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buzz48843
06-05-2008, 15:58
I am planning a thru-hike on the AT for next year and am looking at the jetboil systems vs using a alcholol stove.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?
Can you easily get the canister fuel for the Jetboil along the trail?
Can anyone recommend a good alcholol stove?

sheepdog
06-05-2008, 16:06
If you want hot water fast. Jetboil
There is a learning curve to alcohol stoves. I have been messing around with them for 6 months or so. They are fun, they usually work, on a cold nasty day give me a jetboil.

rafe
06-05-2008, 16:16
Jetboil is a sub-class of canister stoves. In short: nothing will get your dinner cooked quicker than a JetBoil or canister stove. The downside to both (and JetBoil in particular) is weight. For reasonably short hikes and resupply intervals, an alcohol stove will yield the lowest overall weight -- the stove itself weighs next to nothing. Alcohol stoves can be a fussy, as others have mentioned. There is indeed a learning curve. IMO the most fundamental issue with alcohol stoves is the inefficiency of the fuel -- at least, when compared to white gas, butane, propane, etc.

Mags
06-05-2008, 16:34
Some info that may help:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20055&highlight=stoves+mags

In brief, an alcohol stove is best for ~10 meals or less, solo hiking with simple cooking

Canisters stoves work better for longer resupply, are simpler to use (if with a weight penalty) and work better for couples.

Personally, I think there are better stoves than the Jet Boil for canister use.

Montana Mac
06-05-2008, 16:57
I am planning a thru-hike on the AT for next year and am looking at the jetboil systems vs using a alcohol stove.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?
Can you easily get the canister fuel for the Jetboil along the trail?
Can anyone recommend a good alcohol stove?

Last year I sectioned hiked with my brother (Iceman GA->ME) who was thru hiking. We both carried Jetboils as did a large number of people we met on the trail. We had no problem getting fuel. Some of the hostels sell it ( expect to pay a higher pricer there) as do WalMarts, etc. The Jetboil canisters fit inside the cooking cup. A large (12oz) MSR canister will screw onto the Jetboil but doesn't fit inside.

One of the people hiking with us had an alcohol stove - the Jetboil is a lot quicker but noisier - I think that is where the Jet in the name comes from:)

On a side note - if you are a coffee drinker the Maxwell House 4 cup pouches fit perfectly into the Jetboil. I would make the coffee in mine when somebody else heated the oatmeal water.

In my personal opinion I prefer the Jetboil. I never compared the weight of the alcohol stove with fuel bottle to the Jetboil with fuel canister. The Jetboil has a listed weight of 15oz and the larger MSR canister weight is gross 12oz, net 8oz. the Jetboil canister is 3.53.oz net - does not list gross and I haven't weighed one yet.

Hopes it helps

John Klein
06-05-2008, 17:36
The Etowah Outfitters II alcohol stove is less fussy than some others, in my limited experience.

hopefulhiker
06-05-2008, 17:43
I started out with a Jet Boil but switched to alcohol in Damascus..
Sgt Rock has some good posts on the benefits of alcohol stoves.


Advantages of Jet Boil:

1) It is more idiot friendly.
2)It is quicker.
I3)t packs up neat.
4) It sounds cool.


Disadvantages of Jet Boil.

1) The Jet Boil is a lot heavier.
2) You have to carry two cylinders to be sure you dont run out
3) and then you have to carry them out.
4) Very expensive to buy in the first place.
5) Can be a little tippy, and you cannot move the pot safely.
6) Cannisters cost a lot.


Advantages of alcohol stove:

1) A lot less weight( saves about a quarter to a half a lb) depending on configuration.
a. Fuel cannister weighs less, Dont have to pack out empty canister
b. stove itself weighs just a few grams.
c. alcohol is more easily available than cannisters..(HEET at service staitions)
d. You can measure out the amount you need and over time carry less weight in fuel.

2) Less maintenance. No moving parts, no clogging.

3) A whole lot cheaper than Jet Boil, in some cases absoulutely free.

4) Flexibility the options in an alcohol stove allow you to incorporate it into your own cooking system for your needs.. See the youtube freezer bag cooking system by Skidster.

5) You can move the pot off the stove.


Disadvantages of alcohol:

1) Takes longer to boil water...
But like Sgt Rock said "If you are in such a hurry, why are you walking?" He also pointed out that while the water is boiling you can do stuff like pitch or strike your tent.

