Reduce weight Esbit & Mini-trangia

[Crazy_Al]

Reduce weight
To reduce weight I switched to using Esbit fuel for heat on my Mini Trangia 28 pot. Alcohol stoves are light but the fuel is bulky. Esbit reduces size and weight and fit inside the pot (case) when transporting. I find I use a lot of alcohol because alcohol puts out so little heat. To save time I freqently do not use my wind blocker, resulting in using a lot more fuel.

[bigcranky]

How much does that mini-Trangia weigh? I'm just curious. Last year I got one of the BPL Esbit tab stoves that weighs half an ounce:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/titanium-esbit-wing-stove.html

Worked pretty well with a 700ml Ti mug and a homemade foil windscreen.

[True Karma]

I have never heard of Esbit fuel before, I just looked it up and it seems pretty useful. How much does the box and all the tabs in it weigh?

I was thinking about buying a mini-Trangia a few weeks ago but they didn't have them in the store :c.

[BookBurner]

Each tablet weighs .5oz and burns long enough (approx. 12 mins) to bring two cups of cold water up to a boil for probably four minutes. Fantastic fuel source. Never spills, never explodes, can re-use unburned tabs, and is very compact. The soot that collects on the bottom of pans can be easily washed off, and despite complaints in the past, the tabs' smell is something you quickly fail to notice. Anyway, who are we to complain about smell??

[Reid]

The smell of esbit can put me in a rude mood in the morning. Different folks different strokes though.

[take-a-knee]

Each tablet weighs .5oz and burns long enough (approx. 12 mins) to bring two cups of cold water up to a boil for probably four minutes. Fantastic fuel source. Never spills, never explodes, can re-use unburned tabs, and is very compact. The soot that collects on the bottom of pans can be easily washed off, and despite complaints in the past, the tabs' smell is something you quickly fail to notice. Anyway, who are we to complain about smell??

Other than the smell (it ain't that bad, it ain't incensce either) the only downside is cost for a long-distance hiker. You can't buy it just any and every place on the AT I'm told. Campmor has all you want though.

[bigcranky]

I did some tests last year of the Esbit brand tans versus the tabs from Backpackinglight. The BPL tabs were hotter and boiled water faster. They were also cheaper -- until you add in the shipping cost, then they were the same price as Esbit at my local outfitter.

I've done a couple of sections with Esbit (actually the BPL Firelite) tabs. I liked the simplicity and ease of use. In the evening, it was fine to light up a tab and heat water while I did something else like set up camp. In the morning, I felt like it took *forever* to heat my coffee and oatmeal water. I know it's just perception, but I guess I'm in more of a hurry in the morning.

[Bob S]

Esbit stinks, so what.

I don’t think it’s that bad, no more so then a wood stove, just stand up-wind.

[dla]

Reduce weight
I find I use a lot of alcohol because alcohol puts out so little heat. To save time I freqently do not use my wind blocker, resulting in using a lot more fuel.

So I'm confused here. You don't like Alchy cause it is bulky. You don't like that you use more Alchy cause you're in a hurry and can't be bothered to use a windscreen. But you like Esbit? OK, to each his own :-?

[DapperD]

I bought a supply of Esbit fuel tabs with the stove in preparation for a AT thru-hike, then I saw a titanium esbit stove for sale that weighs only like 11 grams! I bought it and it is like a feather!

[CherrypieScout]

I switched from alcohol to Esbit this summer while section hiking through SNP. Easier, realiable, lighter. I buy it a the local Wally in the camping section.

[wrongway_08]

I tried the esbit tablets but for me they burned to quick and just got everything dirty. I was just using the burner they sell, little square thing, not sure if that made it burn quick and dirty compared to the other burners out there?