Esbit stoves

[takethisbread]

I've been using this stove recently. It's easy, small, light.

It does have concerns, for me. Are the fuel cubes readily available on the trail? I want to bring this stove, but I fear I should bring another over fear of fuel shortage.

[daddytwosticks]

I use esbit for overnight hikes and 3 day trips. Very convienient and lightweight. However, I don't know about for long distance hiking. The smell and goo on the pot can be overcome and gotten use to. Maybe mail-drop the fuel while on the trail? Happy Hiking. :)

[Speer Carrier]

I used them on a five week hike last year in Virginia and West Virginia. I was concerned about their availability as well. I took enough to last me the whole trip, but found they were sold in virtually every town we stopped in. I wouldn't worry about it.

[Wheeler]

I used an Esbit on the A.T. and the P.C.T I had them in my maildrops. Unlike Speer Carrier, I definitely did not find them very often. Very rare on the P.C.T. and rare enough on the A.T. Maybe Va. is ok,but I wouldn't rely on finding them in town for the whole trail.

[mweinstone]

sup my wheels!

etabs are littering the AT as we speak. why are they so prolific in hiker boxes? cause they get put their by folks who dont like the smell mostly. their great fun for kids and realy safe. as firestarters they can get you layed.i would guess hiker boxes containing element "e" tabs are way more freaquent than stors whitch have them. vitimie e can be saved when half used. and the smell cant be controlled just forgotten. they make fine boiled water. boiled water like they searve in fine esbit resturants. you aint heard? whole esbit sociatys are popping up. the ecar debues tonight on nbc with a gas mileage of 37 feet per tab.

[superman]

Pat and I have a milk crate about half filled with esbit tablets. I hate the smell of them. They may last for ever. They do not smell like..like victory.:)

[Tinker]

I've been using this stove recently. It's easy, small, light.

It does have concerns, for me. Are the fuel cubes readily available on the trail? I want to bring this stove, but I fear I should bring another over fear of fuel shortage.

Buy up Superman's tabs and mail them to yourself.:jump
I used them all through Georgia in 2006 and use them occasionally today, though I've switched pretty much to the Supercat stove (2 rows of 13 holes each - important - stoves with fewer holes tend to either go out or not be very hot).
Re: Pot residue - scrape it off with a rock or scour it with sand. It isn't that bad.
Yes, it does smell.:rolleyes:

[Blissful]

There are outfitters along the way but you may find you need to mail some to yourself in places. I'd also call ahead to the outfitters to see if they still stock them.

[DRRouner]

I have used the esbit stove for years and for the main reason is because it is so idiot proof. I can cook dinner and set up camp while it is cooking and not even worry about it. While thru hiking I have relied mostly on mail drops so I can't really vouch how easily you can resupply on the trail. Except you will have no problems in the southern section. This year I'm going to go with the Varga stove which enables me to use either alcohol or esbit. I've never had a problem with the smell.
Good luck

[Jester2000]

I think on the AT you won't have too much of a problem, although as others have stated you might want to mail yourself some along the way, or better yet, have some in a bounce box if you're using one of those.

Another option would be to get something like an Etowah II stove, which is also light. It's designed as an alcohol stove, but can be used with esbits. You could switch tht around and use it primarily for esbits, but use it with alcohol or HEET in places where you don't find the tabs.

[ShelterLeopard]

I think you'll find plenty, and if you're using maildrops, they can easily be mailed. (I am a fan of canister fuel myself, but that's me)

I normally only carry esbit as a firestarter.

[LaVista]

I've never used them as my cooking source.. don't like the smell, and I've always preferred something that I could turn on/off, rather then using an entire tab in one shot. Curious about the weight, though. Can anybody with more experience using them, or someobody with a scale compare how many tabs you'd need to equal the cooking time of say, an MSR pocket rocket with an 8oz cannister, or a Whisperlite + 8oz of liquid fuel?

I do like to keep a couple e-tabs/trioxane bars in my survival kit. The ultimate tinder.

