Majorly disappointed with alcohol stove

[Mrs Baggins]

Pocket rocket rocks!

I agree! I LOVE my Pocket Rocket! Turn it on, boil water for coffee and oatmeal, turn it off. Turn it back on to reheat my cup of coffee it it's getting cold too fast......so fast and easy. Just a flick of a bic...........

[Mrs Baggins]

Titusville, I used to live there, in 1982, has it changed? :-)

We lived there 1984 - 1985 on Columbia Hwy in Windover Woods Apartments. Saw 3 shuttle launches (had passes to get close to the launches) and one landing. Remember the mall reeking of mold....I'm allergic to mold so that made shopping hard............

[Wise Old Owl]

Esbit is good too, but expensive. There is supposed to be a stove that goes with a Caldera cone which I've watched do a great job. Find out what that one is and try it with your cone.

Huh? $5 I must be missing something here.

http://www.rei.com/product/653344

10-K did you do any practice at home in the kitchen? and did you use a heat bottle of alcohol? sounds like you got the wrong stuff.

[mister krabs]

Huh? $5 I must be missing something here.

http://www.rei.com/product/653344

10-K did you do any practice at home in the kitchen? and did you use a heat bottle of alcohol? sounds like you got the wrong stuff.

fiddy cents a use can add up.

[Mountain Wildman]

We lived there 1984 - 1985 on Columbia Hwy in Windover Woods Apartments. Saw 3 shuttle launches (had passes to get close to the launches) and one landing. Remember the mall reeking of mold....I'm allergic to mold so that made shopping hard............

Only one shuttle went up in the 8 months I lived there as I recall.
I believe the apartment where I lived was in Garden Street Apartments.
Don't remember the mall. I had no money to do much shopping.
Supporting me and my girl on 4.00 per hour plus car payment etc...
We used to go around the corner and collect oranges and grapefruits from a neighbor's front yard, He just let them rot on the ground so we would take the newly fallen ones. Many a night that's all we had to eat.
Worked in a chemical company called Pharmco Labs on S.R. 405 I think.
Ahh, Those were the days, Glad they are gone!!!!!
Did love Playlinda beach and the adjoining preserve.

[Lostone]

So he doesn't like like the alcohol stove?????? So what. He likes cooking on his esbit, fine.

Geez guys.

10K you just need to do your own thing. Seems you like the esbit, use it enjoy it and have fun.

Everyone here is an expert and their gear is better than yours.

[heron2000]

i bought a clickstand alcohol stove with the wind screen and pots that come as a kit -- have used it in 25-35 deg weather and am very happy with the results.

[Chaco Taco]

yea 9 minutes for 2 cups aint right. Do you keep the lid on the pot? I know its too obvious but 9 minutes???

[WILLIAM HAYES]

you must not be using a good stove or you have the set up wrong I use a caldera system and can boil two cups of water using a little over 1/2 ounce of denatured alcohol -
sometimes a little more depending on the ambient temp
Hillbilly

[moytoy]

Only one shuttle went up in the 8 months I lived there as I recall.
I believe the apartment where I lived was in Garden Street Apartments.
Don't remember the mall. I had no money to do much shopping.
Supporting me and my girl on 4.00 per hour plus car payment etc...
We used to go around the corner and collect oranges and grapefruits from a neighbor's front yard, He just let them rot on the ground so we would take the newly fallen ones. Many a night that's all we had to eat.
Worked in a chemical company called Pharmco Labs on S.R. 405 I think.
Ahh, Those were the days, Glad they are gone!!!!!
Did love Playlinda beach and the adjoining preserve.

I had friends who lived in the Garden St Apt. back in the 70's. The bridge over the intercoastal at the end of Garden st. is being rebuilt as a high overpass now. I had to drive to Oakhill to get into the preserve last weekend to do the Black point 5 mile walk. I also like to do the walk from Playlinda to New Smyrna beach. It's all natural dunes. If you are ever down this way let me know. We can to an afternoon Hike. Sorry bout the off topic here... I regress.

[General Fireball]

I find stove discussions interesting, and am amazed at the sheer amount of time and brainpower that has gone into this worthwhile subject. I am, however, always slightly mystified at the emphasis on how fast a stove can boil a certain amount of water. I confess that at day's end in camp, hungry though I may be, gazing at the sunset for a few extra minutes while my water boils never seems like a hardship . . .

