View Full Version : Heet or Alcohol
Between Heet or Alcohol, which is the choice that everybody prefers?
Walkintom
05-22-2015, 14:45
Heet is easy to find. I buy denatured alcohol at the hardware store because it's cheaper that way.
Don't get isopropyl alcohol.
BirdBrain
05-22-2015, 15:00
I prefer Yellow HEET (methanol) over ethanol because it is cleaner burning and has a lower flash point. Denatured alcohol is a mix of the 2. That mixture can run from 40% to 95% ethanol. Clean Strip Green is about 95% ethanol. Ethanol burns hotter, but is sootier. Both are fine or any mixture of the two. It is not a critical choice.
Everclear, no chance of poisoning yourself, unless you want to, burns clean and is dual purpose.
BirdBrain
05-22-2015, 15:42
Everclear, no chance of poisoning yourself, unless you want to, burns clean and is dual purpose.
How much does your everclear cost? Where does the average hiker find it to buy it?
atraildreamer
05-22-2015, 16:26
Heet Yellow. Get a 4-pack at Wally World. Costs about $4.
K2 Travels
05-22-2015, 19:58
180 proof Everclear is the way to go. It boils almost as fast as denatured alcohol and heet, without the poison. This is a really big deal for me as my cook kit is all one unit, fitting into my cooking pot (fuel as well). I do not want poison inside my cook pot.
Everclear is more expensive but if it's worth it. It can also be hard to find the 180 proof as not all states sell it and only the lower % alcohol Everclear is available to buy.
MuddyWaters
05-22-2015, 20:13
Double post
MuddyWaters
05-22-2015, 20:15
Everclear does not light as easily as methanol or slx. Even in warm weather,. In cold weather its much worse. It also doesnt burn as clean necessarily. Depends on air supply (windscreen) and stove. If i put straight everclear in my setup i get a sooty pot bottom. I use a tight windscreen tuned for slx.
I use SLX (50-50) spiked with everclear to make it about 75/25 (disregarding water content of course). A little more heat than slx, but still lights as easily, and zero soot.
Grocery store liquor departments around me have 750ml bottles for $13 or so.
4eyedbuzzard
05-22-2015, 20:26
FWIW, while methanol is poisonous, even in amounts as small as 10 ml, it also occurs naturally and is routinely ingested in small quantities in fruits, juices, wines, etc. The chances of getting poisoned by methanol because it is carried in or near cooking gear is pretty remote (unless one is very careless) as it evaporates rapidly on exposure to air leaving no residue.
EDIT: Don't drink your stove fuel and you'll be fine.
BirdBrain
05-22-2015, 20:31
Part of the concern with methanol is accidently drinking it. I have zero concern about that. I do not repackage methanol. It already comes in a suitable container. The yellow HEET bottle works fine for me and is impossible to confuse for a drinking bottle.
Rocket Jones
05-23-2015, 07:03
Be aware of which type of HEET container you get. There is a screw top type that people like, but there is also a bottle with a cap that you pry off with a screwdriver or key. That type of cap does snap on, but it's not very secure and leaks. I always put my fuel in a different container and store in a baggie.
misterfloyd
05-23-2015, 07:43
whatever I can find. Have used both.
You can run a car on everclear.
Floyd
So there's 2 different color heet bottles-which is the one to use-as you can guess I'm new at this
BirdBrain
05-23-2015, 13:28
Red is isopropyl. Yellow is methanol. Buy the yellow bottle.
Rocket Jones
05-23-2015, 13:33
So there's 2 different color heet bottles-which is the one to use-as you can guess I'm new at this
Yellow, always.
Another Kevin
05-23-2015, 20:08
Part of the concern with methanol is accidently drinking it. I have zero concern about that. I do not repackage methanol. It already comes in a suitable container. The yellow HEET bottle works fine for me and is impossible to confuse for a drinking bottle.
I use an 8 ounce Poland Spring bottle (they often have them at meetings at work if they have coffee at break time) for my fuel bottle when I'm using denatured alcohol. I peel the label, color the cap with red Sharpie, add a label with DENATURED ALCOHOL - FLAMMABLE - POISON - CAS 64-17-5, and put in a drop of blue food dye. Since an 8 ounce water bottle is pretty useless on the trail, nobody mistakes it for anything but a fuel bottle.
BirdBrain
05-23-2015, 21:28
I use an 8 ounce Poland Spring bottle (they often have them at meetings at work if they have coffee at break time) for my fuel bottle when I'm using denatured alcohol. I peel the label, color the cap with red Sharpie, add a label with DENATURED ALCOHOL - FLAMMABLE - POISON - CAS 64-17-5, and put in a drop of blue food dye. Since an 8 ounce water bottle is pretty useless on the trail, nobody mistakes it for anything but a fuel bottle.