[Spokes]

Use 'em for cookin' food? Now that's a novel idea. I thought they were a new flavor Jolly Rancher!

[Yahtzee]

Take an entire box with you. They aren't so heavy. That should last you about 3 weeks or so, depending on whether you cook breakfast or lunch. I use them almost exclusively and would recommend strategic maildrops. You can almost be assured that Neels Gap will have them, same with the NOC. Hot Springs, too. Damascus, as well. But beyond that, you might be pushing you luck. The outfitter off the 81 interchange had them, but that is a ways from Damascus. I'd send myself a box or two just in case I needed them in the spots where I thought I'd have trouble.

Also, check out Coghlan's Fuel Tabs. Same as esbits, but circular. Also, about half price. I cleaned out the stock of a survivalist website. I never needed a whole Esbit to cook a meal and was left with carrying a half-burned tab, the Coghlans are smaller and closer appoxiamate what it takes to cook a Lipton or ramen.

Two ziplocs is good to trap in the smell of the tabs. The smell never bothered me.

Fashion a windscreen of some sort. Wind is the enemy of the esbit.

Good luck.

[Skidsteer]

I've never used them as my cooking source.. don't like the smell, and I've always preferred something that I could turn on/off, rather then using an entire tab in one shot.

The tabs can be blown out and used later. You don't have to use an entire tab at once.

[daddytwosticks]

If you are hiking the southern end of the AT, they are usually stocked at Mountain Crossings, the outfitter in Franklin, and the outfitter at the NOC. :)

[Speer Carrier]

The tabs can be blown out and used later. You don't have to use an entire tab at once.


That's what I did with mine. I found that one tablet will burn for about 13-14 minutes. I could boil enough water for my meal in about 6 minutes. I'd either use the remaining half for the next hot meal, or use it to help start the fire in the fire ring. Regarding the smell. I like the smell of raw crude oil coming out of the ground, pulp mills, scrap yards, and the smell of a sugar mill, so these little guys are like flowers in the field to me.

[babbage]

take heed to all the comments. That smell is not easy to live with and there are so many better choices out there. The pot goo becomes a night mare after two weeks and by that time you are looking for alternatives - so before you fill all your mail drops with $$$ of esbit you might look at some alternatives.

[300winmag]

After piddling around with various homemade and commercial ESBIT stoves I found the base of the Vargo Triad EX is the best ESBIT stove around for my purposes.

The Triad EX base (W/O the alky stove component) has folding "legs" and pot supports. It is made from Titanium and can hold two fuel tablets. Two tabs are needed to get enough BTUs for faster cooking. But... I usually blow them out after they are about 1/2 used if I'm just boiling a few cups of water. Then, for ex., at breakfast I merely have to add only one new tablet and there is enough for that meal for 3 cups of hot water for oatmeal, coffee and cleanup.

I now prefer U.S. made FireLite tabs for a bit more heat. After a Grand Canyopn backpacking trip, where I used only ESBIT/FireLite tabs & the Triad EX base I found it is a very good little stove and the fuel is utterly reliable. I even cooked (simmered) spaghetti for 14 minutes on only 2 fuel tabs.

Of course I used an MSR heavy foil windscreen to conserve heat. This is crucial for ESBIT/FireLite cooking. Also I used the MSR foil circular base beneath the Triad base as a fire prevention precaution.

After using ESBIT tablets I am no longer even remotely interested in using alcohol for week long trips. In fact I haven't used alky stoves at all in 3 years. Probably never will again. That's how good ESBIT/FireLite stoves are.

[takethisbread]

take heed to all the comments. That smell is not easy to live with and there are so many better choices out there. The pot goo becomes a night mare after two weeks and by that time you are looking for alternatives - so before you fill all your mail drops with $$$ of esbit you might look at some alternatives.

I haven't had a problem with the smell, but I do plan on using alcohol as well.

Versatility. My stove allows for dual use.

Thanks to all for their super advice.