Alcohol stove vs propane stove

[Czechneck]

I'm planing to thrue hike the appalachian trail in 2016 and looking for advice about pros and cons of alcohol vs propane. How hard is it to find fuel for both on trail and also I know there is a big weight difference.

[Rueben the Cobbler]

One big difference is that alcohol stoves take longer to boil, I had mine going for over 15 minutes the other day and it still had not come to a rolling boil. For spring hiking I prefer a jetboil, it is extremely efficient. Alcohol stoves are my choice for summer. HEET can be bought lots of places. A disadvantage to butane canisters is that you can't tell how much fuel is left.

[perdidochas]

One big difference is that alcohol stoves take longer to boil, I had mine going for over 15 minutes the other day and it still had not come to a rolling boil. For spring hiking I prefer a jetboil, it is extremely efficient. Alcohol stoves are my choice for summer. HEET can be bought lots of places. A disadvantage to butane canisters is that you can't tell how much fuel is left.

Some Canisters (MSR for example) have markings on them, so that you can float the canister in water, and determine their fill level.

[Odd Man Out]

One big difference is that alcohol stoves take longer to boil, I had mine going for over 15 minutes the other day and it still had not come to a rolling boil. For spring hiking I prefer a jetboil, it is extremely efficient. Alcohol stoves are my choice for summer. HEET can be bought lots of places. A disadvantage to butane canisters is that you can't tell how much fuel is left.

I think the biggest difference between alcohol and gas stoves is variety. Gas canister stoves are all very much alike with relatively few differences among their design and operation. So when discussing the pros and cons of gas stoves, comments would would apply equally to most model, except maybe Jetboil (and similar) systems that are a little different.

On the other hand, there is a lot of diversity in alcohol stoves. There are hundreds of different varieties, styles, etc... Many are homemade, some are purchased (either from big companies or a guy working out of his garage). Also, alcohol stoves really are part of a whole cooking system that works together (stove, pot, pot stand, and wind screen). You can buy the system (such as a Caldera Cone) or put together your own). They can be adjustable or on/off, they can be efficient or inefficient, easy to use or complicated, they can be powerful or slow. With all of this variety, alcohol stoves have a steeper learning curve. You may need to invest some time putting together a system that meets your needs.

So, if someone says alcohol stoves are slow (take 15 minutes to boil), that would only only apply to his system. It does not apply to all alcohol stoves since they are all different. I like alcohol stoves and have used many different models over the years, adjusting my system to the point that stove I use now is easy to use (fill-light-cook, no priming, turn it off when done, recover excess fuel for next time). I can get 2 cups of 70 deg water to a rolling boil in less than 4 min using less than 15 mL of fuel. It works will in all conditions (cold, wind). If you are willing to invest the time to optimize a system, then alcohol can be very effective. But the simplicity and power of gas stoves is also very attractive. It all depends on your priorities.

[Czechneck]

I have been looking at buying a jet boil but what is the availability of the propane cilinders on the trail or is that something I need to ship my self ahead?

[Wülfgang]

You'll get a plethora of opinions on stoves.

EtOH stoves come in hundreds (literally) of designs; some more efficient than others. But generally speaking they are on the lower end of fuel efficiency, especially in adverse conditions.

Pros:
Simple
Almost fail-safe
Fuel widely available
Light

Cons:
Not very fuel efficient, especially in cold temps
Longer boil and cook times
Windscreen is an absolute must


The pros/cons of Esbit stoves are similar, except Esbit cubes leave a smelly, sticky residue on your pot.

Canister stoves also come in many iterations, the JetBoil being the most popular. A lot of ultra-lighters hate on the Jet Boil, but it is a very user-friendly, highly efficient stove. Other common, lighter options include the MSR whisperlite and pocket rocket.

Pros:
Very fuel efficient; canisters will last well over a week if used judiciously
Wind screens usually aren't necessary
Fast boil and cook times

Cons:
A bit heavier
Canister fuel not as ubiquitous as alcohol or Heet



Hopefully that helps. Use what is easiest for you and your needs.

[Czechneck]

How hard is it to find fuel canisters on the trail?

[colorado_rob]

How hard is it to find fuel canisters on the trail?I found not hard at all, though I was nervous a time or two. I carry an Esbit tablet for a backup heat source(and an emergency fire starter); find a flat rock to sit it on, build up a small ring of rocks as a pot stand, light tablet, set pot on ring, good to go.

I think the choice between Alcohol vs. canisters is how much water you heat daily; I make three 2.5-3 cup heats a day typically because I like my two cups of coffee in the morning and one cup of tea in the evening plus my main meal. An alcohol setup would actually be heavier for me than my Jetboil Sol Ti, because of the amount of fuel I would have to carry for more than a couple days (alcohol has about half the amount of heat per ounce than propane/butane). If I only did one boil a day I might consider Alcohol to same a couple ounces (and simply deal with the glacial pace of heating water with alcohol!).

