View Full Version : Stove for two hungry campers
ianjoe59
04-12-2008, 18:29
Basically I'm deciding between a alcohol stove or a whisperlite internationale.
We (Wife and I) are planning on cooking in a 2 liter pot for both us us. We really like to cook, and I have my doubts on an alcohol stove being up for the task.
-Heavier weight for convenience?
-or saving weight?
Anybody cook meals for two on a alcohol stove?
We aren't exactly ultra lighters but , hey , who doesn't want to save some weight?
Just looking for experienced opinions to sway we one way or the other.
Johnny Swank
04-12-2008, 18:40
My wife and I use an alcohol stove all the time with a 2-liter pot. Takes marginally longer, but it's no big deal. I haven't used my whisperlight in at least 10 years.
ianjoe59
04-12-2008, 18:52
How much fuel do you use?
My stove went out and I had to to refuel when making a double batch of mac and cheese.
What type of camping are you going to do and what type of meals are you going to make? Also how fast do you want your food cooked, what is your weight concerns?
Both require a bit of hands on involvement, but in different ways. The Wisperlite has to be primed, and you should have a field kit with you for the time when it clogs. Alcohol stoves are easy to light up, but most have a 15-min maximum burn time before you have to refill it. Alcohol cooks slower, but weights a lot less.
The Wisperlite generates some soot, the alcohol generates no soot. Alcohol flames are difficult to see in the day time. So it’s easy to get burnt if you don’t pay attention.
Wisperlite’s are noisy despite what name they give the stove. Alcohol are absolutely silent.
Alcohol stoves are generally thought of as a solo camper stove, but I have several and my son and I use them without too much problem.
The Wisperlite I had was problematic to say the least. (In fact it convinced me to never give MSR another dime for the rest of my life) but many people love them. They flare up when lighting while the generator warms up, but this only last 15-seconds or so. They put out a lot of heat and deal with wind much better then an alcohol stove.
Alcohol stoves need a wind screen in all but the mildest of days. If the wind is blowing, it can take a very long time to cook without wind protection. But they are simple, 100% reliable and can not get clogged up like a Whisperlite.
take-a-knee
04-12-2008, 19:02
I'd get a Simmerlite, better yet, a Windpro cannister stove.
Mrs Baggins
04-12-2008, 19:11
We have a Whisperlite - aka "The Blowtorch." Worked fine for the 2 of us. Then I bought a Pocket Rocket and took it out on my hike this past week. I used a .9 liter pot, filled it to almost to the rim so I could have plenty of water for coffee or tea and my food, and it boiled in just a very few minutes. Super easy to shut off and relight. Now could you balance a 2 liter pot on it........I don't know. But we use a 1.5 liter pot when we're out together so we'll give the Pocket Rocket a try next time we're both out. There were several people I met that started with alcohol and ditched it at the first opportunity for a Pocket Rocket. I was hiking with a person who was using alcohol but may well switch to the Pocket Rocket. Getting the alcohol amount just right so that there was enough fuel to cook but not so much that it had to just sit and burn off for a long time seemed to be a real problem for all of the alcohol users that I encountered. So the alcohol people can screech "lighter! It's lighter!" but they have their problems.........
Blissful
04-12-2008, 19:45
We used a MSR pocket rocket for two all last year. Had a snowpeak titanium set. No problem, except we used a lot more fuel in wind.
I dislike alcohol myself.
Passionphish
04-12-2008, 20:04
I have done several overnighters and week-longs on an alchohol stove for two. It was a caldera cone but still alcohol.... We loved it. Never had an issue. But then we dehydrate our food in size and style so we don't need more than about 16oz of water per meal (for 2). Plus, packing the meals for two makes things easier...
ianjoe59
04-12-2008, 23:25
yes the caldera cone caught my eye too.
it comes down to the fact that i don't have lots of experience and I have no clue what a pound difference makes if. the idea of having a gas stove sounds like bringing a hemi to a race. but if straight 4 will do....
i plan on continuing experimenting with the alcohol stove since it doesn't cost anything, and trying it out on short hikes.
I'm 6'1 250+ lbs of hunger so if an alky stove can fit the bill 'm in.
ianjoe59
04-12-2008, 23:29
plus, thanks for all the replies. i'm a new member here. my wife and i are planning for an AT thru-hike early next year.
Basically I'm deciding between a alcohol stove or a whisperlite internationale.
We (Wife and I) are planning on cooking in a 2 liter pot for both us us. We really like to cook, and I have my doubts on an alcohol stove being up for the task.
-Heavier weight for convenience?
-or saving weight?
Anybody cook meals for two on a alcohol stove?
We aren't exactly ultra lighters but , hey , who doesn't want to save some weight?
Just looking for experienced opinions to sway we one way or the other.
