Best camp stove?

[hikin_jim]

Hi all - I'm planning a thru-hike next year and saw this thread. Along the same topic, what is the best stove to get that will be easiest to refuel in towns? That is, I don't want to deal with picking up canisters at post offices or having to go deep into towns to find what I need. I know there are stoves that use gasoline, but the one I looked at seemed a bit complicated to set up.

Ursa,

You might just go with an alcohol stove. HEET is sold as a gas line anti-freeze in a lot of gasoline stations in a bright yellow, long-necked 12oz (355ml) bottle. It's methyl alcohol, and it makes a good stove fuel.

There are stoves that will run on unleaded automotive gasoline, but very few do it well. The best fuel for a gasoline stove is "white" gasoline such as Coleman Fuel, Crown Camp Fuel, MSR Superfuel, and Sunnyside Camp Fuel. Unleaded will leave a lot of deposits behind and tends to clog stoves.

You could also go with a wood stove, but wood stoves take some getting used to and require some skill.

HJ

[q-tip]

The Soto 1Dr has a new windscreen-used it this weekend--pretty good

[SassyWindsor]

I primarily use the Sierra Titanium Zip (modified to cut a little more weight). I also like the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone w/inferno option, can burn alcohol or esbit if not burning wood. I prefer the Zip because of its 2 speed fan allows for greater cooking diversity. Due to my frequent flying and not being able to carry fuels this works out for the best. Some airlines won't allow a gas/alcohol burning stove, or fuel containers, at all, unless they are brand new. Light weight stoves plus zero fuel weight is a very good reason for using a wood burner. Oh, and you don't have to leave the trail to search for fuel and being able to heat all the water one wants isn't bad either.

[hikin_jim]

Due to my frequent flying and not being able to carry fuels this works out for the best. Some airlines won't allow a gas/alcohol burning stove, or fuel containers, at all, unless they are brand new.

Now, that is an interesting motivation to carry a wood stove, one which I had not considered. Very interesting, but it does make sense.

HJ

[Mags]

No such thing as the best stove (or any piece of equipment), just what is best for you, your hiking style, the situation, etc.

A wood burner, for example, would be great on the AT but would be pretty useless in alpine environments.

My own .05:

http://www.pmags.com/stove-comparison-real-world-use

[dornstar]

Another vote for the Jetboil. Love it.

[RockDoc]

Canister stove with a wind screen means no messing around after a long day. You can cook and eat really fast.

You are asking for problems with an alcohol stove, unless conditions are perfect (they won't be).

[SassyWindsor]

.......pretty useless in alpine environments.....

My stove weighs in around 8.5 ounces (modified titanium). I've never had trouble finding fuel, even above tree line. I have carried or used wood staffs then burned them a little at a time when hiking in desert terrain, the toughest place to find fuel. I've found that dried animal dung burns really well and works in a pinch. I guess if I had to I could start burning pack straps, etc. I also use a Gerber retractable camp saw @ 3 oz. This allows cutting larges chunks for longer burn times. Sooted pots actually heat faster, I keep them in a stuff sack with my stove, so not a problem. Rain and wet fuel has never been a problem, just use petroleum jelly in cotton for starter. The biggest annoyance with this stove is smoke blowing into my tent when cooking in the vestibule. A single AA battery runs the blower fan, my Petzl Headlight LED's will run well on the practically dead stove battery(s). So I get a lot of service from the AA batteries I carry. If on a trip where batteries might be a problem, I'll opt to carry my Ti-Tri/inferno solid fuel stove which uses no battery, but I prefer the Ti-Zip stove. You need no fire building skills, except learning what will burn. I like to take discarded charcoal found in a public/park grill and use in my stove to grill a steak, burger or chop I just purchased in town. I start the charcoal then turn off the fan and use a homemade (very light) grill top to grill away, have also cooked ears of corn in this fashion. I've been using one so long I've learned a lot of cooking tricks with this stove and it's never let me down yet. I basically had no choice but to ditch my petrol burning stoves after the mid 90's Valuejet crash in the USA was caused by some sort of fuel cannisters, not really sure about this. But this is how I got started using solid fuel stove(s). It's worked out fine.

[rocketsocks]

I have 5 stoves,1980's coleman featherlite,white gas(that's not that light)a "Sierra" stove that needs a battery to work correctly,and 3 alcohol stoves.Pepsi can(pressure),(cause I like pepsi,not that other brand we don't mention in my house)that I built last summer.And a "Green Chilies"can stove.Of all these I prefer the sierra wood burning stove,It's something about the smell,I always bring a couple pecan,hickory,or mesquite chips...so's peoples knows what's cooking.

[Mags]

I've never had trouble finding fuel, even above tree line.

I like to take discarded charcoal found in a public/park grill.

I would find that hard to believe in the Rockies (American or Canadian) which is a bit longer than the AT alpine environment. Not many public parks with grills on the CDT vs the AT.

Then there is the fireban issue often found out West... :O

I still say there is NO such thing as best gear.

(As an aside, the longer the post, the more it seems like you are trying to convince yourself and not me. )

I