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Don H
09-07-2012, 17:43
I'm considering going stoveless in my quest for the ultimate ultralight outfit. I would appreciate any ideas on dinner meals that don't need a stove to prepare.

yellowsirocco
09-07-2012, 17:55
Bratwurst on a baguette. Or just hot dogs and buns. Hot dogs keep forever. Steak and potatoes wrapped in foil is good for the first night out. All this is cooked over the campfire of course. Don't forget to toast your bread by the fire as well.

ParkRat09
09-07-2012, 18:11
I'm considering going stoveless in my quest for the ultimate ultralight outfit. I would appreciate any ideas on dinner meals that don't need a stove to prepare.

Is this going to be for a thru-hike or just a small trip?

10-K
09-07-2012, 18:16
I did several stoveless hikes this summer and as far as weight goes it's a wash for me.

The big advantage that I found to going stoveless was removing the stove futz factor, having one less thing to keep up with and being able to get going earlier in the morning.

p.s. I didn't answer your question, I know. :)

garlic08
09-07-2012, 18:35
When I hike stoveless, I kind of forget about meals as such. I just eat every couple of hours, whatever I want out of my food bag. There is no breakfast, lunch, dinner. Available in the grocery store that you don't have to cook are: Rolled oats, nuts, raisins, powdered milk, tortillas or bagels (easy bread to pack), cheese, sausages and lunch meats, peanut butter, crackers, cookies, instant mashed potatoes (soak a few minutes in cold water), ramen (eaten dry or soaked), fresh vegetables and fruit, candy bars, muffins, pop tarts, Little Debbie brownies, cans of cake frosting--just walk up and down the grocery aisles and imagine.

garlic08
09-07-2012, 18:36
I forgot instant refried beans and corn chips. Lots more I'm not thinking about, I'm sure.

Deacon
09-07-2012, 18:46
I did several stoveless hikes this summer and as far as weight goes it's a wash for me.

The big advantage that I found to going stoveless was removing the stove futz factor, having one less thing to keep up with and being able to get going earlier in the morning.

p.s. I didn't answer your question, I know. :)

I agree with this. During my Long Trail hike this summer, After futzing with a stove, setting up a caldera cone, waiting for water to boil, waiting for the meal to rehydrate, I've decided that cooking is too much hassle, at least during summer weather. Especially when getting to the shelter at dark. A hot meal wasn't neede as much as I thought .

Therefore I'm going stove less from now on.


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Hairbear
09-07-2012, 18:49
I forgot instant refried beans and corn chips. Lots more I'm not thinking about, I'm sure.
instant refried beans huh where would you get this

Lando11
09-07-2012, 18:52
When I hike stoveless, I kind of forget about meals as such. I just eat every couple of hours, whatever I want out of my food bag. There is no breakfast, lunch, dinner. Available in the grocery store that you don't have to cook are: Rolled oats, nuts, raisins, powdered milk, tortillas or bagels (easy bread to pack), cheese, sausages and lunch meats, peanut butter, crackers, cookies, instant mashed potatoes (soak a few minutes in cold water), ramen (eaten dry or soaked), fresh vegetables and fruit, candy bars, muffins, pop tarts, Little Debbie brownies, cans of cake frosting--just walk up and down the grocery aisles and imagine.
+1 to that.
I really enjoy the flexibility it gave me with my meals. As garlic says, you can reach into your food bag and eat what you want when you want instead of leaving town with x number of b-fasts, x number of lunches, etc.

Other benefit is you cat eat very quickly and have virtually no dishes to clean. I think I saved about an hour a day if I cooked 2 meals compared to going stoveless. Who wouldn't want an extra hour to power out more mileage or enjoy more time to sit by a lake/chill at a Vista?

bamboo bob
09-07-2012, 19:05
I've gone stoveless and since I ONLY boil dinner water it always sounds good to get rid of the stove and fuel. But when it's cold even in September in Maine or August nights in VT I really miss the hot meal. I may try it again in New Mexico next spring.

Don H
09-07-2012, 19:25
10-K, you bring up a good point. Do you save weight by going stove less? Seems like maybe the weight you save on the stove you gain on the food. Moist ready to eat food weights more than dried food that needs hot water to rehydrate.

