To stove or not to stove

[skinnbones]

For the thru hikers who decided not to tote a stove, any regrets? If you were to do it all over again, would you carry a stove the second time around? And... those who did carry a stove, to hike the trail again, would you consider leaving the stove behind?

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

I pondered this one and decided that at the end of a long, cold day of hiking, the thought of eating a cold something or other wasn't too appealing, especially a long, cold, wet day of hiking where a wood fire wouldn't be an option. But that's just me and while I don't expect all fun and games hiking the trail I do want as much comfort as I can reasonably carry on my back. Of course, the trail could prove me wrong on this point :-)

[Des]

I pondered this one and decided that at the end of a long, cold day of hiking, the thought of eating a cold something or other wasn't too appealing, especially a long, cold, wet day of hiking where a wood fire wouldn't be an option.

I had about the opposite feeling. At the end of a long, cold, wet day, the idea of fiddling with a stove at all just wasn't appealing. All I wanted to do was get in some dry camp clothes, jump in my bag and eat something while reading a chapter or two of a book before bed.

I started the hike with an alcohol stove, which, to be fair, took very little fiddling. As it got warmer and the number of snow encounters dropped to nil, I found I wasn't really using it, and dropped it from my gear.

[Des]

To be clear, I am not saying Lady is wrong on this, just that a lot of it really depends on your personality and feelings towards food and cooking.

[skinnbones]

Thanks for the response DES and Lady. I'm 99.9% sure I will not carry a stove.

[DocMahns]

I will, I like hot coffee too much

[Starchild]

2015 Lady Thru-Hiker[/COLOR]]I pondered this one and decided that at the end of a long, cold day of hiking, the thought of eating a cold something or other wasn't too appealing, especially a long, cold, wet day of hiking

I had about the opposite feeling. At the end of a long, cold, wet day, the idea of fiddling with a stove at all just wasn't appealing. All I wanted to do was get in some dry camp clothes, jump in my bag and eat something while reading a chapter or two of a book before bed.

These are the best 2 posts I have ever seen on this issue, and gets right down to it, what type of hike would you prefer?

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

I had about the opposite feeling. At the end of a long, cold, wet day, the idea of fiddling with a stove at all just wasn't appealing. All I wanted to do was get in some dry camp clothes, jump in my bag and eat something while reading a chapter or two of a book before bed.

I started the hike with an alcohol stove, which, to be fair, took very little fiddling. As it got warmer and the number of snow encounters dropped to nil, I found I wasn't really using it, and dropped it from my gear.

I totally respect that and have considered that I may come to the same conclusion. Or, that I may decide I don't want to fiddle with it once the weather warms up and send it home to be sent back to me up north when the weather gets cold again.

[Tuckahoe]

Hey Skinnbones, this topic has been covered many times and there are a number of forum members that have successfully hiked without a stove, Garlic08 especially being one of those. He's been there and done that, so to speak, so he can actually answer your questions.

In the mean time here is a thread from about a year ago with a number of links to other thread discussions that should give some prespective --

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ight=stoveless

[skinnbones]

Thanks Tuck. What I was really trying to find out was, if your thru hike involved a stove and if you were to hike the trail all over again, would you carry a stove again. Likewise if you didn't carry a stove. Thanks for the link.

[Kraken Skullz]

To stove. Warmth, hot food, water purification. Well worth it in my opinion. Everyone says that you want your items to multi-function, well there you go.

[Starchild]

To stove. Warmth, hot food, water purification. Well worth it in my opinion. Everyone says that you want your items to multi-function, well there you go.

Also a stove can be used to carry no water, no purification and no water bottle, which adds up to a nice weight savings - but requires snow. Using the jetboil I used this as my sole source of drinking water by melting snow anytime I got thirsty - drinking all and moving on. Now I didn't purify the water, just getting it up to the temp I wanted and drank, moved on. While fuel intensive it still was only one small canister. The method would most likely have worked better if I carried a small amount of water, such as 2 oz to help the snow start melting, but either way it worked and was lightweight for all it did.

There was additional weight savings because all the for cook food was freeze dried.

[ChinMusic]

Haven't used a stove on the trail in years. Never regretted it on my '13 thru.
I warmed up a few pieces of pizza on a campfire but I wouldn't have started the fire myself

[garlic08]

I've hiked the following trails without a stove: Half of the PCT, the CDT, the AT, the AZT, the PNT, and the WT. Needless to say, I'm committed to stoveless hiking. After trying half of the PCT with a stove and half without, I discovered that my hiking is better, overall, without.

Try it both ways and see. It's easy enough to "bounce" the cook kit ahead a week or two. You won't get hurt from that and you may learn something.

[takethisbread]

I did 3 months on the AT a few years back, and I used a stove. I am thru hiking this year going stove less . I like the no hassle approach


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[Sierra2015]

I like hot food... I can't imagine myself choosing to thru-hike without hot meals.

[bfayer]

I like hot food... I can't imagine myself choosing to thru-hike without hot meals.

Going without a stove on the AT only means going without hot meals for a couple of days at a time. Between town stops, hiker feeds, and overly sympathetic section hikers, you should not go without hot food often.

It's not an option I would take but others do it, and it works for them. Have you read "Becoming Odyssa"? I believe JPD dumped her stove pretty quickly on her first thru.

[Sierra2015]

Going without a stove on the AT only means going without hot meals for a couple of days at a time. Between town stops, hiker feeds, and overly sympathetic section hikers, you should not go without hot food often.

It's not an option I would take but others do it, and it works for them. Have you read "Becoming Odyssa"? I believe JPD dumped her stove pretty quickly on her first thru.

I really like hot food.... Only eating trail mix, jerky, and peanut butter between towns for five or six months doesn't sound the most appealing.

I haven't read it... I read a blurb saying she decided to thru-hike after her mother died. I'm not into grief books. Her reaching every summit and contemplating what her mother would think about the view... is touching, but also uncomfortable and too intimate.

[bfayer]

I haven't read it... I read a blurb saying she decided to thru-hike after her mother died. I'm not into grief books. Her reaching every summit and contemplating what her mother would think about the view... is touching, but also uncomfortable and too intimate.

No, She just graduated from college and really didn't know what to do with her life, so she took a walk. She was not a hiker, and had never backpacked before (although she loved the outdoors). Not much grief in the book at all (yes a little, but all good books do). It's actually very upbeat and inspirational. She is also member on here.

Sierra2015, this book was written for you. Push away from the keyboard and start reading. I think you will be more motivated and confident in your ability to complete your thru hike after you read the book.

[WingedMonkey]

For the thru hikers who decided not to tote a stove, any regrets? If you were to do it all over again, would you carry a stove the second time around? And... those who did carry a stove, to hike the trail again, would you consider leaving the stove behind?

Carried a stove, would carry one again. I like to cook.

Sometimes if I'm just out for three or four days I will go stove-less, especially in the summer.