Stove Fuels

[xftnfnb7]

I'm debating between natural fuel stoves and stoves where I need to carry fuel. The natural fuel stoves do have the advantage of not needing to carry the extra weight of fuel. Based on my reading the other stoves seem to burn cleaner, don't make mess of your pots and appear to be easier to use.

Any thoughts.....

[Helios]

Tons of info on this site concerning this. Use the search feature and you'll have more info than you need.

[xftnfnb7]

Having said the above, I'm leaning toward using natural fuel stoves.

[JonnyWalker]

Could also try a hybrid. I made my own wood gas stove that can also burn alcohol.

[Snowleopard]

Alcohol stoves can be so light you could bring both, with a couple of ounces of alcohol for the alky stove or as a firestarter. Then if you're too lazy or tired to find wood, or it's really wet, use the alky stove.

[leaftye]

The natural fuel stoves do have the advantage of not needing to carry the extra weight of fuel.

That's not exactly true. Unless the weather is great and the campsites are good, you'll be foraging for suitable natural fuel well before you intend to burn it. Not to mention tinder.

I'd say that the main advantage is that you shouldn't have to worry about running out of fuel. The next advantage, to me at least, is that you can refill your stove without breaks.

That said, you may want to look at Evernew's new stove. It's a wood stove built around an alcohol stove, so you can use both.

[Mountain Wildman]

I plan to carry the Littlbug Junior since it is only 5.1 ounces and it uses wood or alcohol stove. http://www.littlbug.com/littlbug_stove_junior.html
It uses small finger size pieces of would and I figure I could carry small amounts of dry wood as a backup in case I run short of Alcohol before re-supply.

[zelph]

I'm debating between natural fuel stoves and stoves where I need to carry fuel. The natural fuel stoves do have the advantage of not needing to carry the extra weight of fuel. Based on my reading the other stoves seem to burn cleaner, don't make mess of your pots and appear to be easier to use.

Any thoughts.....

Try using both next trip out for a weekend. Do your research, close your eyes and pick one:)

[Doctari]

Whatever you choose: Practice, practice, practice! Practice till you are sick of starting your stove, then do it Ten times more. Practice means: Get the stove out of your pack, set it up (if needed) light it, put the flame out, re pack in your pack, repeat! Can you do it blindfolded? OK, maybe not lighting it, but can you get it out & set up without being able to see? The ability to set up without thought has saved my life twice. Not much thinking goes on when you have hypothermia & a hot meal can help get you warm. I have no memory of setting up my stove the 2nd time I needed that skill.

If you choose "natural fuels" soak all the wood you have to practice with in a bucket for about a week, then see if you can get a fire started. If that works, put the remainder of the wet wood in the freezer for another week. Start your stove without your firestarter stuff.

Other stoves can be,,,,, interesting, to start when it is cold, so try the wet stove in the freezer test with them also. I can start my stove when it's 12 out, because I have practiced with it at those temps. Yes you can use Alcohol in winter.

[scottdennis]

Whatever you choose: Practice, practice, practice! Practice till you are sick of starting your stove, then do it Ten times more. Practice means: Get the stove out of your pack, set it up (if needed) light it, put the flame out, re pack in your pack, repeat! Can you do it blindfolded? OK, maybe not lighting it, but can you get it out & set up without being able to see? The ability to set up without thought has saved my life twice. Not much thinking goes on when you have hypothermia & a hot meal can help get you warm. I have no memory of setting up my stove the 2nd time I needed that skill.

If you choose "natural fuels" soak all the wood you have to practice with in a bucket for about a week, then see if you can get a fire started. If that works, put the remainder of the wet wood in the freezer for another week. Start your stove without your firestarter stuff.

Other stoves can be,,,,, interesting, to start when it is cold, so try the wet stove in the freezer test with them also. I can start my stove when it's 12 out, because I have practiced with it at those temps. Yes you can use Alcohol in winter.

Great post! Some of the best dang advice I've seen on here yet.

[xftnfnb7]

Thanks for everybody's input. I'm going to check out a combination wood or alcohol stove. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Tinker]

Thanks for everybody's input. I'm going to check out a combination wood or alcohol stove. I'll let you know how it goes.


It's surprising to note that no one mentioned that wood fires (yes, in a little stove, too - according to some over-zealous trail nazis, er, "ridgerunners", are illegal on some sections of the AT so, if you decide to use wood, make sure you have an alternative (Esbit tabs or alcohol) to use in those "fire unfriendly" areas.

[Treefingers]

i feel like many people discourage foraging for wood fuel for your stove. it is the oldest method of creating a heat source for cooking. it can be quite efficient (around 7 minute boils in moderate humidity conditions) and works great when paired with a pot cozy to finish hydrating you meals. there are downsides with every fuel source but wood stoves are just as viable means to cook food as any other fuel set up for cooking

with the proper tinder and kindle foraging skills you can find enough dry fuel to boil water in any conditions as far as Im concerned. you can usually find it right on the trail while your walking and collect it while you hike during the day. evergreens always have dry tinder and kindling underneath the lower boughs that often has some sap on the larger kindling to help with your fire. pair this with a wad of toilet paper and you have your fire starter now all you need is a handful of finger sized pieces of wood. in the winter when there is snow on the ground and the humidity is low, all the dry wood that is deadfall is sticking up out of the snow at underbrush hight on the forest floor and because the deadfall branches are sticking up vertically often, there is a low surface area for snow to accumulate on. and during wetter months it is really not difficult to find a handful of dry sticks during the whole course of the day. yes you will be carrying the weight of your fuel each day, but it is less than carryigg muliple canisters or a weeks worth of alcohol. i am a big fan of wood stoves because fuel is everywhere and it is a cheap and viable method to cook with anywhere there isnt a fire ban. and one last thing to note is that on a long distance hike, you often are forced to purchase more fuel than your carrying capacity and you often wind up leaving costly fuel behind. good luck and i hope some of you looking into this option dive in and enjoy the many rewards of using wood for your stove fuel.

happy trails
treefingers




Great post! Some of the best dang advice I've seen on here yet.

[leaftye]

Thanks for everybody's input. I'm going to check out a combination wood or alcohol stove. I'll let you know how it goes.


I'd love it if you pick up the Evernew XT combo and do a full review.