2) Not as idiot friendly as the Jet Boil. If you spill the alcohol you can have a mess of fire.. Also takes a few seconds more to set up and break down..

3) Have to make sure you store alcohol in a container that you will not mistakenly drink.

dla
06-05-2008, 17:49
http://mysite.verizon.net/restoq6v/id1.html - this is the setup I use.

I went to freezer bag cooking a few years ago and never looked back. I use the Trangia burner which gives me the flexibility to cook if I so choose.

You can either buy denatured alcohol by the quart at Walmart or buy a yellow bottle of Heet at any gas station.

Depends on your goal whether or not an alcohol stove will work for you. If you are wanting to do things as fast a possible, get the Jetboil. If an extra 5 minutes isn't a big deal and you really like peace and quiet - get an alcohol stove.

Johnny Swank
06-05-2008, 19:50
To each is own, but here's where I ended up.

Used a Whisperlight for years, but it was fussy and way overkill for 95% of what I end up doing.

Started a thru-hike (with another person) using esbit stove. Slow, simple, but barely useable for a couple. Made a alcohol stove from a refried bean can in N. Woodstock and carried it for the next 4 months (SOBO hike). The stove lasted longer than the ladyfriend, ahem..

Lead a bunch of trips during gradschool, and used either that same alcohol stove, a Pocketrocket, or one of the school's whisperlights. I hate those damn things with a passion not (whisperlight). The Pocketrocket is a cannister stove, without all the doodads of the Jetboil.

Went down the Mississippi River with a single burner propane stove, which sucked on several different levels. Good lord that was a mistake. Missed my little alky stove almost everyday.

Now, 8 years later, I'm back to using that same little homemade stove. It's beat up, but has character. I know it's ins and outs. It's slow, but completely silent. I can mix up my meal with some water, put in a splash of fuel, light it, and let it do it's thing while putting up the tarp or something. Most of the time I just let it burn out and never have to stir. In short, I love this little guy. He's been a good buddy for us.

Grinder
06-06-2008, 17:14
No one has said it yet, so I will.

You don't need a stove, you need a system!!

That's why the jet boil gets it's props. That's why the ETOWA II gets respect. They're systems.

You have to have a stove, pot holder, pot (with lid) and wind screen that work well together and store efficiently.

I have a heini pot, mini bull stove and wind screen that work well together. My problem is storing. I've looked for hours at WalMart, to no avail

I recently added a 32 oz coffee press minus the coffee making stuff. Kind of heavy, but it's sized right, crush proof and everything fits inside.

I'm looking for a lighter container just big enough for a heini pot and crush proof. Any ideas?

Grinder

Mags
06-06-2008, 17:29
I use an old alum pot, a piece of tin foil for a lid, a piece of bandanna for my pot grip and soda can stoves. All stored in a plastic grocery bag.

That's my "system". [1]

This "system" took me from hither and yon over a little bit of backpacking.

http://www.magnanti.com/t2/aaa.JPG

Remember folks, KISS. ;)

[1] The pot has been retired...along with the ziplock. I found the exact same pot brand in a thrift store, though

oops56
06-06-2008, 18:01
Here is mine the container is just the right size etc.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z63uGJ0TfSQ

Skidsteer
06-06-2008, 18:41
....You don't need a stove, you need a system!!...


...You have to have a stove, pot holder, pot (with lid) and wind screen that work well together and store efficiently....

...I have a heini pot, mini bull stove and wind screen that work well together. My problem is storing. I've looked for hours at WalMart, to no avail....


...I'm looking for a lighter container just big enough for a heini pot and crush proof. Any ideas?...

Grinder

Um, yeah. A couple:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ITr1Ht4ndnY

http://youtube.com/watch?v=umLNmIlqw1Y

Kerosene
06-06-2008, 18:46
Great summary, hopefulhiker. As a section hiker, I typically default to a canister which will last me a week. If I was out for 2 weeks then I might consider the JetBoil, but beyond that I'd go alcohol.

Grinder
06-06-2008, 19:35
thanks guys!!
I forgot about skidsteer's coffee setup. I'll look for those size containers next trip to wally world. That's just what I'm looking for.

