View Full Version : Alcohol Fuel on the AT
left52side
03-10-2016, 21:01
Ok so when using an alcohol stove on A thru hike like many do,I am assuming there is alot of ample opportunities along the long trail.
Anyone ever run into any problems running low on fuel ?
Slo-go'en
03-10-2016, 21:14
Sources of alcohol are abundant. All outfitters and many hostels have it available. Yellow HEET dry gas makes a good fuel and is sold in convenient 12 oz bottles. It can be found at Walmart and NAPA part stores. Many towns along the AT have a close by NAPA store.
How much do they cost and how long will they last?
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gpburdelljr
03-11-2016, 17:29
How much do they cost and how long will they last?
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Cost: Google is your friend
How long will it last: Depends on your usage. Run a test and see how much you use.
left52side
03-11-2016, 20:01
How much do they cost and how long will they last?
My Question was not about the longevity of my stove or the fuel,I know how much it takes to boil 2 cups of h2o.
My question was about the abundance of fuel available on the trail, Ie ... how many days I should plan on carrying at one time etc.
Slo-go'en
03-11-2016, 21:02
My Question was not about the longevity of my stove or the fuel,I know how much it takes to boil 2 cups of h2o.
My question was about the abundance of fuel available on the trail, Ie ... how many days I should plan on carrying at one time etc.
How much to carry depends on many variables which have to be determined at the time. Mostly it depends on how often you want to have to stop to buy more and how close you want to cut it and risk running out.
left52side
03-12-2016, 07:24
How much to carry depends on many variables which have to be determined at the time. Mostly it depends on how often you want to have to stop to buy more and how close you want to cut it and risk running out.
I am planning on carrying roughly 8 ounces or so at a time.
kayak karl
03-12-2016, 07:49
I am planning on carrying roughly 8 ounces or so at a time.
so if you use 2 ounces a day then your into town no more the evern 4 days. I only cook one meal so 8 oz would work for me. I carry more in the winter.
If you carry more alcohol than you think you will need, you are unlikely to run out, but you will carry some extra ounces to do that. You might want to consider a system like a Caldera Cone Ti-Tri that lets you burn twigs as a backup to your alcohol, or just be prepared to make a small cooking fire in a fire ring if you run out of alcohol unexpectedly. Or, you could use a wood burner as a primary stove and use alcohol or Esbit as backup, which is my personal preference.
As stated, you need to figure out what you use per day, divide what you carry by what you use & Ta Da how long it will last.
2 Oz a day, dividing 8 Oz fuel, = 4 days. That is assuming you measure accurately!
I get by on 0.6 Oz fuel per meal, & average about 3 meals cooked per 2 days.
In colder weather, I too carry more, up to about 1 Oz per meal.
left52side
03-12-2016, 21:08
As stated, you need to figure out what you use per day, divide what you carry by what you use & Ta Da how long it will last.
2 Oz a day, dividing 8 Oz fuel, = 4 days. That is assuming you measure accurately!
I get by on 0.6 Oz fuel per meal, & average about 3 meals cooked per 2 days.
In colder weather, I too carry more, up to about 1 Oz per meal.
I am aware of how much fuel my cooking uses.
I was simply asking if anyone knew how easily available it was on the AT ...
(i.e. every 100 miles,every town etc etc....)
kayak karl
03-12-2016, 21:23
I am aware of how much fuel my cooking uses.
I was simply asking if anyone knew how easily available it was on the AT ...
(i.e. every 100 miles,every town etc etc....)
As stated before, it is readily available. Check your guide book for distances between town stops. we don't even know where you are hiking???
left52side
03-13-2016, 17:55
As stated before, it is readily available. Check your guide book for distances between town stops. we don't even know where you are hiking??
Hi am doing A thru hike nobo,I am sorry thought that was mentioned.
Hi
there are a lot of variables. Depending on the stove, you should be able to boil 2 cups of water with around an ounce of methyl alcohol. Some stoves less, some more. It also depends on the wind screen. Plan on 2-3 ounces per day. If you don't have rice or pasta and can drink your coffee cold, then you don't need hot water at all. Instant oatmeal, ramen noodles etc can be prepared with cold water. Depends on what you want to do and what you want to put up with.
have fun,
poopsy
kayak karl
03-13-2016, 18:23
Hi am doing A thru hike nobo,I am sorry thought that was mentioned. By your third town stop you will have it all figured out. You will plan your next stop and know exactly how much you will need. you will meet others with alky stoves and might split purchases. i carry mine in these (http://www.backcountrygear.com/vargo-outdoors-alcohol-fuel-bottle-clear-8-oz.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAvJS3BRDd44fjndyii6MBEiQAN4Ek PfFTTDZlc_9_Ts8aYOv9wrvvskzdiG8ujopCoN3IvVUaAp2p8P 8HAQ) even if i carry 3. Other advantage is if you spill one you don't lose all.
bikebum1975
05-01-2016, 17:20
I am aware of how much fuel my cooking uses.
I was simply asking if anyone knew how easily available it was on the AT ...
(i.e. every 100 miles,every town etc etc....)
I've not hiked the trail yet but denatured alcohol is very readily avalible at any hardware store. Just look in the paint stripper section. Hell walmart sells it to they have the best price on it. I use an alcohol stove regularly and carry my fuel in a 20 ounce I think fuel container. I'd rather err on the side of more fuel than needed especially when windy.
lonehiker
05-02-2016, 07:05
I am aware of how much fuel my cooking uses.
I was simply asking if anyone knew how easily available it was on the AT ...
(i.e. every 100 miles,every town etc etc....)
It is readily available. I can't think of a re-supply town that it wasn't available. Check hiker boxes, you can generally get a half-full bottle of Heet out of many of them. I probably carried 5-7 oz, on average, leaving a re-supply using about an ounce a day. I cook once a day and use about .75 oz. The other .25 oz I would use to clean spoon or my hands. The paranoid crowd probably just cringed...
It is readily available. I can't think of a re-supply town that it wasn't available. Check hiker boxes, you can generally get a half-full bottle of Heet out of many of them. I probably carried 5-7 oz, on average, leaving a re-supply using about an ounce a day. I cook once a day and use about .75 oz. The other .25 oz I would use to clean spoon or my hands. The paranoid crowd probably just cringed...
http://dogflying.com/iaf/MSDS/MSDS%20Heet%20Yellow%20Bottle.pdf
eh, its not that bad