[Odd Man Out]

The notion that alcohol stoves don't work well in cold temperatures is a myth. On the other hand, it is well known that canister stoves fail when the fuel get too cold.

Also, alcohol stoves are always "inefficient" if you define efficiency as mass or fuel needed to cook you meal. This is because the energy density of alcohol is much lower than gas. But they are not necessarily inefficient if you define efficiency as percentage of available energy that delivered to your pot. What is relevant for most long distance backpackers the amount of weight you must carry. This will depend not only on the mass of fuel you burn (i.e. efficiency), but also the mass of the stove, the mass of the fuel container, mass of the pot, how you use the stove, how much fuel you carry, etc... There are so many variables it is hard to generalize and the answer will vary from person to person.

I would not classify alcohol stoves as easier, necessarily. My set up has quite a few part (more than a canister stove set up would). And I would not classify alcohol as fool-proof either. True that there are no moving part to break, but plenty of people have started fires and/or burned themselves with alcohol stoves. There is a risk if you are careless or uninformed wrt the dangers.

[Sirsnappy09]

Are you going to cook or just do boiling water? How long between resupplies?? Any cold temps or mainly warmer? All of these should be considered. I have used everything g from white gas shaker style stoves to esbit. I recently switched to a remote canister style that can be inverted if needed. Very versatile and I have switched from only boiling water to a little more cooking/ simmering. I personally did not like a jetboil. Nothing wrong with them though. It really depends on your needs.

[Czechneck]

Well I like tea so planing of using the stove couple times a day, in the morning for tea and for dinner at night. Do all the towns on the trail have a place to buy spare canisters or do you have to mail those ahead? I'm not really skilled on cooking on the mini propane stoves so don't know how they last. But I'm not really worried about it to much if I can buy them every time I resupply in towns? I'm also not really planning mail drops other than Fontana dam and the NOC so I will buy food as I go( which seems the best over all as far as my reachers shows me)

[Jake2c]

I have a couple of different stoves using canister, wood, and alcohol. I have a 2 oz alcohol stove that I will be taking, it can simmer which was important to me. I have two alcohol stoves but one is an on or off affair. On full heat I get two cups boiling in about 5 minutes (I have not timed it accurately because it doesn't matter that much to me). On simmer, it runs for about 25+ minutes on 1 oz (as advertised). I am going with alcohol really for one main reason, my whole set-up including pot and all ends up being very small and space in my pack is limited. Minor reason are ease of getting fuel and they are basically bullet proof. I use Heet in the yellow bottle. There is a test between different fuels for an alcohol stove and Heet in the yellow bottle was the best at cleaning and time to boil water. When you hear long times to boil or not obtaining a boil, may be the fuel also has something to do with it and not just stove design.

[MuddyWaters]

Subtle difference, but backpacking cannister stoves use isopropane, butane, isobutane, with a little propane blended in (up to 30%). They are referred to as cannister stoves.

Propane has higher vapor pressure and requires heavier steel cylinders and regulators. Typically larger camping type stoves would be called propane stoves.

Just semantics.

[Czechneck]

Ok well then the canisters stoves small cillinders are those available in every town on the trail?

[Misery]

Its available in most towns. If you check out AWOL's guide and plan ahead you can typically plan ahead far enough not to worry about it. I suggest if you go with a canister practicing with one before you go so you know about how many meals you can cook with it.

[MuddyWaters]

Ok well then the canisters stoves small cillinders are those available in every town on the trail?
Probably not every town
But enough, yes.
And some get all they need from hiker boxes, not reccomended to plan on that though.
Jetboil is fuel stingy and cannisters last a long time.

[norts]

I used gas for my thru hike last year, even some hostels have canisters for sale. By checking towns and their facilities you can soon tell where you will be able to get more fuel. Only one time did I have a problem , Walmart had sold out and I had to go very stingy for awhile, didnt have as many cups of coffee.

Taz

[Traveler]

Might be best to start out with a stove system like butane that you are comfortable using and migrate to another type of stove like alcohol once you have seen a lot of them along the way.

[Connie]

+1 I think the canister stoves are better for someone starting out.

Every stove requires at least a windbreak to be effective. JetBoil has that built-in. The other canister stoves must not have the cannister surrounded by a windbreak or confined in any manner, because the cannister will explode with considerable force and shrapenel. This is why cannister stove makers do not sell windscreens. The only windscreens they have protect only the flame. The cannister must never be surrounded by the windscreen: a windbreak well back from the cannister may be acceptable. The windscreens discussed in forums are above the flame and around the cookware only.