Alcohol is fine for rehydrating or moderate cooking (Lipton-Knorr dinners, other dried soups, etc). If you're going to fry burgers or sausages (rarely), or make pancakes or breads (for me, never), you might have trouble regulating the heat output (you'll have to hold the pan high enough over the stove not to burn the food). Elaborate cooking for two with an alcohol stove would probably use so much fuel that a cannister stove might be more weight efficient. I use Esbit when I'm hiking alone and only need to boil water, but I switch to a cannister stove (Vargo Jet-ti) when I'm hiking with another person and sometimes when I expect the temperature to drop into the 20s. Alcohol will work then, if you choose to use it - it's just a little harder to get started than it is in warmer weather.
I use an alcohol stove when my wife and I are on the trail. However, we mainly utilize freezer bag meals (thanks Sarbar) so in essence, we are just boiling water. Works fine for that.
Feral Bill
04-13-2008, 00:59
I have not gone alcoholic, but I gather that real cooking for two is not a strength. There are other options besides the Whisperlite. For a few more ounces you can have the classic SVEA and boil, simmer, and fry. It is spectacularly reliable, with many out there 30 years old or more. You can also cook for 4 if you care to.
My seriously biased opinon.
Passionphish
04-13-2008, 01:53
IanJoe59,
There is a third option that isn't mentioned too often but merits some thought.
The last time I was on the AT I ran across a couple that were not using a stove at all. The two of them packed and carried cookless food.
The things of interest I noticed were these:
-Eat
Passionphish
04-13-2008, 01:56
Umm... Not sure what happened there.
Points of interest:
-eat when ever you want
-No stove weight, or fuel weight for that matter
-No gadgets to tinker with or fail on you
-Waste is about the same if not a little less
-No chance of a burn two days out
-No need for water more than drinking...
The down sides?
-No hot meals
-the food is heavier (Not sure how much heavier)
-You have to worry a little more about food keeping.
That's it!
Out of the 3 fuels I've tried so far (esbit, alcohol and canister) I have to say that I'm sold on canister stoves. I'll carry 2-3 esbit tabs with me as a backup but that's it. I actually like esbit much better than alcohol. Alcohol and me just don't get along. It can be messy, I either pour too much and have some left over to spill trying to get it back in the bottle or not enough and have to relight my stove, etc. It's just a lot easier to screw a canister of gas on a 3 oz stove, hit the ignition, and have boiling water in ~4 minutes.
I've never used gas but when I hiked the Smokies this year a few people had them at the shelters and they were boiling water before I could even get my Caldera Cone put together. Plus I think they raised the temperature in the shelter a few degrees. ;) From what I understand, in freezing temperatures gas is the ticket.
I cooked for two using alcohol and we used alot of fuel (2 meals a day). This was in 2000 alcohol stoves were not as efficent as they are now. I ditched the alcohol at Fontana and switched to gas which worked better for us. I now mostly solo hike and use a Jetboil canister which is great for one and would most likely be fine for two. I think when two hikers share gear carrying extra fuel should not be a problem but getting meals cooked quickly can be and canister stoves are quicker. If I were hiking with a partner I'd use a Jetboil and have a 2 liter pot and extra fuel.
Well, when I'm hiking solo, I use a pepsi can stove (alcohol), but when it's two of us, the alcohol stove doesn't seem to put out enough heat, so cooking can take longer. Thus, I use a whisperlite. But, if I were to replace it, it would probably be with a simmerlite.
take-a-knee
04-13-2008, 07:56
I cooked for two using alcohol and we used alot of fuel (2 meals a day). This was in 2000 alcohol stoves were not as efficent as they are now. I ditched the alcohol at Fontana and switched to gas which worked better for us. I now mostly solo hike and use a Jetboil canister which is great for one and would most likely be fine for two. I think when two hikers share gear carrying extra fuel should not be a problem but getting meals cooked quickly can be and canister stoves are quicker. If I were hiking with a partner I'd use a Jetboil and have a 2 liter pot and extra fuel.
An MSR Wind Pro is lighter than a Jetboil and, if you use the windscreen, likely to be just as effecient. Not to mention cheaper to boot.
Here's a solution to your problem. both of you carry your own kitchen. The stoves are free to make, and you each carry a smaller pot and your own food and alcohol. Make a couple of cozies for your pots ( i used the silver reflection thingy you put in your windshield, cost $1) and check into freezer bag cooking. This way, if the two of you should get separated, one of you won't be left without a way to eat.
I was hiking with some folks, 3, recently that were starting a thru hike, and were separated only by several hours. However, one person had the water filter, while the other two had no way of getting water, and it was a fairly warm day.