You are not alone. Many people have similar plans with great success. I suspect my concern has as much to do with OCD as safety. The HEET is home in its friend comfy container that it is used to living in. Repurposing drinking containers for fuel scares me. Using one for a piss bottle scares me too. I know it is done safely by many many people. Still scares me though.
handlebar
05-25-2015, 17:33
I use an A&W Root Beer Bottle. The neck makes it easy to distinguish from my water bottles, even in the dark.
influenza54
05-26-2015, 22:26
Can you take denatured alcohol on a plane? I was thinking about getting an alcohol stove for my section hike but I am trying to figure out the logistics.
On the plane question, you will have to check it to carry any significant amount but i would just buy it where ever you are going, it's easy to find. Also, if you are going to keep Heet in the original container, once its been opened make sure it is packed upright, it may leak with an altitude change. There are other bottles that won't.
Ive used both, I like denatured alcohol better. It smells sweeter, its cheaper in bulk, and burns a little hotter. I have seen no sooty residue at all when using it. I use my fancy feast stove pretty much exclusively, usually cook two meals a day (morning and night) and never have soot on my stuff. So far I've only taken trips where I can carry enough fuel without looking for more. I have two fuel bottles. One is a re-purposed lavender body wash bottle with a flip top. Its large, but its a squeeze bottle with a flip top that I can't force to leak if I try. The other is a plastic walmart Outdoor Products hip flask. It doesn't carry as much, but it fits right in the side pocket of my pack, perfectly. I don't carry anything else in a hip flask, so there's no chance I'll mix it up and accidentally drink it.
Francis Sawyer
05-27-2015, 09:12
I prefer alcohol. Heet tastes nasty.
4eyedbuzzard
05-27-2015, 09:19
Can you take denatured alcohol on a plane? I was thinking about getting an alcohol stove for my section hike but I am trying to figure out the logistics.
On the plane question, you will have to check it to carry any significant amount but i would just buy it where ever you are going, it's easy to find. Also, if you are going to keep Heet in the original container, once its been opened make sure it is packed upright, it may leak with an altitude change. There are other bottles that won't.NO. Not in checked or carry on. Nothing above 140 proof booze in checked luggage, must be in original unopened container, packaged well, etc. http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/alcoholic-beverages http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/camping-gear Buy your fuel once you arrive.
BirdBrain
05-27-2015, 09:19
Alcohol tastes nasty. I like coffee.
Okay that was not very helpful. HEET puts out less BTU's than ethanol. However, it has a lower vaporization point, burns cleaner, and already comes perfectly packaged for the trail.
rojotide
05-27-2015, 09:33
alcohol is clean and cheap
influenza54
05-27-2015, 10:02
Thank you for the link. SO I should buy it when I get there I guess. I still have a lot of details to work out. Maybe a canister jetboil type stove would work better for me. I am so new at this. I am doing a lot of lurking on the forums.
4eyedbuzzard
05-28-2015, 08:46
Thank you for the link. SO I should buy it when I get there I guess. I still have a lot of details to work out. Maybe a canister jetboil type stove would work better for me. I am so new at this. I am doing a lot of lurking on the forums.All types of fuel are readily available at trail towns. The choice of stove is more a personal thing. Many use alcohol. Many use canister gas. The weight differences are relatively minor. Personally, having used both, I generally use canister as, although it's a few ounces heavier, it's faster, better in the wind, etc. at least for ME (I want my water hot NOW!). Make sure you have a good windscreen (or built in one) if using either.
BirdBrain
05-28-2015, 09:19
Please forgive my OCD. The premise of the discussion is flawed. HEET is methanol. Methanol is alcohol. Alcohol is not just ethanol. That part of the discussion has been jabbing my OCD. I have already posted my preference (and such things are just a preference). Just thought I would add this video to the discussion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxd_CH2NIWE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxd_CH2NIWE
I like methanol.
Edit: After reading the comments on the video, I question if the author knows what is in the right cup. It might be isopropyl (which is also alcohol ;)). Either way, ethanol burns hotter and more sooty. I like to keep my cook system as clean as possible for as long as possible.
I have a ridiculously cheep source of methanol ( a friend buys it by the tanker load for his windshield solvent business), have used it the better part of 20 years without a problem. It does need to be coaxed to life in colder conditions but burns very clean and have never had any contamination issues.
Yellow heat works for me. It's super easy to find as well.
I Also really wouldn't want to spill either heet or denatured on any of my gear, clothes or skin, they both smell horrible to me.
BTW I'm using 190 proof and I've had no issues with soot or ignition in various temperatures. There is a good thread on another forum showing some comparisons with other fuels, I'll see if I can find a link.
It's true it may be hard to find a steady supply if thru hiking but it's my favorite option when available.