As far as the futz factor goes, I use a Pocket Rocket. I quit using my home made alcohol stove with windshield and pot holder set up because it was so many pieces and a hassle to put together. Also it wasn't getting the water hot enough in cold weather.

This will be for a 1 week, 100 mile section.

Some foods I'm thinking of for dinners:
Peanut butter and Craisins
Tuna salad
Chunk chicken
Spam
Sausage and cheese
All the above on flat bread or a tortilla.

Mashed potatoes
Stove Top Stuffing? (can you just add cold water and make it rehydrate?)
Oat Meal

There's got to be more.

jakedatc
09-07-2012, 19:26
I've gone stoveless and since I ONLY boil dinner water it always sounds good to get rid of the stove and fuel. But when it's cold even in September in Maine or August nights in VT I really miss the hot meal. I may try it again in New Mexico next spring.

I do hot dinner only. i find it to be the best of both worlds. sometimes i'll add hot chocolate packets in there to be used at night or that odd morning where something warm would be nice. i take a few ounce weight hit for bringing my pocket rocket instead of my alcohol stove to eliminate the "futzing" light, lid the pot, boiling in <5 minutes. no pouring, windshield, liquid fuel.. just instant on and off. 1 100g canister lasted the entire LT

Montana AT05
09-07-2012, 19:56
Plenty of good options here...pretty much just buy of more of what you normally buy, outside of those things you normally cook. And remember, it's possile to eat instant mashed potaties cold--they don't need to be cooked...we just use hot water because that makes them taste better.

And as far as ultra weight advantages, personally I look at ultralight backpacking as not just a function of weight, but of simplicity and efficiency.

I stopped cooking in June 2005, midway through a thru-hike. Stoveless for me means less weight, less volume (no stove, pot, fuel or accoutrements), only one food bag (spoon/spork inside), no clean up after eating, no need to re-fuel, faster meals, and as Garlic pointed out, without a stove, the concept of meals goes out the window and you just eat all day long--albeit in smaller quantities each time you eat. This results in a steady flow of energy throughout the day, which is a good thing.

garlic08
09-07-2012, 20:04
instant refried beans huh where would you get this

I never see them in trail towns, but if you plan ahead of time you can buy them on line. I hear Walmart might sell them, but I don't go there. I did a quick search: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=instant+refried+beans&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=6064763707&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13007941291316907673&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_89q1gwqkvl_e You have to soak them for 10 or 20 minutes.

The "futz factor" for me is not only messing with the stove every day, but having to find fuel at resupplies. That's one less thing I need to do in town when I'm trying to take a nearo and get out of town. It's easy enough on the AT, but on the more remote Western trails where I developed my hiking style, it's more of a problem.

Another minor advantage of stoveless is safety. There have been a few wildland fires started by stove accidents out here. And I've personally seen one bad scalding injury and a few minor burns from stoves. And some gear ruined. I know, you'd have to be a klutz, but it does happen.

I've never liked cooking and especially not cleaning up very much, and doing it in the rain or snow in a cloud of mosquitoes is just plain miserable in my book. Some hummus and crackers, tortillas and cheese and some cookies or fruit from the comfort of the sleeping bag, watching snow blow over the tundra outside, is just fine.

The weight issue only comes into play at the end of the resupply. It's just as heavy on the first day, but by the fourth or fifth day it feels like you're flying.

It's not for everyone, every time, but it's fun to try and it's one more tool to add to the toolbox if you like it.

Colter
09-07-2012, 20:14
When I hike stoveless, I kind of forget about meals as such. I just eat every couple of hours, whatever I want out of my food bag. There is no breakfast, lunch, dinner. Available in the grocery store that you don't have to cook are: Rolled oats, nuts, raisins, powdered milk, tortillas or bagels (easy bread to pack), cheese, sausages and lunch meats, peanut butter, crackers, cookies, instant mashed potatoes (soak a few minutes in cold water), ramen (eaten dry or soaked), fresh vegetables and fruit, candy bars, muffins, pop tarts, Little Debbie brownies, cans of cake frosting--just walk up and down the grocery aisles and imagine.

As usual Garlic is a wise man. I am especially in agreement with walking up and down the aisles looking for good and different stuff you might not have thought of.

