Alcohol Stove

[johnnyjohnson2043]

Hey Everyone,

It's been a while since I've been on here. I attempted a hike in 2011 but my knee gave out on me around NOC. I'm hoping to attempt a second hike next year but I want to seriously cut down on my pack weight. One item I was looking at was my stove. I made a cat can alcohol stove a couple of years ago and used it on a couple of short hikes. It works great but I'm worried about how it would hold up on a longer hike. Has anyone used anything similar on their thru-hike? Thanks for any help you can offer.

[Greenlight]

Hey Everyone,

It's been a while since I've been on here. I attempted a hike in 2011 but my knee gave out on me around NOC. I'm hoping to attempt a second hike next year but I want to seriously cut down on my pack weight. One item I was looking at was my stove. I made a cat can alcohol stove a couple of years ago and used it on a couple of short hikes. It works great but I'm worried about how it would hold up on a longer hike. Has anyone used anything similar on their thru-hike? Thanks for any help you can offer.

At least add a wind screen. If you want to go all pricey, get a Caldera Cone.


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[johnnyjohnson2043]

I have a windscreen for it already.

[Uncle Joe]

I use a Trangia. I have a canister stove but haven't used it yet. I find alcohol so convenient.

[Odd Man Out]

Lots of people have thru hiked with such stoves. I don't think durability is a concern unless you step on it. But then, you can always make another.

[shelb]

I know this isn't what your post is questioning, but I am hoping your knee is doing fine. I say this because my last three trips on the AT have resulted in my hiking companions (three different individuals) getting off the AT due to knee issues. Plus, I now had a knee issue this past winter that I am having surgery for this next week - and Hoping my doctor is correct in saying I can do 200 miles on the AT in August.

My greatest advice: If previous knee injury - get it cleared with a doc. PLUS get your weight down. For summer hiking, you should be under 30 SKIN OUT~ that means weigh yourself naked, load pack with one day's water and 4 days doo, . Put hiking clothes on, put the pack on, get on the scale with clothes, pack, shoes, poles, EVERYTHING YOU will take. The difference between your naked body and your trail body should not be more than 30#. (I am now under 23# and I do not own cuban fiber expensive equipment... )

[MuddyWaters]

Hey Everyone,

It's been a while since I've been on here. I attempted a hike in 2011 but my knee gave out on me around NOC. I'm hoping to attempt a second hike next year but I want to seriously cut down on my pack weight. One item I was looking at was my stove. I made a cat can alcohol stove a couple of years ago and used it on a couple of short hikes. It works great but I'm worried about how it would hold up on a longer hike. Has anyone used anything similar on their thru-hike? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Well I frequently use alcohol I don't use a pretend "stove".

But, it will last unless you crush it. How do you plan to keep from crushing it? A can stove is pretty durable, one of its biggest selling points, to crush that you basically going to have to accidentally step on it. And you can make a new one of sorts in any town or from any garbage can on the side of the road actually.

[cmoulder]

For crying out loud, just put it inside your pot.

And sure, the stove works, and every alky aficionado has tried one, but they are FAR from the most fuel efficient.

[chknfngrs]

Cat can stove was Andrew Skurkas go to stove for most of his long distance jaunts.

As said before carried inside your cook pot you should have zero issues. And as also said before, making a new one is easy. So easy a caveman could do it.

[johnnyjohnson2043]

I know this isn't what your post is questioning, but I am hoping your knee is doing fine. I say this because my last three trips on the AT have resulted in my hiking companions (three different individuals) getting off the AT due to knee issues. Plus, I now had a knee issue this past winter that I am having surgery for this next week - and Hoping my doctor is correct in saying I can do 200 miles on the AT in August.

My greatest advice: If previous knee injury - get it cleared with a doc. PLUS get your weight down. For summer hiking, you should be under 30 SKIN OUT~ that means weigh yourself naked, load pack with one day's water and 4 days doo, . Put hiking clothes on, put the pack on, get on the scale with clothes, pack, shoes, poles, EVERYTHING YOU will take. The difference between your naked body and your trail body should not be more than 30#. (I am now under 23# and I do not own cuban fiber expensive equipment... )

I'm hoping to get my pack down to well under 30 this time. I was around 45 on my last trip but I was carrying a bunch of gear that I realized that I wasn't even using. I was taking a look at ultralight hiking lists last night and was able to take out a number of items.

As for my knee, it feels fine right now but all of that can change pretty quickly on the hills of the AT. It probably also didn't help that I was wearing Vibram Fivefingers for a portion of each day. Bad idea. I got rid of them as soon as I got back home. Never again.

