Carrying Fuel

[Cuffs]

Opinions please:

I'll be carrying Denat Alcohol for my pop can stove. I have several options for what to carry the fuel in... recycled plastic Coke, Gatorade or juice bottle. The difference in them is I can the Coke bottle in 12 or 20 oz sizes. Gatorade in 20 or 36 (i think) oz sizes. or juice bottles in 10o oz size.

What is the more advantageous way to carry the alcohol?
1 larger bottle or 2-3 smaller ones. For some reason, my brain equates the smaller bottles to easier pack-ability, filling in gaps in the pack...

[Alligator]

I prefer to keep my fuel in my water bottle holder as I use a water bladder. So I prefer to use one. Figure out your fuel usage/day then find a big enough single bottle to make it to resupply. Two bottles doubles the opportunity for a leak, although I can't say any of my soda bottles have leaked.

I think you'll probably be good with a 12 oz. bottle also.

[Footslogger]

I use a 10 oz plastic booze flask. Weighs about 2 oz empty. Has a 1 oz jigger cap and water tight cap. Nice thing about the flask is that it is somewhat flat and concave so it fits well in the outside pouch on my pack.

'Slogger

[Doctari]

Not sure, I have nothing to test it with, but seems to me that 2 bottles would increase the weight of container per Oz fuel. May be a good idea tho as you can put them into smaller places allowing you to (as you stated) pack better.

I use a coke bottle, mostly cause it has a red cap. It also has a warning label: "Danger, poison" taped to it. I can feel the tape, and as it is the only bottle withtape on it, I can find it in poor light or total darkness if need be.


FYI/FWIW: my water bottle is a Gatorade bottle. I also carry a Platypus hydration system.
None of my bottles have ever broke. The Platty has done over 400 miles hiking w me, the Gatorade bottle is at least 2 years old & has been dropped from at least 10" several times, while full.


Doctari.

[peter_pan]

Depends on the trip length too....for a weekend of breakfasts and dinners I use a 4 oz old cosmetic bottle...at 3/4 oz per 16 oz of water boil that is 6 meals....fits in my pot set-up...


Pan

[Skidsteer]

You can choose any water bottle of the size you think necessary: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 oz. are all easily found. But I like to use a cap from a Mt. Dew or Coke bottle because they are still manufactured with gaskets. These days most water bottle caps do not have gaskets.

[LIhikers]

If you are going to carry both your alcohol/fuel and your water in recycled drink bottles always, Always, ALWAYS carry your water in clear plastic bottles and the fuel in colored plastic bottles. I've been told that it isn't good to get a mouthful of fuel when you are thirsty and the colored bottles will help you distinguish the water from the fuel.

[mbroadhe]

I use a small mouthwash bottle. It's a different shape than my water bottles and, like the booze flask used by Footslogger, has a 1 oz. cap and is somewhat flat. It also smells minty to boot. J/K

[vaporjourney]

I like the idea of using a flask/mouthwash bottle for fuel because of the shape. I had been using a skinny 12 oz water bottle that fit inside my mug, but I may be ditching the mug soon if I can find a tea solution, and then I'll stick with the flask. If not, I need to find a bottle with a pop top for accurate squirting. I may be partially retarded, but I wind up spilling a small amount of fuel when pouring from a bottle. One of those childish squirt caps would be perfect. I once had a bottle with a top like I mentioned, but the sun warped it to hell in my pack, and it wound up leaking.

[jlb2012]

I use two bottles - one a small flat one ounce bottle that was originally a sample of hand lotion - this is easier to pour without any spills at least for me. The other bottle varies with the length of the hike but typically I use an 8 ounce small mouth nalgene - after the stove has gone out I refill the small bottle from the larger bottle and put the small bottle away with my cooking gear in my pot.

[Johnny Swank]

For a thru-hike I'd take a 16 oz bottle. When I did my hike, most of the time I just bought DryGas or Heet to resupply with. All those things are 12 oz, so if you wait till you're pretty low you can fill up and not have any waste.