I also think a spill-proof alcohol stove is safer for someone starting out.

The spill-proof alcohol stoves are quite safe and the windscreen may surround the stove and pot with openings for air for the flame. I like zelph's StarLyte or Fancee Feest alcohol stove for that safety-factor. I have both stoves. I think the StarLyte w/lid and EZ Fold windscreen is my favorite. I do like the titanium windscreens. There are instructions on YouTube for DIY titanium windscreen.

The StarLyte alcohol stove has "mini-size" up to "maxi-size" variants, made by zelph.

[booney_1]

On the windscreen issue...MSR whisperlite universal , Primus Gravity, Snow Peak GeoShield, Windpro, all use a remote canister and you can use a windshield with them. There are also some windshields made that go between the burner and canister, so the canister does not heat up.
People often make their own windshields out of pie plates that work this way.

I like the remote canister stoves for that reason, and because they are more stable. (of course I'm too cheap to have one)

If you get the burner that sits on top of the canister, definitely get a set of "legs" that clip onto the canister to make it more stable.

I have used both alcohol and canister stoves. Canisters are quicker to start, and if you are doing any cooking beyond heating water they are great. Alcohol stoves can spill...but I've also seen plenty of people "walk" through the kitchen and knock over a canister stove (oh no there goes my dinner!!). (if you have any type of decent (ie average homemade), you can boil two cups of water in 4 minutes...no problem.)
Esbit tablets are pretty good also. Very simple to use.

I saw something years ago in the rule book of some backpacking group that I really like. A "kitchen" area is made (rectangular area blocked off with sticks on ground). Nobody WALKS through the kitchen!!. And then all the stoves in the group are used in the kitchen area.

I suggest you try both...

[fastfoxengineering]

All though alcohol stoves are more simplistic, canister stoves are simpler to use for a newbie in my honest opinion. Using a canister stove is pretty much like cooking on your gas stove at home.

Both are pretty cheap, why don't you acquire both and see which one you like more?

After a few years of using both, I like my alcohol stoves greater than my canister stoves. Believe it or not, one of the biggest reasons is canisters stoves sound like a jet engine spooling at 6am. Alcohol stoves can make a little noise, but it's peaceful.

Also, you'll find a ton of scientific research about which is lighter. And it depends on your style of hiking, but I think you'll find that you'll sometimes be carrying two canisters at once because you still had a good amount of fuel left in one and didn't want to throw it out. but had to acquire a fresh canister to make it to your next resupply.

Another thing, I'm sure empty canisters end up in landfills and are rarely disposed of properly on the AT.

Both options work great, I think alcohol stoves are suited to people who prefer the simpler life.

[Sirsnappy09]

Not all canister stoves are the same. Windscreens work with remote canisters as the canister and burner are seperate. You can use a traditional style full windscreen around the burner. They weigh a wee bit more but I'm no gram weenie. Mine weighs in at 6 oz. Including the hose but. Without fuel and packs into my pot with the hose and fuel. Small Iso can is about3 oz. You can avoid the having to carry partially full canisters by carefully experimenting with burn Times before your trip. I can invert my canisters also which works awesome in colder temps.

[Tarheel Hanger]

I just bought a Optimus crux weekend he cook set & love it so far. Much better & efficient than my old msr pocket rocket. It even beat my friends Jetboil in a little competition for speed boil & seems to simmer much better than any other canister stove than I've seen. I even use the deeper top for coffee & tea (no extra cup). I tried alcohol stoves for a while and enjoyed certain things about them but I found canister stoves are easier & quicker than alcohol (my opinion). I have a lot of miles on different trails but planning my 1st AT section this year. Thanks for all the info guys. I think I will stick with my canister this time.

[CarlZ993]

I used an alcohol stove on my thru-hike. It was one from Zelph - Fancee Feast Stove. http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/fancee-feest.php For an alcohol stove, it worked fine. Obviously, it didn't boil water as fast as a canister stove would. If I were to do it again, I'd probably go w/ a canister stove. Probably the Soto Windmaster stove (couldn't get the cut & paste feature to work). Light & reportedly resistant to the effects of wind.

Note: I recently bought the Windmaster stove but haven't got to use it in the backcountry.

[oldwetherman]

I've used them both and prefer alcohol. Only thing I do is rehydrate "freezer bags" so I don't have to simmer anything. It may take a few more minutes to boil water but I'm hiking....not "on a clock".
I second what Fastfoxengineering said.....I've been at shelters and campsites where there's so many jetboils roaring that it sounded like I was standing at the end of a runway!