Going stoveless?

[Oklahoma]

I ran into some PCT hikers about a year ago who were saying they didn't carry a stove to cut down on weight and after a while they didn't even miss it. I have been considering it ever since but all I can think of to sustain me is snack food. Anyone have any suggestions or is there a thread on the subject.

[Oklahoma]

For breakfast I am think about a dry cereal/gorp mix with powdered milk or protein powder.

[RWheeler]

Cold oatmeal really isn't that terrible.

[Panzer1]

come on, stoves really don't weigh that much.

Panzer (posting from the MegaBus)

[Oklahoma]

I know they don't but I could trade my stove,stand,pot,fuel and fuel container for a plastic cup it is worth considering.

[58starter]

I have never thru hiked but had completed several week long section hikes. It seems that everytime I get to a shelter and build a fire to boil water there is alway one of those stoveless hikers right next to the fire and trying to yogi some hot water of coffee.
I always have extra coffee and help these guys out. Myself, I will alway have my stove and make a fire if allowed.

[Oklahoma]

Yeah sorry, I was looking for advice about cookless meal ideals from ultralight hikers who might have some experience in this area, I was not looking for the pro's con's and personal experiences of hiking with a stove as i already hike with one and have always hiked with one so i know the rationale. I am not trying to be a jerk but i am trying to avoid answers to a question i didn't ask ie. "why should I carry a stove"

[Don H]

Lots of hikers do wraps with peanut butter, tuna salad, pepperoni and cheese for dinners. Also instant mashed potatoes, Ramen and other pastas can be soaked in cold water and eaten.

[Rocketman]

You can do quite a lot of non-cook eating by use of pre-cooked dehydrated foods, those that you buy commercially and those that you can make by dehydrating cooked nearly fat free foods at home. An example of a pre-cooked dehydrated food is the instant Mac and Cheese product, the one advertised as needing 90 seconds in the microwave at home. Another example is Famous Foods brand instant refried beans or humus. Crackers or bread go well with these.

Heavier are precooked rice in the foil pack with the water included. Just a lightweight can.

Summer sausage (preservative heavy, eat pretty soon after opening) plus any number of bread products is good.

You can even consider the old American Indian meat/fat/fruit mix called pemmican.. You can buy some pemmican bars but they are outrageous in cost. You can find recipes, particularly in "paleo diet" books. It doesn't look like something you make in just two minutes. I've read about it, but never done it.

I am sure that if you learn how to search the various backpacking forums, you will find threads on going stoveless. You might be able to find a book or two that includes it, but it would be a hard search to find.

The "lunch, snacks and trailfood" section of the book "One Pan Wonders" by Theresa "Dicentra" Black has many stove free good sounding ideas that you might prefer.

Most people will look upon "stove free" backpacking as something odd or limiting, like just for brief weekends, and can't imagine enjoying a whole week or two or month of doing it. So, somehow you have got to connect up with people so inclined to get the answers.

Which is more e xtreme - vegetarianism or being stove-free?

Good luck.

[Franco]

Some suggestions here :
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=22485
Franco

[frisbeefreek]

I hiked 1/2 the PCT with a stove then got tired of cooking and went cold, then went cold on the AT. I loved not having a stove and having to worry about cooking, cleaning, finding water, fooling with a stove when cold and wet. My dietary concern was consuming 4500cal/day, so it was pretty repetitive-

Pop-tarts in the morning (2 foil packs are 800cal).
Several bars (Clif, Power, Granola, etc) on the trail in the morning
Peanut Butter (200calories/ounce is about as dense as you can get) with bread (squeeze loaf down to a small brick if you want). Add honey/jelly for flavor
Lots of traditional snack food (Fritos, pretzels, potato chips, etc)
extra sharp cheddar cheese (it will last several days at 75degrees, but will get a little greasy) with snack crackers
trail mix
snickers bar (because I earned it)
1 protein bar/day + multi-vitamin to fill in a few nutritional gaps
carry fresh food out of town for the first day after resupply
pizza & ice cream in town

[garlic08]

Here's a recent thread: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?74108-Non-cooking-alternatives&highlight=stoveless

The search function doesn't always work that well, but try it.

Like Frisbeefreek, I tried stoveless hiking on the PCT, got hooked on the diet, and went on to hike the CDT, AT, AZT, and PNT without a stove. It works great for me. I'm not even sure where my stove is right now. My diet is outlined here: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=213108

[ScottS]

Garlic, thanks a lot for the diet link. I cook at nights but more ideas for my other meals is great.

[daddytwosticks]

I need my coffee in the morning, so I guess I'll never go stoveless. But if I were to try stoveless, I'd probably bring a metal cup (ie: Snow Peak 600). If I ever wanted hot water, just put it over a fire. Plus, I would be able to eat cold stuff out of it or use it for a water-dipper.

[Panzer1]

you can use a stove to help ward off hypothermia by boiling some water and having a hot drink.

Panzer

[Pollen]

Thanks for the food suggestions, will check these out more for my next trip.

Which is more e xtreme - vegetarianism or being stove-free?

Neither! I am leaving tomorrow for 10-14 day trek and am planning on going stove-less. I will also be having a vegetarianism diet. I am not a vegetarian, just rarely eat meat (1-3 x yr). Do eat fish, but not taking it this time. Nuts, dried fruit, dried veggies, and bee pollen for this trip and instant coffee. For a longer trip and at a colder time of year will take cat stove for hot coffee and tea.

[Liv2Ride]

......and instant coffee......

Just curious. Are you planning to drink that instant coffee cold?

[Pollen]

Just curious. Are you planning to drink that instant coffee cold?

yes, have you never had cold coffee?

[Liv2Ride]

yes, have you never had cold coffee?

Yes I have many times and I enjoy the flavor. But for me, mornings are for sipping hot coffee. Must give it a try at home to see if it has potential. Anyway, just wanted to know what you had planned.

[garlic08]

you can use a stove to help ward off hypothermia by boiling some water and having a hot drink.

Panzer

This was one of the fears I had to confront before leaving my stove behind. So I ran some numbers and came up with this: To raise the temperature of one quart of water 100 degrees F (from 40 to 140, the hottest you can drink) takes 53 calories. That's less than the energy contained in one Snickers bar. If you factor in the heat lost sitting outside waiting for the water to boil, there's less gain. If you're cold, you're as well off getting under insulation and eating something (assuming you have something to eat, and assuming my numbers are right).

It's a different story if your hiking partner is willing to boil water for you, of course. And there's the comfort factor of having a hot drink. Many people are psychologically revived by that, and that is important.