Grinder

Skidsteer
06-06-2008, 19:54
thanks guys!!
I forgot about skidsteer's coffee setup. I'll look for those size containers next trip to wally world. That's just what I'm looking for.

Grinder

Look in Kroger as well. They carry an exact copy(height x diameter) of the medium Ziploc but it doesn't have the annoying indentations on the side(easier to fit a windscreen)-and it's cheaper.

Roots
06-06-2008, 20:24
I used a canister stove for years. As a matter of fact, I used to be a die hard, 'never use any other stove' type of person. Then I discovered the Caldera Cone alcohol stove set up and have never thought about a canister again. I LOVE MY CALDERA!!! I did a 200 mile section in April and it was great. I freezer bag cook, though. I could easily cook a meal with it if I chose to do so. It is a great set up. I've used it in cold, high winds, and rain. Never a problem. We love the Caldera so much, we bought another one at Trail Days. IMO, it's definitely worth checking out.

take-a-knee
06-06-2008, 20:59
I used a canister stove for years. As a matter of fact, I used to be a die hard, 'never use any other stove' type of person. Then I discovered the Caldera Cone alcohol stove set up and have never thought about a canister again. I LOVE MY CALDERA!!! I did a 200 mile section in April and it was great. I freezer bag cook, though. I could easily cook a meal with it if I chose to do so. It is a great set up. I've used it in cold, high winds, and rain. Never a problem. We love the Caldera so much, we bought another one at Trail Days. IMO, it's definitely worth checking out.

A Caldera Cone rocks but packing that thing takes some planning. It is shipped with a Dixie Cup to roll the cone up inside, then you place the cone inside the pot. Then you place the whole shebang in a stuffsack, and you need a stuffsack exactly the correct size, so that when you tighten the drawstring, it'll hold the cone/dixie cup snugly inside the pot. Caldera cones are made for specific pots, they should also ship with a proper sil or mesh storage sack.

Hoop
06-07-2008, 11:17
Caldera Cone works fast, the cone corrals the flame, plus it's quiet.

John Klein
06-07-2008, 14:27
I use an old alum pot, a piece of tin foil for a lid, a piece of bandanna for my pot grip and soda can stoves. All stored in a plastic grocery bag.

That's my "system". [1]

This "system" took me from hither and yon over a little bit of backpacking.

http://www.magnanti.com/t2/aaa.JPG

Remember folks, KISS. ;)

[1] The pot has been retired...along with the ziplock. I found the exact same pot brand in a thrift store, though
Did you get the license plate of the car that hit you and messed up your system so? :D

Grinder
06-14-2008, 08:29
I found the ziplock storage containers (at WalMart, in the kitchen accessories dept) that Skidsteer recommended and modified them per his instructions, leaving out the coffee maker part.

I can't seem to easily embed pictures, but have uploaded to the gallery . The whole system weighs 4 1/2 OZ.

Thanks for the heads up, skidsteer!!!

Miles of Smiles
Grinder

Two Speed
06-14-2008, 08:44
Did you get the license plate of the car that hit you and messed up your system so? :DCouldn't have been a car to do that kind of damage. Judging by the pot that sucker had to be makin' time, too. :D

Roots
06-14-2008, 10:51
A Caldera Cone rocks but packing that thing takes some planning. It is shipped with a Dixie Cup to roll the cone up inside, then you place the cone inside the pot. Then you place the whole shebang in a stuffsack, and you need a stuffsack exactly the correct size, so that when you tighten the drawstring, it'll hold the cone/dixie cup snugly inside the pot. Caldera cones are made for specific pots, they should also ship with a proper sil or mesh storage sack.

I use the Snow Peak Ti 700 mug. It came in a mesh bag. I put everything in my mug, including the cone, stove, spoon, lighter, measuring cup for alcohol. I then put the solo cup over the top of the cone and put it in the mesh bag. It worked great!

Now they have came out with a plastic cylinder holder for the cone. It will fit down in my ti pot and the mesh bag will still fit over it all. I got it at Trail Days.

Camping Dave
06-14-2008, 11:26
I'm looking for a lighter container just big enough for a heini pot and crush proof. Any ideas?
Grinder

Yep.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37408

Chance09
06-16-2008, 12:28
[quote=hopefulhiker;637981}3) Have to make sure you store alcohol in a container that you will not mistakenly drink.[/quote]

Nowwhere is the fun in that?;)

whitefoot_hp
06-16-2008, 12:40
Alcohol: smart.

