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Opinions please:
I'll be carrying Denat Alcohol for my pop can stove. I have several options for what to carry the fuel in... recycled plastic Coke, Gatorade or juice bottle. The difference in them is I can the Coke bottle in 12 or 20 oz sizes. Gatorade in 20 or 36 (i think) oz sizes. or juice bottles in 10o oz size.
What is the more advantageous way to carry the alcohol?
1 larger bottle or 2-3 smaller ones. For some reason, my brain equates the smaller bottles to easier pack-ability, filling in gaps in the pack...
Alligator
07-18-2006, 17:46
I prefer to keep my fuel in my water bottle holder as I use a water bladder. So I prefer to use one. Figure out your fuel usage/day then find a big enough single bottle to make it to resupply. Two bottles doubles the opportunity for a leak, although I can't say any of my soda bottles have leaked.
I think you'll probably be good with a 12 oz. bottle also.
Footslogger
07-18-2006, 17:57
I use a 10 oz plastic booze flask. Weighs about 2 oz empty. Has a 1 oz jigger cap and water tight cap. Nice thing about the flask is that it is somewhat flat and concave so it fits well in the outside pouch on my pack.
'Slogger
Not sure, I have nothing to test it with, but seems to me that 2 bottles would increase the weight of container per Oz fuel. May be a good idea tho as you can put them into smaller places allowing you to (as you stated) pack better.
I use a coke bottle, mostly cause it has a red cap. :D It also has a warning label: "Danger, poison" taped to it. I can feel the tape, and as it is the only bottle withtape on it, I can find it in poor light or total darkness if need be.
FYI/FWIW: my water bottle is a Gatorade bottle. I also carry a Platypus hydration system.
None of my bottles have ever broke. The Platty has done over 400 miles hiking w me, the Gatorade bottle is at least 2 years old & has been dropped from at least 10" several times, while full.
Doctari.
peter_pan
07-18-2006, 18:01
Depends on the trip length too....for a weekend of breakfasts and dinners I use a 4 oz old cosmetic bottle...at 3/4 oz per 16 oz of water boil that is 6 meals....fits in my pot set-up...
Pan
Skidsteer
07-18-2006, 18:18
You can choose any water bottle of the size you think necessary: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 oz. are all easily found. But I like to use a cap from a Mt. Dew or Coke bottle because they are still manufactured with gaskets. These days most water bottle caps do not have gaskets.
LIhikers
07-18-2006, 18:42
If you are going to carry both your alcohol/fuel and your water in recycled drink bottles always, Always, ALWAYS carry your water in clear plastic bottles and the fuel in colored plastic bottles. I've been told that it isn't good to get a mouthful of fuel when you are thirsty and the colored bottles will help you distinguish the water from the fuel.
mbroadhe
07-18-2006, 18:53
I use a small mouthwash bottle. It's a different shape than my water bottles and, like the booze flask used by Footslogger, has a 1 oz. cap and is somewhat flat. It also smells minty to boot. J/K
vaporjourney
07-18-2006, 20:01
I like the idea of using a flask/mouthwash bottle for fuel because of the shape. I had been using a skinny 12 oz water bottle that fit inside my mug, but I may be ditching the mug soon if I can find a tea solution, and then I'll stick with the flask. If not, I need to find a bottle with a pop top for accurate squirting. I may be partially retarded, but I wind up spilling a small amount of fuel when pouring from a bottle. One of those childish squirt caps would be perfect. I once had a bottle with a top like I mentioned, but the sun warped it to hell in my pack, and it wound up leaking.
I use two bottles - one a small flat one ounce bottle that was originally a sample of hand lotion - this is easier to pour without any spills at least for me. The other bottle varies with the length of the hike but typically I use an 8 ounce small mouth nalgene - after the stove has gone out I refill the small bottle from the larger bottle and put the small bottle away with my cooking gear in my pot.