Thanks everyone for the guidance. I always keep my stove in my pot and I didn't think that there would be a problem but it's better to ask and get the obvious answer than not to ask and find out the hard way. Thanks again.

[nsherry61]

. . . As for my knee, it feels fine right now but all of that can change pretty quickly on the hills of the AT. . .

In the spirit of thread drift . . .

If you haven't already included them in your gear list . . . TREKKING POLES! Greatest knee savers every created.

Back on topic: I'm sure there is some connection between trekking poles and alcohol stoves on thru-hikes, but darn if I can . . . wait . . . maybe you could use them to prop up your sleeping pad or other items(s) in a way that would help as a windscreen. ;-)

[johnnyjohnson2043]

In the spirit of thread drift . . .

If you haven't already included them in your gear list . . . TREKKING POLES! Greatest knee savers every created.

Back on topic: I'm sure there is some connection between trekking poles and alcohol stoves on thru-hikes, but darn if I can . . . wait . . . maybe you could use them to prop up your sleeping pad or other items(s) in a way that would help as a windscreen. ;-)

Haha. I'm sure I could MacGyver somethine together with trekking poles and duct tape but it wouldn't be pretty. And I always carry trekking poles, although I need to buy some new ones since the ones bought 15 years ago are starting to fall apart. Pretty good run on them, though. I have far too much gear that is starting to fall apart. Guess I need to get to REI before my trip.

[zelph]

The Starlyte Stove weighs 1/2 ounce, has a built in pot support. I'll have some available on Monday. Fuel is absorbed and won't spill out. Burns purdy
.
starlyte in hand.JPG

[Grampie]

Hey Everyone,

It's been a while since I've been on here. I attempted a hike in 2011 but my knee gave out on me around NOC. I'm hoping to attempt a second hike next year but I want to seriously cut down on my pack weight. One item I was looking at was my stove. I made a cat can alcohol stove a couple of years ago and used it on a couple of short hikes. It works great but I'm worried about how it would hold up on a longer hike. Has anyone used anything similar on their thru-hike? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Good luck on your next attempt. I thru-hiked in 2001. Had a bad knee , the results of a skiing accident. I wore a elastic knee support during my hike. It definitely helped me. I would start with one. Don’t wait for a problem before you do. Used a alcohol can stove for over 1/2 my hike, after starting with a Wisper Light stove. I would carry 16 oz fuel that would get me through about 12 meals. My pack carry weight about 28 - 30 lbs. I was 66 years old And had a great injury free hike.
Happy trails to you on your next adventure.

[johnnyjohnson2043]

Good luck on your next attempt. I thru-hiked in 2001. Had a bad knee , the results of a skiing accident. I wore a elastic knee support during my hike. It definitely helped me. I would start with one. Don’t wait for a problem before you do. Used a alcohol can stove for over 1/2 my hike, after starting with a Wisper Light stove. I would carry 16 oz fuel that would get me through about 12 meals. My pack carry weight about 28 - 30 lbs. I was 66 years old And had a great injury free hike.
Happy trails to you on your next adventure.

I'll definitely look into it. My issue is more with my iliotibial band so I've been stretching and massaging it as much as needed. I'm hoping to just keep that up during the hike. Thanks again for the advice!

[zelph]

Maybe one of these with integral pot support, weighs 1/2 ounce.

[Hikemor]

Alcohol stoves are light, easily replaceable and quite indestructible but IMO too limited for LD hiking. Canister stoves seem to be the popular choice albeit with some hassles (purchase, disposal, remaining life). My choice would be a white gas Whisperlite or the venerable, reliable, versatile SVEA 123.

[Greenlight]

Alcohol stoves are light, easily replaceable and quite indestructible but IMO too limited for LD hiking. Canister stoves seem to be the popular choice albeit with some hassles (purchase, disposal, remaining life). My choice would be a white gas Whisperlite or the venerable, reliable, versatile SVEA 123.

I have a caldera cone to-tri with the inferno biomass insert, and I would argue that it is anything but limited. I can burn alcohol, esbit, or wood. The wood option really raises the stakes. I can opportunistically collect twigs and small dead branches as I hike and have enough to cook with. Using this option frequently really saves alcohol.


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[TexasBob]

Alcohol stoves are light, easily replaceable and quite indestructible but IMO too limited for LD hiking. Canister stoves seem to be the popular choice albeit with some hassles (purchase, disposal, remaining life). My choice would be a white gas Whisperlite or the venerable, reliable, versatile SVEA 123.

I see from your signature that you hiked the trail 30 years ago when Whisperlites and SVEA stoves where very popular. Have you tried an alcohol stove on a hike?

[chknfngrs]

Anything other than alcohol stoves are too noisy fwiw