Jet boil: foolish.

neo
06-16-2008, 13:35
I am planning a thru-hike on the AT for next year and am looking at the jetboil systems vs using a alcholol stove.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?
Can you easily get the canister fuel for the Jetboil along the trail?
Can anyone recommend a good alcholol stove?


i quit using alcohol stoves years ago in favor of my jetboil:cool:neo

Summit
06-16-2008, 15:53
Alcohol: smart.

Jet boil: foolish.Is that because everything you do is smart and anybody who doesn't do it the way you do is foolish? :eek: :p

Summit
06-16-2008, 15:54
i quit using alcohol stoves years ago in favor of my jetboil:cool:neoInteresting. I would be interested in details as to why (being a Jetboil user who is hearing so much raving about alcohol stoves)!

Wags
06-16-2008, 16:37
i'd guess b/c of fuss factor

hammock engineer
06-16-2008, 16:53
Interesting. I would be interested in details as to why (being a Jetboil user who is hearing so much raving about alcohol stoves)!


For me the speed and ease. I am usually done eating by the time most people are done cooking. Plus you can pick up and move the jetboil as it is cooking.

leeki pole
06-16-2008, 17:57
Alcohol: smart.

Jet boil: foolish.
Nah. Jet Boils rule.

sheepdog
06-16-2008, 18:03
Being a stovie (with many different types) 90% of the time, the jet boil goes hiking.

Spock
06-16-2008, 20:35
There is no right answer. JBoil is a simple, fast, efficient system. The learning curve is short and its efficiency means you don't have to worry much about finding fuel. There are lots of outfitters along the AT. If you decide to use a canister stove, JBoil is much more efficient than competing canister stoves in terms of fuel use, performance in wind and cold, and speed.

On the other hand most alcohol systems weigh a fraction of the JBoil - even though the fuel is theoretically heavier. I say theoretically because you don't have to carry more than 12 to 16 ounces of fuel starting out and that weight decreases daily - at a rate of about an ounce per meal. Alcohol has a learning curve. You need more than the burner. The system requires a compatible pot, pot support and windscreen. You can buy that stuff or make it - just as you can make your own burner. Some burners weigh as little as 1/4 ounce and serve as the pot support. The windscreen adds another 1/3 ounce. With a lightweight pot, that makes for a light system. Regardless, an alcohol system will weigh 4.5 ounces on the lighter end and up to around 8 at the top end.

Alcohol is much slower than JBoil. We alky users use that time to do other things; it is only wasted time if you sit around watching the pot. The boil time is usually 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the stove system. So start the water heating, dig out the meal and get it ready, go for water or set up camp or change clothes, whatever. When you turn around, the water will be boiling. With all that said, an alky stove requires a commitment to finding or making a system you like and then learning to use it.

Erin
06-16-2008, 21:57
Take this in the fun it is offered. A few years ago I drove to a family event in New York then on to Maine to car camp and day hike. I had no stove. I always shared a stove with another hiker. So I raided my mother's survial kit and yank out this brand new coleman alcohol canister stove still in the box. Purchased a gallon of white gas. First night in Maine, laid out my dinner. Yum. I was starving after a long drive day. I never could get it lit. Ever. Pulled out the directions. Then really looked at the directions. The brand new stove was circa 1960 something. Ate peanuts for dinner. Next day, I drove to campground in Acadia, and asked the ranger, can I just see if someone wants this fuel? I found takers. Yep, I was stupid. Should have tried it out at home first. Got a jet boil. I need idiot proof. But last year on our section, saw alot of thrus using very light weight hommade alcohol stoves very efficiently and baggie cooking. No fuss and no mess, which was nice since there was no water.

Skidsteer
06-16-2008, 21:59
An alcohol canister stove that uses white gas for fuel.

Probably a good thing it didn't ignite.:)

4eyedbuzzard
06-16-2008, 22:19
Take this in the fun it is offered
I'm trying, 'cause I hope this whole post is a joke.


...So I raided my mother's survial kit and yank out this brand new coleman alcohol canister stove still in the box. Purchased a gallon of white gas. ... I never could get it lit. Ever. Pulled out the directions. Then really looked at the directions. ... Yep, I was stupid. Should have tried it out at home first. Got a jet boil.
I still don't feel really safe for some reason.


