View Full Version : stove recommendations for thru hiking
billygut
03-15-2011, 20:14
what does expierienced thru hikers recommend for thru hiking the at.im leavinv for the trail april 2012.trying to get my gear list established
stoves are as diverse as hikers are. alcohol stoves are pretty popular, but there are many of those to choose from. DIY types, to commercially made. Canisters stoves like the jetboil or pocket rocket, and other varieties.
It's all in your preference, really. Do a search on youtube for backpacking stoves and check a few out. See what catches your interest and give it a try.
I have a jetboil that I love. I also have a soda can alcohol stove that I really like too. I would be hard pressed to say which would work best for you. That's something you'll have to consider.
I'm sure you are about to get a ton of posts with other's preferences here...have fun wading through all that and deciding.
mountain squid
03-15-2011, 20:40
Check out antigravitygear (http://www.antigravitygear.com/) for your kitchen needs.
Suggest going to Mountain Crossings (http://www.mountaincrossings.com/) anytime in the next 30 days and observing the hikers as they pass thru. Also, talk with the knowledgeable staff.
Also suggest going to Trail Days (http://www.traildays.us/) in May. There will be many vendors there plying their wares.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=14493)
I think this might help:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=197423#post197423
Right here on this site along with a wealth of other info.
Some VERY experienced LD hikers don't even carry a stove (e.g., garlic08).
kayak karl
03-15-2011, 23:04
Check out antigravitygear (http://www.antigravitygear.com/) for your kitchen needs.
Suggest going to Mountain Crossings (http://www.mountaincrossings.com/) anytime in the next 30 days and observing the hikers as they pass thru. Also, talk with the knowledgeable staff.
Also suggest going to Trail Days (http://www.traildays.us/) in May. There will be many vendors there plying their wares.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=14493)
good promo, any kickbacks. :)
Many Walks
03-15-2011, 23:30
We carry a MSR Pocket Rocket. It's light, durable, simple, efficient, and packs small. Canisters were readily available around the AT.
All depends...
Want simplicity? Ease of use? Cooking many meals? Long time between resupplies?
This may help...
http://www.pmags.com/stove-comparison-real-world-use
(Even if I wrote it ;) )
The canister stoves is an all around favorite.
If you go more minimalist and cooking one meal a day, the alchy stove works.
...and so on.
AeroGuyDC
03-16-2011, 06:56
I use the Primus ETA Express. Similar to the JetBoil in terms of "all-in-one" stove/1L pot setup. I used it on my 10 day section last year and it performed flawlessly. It probably registers as "heavy" to many backpackers at 14 ounces for the whole setup.
I started my thru with a MRS Wisperlite stove. Most days I cooked in the morning and night. It worked fine and I had no problem obtaining fuel on the trail. When I got to Erwin I switched to a soda can stove that burned alchol. I did this to lighten up some. That also worked fine, heating water most mornings for coffee and cooking a meal at night. If I was to do it again I would just go with the alchol stove.
Blissful
03-16-2011, 18:33
MSR pocket rocket. Although this year I bought the newer ul Snowpeak stove, have yet to use it.
Basically, it "boils" down to convenience. Can it be easier than a canister stove? Doubtful, but you gotta carry enough so that a "almost empty" canister doesn't leave you hungry. Canisters are easy to find along the trail. Alchohol is for the gram-counters (I'm one). (Very) slightly more hassle in finding alchohol (or Heet) along the way. The biggest concern for me is the temptation to cook in a tent when the weather sucks - and it will. If you use alchohol, sooner or later, your stove is going to tip over from a too-heavy pot, a clumsy trailmate, or just trail gremlins and everything near it will burn. I ended up choosing weight over convenience; the discipline is still a hassle for me. You probably can't go wrong with either; you'll probably end up trying both.
Feral Bill
03-16-2011, 19:45
Nothing wrong with the trusty SVEA either, if you want to actually cook. Even better for two or three. Your choice.
ChinoMike
03-16-2011, 20:15
I went the second half of my thruhike without cooking equipment. On my next hike in 2013 I don't plan on taking cooking gear.
billygut
03-16-2011, 21:32
Thanks for all the great info.i was thinking pocket rocket or jet boil.i just wasnt sure available the cannisters were along the way.
Caldera Cone with esbit graham cracker stove here....
earlyriser26
03-16-2011, 22:01
MSR pocket rocket for me, but as others have said, there is no perfect stove.
daddytwosticks
03-17-2011, 07:38
If someone could tell me how to get a HOT cup of coffee every morning on the trail without a stove, I'd save lots of ounces....:)
If your like most backpackers out here who have been enjoying the sport for sometime, you will most likely end up with 3,4 ,5, 10 stoves over time. I have "several" right now and use different stoves for varying hikes. If I am going for a week solo and want to go very light, with freezer bag cooking, an Alky stove is in order. If I am with someone and the intent is to do some cooking I grab the Pocket Rocket, or a white gas stove in the "colection" of which some have been retired. The truth is whatever stove you pick today, you may well choose another before your hike starts, there are some very good suggestions here but you will have to experiment a bit to find what meets your needs. HYOH
SassyWindsor
03-17-2011, 23:37
I recommend a wood burner. I use a ti-zip, unlimited boiling of water because of the abundance of solid fuel along the trail, no hassles with the airlines. It's nice not to have to leave the trail to search for alcohol or other store bought fuel.
I like my Brunton Raptor.
Montana Mac
03-18-2011, 10:57
Everyone has their own opinions, including myself. I was going to carry a Jetboil but once I saw this stove I changed my mind. It is light, compact and fit inside my cook pot along with the fuel canister. Served me well.
It is a Markill Hotshot - A bicyclist stopped at the shop I work at in Montana to get a fuel canister for it. To me it is a great stove - burns hot, is compact and the case even has a belt loop so it can be carried on a belt or strap.