Johnny Swank
07-19-2006, 00:06
For a thru-hike I'd take a 16 oz bottle. When I did my hike, most of the time I just bought DryGas or Heet to resupply with. All those things are 12 oz, so if you wait till you're pretty low you can fill up and not have any waste.
I found it was easier alot of times to just suck it up and carry fuel to make it past 2 towns. I really got tired of the searching for fuel routine. Granted, this was in 2000 and the alky thing was just starting to get really ramped up so things are probably different now.
I'm just slothful.
I use a gas stabilizer bottle for carrying alcohol.
Second choice would be a soda bottle rather than a water bottle or gator aid bottle. The reason is that they appear to be a little stronger.
Footslogger
07-19-2006, 08:27
[quote=Johnny Swank]For a thru-hike I'd take a 16 oz bottle.
========================
I totally agree. Alcohol or HEET is more readily available these days but I think you're better off having a little more than what you need to get by. They make the plastic booze flasks in 2 sizes (10 and 16 oz). For my shorter trips I carry the 10 oz but on my thru I carried the 16 and never ran out. If I was in a town and spottted some HEET I generally topped off my flask and then gave what was left to another hiker or left it in the hostel/hiker box.
'Slogger
I use a 32ounce fuel bottle and have for yrs,I generally use rubbing alcohol its cheaper,and in most cases works as well,I can go about two wks with that give or take.ky
TN_Hiker
07-19-2006, 09:32
I use an old hydrogen proxide bottle which is brown with a push / pull lid from a sports drink bottle. Works great and never had a leak. I did keep the plastic protective covering for the push / pull lid to prevent any accidents.
Johnny Swank
07-19-2006, 10:00
I'm sure somebody makes something like this, but I wish I could get ahold of some pre-printed orange/yellow tape that says "dangerous" or "poisonous" of something.
Ususally it's just the two of us so there's no problem but I sometimes get a little sketched out having a container around others, especially with kids around.
I might pickup some stickers or something from the poison control center and offer them for free to the group. Not to be your mother or anything, but I've seen some sketchy fuel setups, including in my own pack at times.
mbroadhe
07-19-2006, 10:10
I like the idea of using a flask/mouthwash bottle for fuel because of the shape. I had been using a skinny 12 oz water bottle that fit inside my mug, but I may be ditching the mug soon if I can find a tea solution, and then I'll stick with the flask. If not, I need to find a bottle with a pop top for accurate squirting. I may be partially retarded, but I wind up spilling a small amount of fuel when pouring from a bottle. One of those childish squirt caps would be perfect. I once had a bottle with a top like I mentioned, but the sun warped it to hell in my pack, and it wound up leaking.
A baby bottle may work for you, also. Think about it. It's a different shape than your water bottle, it has the oz. written on the side of it, open the hole up in the nipple and you'll be able to squirt it, and you can buy them with a cap to stop leaks.
I'm sure somebody makes something like this, but I wish I could get ahold of some pre-printed orange/yellow tape that says "dangerous" or "poisonous" of something.
Ususally it's just the two of us so there's no problem but I sometimes get a little sketched out having a container around others, especially with kids around.
I might pickup some stickers or something from the poison control center and offer them for free to the group. Not to be your mother or anything, but I've seen some sketchy fuel setups, including in my own pack at times.
I found a skull & cross bones from my clipart folder, added several (12) 'WARNING POISON" in red arond & behind it. That covers a little less than 1/2 the bottle, I also have another skull on the back, says "alcohol Poison".
Has worked so far, I'm not dead :eek:
Alligator
07-19-2006, 11:19
I found a skull & cross bones from my clipart folder, added several (12) 'WARNING POISON" in red arond & behind it. That covers a little less than 1/2 the bottle, I also have another skull on the back, says "alcohol Poison".
Has worked so far, I'm not dead :eek:That's a good idea. Did you put these on paper or did you use stickers/labels?
Johnny Swank
07-20-2006, 03:10
OK folks - I'm willing to pursue this. How many people would be interested in an obnoxious "Danger" sticker for their fuel bottles? I'm willing to print and and ship these for the cost of the postage.