I'm a huge fan of each person carrying their own gear, except for maybe the tent. If my husband were to hike with me, we'd each have our own everything, especially tent and kitchen and water filter. (he snores, BADLY, lol)
The person that posted alcohol stove burns for 15 minutes.... well, mine has never burned that long. I don't know where that information comes from. I have never witnessed anyones alcohol stove with that long of a burn time. mine usually burns for around 5 to 7 minutes on an ounce or so of fuel. Unless they filled their stove to the top with alcohol, then they are wasting a bunch of fuel.
An alcohol stove must have a windscreen at all times, even the very slightest wind will waste your fuel. I simply carry one made from extra heavy duty aluminum foil, and I carry a backup, since it weighs next to nothing and can be folded down to a flat sheet.
any camping section in a store carries a white, plastic, 16 oz, concave flask that has a twist on cap and a silver 1oz jigger on top. Makes a great way for measuring your alcohol. 3/4 oz will bring 2 cups of water to a boil for me perfectly, so I have no wasted fuel, unless the water is ice cold, then it takes a little more. (1 1/4 oz) I've had alcohol inside my flask now for three years with no leakage. Cost about 3 bucks.
I would not recommend an alky stove where the pot sits right on the stove. Those are very unstable and I have seen them tip over on people. You can build a pot stand using hardware cloth from any hardware store. Very easy, lightweight, cheap.
I use a grease pot from Walmart. They may be hard to find now. Cost $8.
My entire kitchen, with fuel, cost me under $15 dollars. Cheap and easy to make, both of you can have your own. I, also, carry a couple of Esbit tabs, just in case for backup.
Hope this helps
shelterbuilder
04-13-2008, 11:21
Lilred makes a good point - in the guise of "going light", many groups of 2 or 3 tend to split up "essential gear" and that can cause problems large and small for individual members of the group. Know what YOU need to get through the day, and carry THAT equipment with you; the non-essential gear can be split up. Carrying two alcohol stoves and two cookpots might be the solution to your problem.
Personally, I've not had really good luck with alcohol in winter, but my needs are a bit different than the average hiker. I bought a cannister stove late in the season, but have yet to try it out. But my old "tried-and-true" stove is a 30 year old Optimus 99 white gas stove: aluminum body, lid doubles as a small pot, comes with windscreen, almost indestructable...and yes, it sounds like a 747, but after all these years, THAT sound is very comforting on a cold winter night!
I posted that they can burn up to 15-min. My Trangia alcohol stove burns that long with no problems, sometimes a bit longer. It also has the advantage of being able to be transported with fuel in it. As far as I know it’s the only one that does this (there may be others I have not seen.) It has a lid with a rubber o-ring to seal it up. This works out well if you have a shorter cooking time meal and did not burn up all the fuel, I do have this happen all the time. I don’t have to guess how much fuel to put in the stove so I don’t waste it, yet have enough to do the cooking I need. I fill it up and cook, when done I put the flame out by putting the lid on it without the o-ring. I let it cool down a bit and put the o-ring on it and put the lid on tight and pack it away.
I also have a few homemade alcohol stoves and I get 9-min out of them when I fill them up all the way.
5-min burn time would suck!:(
If you are only getting 5-min burn time, play with a few different designs to get longer burn times. Or get a Trangia burner.
Question to all alcohol stove users, what is your burn times on your stove and what kind of stove is it?
I agree every hiker should have their own water filter, stove, food and cooking pot. Just good sense if you ever get separated.
[QUOTE=Bob S;593785]I posted that they can burn up to 15-min. My Trangia alcohol stove burns that long with no problems, sometimes a bit longer. It also has the advantage of being able to be transported with fuel in it. As far as I know it’s the only one that does this (there may be others I have not seen.) It has a lid with a rubber o-ring to seal it up. This works out well if you have a shorter cooking time meal and did not burn up all the fuel, I do have this happen all the time. I don’t have to guess how much fuel to put in the stove so I don’t waste it, yet have enough to do the cooking I need. I fill it up and cook, when done I put the flame out by putting the lid on it without the o-ring. I let it cool down a bit and put the o-ring on it and put the lid on tight and pack it away.
I also have a few homemade alcohol stoves and I get 9-min out of them when I fill them up all the way.
5-min burn time would suck!:(
If you are only getting 5-min burn time, play with a few different designs to get longer burn times. Or get a Trangia burner. [QUOTE]
I was referring to homemade alky stoves and yes, a trangia when filled will burn much longer, obviously.
My burn time of 5 minutes is with 3/4 oz of fuel. I have never had to fill my stove all the way up and never will. All I need to do is bring whatever is in my pot to a boil, which takes about 5 min with the above amount of fuel. Then it is into my cozy for about 10-15 minutes while I go set up my tent or do other chores.