I need idiot proof.
I'm thinking maybe you should be supervised around matches and open flames.

Incahiker
06-18-2008, 09:47
I just recently bought a Pocket rocket and a MSR titan kettle. Figure that is light enough for me. Maybe if I use, or see someone use an alcy stove on the trail I might change up.

Jack Tarlin
06-18-2008, 10:01
JetBoils are absolutely wonderful if all you need to do is boil water (like for a Mountain House dinner, or for coffee, etc.)

Actually cooking in a JB can certainly be done, tho it takes a little practice, and if you're gonna cook a large meal, or if you have large hands, you might want to look into their accessory cookpot as it's more practical than the standard pot that comes with the system.

People desiring to save weight might want to look at other cannister stoves, such as the Snowpeak Giga or MSR Pocket Rocket. Each of these weigh something like three ounces, so when you add this weight to that of a small cannister, it compares well to those using alcohol stoves: The alcohol stove weighs very little, true, but I frequently see folks leaving town with ten or more ounces of fuel.

My cannister stove and fuel combined compare favorably to this, plus I can cook oversize meals that require boiling lots of water, which takes forever with alcohol stoves.......and requires that one carry extra fuel as well.

And I'll be eating sooner, too.

Pedaling Fool
06-18-2008, 10:13
Kind of an unusual comparison, should be: "Canister stoves vs. Alcohol stoves". Or "Jetboil vs. __________ cannister stove".

I do use a Jetboil, and think it's best feature is the economical simmering capability, not the "fast" boil time. I use the pot adapter and cook 20 minute rice everyday, plus coffee every morning. I can make a small canister (4oz) last over a week.

Incahiker
06-18-2008, 10:20
You cook rice that takes 20 minutes to prepare every day? Thats amazing. I would be scared I would run out of fuel far too fast. And you use it for a week, amazing.

Homer&Marje
06-18-2008, 10:28
Do not use canister stoves, too hard to find the canisters i find. Used a Whisperlite shaker stove for the last 13 years and it's never broken... says it works up to 14000 feet and i have tested it at 9000 in the sierra nevadas... go to youtube and learn how to make an alcohol stove out of a beer can, the best one is by nomadbushcraft it's simple, you can do it anywhere and it works on almost any fuel but methyl alcohol is the best ( gas line anti freeze) it's like a buck and you can get it at any gas station... 3 bottles ( 36 oz) will last you solo like 2 weeks at least.
happy trails!

Summit
06-18-2008, 15:05
Take this in the fun it is offered. A few years ago I drove to a family event in New York then on to Maine to car camp and day hike. I had no stove. I always shared a stove with another hiker. So I raided my mother's survial kit and yank out this brand new coleman alcohol canister stove still in the box. Purchased a gallon of white gas. First night in Maine, laid out my dinner. Yum. I was starving after a long drive day. I never could get it lit. Ever. Pulled out the directions. Then really looked at the directions. The brand new stove was circa 1960 something. Ate peanuts for dinner. Next day, I drove to campground in Acadia, and asked the ranger, can I just see if someone wants this fuel? I found takers. Yep, I was stupid. Should have tried it out at home first. Got a jet boil. I need idiot proof. But last year on our section, saw alot of thrus using very light weight hommade alcohol stoves very efficiently and baggie cooking. No fuss and no mess, which was nice since there was no water.Sounds more like a PeakOne which is not a canister stove. The gasoline reservoir looks a little like a canister but does not screw off of the burner. I think your use of "canister" has introduced confusion here. There are lots of things that can go wrong to cause that type of stove not to light. Pumps leaking is #1. You did attempt to pump it up (pressurize it) I hope? :-?

whitefoot_hp
06-18-2008, 15:13
You cook rice that takes 20 minutes to prepare every day? Thats amazing. I would be scared I would run out of fuel far too fast. And you use it for a week, amazing.
a woodstove accomplishes that without worry.

whitefoot_hp
06-18-2008, 15:15
i'd guess b/c of fuss factor
thats why i go alcohol. i can see what fuel i have left.

Jack Tarlin
06-18-2008, 15:39
Someone mentioned that they found cannisters hard to find.

On the A.T., anyone who can't find them isn't looking very hard.