Not that this is an epidemic on the trail, but it doesn't hurt to be careful. This should run about .75 cents with shipping at no profit.
Just let me know.
-Johm
Not that this is an epidemic on the trail, but it doesn't hurt to be careful. This should run about .75 cents with shipping at no profit.
-Johm
Is that price for 1 or for a "sheet" of them? Either way, Id be interested. I had already written on my bottle w/ a Sharpie, but I feel better than having nothing at all!
Never knew there were so many options on how to carry fuel! I think though, that I will convert over to the mouthwash bottles. They have a different shape, a measuring lid, and they are FREE at my dentist!
johnny quest
07-20-2006, 14:48
make sure your stickers or your sharpie writing is in black. not red or blue. i once guzzled out of a five gallon water can when we were under red light conditions. i didnt see the stenciled "antifreeze" in red...because it was invisible.
Johnny Swank
07-20-2006, 14:52
I'm playing around with a couple of designs right now and will post them in a couple of days.
I'm playing around with a couple of designs right now and will post them in a couple of days.
They give away the "Mr. Yuk" stickers. They're used to help childproof household chemicals.
I use a 16 ounce Poland Spring water bottle with a wrap of duct tape on it. That way I can tell it's my alcohol bottle even in the dark. Never had it leak.
Amigi'sLastStand
07-21-2006, 02:13
After reading this post, I decided to look for a better bottle than my current one for my denat. I decided on a cheap 20 oz flask, like for carrying whisky in. I used to use an old Dew bottle, the thicker ones with the gasketted tops with the fuel marked off in 1.5 oz increments. The flask is good and thick with a better gasket, so no leaks. The top is exactly 1.5 ozs when filled all the way. It fits my pack better and I like the sturdiness of it. $3.99 at Wallyworld.
It's heavier than the other one, but since I only use denat on shorter hikes, the weight is worth the safety.
Johnny Swank
07-21-2006, 10:50
OK - my designs are horrible. I'm still willing to order some flammable liquid stickers from an industrial products place and pick up some Mr. Yuk stickers to send to folks if there is any interest.
Give me a holler you'd be interested. I'll order the things if I hear from at least 15 folks. My email is source2sea at gmail dot com.
-John
SuperTroll
07-26-2006, 14:07
Second the brown Hydrogen Peroxide bottles, brown, tough plastic, little probability of leaks...I thought of using a pull type cap on mine, decided not to...if it leaked then what? (Tested one that never did, but then again I didn't test it for six months of constant use either...).
Jack Tarlin
07-26-2006, 15:01
All good comments, especially those in regards to making sure you label or mark your bottle in some way.
People forget that stove fuel is poison. I took a swig off a hiking partner's "Sprite" bottle once and ended up with a good shot of denatured instead. Tasted awful and worst part was I was afraid to light up a cigarette for the rest of the day as I was afraid I'd spontaneously combust!
Oh, and on a serious note, remember if you're a guest in someone's home (friend, family member, Trail angel, whatever), if they have little kids, make sure your fuel bottle is kept of of reach or out of sight, especially if you're using a Soda pop bottle which may be quite attractive to kids. When little kids are around, EVERYTHING ends up in their mouths sooner or later so keep this in mind whenever you encounter other folks' children.
children's hospital in pittsburg was giving away 3 sheets of MR YUK stickers awhile back. i forgot the address, but i think it's on their web site (too lazy to go look again, as i already have my stickers). all you have to do is send them a self addressed stamped envelope. took about 3 weeks to arrive, and only cost two envelopes and two stamps. oh, and some ink.
i've mentioned this before, but i use an old soda bottle. i spray painted the bottom part white, then scraped off a bit of paint on the side so i can see the fluid level. the mr yuk stickers are on the front and back, and i try to use a cap color that contrasts with the little 'ring' that is left on the bottle when you unscrew the cap. before i got the stickers, i just wrote 'fuel alcohol' on the front and back of the bottle.