[10-K]

Huh? $5 I must be missing something here.

http://www.rei.com/product/653344

10-K did you do any practice at home in the kitchen? and did you use a heat bottle of alcohol? sounds like you got the wrong stuff.

No practice - I had the esbit stove that mates with the caldera cone and I bought the alcohol stove from someone else.

I decided to take both setups with me on my hike to compare.

Seemed simple enough... I poured an oz of denatured alcohol into the stove, lit it and put my 700ml w/ 2 cups of water (~45*) ti pot on top of it to boil. The water didn't boil, so I put in the 2nd oz of alcohol. The water came to a rolling boil just as the 2nd oz was finishing up - 9 minutes later.

As I said, wind was calm but I used a foil windscreen that was 2" higher than the stove anyway.

Maybe it was the quality of the denatured alcohol but I don't know what I could have did differently that would have made it boil faster.

The caldera cone/esbit combo is darned near as quick as my primus canister stove.

[Mountain Wildman]

I had friends who lived in the Garden St Apt. back in the 70's. The bridge over the intercoastal at the end of Garden st. is being rebuilt as a high overpass now. I had to drive to Oakhill to get into the preserve last weekend to do the Black point 5 mile walk. I also like to do the walk from Playlinda to New Smyrna beach. It's all natural dunes. If you are ever down this way let me know. We can to an afternoon Hike. Sorry bout the off topic here... I regress.

Might take you up on that. Loved it there.
Except for the Palmetto bugs, I still consider them just huge roaches, some that can fly.

[Wise Old Owl]

Well you are welcome to try different things, but Starlyte alcohol stoves are very neat and are quick for 2 cups or less. I have even found them helpful as a warmer.

[Reid]

I can't help but repeat everyone else's comments about the CC and the alchy stove and pot having to be calibrated accuratly. It does make a difference how far the pot is above the stove. I am one of those that carries both wood and alchy stoves but I cook on multiple stoves at one time for multiple people. I don't carry wood stove for the weight benefit either, there's just something earthy about em like there's some story that can be told while your getting it going.

[Mountain Wildman]

I can't help but repeat everyone else's comments about the CC and the alchy stove and pot having to be calibrated accuratly. It does make a difference how far the pot is above the stove. I am one of those that carries both wood and alchy stoves but I cook on multiple stoves at one time for multiple people. I don't carry wood stove for the weight benefit either, there's just something earthy about em like there's some story that can be told while your getting it going.

I concur.
I also carry multiple stoves.

[Tinker]

I agree! I LOVE my Pocket Rocket! Turn it on, boil water for coffee and oatmeal, turn it off. Turn it back on to reheat my cup of coffee it it's getting cold too fast......so fast and easy. Just a flick of a bic...........

So.......so........American!
The hiker has the option to be utilitarian or "cool".
Here's how I roll:
White gas in a Whisperlite: Winter.
Cannister stove: (not PocketRocket - better!) Spring and fall, especially with another hiker or 2.
Alcohol: (when I'm done playing with new designs and have to use it up) in the summer (though I have used it in spring, fall, and winter - hint: keep your fuel and "seed" water warm for breakfast by sleeping with it).
Esbit: Summer "Stoopitlite" trips (short duration - for masochists only).
They all have their place.

[Mountain Wildman]

MSR Dragonfly
Caldera Cone System
PackaFeather XL
Littlbug Junior
I like variety, Bring them all and use which ever
one strikes my fancy!! :-)

[10-K]

I can't help but repeat everyone else's comments about the CC and the alchy stove and pot having to be calibrated accuratly. It does make a difference how far the pot is above the stove. I am one of those that carries both wood and alchy stoves but I cook on multiple stoves at one time for multiple people. I don't carry wood stove for the weight benefit either, there's just something earthy about em like there's some story that can be told while your getting it going.

Just an FYI, the the pot actually sits on top of the alcohol stove I was using - there is no way to get the height wrong.

[Roland]

Just an FYI, the the pot actually sits on top of the alcohol stove I was using - there is no way to get the height wrong.

Give it another try, this time allowing more combustion air.

You can do this by removing the windscreen on a windless day, or by propping it up a 1/2" with a pebble or stick.

Did you say what kind of alcohol you used?