Oh, and in the articles section of Whiteblaze, there's a pretty good piece on where they can be found.

rafe
06-18-2008, 17:45
Someone mentioned that they found cannisters hard to find.

On the A.T., anyone who can't find them isn't looking very hard.

Oh, and in the articles section of Whiteblaze, there's a pretty good piece on where they can be found.

Not so easy in PA, Jack, between Palmerton and Pen-Mar. Cabelas for sure (Port Clinton) but that's a bit off the trail. IIRC from one of the journals I read (maybe AWOL's) -- he had a similar issue, in PA specifically.

Camping Dave
06-18-2008, 18:59
I'm thinking maybe you should be supervised around matches and open flames.

Were you paying attenting when your mother said, "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all."

Jack Tarlin
06-18-2008, 19:35
AWOL hiked awhile ago. Cannisters are easy to find these days. And almost every hiker gets to Hamburg these days, which includes Cabelas. I've hiked around 10,000 miles on the A.T. with cannister stoves. The fuel-finding issue is a non issue.

rafe
06-18-2008, 19:52
Well, this hiker started at Lehigh Gap, so a side-trip to Cabelas wasn't part of the plan. I managed to make an 8 oz. canister last till Harpers Ferry, so in that regard it was a "non-issue." Still, that's like 230 miles or so w/o "easy" resupply. Just sayin'.

jackpot
06-18-2008, 22:18
MSR Reactor, a little heavy, but hands down...the best stove made.

Summit
06-18-2008, 22:23
We'll never agree on driving the same vehicles . . . why would we ever agree on using the same stoves? :eek: :p

Jack Tarlin
06-18-2008, 22:47
The Reactor weighs around 21 ounces, which right there, in a lot of people's eyes, would prevent it from being the best stove ever made. :-?

sheepdog
06-18-2008, 22:48
MSR Reactor, a little heavy, but hands down...the best stove made.
I like my reactor but I still grab the jetboil more often. If you're a stove guy, the reactor is just cool to burn.

rafe
06-18-2008, 23:01
I like my reactor but I still grab the jetboil more often. If you're a stove guy, the reactor is just cool to burn.

That glowing MSR logo (I've read about it, haven't seen it firsthand) brings to mind Sauron's ring.

sheepdog
06-18-2008, 23:06
That glowing MSR logo (I've read about it, haven't seen it firsthand) brings to mind Sauron's ring.
It is pretty sweet. (And one stove shall rule them all) he he

Mags
06-19-2008, 02:07
Ain't no such thing as a best stove...

Some stoves just work better than others for a given situation.

(Another awesome full moon hike tonight...too much coffee before though. :o)

oops56
06-19-2008, 07:01
The best stove is the one that you can make work the best with the right pot.Also if a stove not working right must know how to fix it just get to know your stoves in's out's. Just find the sweet spot for the flame height:)

sheepdog
06-19-2008, 08:08
The best stove is the one that you can make work the best with the right pot.Also if a stove not working right must know how to fix it just get to know your stoves in's out's. Just find the sweet spot for the flame height:)
How many stoves do you have oops?

oops56
06-19-2008, 08:33
I got a shop full wall to wall all kinds the other 1/4 full i cant count that far:-?

sheepdog
06-19-2008, 09:00
Uncountable stoves? cool

Wise Old Owl
06-19-2008, 11:05
Not so easy in PA, Jack, between Palmerton and Pen-Mar. Cabelas for sure (Port Clinton) but that's a bit off the trail. IIRC from one of the journals I read (maybe AWOL's) -- he had a similar issue, in PA specifically.

Ok what happened to the outfitter that was right on the trail in Port Clinton? She carried the stuff at good prices.

Reopened under the name "Ye Old Backpacker just down the street behind the Hotel - In business - No need to go to Cabellas unless you want to.

Jack Tarlin
06-19-2008, 11:21
I may be wrong, but I have been told that a small outfitter has re-opened in Port Clinton, and presumably carries cannister fuel.

Hopefully, a local who is better informed on this will let us know.

Erin
06-19-2008, 17:32
Summit, I got teased on here for basically being a pyro. This stove is gone. But it was a Coleman brand. I didn't mean to be confusing on the canister bit. It looked like a gas canister with a non-detachable burner on top. The can part was the gas resevoir with a place to pour in the gas. I can't remember a pump. There was some brass bit I had to turn. It just would not light up. I thought maybe because it sat in a box for 40 years and I was concerned that I would blow it up. The gas canister/resevior on the stove was red.