I found it was easier alot of times to just suck it up and carry fuel to make it past 2 towns. I really got tired of the searching for fuel routine. Granted, this was in 2000 and the alky thing was just starting to get really ramped up so things are probably different now.

I'm just slothful.

[Peaks]

I use a gas stabilizer bottle for carrying alcohol.

Second choice would be a soda bottle rather than a water bottle or gator aid bottle. The reason is that they appear to be a little stronger.

[Footslogger]

[quote=Johnny Swank]For a thru-hike I'd take a 16 oz bottle.
========================
I totally agree. Alcohol or HEET is more readily available these days but I think you're better off having a little more than what you need to get by. They make the plastic booze flasks in 2 sizes (10 and 16 oz). For my shorter trips I carry the 10 oz but on my thru I carried the 16 and never ran out. If I was in a town and spottted some HEET I generally topped off my flask and then gave what was left to another hiker or left it in the hostel/hiker box.

'Slogger

[kyhipo]

I use a 32ounce fuel bottle and have for yrs,I generally use rubbing alcohol its cheaper,and in most cases works as well,I can go about two wks with that give or take.ky

[TN_Hiker]

I use an old hydrogen proxide bottle which is brown with a push / pull lid from a sports drink bottle. Works great and never had a leak. I did keep the plastic protective covering for the push / pull lid to prevent any accidents.

[Johnny Swank]

I'm sure somebody makes something like this, but I wish I could get ahold of some pre-printed orange/yellow tape that says "dangerous" or "poisonous" of something.

Ususally it's just the two of us so there's no problem but I sometimes get a little sketched out having a container around others, especially with kids around.

I might pickup some stickers or something from the poison control center and offer them for free to the group. Not to be your mother or anything, but I've seen some sketchy fuel setups, including in my own pack at times.

[mbroadhe]

I like the idea of using a flask/mouthwash bottle for fuel because of the shape. I had been using a skinny 12 oz water bottle that fit inside my mug, but I may be ditching the mug soon if I can find a tea solution, and then I'll stick with the flask. If not, I need to find a bottle with a pop top for accurate squirting. I may be partially retarded, but I wind up spilling a small amount of fuel when pouring from a bottle. One of those childish squirt caps would be perfect. I once had a bottle with a top like I mentioned, but the sun warped it to hell in my pack, and it wound up leaking.

A baby bottle may work for you, also. Think about it. It's a different shape than your water bottle, it has the oz. written on the side of it, open the hole up in the nipple and you'll be able to squirt it, and you can buy them with a cap to stop leaks.

[Doctari]

I'm sure somebody makes something like this, but I wish I could get ahold of some pre-printed orange/yellow tape that says "dangerous" or "poisonous" of something.

Ususally it's just the two of us so there's no problem but I sometimes get a little sketched out having a container around others, especially with kids around.

I might pickup some stickers or something from the poison control center and offer them for free to the group. Not to be your mother or anything, but I've seen some sketchy fuel setups, including in my own pack at times.

I found a skull & cross bones from my clipart folder, added several (12) 'WARNING POISON" in red arond & behind it. That covers a little less than 1/2 the bottle, I also have another skull on the back, says "alcohol Poison".

Has worked so far, I'm not dead

[Alligator]

I found a skull & cross bones from my clipart folder, added several (12) 'WARNING POISON" in red arond & behind it. That covers a little less than 1/2 the bottle, I also have another skull on the back, says "alcohol Poison".

Has worked so far, I'm not dead

That's a good idea. Did you put these on paper or did you use stickers/labels?

[Johnny Swank]

OK folks - I'm willing to pursue this. How many people would be interested in an obnoxious "Danger" sticker for their fuel bottles? I'm willing to print and and ship these for the cost of the postage.

Not that this is an epidemic on the trail, but it doesn't hurt to be careful. This should run about .75 cents with shipping at no profit.

Just let me know.

-Johm