Wise Old Owl
04-13-2008, 13:16
Lot's of good stuff here, Practice at home in the kitchen with the Alcohol Stoves. Lil Red 15 minute burn times suggest someone is using Isopropol, when they should be using Methanol (Heet) I have played around enough to figure out their place, I think I am going to stick to Pocket Rocket. I like the idea of splitting up the gear.
I returned the Trianga - Home brew is better.
Thrasher
04-13-2008, 14:59
My wife and I just got back today from a 3 night trip. We used a snow peak giga canister stove we an 8oz fuel canister. We cooked 3 dinners with tea and 3 breakfast meals with tea. I think we have enough fuel for one more meal. If we didn't make tea twice a day we'd probably have more fuel left. We also used a pot cozy made out of reflectix. That helps save a lot of fuel no matter what kind of stove you use.
Our pot/cookware is sort of heavy but compact. It's the GSI Dualist cookset. It worked great. Gave each of us a bowl and a cup with lid. They also have measurements marked on the inside for your water. It has a built in strainer on the lid, the stuff sack doubles as a wash basin, and I can fit the 8oz fuel canister and our giga stove inside of it. The pot is 1.8 L and seemed to work well for the two of us. At 19oz in weight, it doesn't seem too heavy for a cookset for two people with a cup and bowl each.
I normally carry The pot with everything in it. If we need to carry two canisters at a time, she can carry the spare.
We do not split up when we hike, I think it's safer for the both of us that we stay together and she would not like it if I just took off and left her.
I was referring to homemade alky stoves and yes, a trangia when filled will burn much longer, obviously.
My burn time of 5 minutes is with 3/4 oz of fuel. I have never had to fill my stove all the way up and never will. All I need to do is bring whatever is in my pot to a boil, which takes about 5 min with the above amount of fuel. Then it is into my cozy for about 10-15 minutes while I go set up my tent or do other chores.
(The person that posted alcohol stove burns for 15 minutes.... well, mine has never burned that long. I don't know where that information comes from. I have never witnessed anyone’s alcohol stove with that long of a burn time)
I’m not sure I understand, you seem to complain about your stove only getting 5-min burn time. Then you say your stove will burn longer if you put more fuel in it. Don’t complain about short burn time if you are unwilling to put enough fuel in the stove. You question my information and say you never have seen an alcohol stove run longer then 5-min or so. My info comes from me timing my stoves with various amounts of fuel in them (testing) up to and including a full load of fuel. I copied the burn time chart to my Palm Pilot (I have the Palm with me all the time) to use, but really I don’t look at it much as I know how long it will run. I’m sure there are lots of stoves that give you more then 5-min burn time that we haven’t seen.
The reason I fill up a stove is that I can leave fuel in the Trangia while It’s packed away. I don’t have to guess the fuel amount with the Trangia. The homemade stove I have also burns longer then 5-min and many times I cook things in both of them that require more time. So I put in more fuel.
My wife and I just got back today from a 3 night trip. We used a snow peak giga canister stove we an 8oz fuel canister. We cooked 3 dinners with tea and 3 breakfast meals with tea. I think we have enough fuel for one more meal. If we didn't make tea twice a day we'd probably have more fuel left. We also used a pot cozy made out of reflectix. That helps save a lot of fuel no matter what kind of stove you use.
The problem with canister stoves are what do you do with a partly used canister? As said above you think your canister is good for one more meal. If you want to use all the fuel in the canister you end up taking it and a new canister on your next trip out. I do this when car-camping when I take a propane stove. I want to get all I can out of the propane canister, but it’s ¾ empty and I don’t want to run out, so I take a new one also. Or some times I just take a new one and leave the partially empty one at home. I have a lot of partially empty ones laying about at home.
(The person that posted alcohol stove burns for 15 minutes.... well, mine has never burned that long. I don't know where that information comes from. I have never witnessed anyone’s alcohol stove with that long of a burn time)
I’m not sure I understand, you seem to complain about your stove only getting 5-min burn time. Then you say your stove will burn longer if you put more fuel in it. Don’t complain about short burn time if you are unwilling to put enough fuel in the stove. You question my information and say you never have seen an alcohol stove run longer then 5-min or so. My info comes from me timing my stoves with various amounts of fuel in them (testing) up to and including a full load of fuel. I copied the burn time chart to my Palm Pilot (I have the Palm with me all the time) to use, but really I don’t look at it much as I know how long it will run. I’m sure there are lots of stoves that give you more then 5-min burn time that we haven’t seen.
The reason I fill up a stove is that I can leave fuel in the Trangia while It’s packed away. I don’t have to guess the fuel amount with the Trangia. The homemade stove I have also burns longer then 5-min and many times I cook things in both of them that require more time. So I put in more fuel.