Summit
06-19-2008, 18:00
Probably best to give it up at that age, but sounds definitely like a white gas stove that must be pumped up to pressurize the gas. Modern canisters are factory pressurized and disposable when empty, whereas yours you would just add more gas, seal the cap, and pump it back up.

Don't worry about the teasing. I got razed for admitting to cooking in my tent, which I would do again under certain foul weather circumstances. We're all stupid when we want to be. The same folks who think cooking in a tent is stupid don't treat their water, which I think is stupid, but I used to do that too, so I'm really stupid! :eek: :p :D

lucky luke
06-20-2008, 00:34
Probably best to give it up at that age, but sounds definitely like a white gas stove that must be pumped up to pressurize the gas. Modern canisters are factory pressurized and disposable when empty, whereas yours you would just add more gas, seal the cap, and pump it back up.

Don't worry about the teasing. I got razed for admitting to cooking in my tent, which I would do again under certain foul weather circumstances. We're all stupid when we want to be. The same folks who think cooking in a tent is stupid don't treat their water, which I think is stupid, but I used to do that too, so I'm really stupid! :eek: :p :D


hi summit,
wellcome to the club! :D

i cook inside the tent, donīt even need really bad weather. a little breeze or a drop of rain in the air is enough. i donīt treat my water. i leave my compass and headlamp at home. i forget my sleepingbag in winter and keep on going for 3 days. and worst of all. i have a climbing partner who walks into the tent with crampons on his boots.

i better stop here, this is getting an exhibionistic tendency.

happy trails
lucky luke

Erin
06-20-2008, 00:38
Hi Summit, I got on the internet todayand looked for that stove. Gee, with the box and pamphlet I think it would have fetched some money on ebay. I should have gone to ebay with it since it was old and in good shape otherwise. Oh, well.
I agree that just about everyone has done something stupid at some point. It seems to be what degree, intentional or careless part of stupid that matters. I have learned alot from white blaze on tips, suuggestions and information.

Wags
06-20-2008, 08:37
yes, ye olde backpacker moved a few months ago into port clinton. he's literally right off the trail and is a very nice guy. he has everything you'd need in his shop

neo
06-21-2008, 05:16
JetBoils are absolutely wonderful if all you need to do is boil water (like for a Mountain House dinner, or for coffee, etc.)

Actually cooking in a JB can certainly be done, tho it takes a little practice, and if you're gonna cook a large meal, or if you have large hands, you might want to look into their accessory cookpot as it's more practical than the standard pot that comes with the system.

People desiring to save weight might want to look at other cannister stoves, such as the Snowpeak Giga or MSR Pocket Rocket. Each of these weigh something like three ounces, so when you add this weight to that of a small cannister, it compares well to those using alcohol stoves: The alcohol stove weighs very little, true, but I frequently see folks leaving town with ten or more ounces of fuel.

My cannister stove and fuel combined compare favorably to this, plus I can cook oversize meals that require boiling lots of water, which takes forever with alcohol stoves.......and requires that one carry extra fuel as well.

And I'll be eating sooner, too.


:)i love my jetboil,i added the coffee press and the pot support and stabilizer,i use it for all my cooking needs:cool:neo

Summit
06-21-2008, 06:59
:)i love my jetboil,i added the coffee press and the pot support and stabilizer,i use it for all my cooking needs:cool:neoYes, I love the coffee press also. First few times I used it though, I was attaching the screen to the rod upside down. Seemed to me to be the right way due to the brass fitting. It worked somewhat but the last few gulps would produce coffee grounds in my mouth. Then I reversed the screen and it works flawlessly and makes a great cup of bean juice with some good coffee grounds! :D

Homer&Marje
06-21-2008, 07:58
[quote=Jack Tarlin;646816]Someone mentioned that they found cannisters hard to find.

On the A.T., anyone who can't find them isn't looking very hard.



All i'm saying is whats easier to find on the AT Canisters for your stove, or gas line antifreeze ( Methyl alcohol) for my beer can stove?? I think i'll find my fuel much more readily available.