SCRUB HIKER
09-07-2012, 20:52
My staples for 5 stoveless months on the AT last year were:

Muesli (preferred) or granola cereal for breakfast
All manner of bars, Little Debbies, Snyder's flavored pretzel bites, peanut butter & Nutella (no bread, spooned straight out of the tin) for snacks
Sausage/pepperoni and cheese (if the heat didn't destroy the cheese) for lunch
Instant potatoes with cold water and sometimes tuna, or more of the same stuff from above for dinner

Like Garlic said, meals were sometimes a foggy concept. Any of those snack or lunch items could and did constitute any of the other meals at some point. Like him, I chose it not for the weight so much as the simplicity. Eating breakfast and dinner in my tent while other people have to stand outside in full rain gear just to deal with the bugs feels pretty nice.

The cons, I think, are the weight and the potential to waste food. Had I been more scientific, I maybe could have gotten a very good sense of how much food, in weight/calories, I needed per mile, and resupplied accordingly. But it never worked out that way. I almost always bought more than I needed in town, because, as mentioned above, stoveless shopping can be pretty improvisational--and this is the bad side of it. I remember one time, along MA2, I threw away at least a pound of food right before I walked into the woods because it had just been building up over the last two weeks or so. Maybe that's a function of me rather than of stoveless hiking in general, but it seems like the potential for having extra food is higher when meals are a vague guideline.

The weight savings also are nonexistent. If even one meal a day can be dehydrated, I think that makes up for the weight of, say, a cat stove and a few ounces of alcohol, when you compare it to having all no-cook foods. In my shorter hikes now, I'm going with this setup (alcohol stove), and I think I like it better than stoveless. But I haven't been out for more than three nights since thru-hiking, so who knows if I'll get tired of stoves again when I go on long hikes in the futuer.

Spokes
09-07-2012, 21:14
Okay, here's what you do:

If you study a Ramen Noodle square you'll notice you can shuck it open like an oyster (in half). Just use your spoon handle to wedge in between the fold and crack it open. Snap!

Lay the two sides down and spread peanut butter or nutella over them then form them together sandwich style.

Voila! Ramen Noodle Sandwich!!!!!!!

leaftye
09-07-2012, 22:55
I've been cookless for the last couple of years, but early this year I had a trip that made me wish I had a pot. A pot can work for water treatment, but on my trip I wanted it for melting snow.

johnnybgood
09-07-2012, 22:55
Hard boiled eggs,(best used first day). Cous Cous, Instant potatoes,Waffles,Lipton sides is even bearable cold.

leaftye
09-07-2012, 22:56
My meals are gorp and a custom meal replacement shake, which I doubt is what you're looking for.

Acacia
09-08-2012, 02:40
Some foods I'm thinking of for dinners:
Peanut butter and Craisins
Tuna salad
Chunk chicken
Spam
Sausage and cheese
All the above on flat bread or a tortilla.

Mashed potatoes
Stove Top Stuffing? (can you just add cold water and make it rehydrate?)
Oat Meal




How about for breakfast Gerber baby cereal, add water, protein powder, Rice Krispies and raisins?

moytoy
09-08-2012, 06:53
I'm not stoveless but I eat a lot like I am. One of the things I eat that I didn't see mentioned is jerky. Red meat is a much more complete protein than most plant based protein. 3 oz of jerky each day makes the peanut butter ramon combo seem more complete. BTW the cheapest store bought jerky I have found is at the Dollar stores.

daddytwosticks
09-08-2012, 12:34
22 posts and nobody has talked about lack of HOT COFFEE in the morning...incredible!

Seriously, I agree that going stoveless is an attractive alternative. I like to try and keep it simple when I hike. But I need my coffee fix in the morning, preferably hot, sweet, and with creamer. It helps get things "moving" in the morning, if you know what I mean. If I ever were to do a seriously long hike, I'd probably try and give up hot coffee in the AM:)

Del Q
09-08-2012, 12:37
Good thread. I went into no-cook mode a few years ago. I eat well off the trail, am a section hiker, have met several thru hikers like Trek and Eric D who don't cook..............to met its simpler, easier, a bit lighter but to me the #1 benefit is that I can camp anywhere, and I have had some superb camping spots. As long as I have enough water to drink I am fine.

Dinner

Spam and pita bread, requisitioned mustard packets
Split peas soaked in water from lunch break
Cheese
Gorp
Hard pretzels
Dried edamame
Instant potatoes
Refried beans
Dried hummus
Ramen noodles, soak in a bag with water from your lunch break.
Dates
New favorite - HAM jerky
Corn Nuts
Sunflower seeds

A few bites of everything, spam single serving with pita, mustard and cheese is my staple for dinner.