First of all, I never 'complained' about 5 minute burn times. I simply stated that is what it takes for me to do what I need to do, 5 min to boil water with 3/4 oz of fuel. There is no one that I have come across in 700 miles and 4 years of hiking that left their alky stove burning for 15 minutes. What you do in your kitchen is not what is done out on the trail. People try to conserve fuel, not fill there stoves up when there is no way to put it out or repour it back into the fuel bottle. Again, I'm talking about homemade alky stoves, not the trangia. I've only seen one trangia on the trail and the person that had it hated it, and was going to make a pepsi can stove.
Actually, I'm rather proud of my 5 min burn time on 3/4 oz of fuel. If you can do better in your trangia, good for you.
AlwaysHiking
04-13-2008, 18:19
Zelph's Starlyte solves a lot of the alky stove problems. You can put it out without having to burn it out, you can pack it filled, it brings water to a boil fast, and it has a long burn time on an ounce of fuel, even longer on simmer.
His Fancy Feast stove works great for two. Was in WV a few weekends ago and my hiking partner was missing a piece to his Whisperlite and didn't discover that until we were in camp. So, unexpectedly I cooked for two people for the long weekend. Worked like a champ, in the snow, temps high 20's to low 30's and in those conditions, only took 3/4 oz. to bring two cups to a boil in less than 5 minutes.
I agree with what's been said before, you can't do much cooking with an alcohol stove, but for heating water, if that's all you need for your meal, they're great!
shelterbuilder
04-13-2008, 18:27
The problem with canister stoves are what do you do with a partly used canister? As said above you think your canister is good for one more meal. If you want to use all the fuel in the canister you end up taking it and a new canister on your next trip out. I do this when car-camping when I take a propane stove. I want to get all I can out of the propane canister, but it’s ¾ empty and I don’t want to run out, so I take a new one also. Or some times I just take a new one and leave the partially empty one at home. I have a lot of partially empty ones laying about at home.
I know that they make an "indicator-strip" for the outside of the larger propane tanks (for barbeques and such), but do they make a similar type of strip for canisters? The propane strip is a color-code indicator that (I assume) measures the difference between the temperature of the liquid and the temperature of the gas above it and shows you (visually) how much liquid is left in the tank.
Blue Wolf
04-13-2008, 18:42
Freezer bag cook, and quit wasteing time and fuel and eat some really good grub! you only need to get it as hot as it will get, place in bag, then in cozy 10 mins later eat gormet, feel free to contact me with questions on this................think about it your in the wilderness and your gonna cook? Not happening unless your smart!
take-a-knee
04-13-2008, 21:25
I know that they make an "indicator-strip" for the outside of the larger propane tanks (for barbeques and such), but do they make a similar type of strip for canisters? The propane strip is a color-code indicator that (I assume) measures the difference between the temperature of the liquid and the temperature of the gas above it and shows you (visually) how much liquid is left in the tank.
You can weigh a full canister(a good scale that measures in grams), then weigh an empty cannister. Weigh the full cannister after you cook a typical meal. It should be easy to figure out how long that cannister will last, and how many meals are left in your half-full canisters when you return.
I don’t really need to put a propane canister to know it’s about ¾ empty. I can just pick it up to figure this out.
The problem with canister stoves is what do you do with a ¾ empty canister if you are going out for several days? You know it’s not going to last the trip, and you will need another one. If you are like me, you leave it home (or you have to pack a canister only to have it run dry in a day or so.) so you don’t have to pack extra stuff.
Not sure what the answer is to this, other then that I gave up on canister backpacking stoves years ago.
Above should say.
I don’t really need to put a propane canister on a scale to know it’s about ¾ empty. I can just pick it up to figure this out.
take-a-knee
04-13-2008, 22:40
Above should say.
I don’t really need to put a propane canister on a scale to know it’s about ¾ empty. I can just pick it up to figure this out.
Another arithmetic-challenged publik skool grad. What part of chiphering out how many meals were left was too much for you?
Another arithmetic-challenged publik skool grad. What part of chiphering out how many meals were left was too much for you?
I was a machinist for 1 ½ -years (before I decided it didn’t pay enough and that the company had little chance for advancement) I can handle arithmetic and measuring fine, probably much better then you. But I don’t need to weigh a canister to figure out its mostly empty. DO you? and if yes, why is it you can’t just pick it up to know its about ¾ empty and will run out in a day or so, like all of us can?
When I know it’s almost empty, why complicate it with measuring it just to get the same answer I already have. No point to it other then to post here to try to convince others how important I am. Like you do.
