Using a Pocket Rocket on SOBO

[Singletrack]

Thinking about using my Pocket Rocket instead of Esbit or Alcohol Stoves. Plan on using some mail drops, (Monson, Hanover, Port Clinton, and Pine Grove Furnace St. Pk.) and purchasing from Outftters, (Gorham, Manchester Center, and Kent) Would appreciate your thoughts and ideas.

[flyfisher]

Would you mind sharing your thinking process? I'd learn from it.

Here is mine:
Stove of choice: Twig stove (CoffeeStove)
ADVANTAGES:
- fuel available everywhere, no weight, no limit on cooking time
- stove very light 3 oz (90 g)
- keeps me in practice starting a wood fire in all conditions
- stove cost: zilch
- repairs: easy
DISADVANTAGES:
- a little harder to get supper going
- takes about 5 extra minutes (10 if it has been raining all day)
- makes smoke that may/will bother other hikers
- sometimes embarrasing if it takes a while to get the fire going
- requires carrying a hefty pocket knife (4 oz) to assure a fire with rain soaked wood.

[Blue Jay]

Both of you are going against the only socially accepted stove, kind of like hiking without hiking poles. You will be considered eccentric. Flyfisher, I thruhiked with an army surplus twig stove and loved it. I love cooking in the bug free smoke and had no trouble keeping the smoke away from other hikers. The other drawback is stealth camping, the indians can find you. Other than that your assessment is spot on, go with it. Since then I got lazy and went to universal gas. Singletrack the Pocket Rocket is a great little stove, a real blast furnace with almost the weight of a Pepsi Stove. The only drawback as you already know is finding the canisters, so your stuck with mail drops, big deal. Send your self some good food to make up for the inconvenience. I think now I have tried every type of stove and you know what they're all good, but they all have weaknesses. Even the almighty pepsi can, I have had trouble finding methanol and have crushed more than one. The cost and weight are hard to beat.

[Jaybird]

Thinking about using my Pocket Rocket instead of Esbit or Alcohol Stoves. Plan on using some mail drops, (Monson, Hanover, Port Clinton, and Pine Grove Furnace St. Pk.) and purchasing from Outftters, (Gorham, Manchester Center, and Kent) Would appreciate your thoughts and ideas.


Singletrack

You wont regret going with the MSR PocetRocket stove!

My hike bud: "Jigsaw" used a Esbit on our 2003 section hike & he has now bought a PocketRocket......ENUFF SAID! :D


Good Luck on your hike!

[Peaks]

Thinking about using my Pocket Rocket instead of Esbit or Alcohol Stoves. Plan on using some mail drops, (Monson, Hanover, Port Clinton, and Pine Grove Furnace St. Pk.) and purchasing from Outftters, (Gorham, Manchester Center, and Kent) Would appreciate your thoughts and ideas.

Despite posts to the contrary, there is no conscentious on any piece of gear, stoves included. You will see alcohol stoves, white gas stoves, canister stoves, esbit, twig stoves, open fire, no stoves, etc. So, if Pocket Rocket is your choice, then that's perfectly fine.

My only word of caution is that shipping canisters is a big no no. Best if bought from outfitters as you go along.

[flyfisher]

...you are going against the only socially accepted stove, kind of like hiking without hiking poles. The other drawback is stealth camping, the indians can find you.

Blue Jay,

Yeah, I admit to the use of poles, but it is because I have thought about it and tried both ways. They work for me. Let me see - what am I excentric about??
- hammock (and it not a Hennessy Hammock)
- 5x10 tarp (not the norm in the Speer camp)
- Ursack for mice and squirrels
- sandals for hiking
- I carry deoderant
- bring a musical instrument, though I am a gram weenie
- experimenting with a "kilt" - no conclusions yet
- sign in registers with a hand carved rubber stamp
(All in all, not very outlandish for hiker trash...)

I have thought through the stealth camping equation. My opinion at present: While I would never advocate rulebreaking, I may find myself in a situation where I would rather absorb the risk of breaking a rule than the risk of continuing when I am bushed. In such a situation, I would cook and make my wood smoke on the trail at a water source and then do my sleeping some distance away, in a place out of sight, out of mind. I have done that where camping is unrestricted. So far, I have not needed to do so in one of the restricted zones.

[Blue Jay]

Deodorant, now that's going too far, how dare you.

[flyfisher]

Deodorant, now that's going too far, how dare you.

Sorry man! I forgot how sensitive some are to the subject.

I take a Ban deoderant roll on thing, cut the top off under the ball, and pour the goo in a one oz hotel shampoo bottle. I apply it with my finger (yuck) once a day. It's what this man's got to do! The oz lasts most of a month before I need to refill.

BTW, I carry toothpaste the same way. Fortunately, my toothpaste is blueish and the Ban goo is white. So far, I have not mixed them up.

"Technique only, not required procedure."

[Footslogger]

My only word of caution is that shipping canisters is a big no no. Best if bought from outfitters as you go along.
Just a word of clarification regarding the above comment. I too thought it was taboo to send gas (butane/propane) cannisters via the US mail. However in helping my wife prepare for her thru-hike in 2001 I contacted the Post Office and was given a reference to their regulations on-line. It turns out that it is permitted to send the cannisters, provided you clearly mark the box as containing "OM-D" materials.

I carried an alcohol stove on my thru-hike last year and thus had no issues concerning the cannisters. However, unless the US Post Office has revised their regulations it should still be feasible to send yourself the cannisters in a re-supply box. One word of caution though ...as you get further and further away from your home (and origin of the re-supply boxes) you have to allow a lot more time to ensure that the box will "be there" when you are. Otherwise you'd be at the mercy of the outfitters for replacement cannisters. The good news is that I noticed last year nearly all outfitters had ample supplies of propane cannisters on-hand.

'Slogger

[Percival]

Despite posts to the contrary, there is no conscentious on any piece of gear, stoves included.
Yes there is. There is only one conscious, the thru-hiker group conscious. If you are at all conscientious you will not offend this sacred consciousness by using that heathen stove, but will conform your behaviour so as not to offend the gods. Otherwise, the group conscious will force others to rope you up and leave you tied to a tree for the Indians. And you know what they will do.

[Peep]

Take the Pocket Rocket and some esbit fuel tabs for back-up.

[tlbj6142]

It turns out that it is permitted to send the cannisters, provided you clearly mark the box as containing "OM-D" materials.Note, you need the same damn sticker to ship Purell. How many folks have that in their bounce box? How many have an OM-D sticker on their bounce box?

REI shipped a 4oz bottle of Purell in a separeate package (the rest of the order was 2-day air) when I placed an order with them 18 months ago.

[Footslogger]

Note, you need the same damn sticker to ship Purell. How many folks have that in their bounce box? How many have an OM-D sticker on their bounce box?

REI shipped a 4oz bottle of Purell in a separeate package (the rest of the order was 2-day air) when I placed an order with them 18 months ago.==========================

Excellent point !! ...but don't shoot the messenger here !!

'Slogger

[tlbj6142]

but don't shoot the messenger hereThat anger was directed at the sticker not the messenger.:D

[Singletrack]

Footslogger, Thats exactly what my Postman told me. It also must travel by ground. Nice to know the Outfitters have ample supply. I work in an Outfitters part time, and all our butane is shipped ground, but Outfitters have to pay a $20 HaZMat fee. Whatever that is, and spelled. Thanks.