Pig out in town...................of course!!

Deacon
09-08-2012, 12:38
22 posts and nobody has talked about lack of HOT COFFEE in the morning...incredible!

Seriously, I agree that going stoveless is an attractive alternative. I like to try and keep it simple when I hike. But I need my coffee fix in the morning, preferably hot, sweet, and with creamer. It helps get things "moving" in the morning, if you know what I mean. If I ever were to do a seriously long hike, I'd probably try and give up hot coffee in the AM:)

I'm a big coffee drinker - at home - but - when I'm out hiking and trying to stay hydrated, I only want cold drinks. Lots of Tang in the morning. Nutritious and satisfying.


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SouthMark
09-08-2012, 12:58
I'm also a big coffee drinker at home but don't drink it on the trail even if I'm carrying a stove.

jakedatc
09-08-2012, 13:29
but to me the #1 benefit is that I can camp anywhere

wondering how not cooking changes anything? If there is a flat spot to put my tent down I can probably cook there.

+1 on the ham jerky though.. a SOBO thru hiker Anchor gave me a small piece of some homemade stuff and i was impressed.

Never been a coffee person.. never even tried it. have never regretted that.

max patch
09-08-2012, 13:38
22 posts and nobody has talked about lack of HOT COFFEE in the morning...incredible!

Seriously, I agree that going stoveless is an attractive alternative. I like to try and keep it simple when I hike. But I need my coffee fix in the morning, preferably hot, sweet, and with creamer. It helps get things "moving" in the morning, if you know what I mean. If I ever were to do a seriously long hike, I'd probably try and give up hot coffee in the AM:)

After a couple weeks I stopped cooking in the morning. Instant oatmeal can be eaten cold. Got my coffee fix in town. I wanted to get moving in the morning and the time it took to boil water every morning wasn't worth it to me.

buff_jeff
09-08-2012, 15:40
Going stove-less was basically just a natural extension of how I already ate. During one large section hike from Springer to Old South Mountain Inn, Maryland, I used my stove maybe a half dozen times. It was just dead weight in my pack.

Honestly, the last thing I want is a steaming pot of noodles on a hot, humid day after hiking 20 miles. I always hated cleaning stuff up afterwards, too. Not to mention the fact that on the AT I was getting a hot meal every 3-4 days on average, if not more frequently.

Canyonero
09-08-2012, 16:33
I've been doing chicken salad wraps with chunk chicken and ranch dressing. I've added Old Bay to it and its quite good wrapped up in a tortilla.

Trailcooking.com has a good recipe I am going to try sometime.
http://www.trailcooking.com/recipes/southwest-chicken-corn-wraps

This one I have done and it's pretty good.
http://www.trailcooking.com/recipes/pecan-cranberry-ranch-chicken-salad

I love them because I can stuff a lot of calories in a short period at the end of long day. They only take a couple minutes to prepare. The only downside is that you have the stinky chicken container/quart bag to pack out, so I always search for the nearest trash can after eating this.

wannahike
09-08-2012, 17:16
22 posts and nobody has talked about lack of HOT COFFEE in the morning...incredible!

Seriously, I agree that going stoveless is an attractive alternative. I like to try and keep it simple when I hike. But I need my coffee fix in the morning, preferably hot, sweet, and with creamer. It helps get things "moving" in the morning, if you know what I mean. If I ever were to do a seriously long hike, I'd probably try and give up hot coffee in the AM:)

Greek Frappe Coffee http://greekfood.about.com/od/mezethesdrinks/ht/frappe.htm
if you use a jar to re-hydrate stuff you're all set

garlic08
09-08-2012, 18:34
I got a serious coffee hound friend (whose name will not be mentioned, but it rhymes with "mags") converted to stoveless on an Arizona Trail hike. We hiked into the town of Patagonia one morning and he stormed the coffeehouse before it was even open--pretty funny.

As an aside, one of my goals on a long hike is to "detox" in a way--I make a concerted effort to remain caffeine and alcohol free. I'm just no fun out there. It's semi-athletic endeavor for me and I just feel better, in the long term, without the added chemicals.

