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  1. #1

    Default Gas Stove Vs Wood Stove Cooking System Comparison - Pros and Cons

    Gas Stove Vs Wood Stove Cooking System Comparison - Pros and Cons and Which One to Choose?

    Watch the full video here:

    In this video we are sharing the new gear comparison video and this time it is going to be the comparison of two different cooking systems – gas stove and a wood stove. We discovered the wood stove only this year and have been testing it a lot and the gas stove has been our go to cooking set up since the beginning so we have 3 years of experience with it. We thought it would be interesting to compare these two systems as they are quite different from each other and talk more about some pros and cons of the each one.

    What is your preferred cooking system and why?

  2. #2
    Clueless Weekender
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    Popcan stove in three seasons. Absolutely the lightest solution for a short trip, and I don't do long ones. (I've never done a single carry longer than 6 days.) It's slow, but if I were in a hurry, I wouldn't be walking.

    Whisperlite International in winter, burning white gas or kerosene. If I might need to melt snow for water, I might need a LOT of fuel. Also, the popcan doesn't always put out enough heat to stay ahead of the game in really, really cold weather. The Whisperlite can also burn isobutane-propane from an inverted canister, eliminating the problems where the fuel liquefies in cold weather. (In fact, it can burn practically anything but alcohol - gas, white gas, gasoline, kerosene, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, you name it, there's a jet for it. I half expect someone's worked up a steam injection system for it to burn parking lot asphalt.)
    I always know where I am. I'm right here.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Another Kevin View Post
    you name it, there's a jet for it. I half expect someone's worked up a steam injection system for it to burn parking lot asphalt.)
    Innovations

  4. #4

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    After experimenting with numerous pots,systems,canisters,etc I settled on the Starlyte XL3 coupled with the Caldera F keg.Weighs in around 9 oz with a bic lighter and a piece of felt in the kit.The caddy you put it in serves as a drinking cup/cozy for freezer bag cooking.I get noise complaints sometimes when I use gas and admit they can be noisy and draw lots of attention when no one else is using one.

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    The OP's video shows the BRS3000t as their goto canister stove for 3 years.
    Ryan Jordon of backpackinglight.com said he purchased 7 of them and 4 out of the 7 melted.
    Read how user error could have been the cause of thes so call melting stoves:

    https://backpackinglight.com/forums/...2Fgeneral-gear

  6. #6
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    I have 3 different systems for the seasons. The lightest setup, based on a Toaks 550 pot, converts easily from Esbit to alcohol simply by switching out the Esbit Tri-wing to the Starlyte stove.

    Here's the Esbit setup which weighs 4.4oz for the whole kaboodle: Esbit_UL_setup_01_SMALL.jpg

    A more fuel-efficient, faster and wind-resistant alcohol setup is the Sterno Inferno pot with DIY windscreen and lid, combined with Toaks Siphon stove.

    With spoon and stuff sack this one weighs about 6.7oz (IIRC) and will boil 2 cups of water in 4:30 with ~20ml of methanol: Sterno_Inferno_01.jpg

    The lightest canister setup that I've been able to come up with utilizes the Sterno Inferno pot combined with FMS 300-T (Fire Maple) stove modified with the Flat Cat Gear Ocelot plate adapter.

    With the weight of a 110g (fuel only, canister total 210g) included, the whole setup weighs around 14oz, and for 1oz more a copper HX (heat exchange) strip setup can be added for cold weather (sub-zero) operation: ocelot_plate_02.jpg

    If more volume is required (for snow melting, for instance) the Sterno pot can be switched out for an Olicamp XTS, which fits the Ocelot plate perfectly.

  7. #7
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
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    Never have understood the wood stove. If I don’t bring a stove, I just cook on the fire. Zero weight except the pot and lighter, which I would carry anyways.
    The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been.

    amongnature.blogspot.com

  8. #8
    Registered User 2Hobbits's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Solemates View Post
    Never have understood the wood stove. If I don’t bring a stove, I just cook on the fire. Zero weight except the pot and lighter, which I would carry anyways.
    not every shelter is going to have a campfire

  9. #9
    Registered User ScottTrip's Avatar
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    Many of the trails in the west (PCT of example) require a stove with on/off switch. Open fires are illegal so a wood stove would be a violation and fine.

  10. #10
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2Hobbits View Post
    not every shelter is going to have a campfire
    Good point. I rarely use shelters and when I do I bring a gas stove. I generally have 2 types of trips. On a hiking trip I’ll bring a stove. On a camping trip (beginning to enjoy these much more) I cook over the campfire. A “camping trip” for me consists of very remote places where I don’t have to hike in too far to set up a base camp, and then I day hike, day fish, or day boat from there. Just got back from Maine doing this last week.
    The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been.

    amongnature.blogspot.com

  11. #11

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    Campfire regulations vary by state and managing agency (NPS, NFS, State/Regional Park authorities, etc.). Many States and camping locations have an outright ban on campfires, others have limitations on where one can have them (fire rings and pits). The following link (https://appalachiantrail.org/explore...g-regulations/) has information on campfires and other regulations by State/Location which may be handy.

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