View Full Version : Alcohol vs cannister stoves.Looking for the deciding factor.
ofthearth
03-22-2008, 12:42
Have used both alcohol and cannister stoves and am trying to decide which to keep using on the AT. Started at Springer and got off at Franklin to take care of some things at home. Hope to be back by the frist when things I've ordered arrive. So I'm sitting here at home firing up all the stoves again trying to decide. It's seems to come down to(for me) aviability/resupply on the trail. I know cannisters can be shipped thru the mail( I spent a number of interesting hours chatting with a number of people at the PO- yes it is legal and can be done- but what a pain). So I guess my question is ----- Which fuel is easier to get on the trail. By that I mean something that is handy and does not require another shuttle to another location when getting to town.
TIA
ofthearth
Where to get...
Alcohol - auto parts store, hardware store, hostels and hiker friendly hotels, sometimes grocery stores, drug stores, some gas stations, liquor store,
Canister - outfitters
alcohol-denatured, that is!...
Or, whatever turns you on!
Alcohol stoves are also better for the environment.
hammock engineer
03-22-2008, 13:05
Search here for mailing and canisters. There is a thread that links the UPS rule about it. I printed that out and brought it to the PO. It basically says it has to be declared, marked with a sticker on their part, and sent ground.
I didn't have a problem with canisters and my jetboil. I cut it really close a couple times. I went with the big canisters that seemed to last 3 or 4 weeks. What worked for me was buying them when I could. A couple times I switched it out when I still had a few left on the old. I don't remember anywhere in Maine I saw them.
I didn't use alcky stoves, but the people that did always seemed to be buying fuel. I have no data but I think it is more of a hastle to constantly be looking for it, and more expensive in the long run.
Whatever you go with, enjoy and good luck.
Where to get...
Alcohol - auto parts store, hardware store, hostels and hiker friendly hotels, sometimes grocery stores, drug stores, some gas stations, liquor store,
Canister - outfitters
This is exactly what did it for me!! I was up in the air about using canister or alcohol. I ordered the Caldera cone and tested it once and knew it was for me but I wondered how easy the alcohol was to get. I use denatured alcohol because I can get it anywhere. Canisters have to come from outfitters'. That's a winner to me. Not to mention the weight savings of the alcohol stove system. :)
I love your avitar, 33 whiskey!! :)
Blissful
03-22-2008, 14:10
Canisters are not that big a deal. We only had to mail ours a couple times (once in Pa and to Unionville, NY). There's enough outfitters along the trail that you can easily resupply. And mailing is not a hassle, unless you get to the PO on a Sat afternoon. With over 20 mail drops, that never happened to us. We hit a few Sundays, but we just picked up Monday AM.