Earl Grey
06-21-2008, 19:42
Ye Olde Backpacker was a great place. Last year the guy picked us up at the pavilion in town and drove us to I guess the old location of his hostel and let us stay for free. I bought some socks and some other things there. If hes right off the trail now thats totally badass.

Captn
06-21-2008, 20:36
I have both an alcohol and a Jetboil.

For me it's a simple matter of weight.

When the overall weight of the jetboil and fuel is the same or lower than the overall weight of the Alcohol and Stove setup ... carry the Jetboil.

For example ... My son and I are going to glacier this summer for a week in the backcountry. We'll boil 5 to 6 pints of water a day each. Even with a very efficient Alcohol stove we'd need 1/2 ounce of Alcohol each per pint, which comes to 2.5 to 3 ounces per day each. (We're doing more camping than hiking on this trip). 6 ounces times 5 days is 30 ounces, then add 20% for safety. That's about 30 ounces in fuel weight, 3 ounces for the fuel containers, 1 ounce for a modified beer can pot, 1.4 ounces for a packafeather alcohol stove (I'm going to be frying trout as well) and 1 ounce for a windscreen. Total just under 36 ounces.

The Jetboil is 16 ounces, extra pot support at 2 ounces, and two small canisters of fuel is 8 ounces plus 8 ounces for the fuel containers. That's 34 ounces.

That's a 2 ounce benefit for the Jetboil system.

One could argue that the weight of the alcohol stove system drops after the first day, but the convenience of the Jetboil certainly outweighs the disadvantages for this trip.

Now ... if I was solo, the Jet boil would come in at 26 ounces and the alcohol setup would come in at 19 ounces, making it the clear winner.

If you then looked at two hot meals a day instead of 3 plus drinks and you can shrink that alcohol setup to under a pound total.

Remember ... just because it's not in your base weight doesn't mean that you don't have to carry the total weight.


Also ... if you're using the Jetboil for breakfast and dinner only, a 12 ounce canister will last you for a LONGGGGGG time, up to two weeks .... I doubt that two weeks without finding a canister would be a problem on the AT.

rafe
06-21-2008, 20:51
Good post, Captn. I'm convinced that the popularity of alky stoves and the emphasis on base weight are somewhat related. Your calculations show that fuel weight needs to be considered also.

Captn
06-21-2008, 20:59
Good post, Captn. I'm convinced that the popularity of alky stoves and the emphasis on base weight are somewhat related. Your calculations show that fuel weight needs to be considered also.

Thanks Terrapin ...

One other factor people need to consider is ambient temperature. Heating 32 degree water takes a lot more fuel than heating 50 degree water. When using a stove in early spring and late fall you should double the amount of fuel you would use in summer. This is a lot easier to do with a canister stove as you just carry a 12 ounce canister instead of an 8 ounce canister.

Don't get caught short on fuel!

deadhorsejoe
06-21-2008, 23:35
Yes, I love the coffee press also. First few times I used it though, I was attaching the screen to the rod upside down. Seemed to me to be the right way due to the brass fitting. It worked somewhat but the last few gulps would produce coffee grounds in my mouth. Then I reversed the screen and it works flawlessly and makes a great cup of bean juice with some good coffee grounds! :D

Summit - Thanks for posting this. When I read your post I realized that I have been putting the screen on upside down also. Works better now. I think I will like it better this way. I have been using it but always thought that it should work better. The last gulp or two was always a little crunchy. I was not clever enough to figure out the problem. I never was one of God's smartest creatures. :D

Summit
06-22-2008, 06:49
Summit - Thanks for posting this. When I read your post I realized that I have been putting the screen on upside down also. Works better now. I think I will like it better this way. I have been using it but always thought that it should work better. The last gulp or two was always a little crunchy. I was not clever enough to figure out the problem. I never was one of God's smartest creatures. :DYou would think the rod would screw into the side with the brass fitting threads, but the opposite is how it was designed based on the outer edge (lip) of the screen. I have had zero coffee grounds in my mouth since attaching it the right way, even when holding the cup up to get the last drop. Glad to know I'm not the only one who didn't figure that out right away, and glad to be of help. :o

jonesat11
06-28-2008, 21:13
Did you visit www.antigravitygear.com (http://www.antigravitygear.com) yet...great cozy systems. The pop cans stoves are tops