As far as site selection goes, I think stoveless camping gives more options too. I use much less water, often less than a liter overnight, so it's easier to dry camp. I don't have to plan around water as much, or carry as much from the last known source before camping. Out here in the desert, where it might be two nights between water sources, it really makes a difference.

10-K
09-08-2012, 18:48
Garlic you're my hero. On my stoveless trips I pack 2 no doz tablets for each morning I expect to be out.

Without my morning caffeine fix I move real slow and bump into things. :)

johnnybgood
09-08-2012, 18:58
I'm an avid coffee drinker off the trail but really don't miss it much while at camp. I try to stay well hydrated largely due to my knack at fostering kidney stones and water, not coffee, helps me in that regard.

Cadenza
09-08-2012, 19:52
I'd walk up and hug an Arab terrorist wearing a bomb vest before I'd consider giving up coffee.

shelb
09-08-2012, 21:41
22 posts and nobody has talked about lack of HOT COFFEE in the morning...incredible!

Seriously, I agree that going stoveless is an attractive alternative. I like to try and keep it simple when I hike. But I need my coffee fix in the morning, preferably hot, sweet, and with creamer. It helps get things "moving" in the morning, if you know what I mean. If I ever were to do a seriously long hike, I'd probably try and give up hot coffee in the AM:)

I did a 120 mile section this summer and only used my stove at night for dinner, thinking I could substitute a Chrystal Light Energy powder (which has caffeine) in the morning for my coffee.. - - - WRONG~~~ Things didn't move right. And, it just didn't give me that "pick me up" first thing in the morning. Next time, even if I end up going stoveless(or not use it in am), I plan on bringing instant coffee to mix with my water in the morning.

RangerPhil
09-08-2012, 21:48
FWIW: I did my first attempt at going stoveless this past May for a 12 day trip along the AT through New England. I carried all of the above listed items, plus a protein shake which ended up being wayyyyyy more of a hassle than it was worth. Here's my two cents on going stoveless: it just wasn't worth it. I had difficulty finding enough food variety to keep me satisfied, and it WAS actually a bit demoralizing to get into camp at night, soaking wet, and not have a hot meal or even hot beverage to look forward to. I know that EVERYBODY has a different opinion on this one, but especially in northern New England where being cold and wet is pretty standard, a 3 ounce alcohol stove is worth its weight in gold. If you do end up going stoveless, absolutely make sure that you find some way to get variety into your diet. Peanut butter, tortillas and granola gets very very repetitive after only a few days.

Ranger

kayak karl
09-08-2012, 22:06
even in the winter for breakfast i have 2 packs of Fruit N Cream oatmeal w/raisins and nuts in it. i just put water in and wait about 10 min while i pack. for drink: water with 2 scoops of instant coffee, 2 scoops of coco mix, 4 scoops of instant milk. oh, a bagel w/peanutbutter.
i just cook dinner, but even 2 of them could be eaten not cooked, but i would need a few hot meals :)

i don't always summer hike,
but when i do,
i go stove-less.

pyroman53
09-08-2012, 22:50
I sometimes use the coffee bags and just put a couple in a 20 oz bottle of water with some creamer and sugar...by morning it's iced coffee.

yellowsirocco
09-09-2012, 07:34
I sometimes use the coffee bags and just put a couple in a 20 oz bottle of water with some creamer and sugar...by morning it's iced coffee.
That is going in my kit next time. I have been doing iced coffee with international cafe cappuccino which works great for a mid day iced coffee, but it is not like real brewed coffee.

Hairbear
09-09-2012, 08:53
I sometimes use the coffee bags and just put a couple in a 20 oz bottle of water with some creamer and sugar...by morning it's iced coffee.thanks for the idea............

High Side
09-09-2012, 18:11
I always thought that a stove would just be a hassle.

