View Full Version : Couples and Alcohol Stoves
Spirit Walker
02-20-2006, 17:54
I've never done a long hike using an alcohol stove, just short vacation trips. They didn't start becoming popular until about 2000; on our thruhikes we always used a Whisperlight. On vacation hikes, we split one Liptons and that is fine, as appetite doesn't usually set in for the first week or so, so I've been happy with the alcohol stove we've been using. But I'm not sure whether an alcohol stove is really practical when cooking for two when the food intake is two Lipton dinners plus add ins.
So, how have you handled cooking for two? Do you do two separate meals or just put in 2 oz fuel and hope the 4 cups of water will come to a boil? Does it? Especially at altitude - I'm a bit worried about that.
Have your partner carry a cook pot, the alcohol stove, and alcohol, too. That worked for us on our thru last year. Trust me, nobody wants to wait longer than necessary for food at the end of the day...
Footslogger
02-20-2006, 18:04
When we hike together we generally carry our own stoves. Different tastes and eating schedules. For us it would take too long to use alcohol for a 2 person meal.
'Slogger
The General
02-20-2006, 18:08
My partner and I cooked for two using an alcohol stove for our 2004 Tru Hike, it worked just fine I never worried to much about fuel as I carried plenty and just filled her up everytime she boiled 4cups no problem and then still had plenty left to boil some water for coffee. Fuel is readly available so resupply was never a problem I just liked to carry the extra weight.
I think you'd do better with a cannister stove, imho. Doubling the volume of water to be boiled much more than doubles the amount of alcohol necessary. Since alcohol is not capable of putting out the BTU's of white gas or cannister mixes, environmental factors play much more of a part on the efficiency of a stove (i.e. the heat lost is not replaced as fast with a cooler burning [alcohol] stove, slowing boil times in windy/cold conditions).
My vote for a stable, durable, light cannister stove for med. sized pots goes to the Vargo Jet-ti stove, available at Backpacking Light. I had a PocketRocket, which was a bit hotter, but the burner pattern was too tight for anything other than boiling water, and the stove was tall, making it unstable, especially for larger pots (the pot supports are quite flexible, too).
This is the stove I use for two. I can easily get a week's worth of warm weather use for two on a large cannister (not being very careful of fuel economy).
I'm beginning to believe that Esbit is more efficient than alcohol. I boiled two cups of water in an Evernew 1.3 liter pot in 11 degree weather on about 3/4 of a 1/2 oz. tab (yesterday morning). It was windy, too. I used a ti pot support and tab holder which I got at Backpacking Light, and the ti foil windscreen that they offer (the one with holes). I will definitely be bringing it on my Georgia section hike next month.
Spirit Walker
02-21-2006, 00:44
I can't use a canister stove. We're starting a thruhike of the CDT, resupplying as we go. Alcohol should be available at garages/hardware stores/minimarts. Unleaded gas definitely is. Propane is not available.
when i was out there hiking in any one meal i ate as two or three or four were eating...........most of the time i cooked over a campfire but on occasion i would use my trusted alcohol stove and as long as there were no wind or i had it blocked good i'd use little consumption of the stuff.........
jackiebolen
02-21-2006, 11:55
I would say you should be fine with one stove. An option would be to take two pots. Then cook and share round one. While you're eating that, cook round two. Eat and enjoy.
Footslogger
02-21-2006, 12:26
I would say you should be fine with one stove. An option would be to take two pots. Then cook and share round one. While you're eating that, cook round two. Eat and enjoy.
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We've done that too and it works well. We flip a coin (or leg wrestle) to see who goes first.
'Slogger
my wife and i use this system i carry a complete jetboil and she has the companion cup.:cool: neo
http://www.jetboil.com/Products/Accessories