canister stove lifetime.

[Roughin' It]

About how long will one canister of fuel last if burned non-stop? And on an average thru-hike, how often do you need to buy new canisters? For example, consider a 4 oz canister on a MSR pocket rocket.

thanks.

[Cool AT Breeze]

I used a Pocket Rocket this year and cooked breakfast and supper every day. An 8oz. can lasts me ten days in cold weather, over two weeks after it warms up.

[BitBucket]

My Jetboil PCS with a 3.53 oz can lasted 2 of us 4 days in 60 degree weather cooking breakfast and dinner along with boiling 6 additional cups of water for drinking, and drying out a pair of wet socks

[notorius tic]

I used a Pocket Rocket this year and cooked breakfast and supper every day. An 8oz. can lasts me ten days in cold weather, over two weeks after it warms up.
depending on the weather I used the same stove. Wind screen took a poop on improvised with rocks ect. But also ate off of mother nature via small hot fires. I carried a MSR cook pot "stainless" heavy but a Life saver. Got tired of taking fuel cans in an out? ect. I am a firm beliver a good small hot fire well mantained will cook your food just as better than any gas stove. JMOP. But carried a poket rocket an fuel 2.:-?

[Obiwan]

If all you are doing is boiling water, then a Jetboil will do around 40-50 2-cup "boils"

If you are cooking meals...or socks :-) YMMV

[partinj]

I try out a 4 oz canister at med burn non-stop it last 4 1/2 hours that would be half that time at full burn about 2 hours and 15 min.

[mister krabs]

60 minutes according to this http://www.msrgear.com/stoves/comparison.html

[fiddlehead]

And on an average thru-hike, how often do you need to buy new canisters? For example, consider a 4 oz canister on a MSR pocket rocket.

thanks.

Depends how good you are at conserving fuel. How good is your windscreen? When do you put your pasta in and when do you turn the stove off and just let it sit to finish. You can get this down to max efficiency with lots and lots of practice.

I found, putting the pasta in right away, when you start the flame, and then as soon as the boil starts, turn it off and cover it for ten minutes. (if you can possibly wait that long) and then eat it. That way, i get a week out of a small one with a cup of coffee in the morning. (oh yeah, and a cup of tea afterward the evening meal)

Or making dehydrated meals at home that only need boiling water added will help conserve too of course.

[peakbagger]

10 days, two meals a day. about 13 days with a homemade windscreen. The base of the screen sits just about level with the burner and is about 2.5 inches high with a lock seam so that I nest it inside my pot.

[CrumbSnatcher]

About how long will one canister of fuel last if burned non-stop? And on an average thru-hike, how often do you need to buy new canisters? For example, consider a 4 oz canister on a MSR pocket rocket.

thanks.i used a pocket rocket on two thruhikes. i only bought a couple replacements both years. every time i reached a hostel or motel with a hiker box there where extra cannisters i simply replaced the one i had for one with more fuel in it.(i always cooked dinner, occasionally breakfest and lunch)

[CrumbSnatcher]

Depends how good you are at conserving fuel. How good is your windscreen? When do you put your pasta in and when do you turn the stove off and just let it sit to finish. You can get this down to max efficiency with lots and lots of practice.

I found, putting the pasta in right away, when you start the flame, and then as soon as the boil starts, turn it off and cover it for ten minutes. (if you can possibly wait that long) and then eat it. That way, i get a week out of a small one with a cup of coffee in the morning. (oh yeah, and a cup of tea afterward the evening meal)

Or making dehydrated meals at home that only need boiling water added will help conserve too of course.
i don't remember my pocket rocket coming with a wind screen. i thought you don't use wind screens on stoves with a attached fuel bottle, under the stove!(traps the heat in with the fuel:eek:. i could be wrong, i never needed a wind screen with my pocket rocket. if real windy i'd grab a rock for a wind screen or a log. a lid is very important to saving fuel.

[yappy]

I get about a week too with mine. i don't use a a screen either just use rock or my body to block wind if i can. if you are just cooking ramen can basically let it cook in HOt water... not much boiling..and yeah.. like FH.. just turn off and cover best ya can for a few minutes. it does take awhile to get the hang of it though. My friend Da is very good at squeezing alot outa those little cannies..:)

[fiddlehead]

Yeah, i make a windscreen from those aluminum (square) pie plates that you can buy and duct tape. Fold it in the middle (or thirds depending on where you keep it in your pack), if it's real windy, make it cover a good 2/3 of the pot. If not as windy, only half.

[Panzer1]

i don't remember my pocket rocket coming with a wind screen. i thought you don't use wind screens on stoves with a attached fuel bottle, under the stove!(traps the heat in with the fuel:eek:. i could be wrong, i never needed a wind screen with my pocket rocket. if real windy i'd grab a rock for a wind screen or a log. a lid is very important to saving fuel.

There is something "like" a wind screen built into the burner head of the pocket rocket. Its that triangular thing on the burner head.

Panzer

[gonewalkabout]

I used a snowpeak on the LT in 04. I was on the trail about Hallowen until a week before Thanksgiving. I only boiled for dinners. Temps wre 30 down to 12 degree F while cooking. I only boil and let my meal hydrate and cook off the stove by placing the pot in a foam jacket I made fron an ensolite pad. I don'r not cook! I only use a 220 g (7.6 oz) canister, the small ones run out to quick. I boiled 2 cups for the main meal and ussaly 3 more cups for hot soup or tea since it was cold out. Thats 5 cups per night. The larger canister lasted about 10 nights (about 12.5 litters boiled). Using a jet boil the same canister will last at 1.5-1.75 times as along from my experience on short trips and using it to melt snow on glaicers. I just prefer my MSR kettle to cook and eat out off VS the tall narrow jet boil pot.

Note: that canister stoves perform prooly at freezing and below. I offten warmed the canister with a candle for a very short time before use. Don't do as I did if you overheat the canister it could explode.

Gonewalkabout

[Bob S]

I don’t know that the answers others give you will apply to your situation as everyone is going to do things differently.

I would suggest you cook with it using the same food and outside like you do on the trail. Keep a record of the time and numbers of dinners you cook. If you use hot water to clean up, include this as well. You can do this over time (no need to cook out every day in a row till it runs dry.)


Don’t believe everything you read on the net. Always better to test your equipment yourself to get definite answers.