My statement in the post above was not about how one figures out how much fuel is in a canister (something all of us other then you can easily do by picking it up) it was about the need to take a fresh (full) canister for a week trip when you know the partially empty one will run dry a day or so into the trip. Or just leaving it at home and using the full one.
take-a-knee
04-14-2008, 00:07
I was a machinist for 1 ½ -years (before I decided it didn’t pay enough and that the company had little chance for advancement) I can handle arithmetic and measuring fine, probably much better then you. But I don’t need to weigh a canister to figure out its mostly empty. DO you? and if yes, why is it you can’t just pick it up to know its about ¾ empty and will run out in a day or so, like all of us can?
When I know it’s almost empty, why complicate it with measuring it just to get the same answer I already have. No point to it other then to post here to try to convince others how important I am. Like you do.
My statement in the post above was not about how one figures out how much fuel is in a canister (something all of us other then you can easily do by picking it up) it was about the need to take a fresh (full) canister for a week trip when you know the partially empty one will run dry a day or so into the trip. Or just leaving it at home and using the full one.
"I feel like I'm playin' cards with my brother's kids!" Billy Bob Thorton in the movie Toombstone.
Of course you don't leave for a 7-day trip with a half-full cannister (though you might if it was a large cannister). You very well may be going on some weekenders where, if you've done your calculations, a leftover partial cannister will be sufficient and utilized instead of thrown in the trash. I would have thought the logic of this was obvious...I guess not.
hootyhoo
04-14-2008, 21:00
Trangia will fit your needs quite well. I just can't stand the smell of whitegas anymore. I sent my whisperlite to a guy in Canada. There are a lot of folks that want to save an ounce or two with a pop can stove - and I have had many of those. But the trangia allows you to store 3.5 ounces of alc in the stove - that means that it will burn longer and not go out mid meal. It is a no fuss stove - light it and cook, put it out when you are done. It simmers very well, also. I cook pancakes for two every morning that we are out - and one fill up leaves me enough to also boil enough water for two cups of coffee. Also you can snuff it when done and not waste fuel by having to let it burn out. I absolutely love mine. Order one from REI for 30.00 and you will get a pot and pot lifter as well as windscreen. Then build or buy all kinds of 'lightweight' alc stoves and see which ones stay at home.
For me its the fiddle factor and the wasted fuel that count most.
I get my alc at the local paint store for 9.00 per gallon - last time I got it at Walmart it was almost 7.00 per quart for the same brand.
Yel the Trangia is a great stove. I love mine.
Passionphish
04-14-2008, 22:13
Two alcy stoves are still lighter than one canister stove.... Does that solve anything?
take-a-knee
04-14-2008, 22:48
Two alcy stoves are still lighter than one canister stove.... Does that solve anything?
Yes but when two people split the weight of a cannister stove, the weight per person is hardly more than an alky stove, and the cannister is quite a bit more efficient fuel/weight wise. Rock has crunched the numbers at his site hikinghq. With only a couple of 2 cup boils daily most cannisters will last more than the typical five-day resupply interval, this is what makes the alky shine for a solo hiker. One person could carry an alky stove and a few ounces of alcohol as a backup, and you can always build a fire.
SGT Rock
04-14-2008, 23:00
Or carry an alcohol stove and a canister stove for a week. See which one you like best and get rid of the other. One carries the alcohol and the other carries the canister.
envirodiver
04-15-2008, 00:29
As , most here I've used all of the above stoves. I'm still trying to figure out which I like best. All have pluses and minuses.
I'm on the low end of the alchohol stove learning curve. Nice with weight, but many talk about a 2 oz. stove, but the weight of fuel must be figured into the equation. Many times I don't think it is.
Gas works great and if you care for the stove is very dependable, but a repair kit is needed, just in case you need to change pump cups or o-rings.
Canister stoves are very easy, but my pocket rocket is very wind dependent, needs a screen. Easy to detrmine the amount left in a canister. MSR canisters weigh 12 oz. full. the empty canister weighs 4 oz.
Zip wood stove works great, needs 1 AA battery, has a learning curve associated with it, makes your pot black, requires you to stay with it to feed small pieces of wood. I like it very much though.
My recommendation is to try sevral types and determine what works best for you.
LIhikers
04-15-2008, 07:16
My wife and I have had good success with an MSR Simmerlite stove. Summer, winter spring and fall, it works just fine in them all. :D
ianjoe59
07-22-2008, 16:56
Just an update...
My wife and I have been playing around with a Caldera Cone w/ 2q pot that we received a little while ago. We love it. I think it will do very well for our March start.
Now I just have to work on recipes.....
take-a-knee
07-22-2008, 17:26
Just an update...
My wife and I have been playing around with a Caldera Cone w/ 2q pot that we received a little while ago. We love it. I think it will do very well for our March start.
Now I just have to work on recipes.....