Besides, not having hot food on the trail would just make town visits that much better

Moose2001
09-09-2012, 18:44
instant refried beans huh where would you get this

http://www.mexgrocer.com/1419.html

wornoutboots
09-09-2012, 23:16
On my last hike I really enjoyed hitting up the local grocery store deli's for say chicken salad, deserts & such in compact containers where available. When not I eat PB & Tortias, cheese, pop tarts & such. On the AT you'll be able to grab a hot meal & real food every 3-4 days

daddytwosticks
09-10-2012, 07:03
If I went stoveless (and gave up coffee and caffiene), I think I would still bring a metal cup, something like a Snow Peak 450, for an occasional hot beverage over a camp fire. However, for those times when you want or need a hot beverage, like hot chocolate or herbal tea, it's probably cold and wet. Staring a fire in that instance may be problematic. :)

Theosus
09-10-2012, 13:06
I could go stoveless, especially for short hikes, but with the size and weight of little stoves, I can't think of a reason to. You could really carry a small "emergency" stove and plan your meals to be mostly stove-free. I saw a woman recently using esbit tabs and a folding stove smaller than a pack of cards. It folded open, and the fuel went on the middle plate, whereas the sides held the cup. Vargo makes a titanium "cat stove" equivalent with little legs and cup supports built in. A couple of ounces of fuel and that stove barely fill up your fist. If you're still carrying a cup, its nothing to carry the stove and matches inside it. If you really want or need some heat, the ability to get warm liquid inside you and huddle around the little fire could be very nice. And you dont need to gather wood or find a fire ring.
I havent really found any "stove free" , meals that I really like. raw cereal (fruit loops OMG!), beef jerky, bread, etc. Of course if you have an adjustable stove like a gigapower... and a little mug, you can brown some rolls and spread some imitation butter on them... ohhhhh. so good. And the look on your friend's faces on the eve of your second day, while you eat your buttered hot rolls. HAHAHAHA.

58starter
09-10-2012, 15:21
Just please do not ask me for hot water from my pot when I am having my hot coffee in the mornings and you do not have any. Of course I will give it to you but then you would feel bad for asking and not bringing your own stove.

RED-DOG
09-10-2012, 16:23
going stoveless is a bad idea the human body needs a warm meal .

Mags
09-10-2012, 17:17
going stoveless is a bad idea the human body needs a warm meal .


???????

It needs calories. It needs the right type of food in terms of fats, carbs and proteins and it also needs the appropriate vitamins and minerals.

Whether it is warm or not is not an issue (other than making sure raw meat is cooked properly of course.)

Quick question. A person is suffering from the very early stages of hypothermia.

Which is the best beverage?

Diet Coke
Hot Black Tea
cold Orange Juice

A warm meal can be nice of course. But needed?

Don H
09-10-2012, 18:44
Cold Orange Juice. Do I get a prize? ;)

Deacon
09-10-2012, 21:04
Cold Orange Juice. Do I get a prize? ;)

Can't beat Tang on the trail.


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leaftye
09-10-2012, 22:13
Can't beat Tang on the trail.

Or in space.

Sent from a sheet of bark using a rock.

tzbrown
09-11-2012, 07:14
I also have gone stoveless for my summer hikes for the last 2 years.

As noted by all those before me:
Faster out of camp in the morning, later into camp at night = more miles
Easier in towns, just food to think about
More camp options, due to needing less water morning and night

For cold seasons I still bring a stove

Mags
09-11-2012, 09:48
Cold Orange Juice. Do I get a prize? ;)

You get the No Prize!

http://www.retroist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/No-Prize_VDOrazio.jpg

10-K
09-11-2012, 09:56
I learned about the which is best choice in a wilderness first aid class.

The instructor asked in the case of hypothermia which is better:

An ice cold Coke or a cup of hot tea.

Of course everyone said a cup of hot tea....

pyroman53
09-11-2012, 10:15
I learned about the which is best choice in a wilderness first aid class.

The instructor asked in the case of hypothermia which is better:

An ice cold Coke or a cup of hot tea.

Of course everyone said a cup of hot tea....

So help me understand. Not the tea cause it's empty calories? Coke has lots a calories? Calories = warmth?

This discussion is important since the big rub most often put forth against stove less is the need for those life saving hot beverages. Me? My sleeping bag is key. Starting a stove and cooking while hypothermic might be a bit of a stretch. Especially since, if weather is bad, first I have to set up my tent or tarp. By then I'd be totally useless. Snarfing a snickers and diving into my bag I might manage.

garlic08
09-11-2012, 11:12
...Me? My sleeping bag is key. Starting a stove and cooking while hypothermic might be a bit of a stretch. Especially since, if weather is bad, first I have to set up my tent or tarp. By then I'd be totally useless. Snarfing a snickers and diving into my bag I might manage.

