1 Oz per meal.
    Curse you Perry the Platypus!

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    Going for A walk left52side's Avatar
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    As stated, you need to figure out what you use per day, divide what you carry by what you use & Ta Da how long it will last.
    2 Oz a day, dividing 8 Oz fuel, = 4 days. That is assuming you measure accurately!
    I get by on 0.6 Oz fuel per meal, & average about 3 meals cooked per 2 days.

    In colder weather, I too carry more, up to about 1 Oz per meal.
    I am aware of how much fuel my cooking uses.
    I was simply asking if anyone knew how easily available it was on the AT ...
    (i.e. every 100 miles,every town etc etc....)

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    Registered User kayak karl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by left52side View Post
    I am aware of how much fuel my cooking uses.
    I was simply asking if anyone knew how easily available it was on the AT ...
    (i.e. every 100 miles,every town etc etc....)
    As stated before, it is readily available. Check your guide book for distances between town stops. we don't even know where you are hiking???
    I'm so confused, I'm not sure if I lost my horse or found a rope.

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    Going for A walk left52side's Avatar
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    As stated before, it is readily available. Check your guide book for distances between town stops. we don't even know where you are hiking??
    Hi am doing A thru hike nobo,I am sorry thought that was mentioned.

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    Hi

    there are a lot of variables. Depending on the stove, you should be able to boil 2 cups of water with around an ounce of methyl alcohol. Some stoves less, some more. It also depends on the wind screen. Plan on 2-3 ounces per day. If you don't have rice or pasta and can drink your coffee cold, then you don't need hot water at all. Instant oatmeal, ramen noodles etc can be prepared with cold water. Depends on what you want to do and what you want to put up with.

    have fun,

    poopsy

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    Registered User kayak karl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by left52side View Post
    Hi am doing A thru hike nobo,I am sorry thought that was mentioned.
    By your third town stop you will have it all figured out. You will plan your next stop and know exactly how much you will need. you will meet others with alky stoves and might split purchases. i carry mine in these even if i carry 3. Other advantage is if you spill one you don't lose all.
    I'm so confused, I'm not sure if I lost my horse or found a rope.

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    Quote Originally Posted by left52side View Post
    I am aware of how much fuel my cooking uses.
    I was simply asking if anyone knew how easily available it was on the AT ...
    (i.e. every 100 miles,every town etc etc....)

    I've not hiked the trail yet but denatured alcohol is very readily avalible at any hardware store. Just look in the paint stripper section. Hell walmart sells it to they have the best price on it. I use an alcohol stove regularly and carry my fuel in a 20 ounce I think fuel container. I'd rather err on the side of more fuel than needed especially when windy.
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    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by left52side View Post
    I am aware of how much fuel my cooking uses.
    I was simply asking if anyone knew how easily available it was on the AT ...
    (i.e. every 100 miles,every town etc etc....)
    It is readily available. I can't think of a re-supply town that it wasn't available. Check hiker boxes, you can generally get a half-full bottle of Heet out of many of them. I probably carried 5-7 oz, on average, leaving a re-supply using about an ounce a day. I cook once a day and use about .75 oz. The other .25 oz I would use to clean spoon or my hands. The paranoid crowd probably just cringed...
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

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    Quote Originally Posted by lonehiker View Post
    It is readily available. I can't think of a re-supply town that it wasn't available. Check hiker boxes, you can generally get a half-full bottle of Heet out of many of them. I probably carried 5-7 oz, on average, leaving a re-supply using about an ounce a day. I cook once a day and use about .75 oz. The other .25 oz I would use to clean spoon or my hands. The paranoid crowd probably just cringed...

    http://dogflying.com/iaf/MSDS/MSDS%2...w%20Bottle.pdf

    eh, its not that bad

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