You'll like it, I'm sure of it. Just pack the cone in that supplied Dixie Cup and place the cup upside down inside your pot. You MUST have a stuff sack that, when you cinch the toggle on the sack down, will hold that cup against the bottom of your pot. I found a mesh stuff sack that came with some Yakima rack accesories and tied up the bottom of it to make it small enough to achieve this. I also place my Ti Snow Peak cup on top of the Dixie Cup, this "armors" it to a degree. Once you learn to pack it so it won't get damaged, there is no downside to a caldera cone.
I second the MSR Windpro. You can really do some cooking on it. Has a real nice simmer,big burner,and low wide stance for larger pots.
take-a-knee
07-22-2008, 21:24
I second the MSR Windpro. You can really do some cooking on it. Has a real nice simmer,big burner,and low wide stance for larger pots.
I bought one of those last year, I like it a lot. I see it as a good stove for a group, I wouldn't carry it solo for sure and I'm not sure I'd carry it for two. A cannister stove is a good thing to have, the fuel will keep forever.
Happy Feet
09-07-2008, 13:05
My husband and I used a pop can stove on our thru hike in '01 and all of our other hiking since, including high elevation on the CT. Yeah...so it may take a little longer to boil water in a 2 liter pot, but I just filter up our water while waiting for the water to boil. I love it so much, I even use it on the rare occasion of car camping.
Farr Away
09-07-2008, 22:07
I thought I was the only one who did that (use an alcohol stove while car camping)! The first time I did it, I took the 2 burner Coleman, but never even took it out of the trunk. Now I just take my alcohol stove. :)
JumpInTheLake
09-08-2008, 08:52
Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Coleman single burner gas stove? It weighs three ounces more than the WhisperLite, and there is no assembly or parts to lose. I have used mine for fifteen years, and it still works great. It doesn't soot my pots, and the only maintenance I've performed so far is a drop oil in the pump. For white gas this is my pick.
HogWinslow
10-30-2008, 20:57
This is my first post. I just got into hiking but still haven't done a overnight yet. I made a few of those Pepsi can stoves and they work great. Now, this is only from my test runs in the garage. From reading this thread it sounds to me like it should be fine for me alone on a overnighter. Is this correct?
I have not gone alcoholic, but I gather that real cooking for two is not a strength. There are other options besides the Whisperlite. For a few more ounces you can have the classic SVEA and boil, simmer, and fry. It is spectacularly reliable, with many out there 30 years old or more. You can also cook for 4 if you care to.
My seriously biased opinon.
I agree .The Optimus /Svea 123 is beyond reliable and once you get the hang of using it, it will perform really well in any situation that you will ever use it in .If you buy one .the only thing that i would suggest is that you get into the habit of filling the tank before you make dinner because if you run out of fuel in the middle of making dinner, opening the hot pressurized tank can be difficult and dangerous.
Campmor has them new or about $100.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___82426
This is my first post. I just got into hiking but still haven't done a overnight yet. I made a few of those Pepsi can stoves and they work great. Now, this is only from my test runs in the garage. From reading this thread it sounds to me like it should be fine for me alone on a overnighter. Is this correct?
Correct. An alcohol stove is an excellent choice for solo backpacking.
Making test runs in the garage is a great idea. This may seem like an obvious point, but when you take it out in the woods, be very careful about setting up on or near flammable things--leaves, picnic tables, etc. It's extremely easy to spill a little alcohol and have the fire get away from you.
JaxHiker
10-30-2008, 21:50
I think I'm turning into a stove junkie slowly but surely. I decided to leave my Jetboil at home for last weekend's hike and took my Giga instead. It worked fine for my buddy and I. I also took my Super Cat stove and about 3 oz of alcohol. I used the alcohol to boil my coffee water and the Giga for cooking with the fry pan. I just ordered a Primus today so we'll see how that works.
Blue Wolf
10-31-2008, 00:23
you can do anything with an alcohol stove try freezer bag cooking all you have to do is boil water let the bag and the cozy do the rest..........
You can weigh a full canister(a good scale that measures in grams), then weigh an empty cannister. Weigh the full cannister after you cook a typical meal. It should be easy to figure out how long that cannister will last, and how many meals are left in your half-full canisters when you return.
Have to agree. I use an Optimus Crux and carry just enough fuel to cook 3 full meals for as many days I'm out for 2 to 4 people. Once you get use to the weight, you can tell how many meals you can cook from one canister. For me the 12oz of weight from a 8oz canister is worth it, I like to cook real food and after a long hike, eat real food too. Call it creature comforts.I have an alcohol stove that I use to use for boiling water for coffee, took twice as long as the canister stove. Now it just sits in my kitchen as a reminder. I would only take it if I just meant to boil water for the entire trip.
Happy Feet
10-31-2008, 07:05
Hatman and I started our 01 AT thru with our whisperlite. We switched to an alcohol stove in Pearisburg and have used it ever since. I will NEVER go back!