Agreed. The only time I can see a hot beverage working well is if you have a healthy person with you willing to feed it to you after you're in your sleeping bag. Ask my wife.

I did some back-of-envelope calculations once showing the energy added to a liter of water to raise it 40F above body temp (the hottest you can drink) is less than that contained in a Snickers Bar. Never mind the heat lost from your body while you're fiddling with the stove and water.

But that doesn't include the psychological boost from a hot drink, especially when served up by a nice person.

Mags
09-11-2012, 11:35
So help me understand. Not the tea cause it's empty calories? Coke has lots a calories? Calories = warmth?



It has calories and in the form of sugar (quick energy) and liquid gets into the system faster than having to digest solid food.

Hot jello is an old trick from winter camping. Besides the hot beverage (psychological) it is liquid for hydration and quick sugar for energy/warmth.

10-K
09-11-2012, 12:07
Nothing wrong with hot beverages as long as they're as high in caloric value as you can get (for treating hypothermia).

But yes, calories=heat. Hot tea.. not so much.

English Stu
09-11-2012, 15:55
Clearly stoveless can be done but for variation it is nice to have a ho tmeal, it punctuates the day as well. We have the Ti pocket woodburning stove here in the UK, 3oz,there are similar in the US, twigs are rarely in short supply on the AT and you are not hunting for fuel in town or carrying any. You could do away with the stove and make do with three stones or a cook fire. I like a coffee in the morning and boil water in the evening.I carried a bushcooker 6oz (bush buddy lookalike) on my last trip on the AT and it was fine.

Creek Dancer
09-11-2012, 16:44
instant refried beans huh where would you get this

You can easily dehydrate your own. Just get a couple of cans of fat-free refried beans, spread the beans on the plastic tray and dehydrate. (You have to use fat-free because fat does not dehydrate.) They dehydrate and rehydrated very quickly. You might have to add some oil in camp to get the consistency right.

Creek Dancer
09-11-2012, 16:53
22 posts and nobody has talked about lack of HOT COFFEE in the morning...incredible!

Seriously, I agree that going stoveless is an attractive alternative. I like to try and keep it simple when I hike. But I need my coffee fix in the morning, preferably hot, sweet, and with creamer. It helps get things "moving" in the morning, if you know what I mean. If I ever were to do a seriously long hike, I'd probably try and give up hot coffee in the AM:)

I hear you about the hot coffee! But anymore, I just need the caffeine to get going so I go cold. So I recently started using instant coffee mixed with instant breakfast and some nido. Put it all in a 16 oz bottle and shake. Plenty of caffeine, calories, vitamins and hydration.

Moose2001
09-24-2012, 16:06
instant refried beans huh where would you get this

Found these in Walmart today. I've used them before on a trip and they are tasty. Just hard to find. If Walmart in Utah has them, I suspect they must be in other stores as well!17560

Del Q
09-24-2012, 20:16
I just packed for a 10 day hike to VT/NH, no cook mode...........tons of great no-cook food options.

Pig out in town.

2 no cook additions.............ramen noodles with some extra spices in a zip loc, plan on hydrating at lunch, eat for dinner
Split peas, ditto, hydrate at lunch, eat with dinner

Looking forward to being back out there............cook or no cook its all great!

RCBear
10-06-2012, 10:41
22 posts and nobody has talked about lack of HOT COFFEE in the morning...incredible!

Seriously, I agree that going stoveless is an attractive alternative. I like to try and keep it simple when I hike. But I need my coffee fix in the morning, preferably hot, sweet, and with creamer. It helps get things "moving" in the morning, if you know what I mean. If I ever were to do a seriously long hike, I'd probably try and give up hot coffee in the AM:)

Giving up coffee on the trail is not an option for this guy! ....I'm all for a lighter load, just not willing to give up the things that round out the "experience" for me.

MuddyWaters
10-06-2012, 17:48
If its cold, and with a slow group, i will cook hot breakfast or oatmeal, grits, coffee.
Most of time, i dont.
I love coffee, Im a coffed addict, but its not worth the hassle in mornings to me. I want to eat a quick bite and hit the trail to warm up.
I will drink coffee in evening while im rehydrating dinner. If its a really cold day, I might make hot chocolate or coffee late morning during a break.
Chocolate covered expresso beans are a possibility for mornings in cool weather. In hot weather they would just be a mess.