Alcohol stoves can work fine for two people with some discipline and depending on the type/size of meals.
Canisters stoves are just easier to use for the average couple.
I agree .The Optimus /Svea 123 is beyond reliable and once you get the hang of using it, it will perform really well in any situation that you will ever use it in .If you buy one .the only thing that i would suggest is that you get into the habit of filling the tank before you make dinner because if you run out of fuel in the middle of making dinner, opening the hot pressurized tank can be difficult and dangerous.
Campmor has them new or about $100.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___82426
You bring up a good point about the SVEA 123. I will add a couple more in case folks do not no this.. Never fill the tank more than 2/3s full,you need air in the tank to pressurize the fuel.Also,never run your stove out of fuel,you can scorch the wick in the tank and it will greatly reduce performance. I love my old 123s.
Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Coleman single burner gas stove? It weighs three ounces more than the WhisperLite, and there is no assembly or parts to lose. I have used mine for fifteen years, and it still works great. It doesn't soot my pots, and the only maintenance I've performed so far is a drop oil in the pump. For white gas this is my pick.
What model Coleman do you speak of? I have some very old Colemans,they seem very heavy. I do not have a whisperlite ,so I can not compare the two.
What model Coleman do you speak of? I have some very old Colemans,they seem very heavy. I do not have a whisperlite ,so I can not compare the two.
I believe he means the Coleman F1. Less than three oz, almost as much heat output as the jetboil (if not as efficient).
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___85280?CS_003=2477120&CS_010=85280
Uses standard (EN417 specification) canisters used by such stoves at the Pocket Rocket, SnoPeak and Jetboil.
I used it a about two weeks ago with my girlfriend on a shoulder season backpack. (Lots of hot water being boiled; alcohol stove would have taken too long. Looking back on it, perhaps should have taken the simmerlite for the cold (at night) conditions we had).
Originally Posted by JumpInTheLake http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/wb_style/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=694072#post694072)
Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Coleman single burner gas stove? It weighs three ounces more than the WhisperLite, and there is no assembly or parts to lose. I have used mine for fifteen years, and it still works great. It doesn't soot my pots, and the only maintenance I've performed so far is a drop oil in the pump. For white gas this is my pick.
Mags,
I do not think JumpInTheLake meant the F1. 3 ounces more than the whisperlite,white gas,oil in the pump,no assembly,etc. I could be wrong,no big deal though. Thanks for the input.
Mags,
I do not think JumpInTheLake meant the F1. 3 ounces more than the whisperlite,white gas,oil in the pump,no assembly,etc. I could be wrong,no big deal though. Thanks for the input.
You are right. I quickly read it (too quickly!) and saw COLEMAN, 3 OZ blah blah blah and other buzz words.
If I spent an additional 30 seconds of reading it, I may have noticed he said "whitegas" and whisperlite. :)
This swing shift is really screwing with my body clock. That's my excuse from now until I am off this shift. ;)
JumpInTheLake
10-31-2008, 21:40
You are right. I quickly read it (too quickly!) and saw COLEMAN, 3 OZ blah blah blah and other buzz words.
If I spent an additional 30 seconds of reading it, I may have noticed he said "whitegas" and whisperlite. :)
This swing shift is really screwing with my body clock. That's my excuse from now until I am off this shift. ;)
The modern version is the Feather 442. It's bulky and heavy but it's my pick for below freezing weather. I'm a recent convert to the Pocket Rocket when the weather is nice enough for a canister stove.
I will check into the 442,sounds interesting. I like the pocket rocket too. Never thought I would say that,I am an old fogie that likes WG.
The 422 I have is brown in color, I also have one a little larger #433 I think that is grey colored.
They both work well, they simmer almost as well as a canister stove. But they are heavy, they are made out of steel, and fairly thick steel.
Not a long-range backpackers stove. Good for a weekend backpacking where you are not going to be loaded down with a tone of items in your pack.
Feral Bill
11-01-2008, 01:20
The modern version is the Feather 442. It's bulky and heavy but it's my pick for below freezing weather. I'm a recent convert to the Pocket Rocket when the weather is nice enough for a canister stove.
I have used this stove with groups and found it to be abysmal in cold weather. Others have too. Perhaps it has been improved since, but I wouldnt touch it. Heavy, too.
Go SVEA.
mtnkngxt
11-01-2008, 17:12
This time of year especially with the winds down here around Mt Rogers and Grayson I have grown to love the MSR wind pro, and after I dropped mine off a rock ledge last weekend while making hot chocolate ( just glad it was the stove and not me) I'm in the market for another. Its a remote canister with the simplicity of a canister and the effective wind cooking of my XGK EX.