stoves

[anodizer]

recommendation wanted for a very simple operating stove with a easily obtained fuel source, of course, very light.

[Youngblood]

You might want to give a little more information about what you expect from a stove. Some things that might effect choices are what kind of cooking do you do (just boil water, for example), how many people do you cook for, what conditions (do you need to melt snow for instance) and how much do you use it (length of trips, meals cooked each day, do you boil drinking water, etc).

Youngblood

[Rain Man]

recommendation wanted for a very simple operating stove with a easily obtained fuel source, of course, very light.

Many AT backpackers use a "pepsi can" alcohol stove. Instructions for building same can be got by a Search on WhiteBlaze or Google.

Tin Man sells them, cheaply, at--

http://www.antigravitygear.com/

That's what I use.


Rain Man

.

[creaky bones]

I agree. The "pepsi can" alcohol stove is light, requires no maintenance or cleaning, and the fuel is easy to find and is as light as the size container you put the fuel in. It's simple to use- you pour in an ounce or so of alcohol and light it. It burns until the fuel is gone- usually 5-10 minutes (it burns longer with a wind screen). Keep in mind it has only one setting: high, so it's good for boiling water but that's about it. I'm not a gourmet cook on the trail, so that's all I need.

My hiking partner likes the Pocket Rocket, but that requires a canister (or multiple canisters for a longer trip). It's simple, requires no maintenance, and you can adjust the flame to be able to do a little more- like simmering or browning.

[SGT Rock]

Check out my site. You can make an alcohol stove that simmers. They are light, fuel is easy to get, and they don't cost hardly anything. Use one a while and if it doesn't work out, you can always spend the money on a gas stove. The alternative is buying the gas stove then deciding you should have gone alcohol and already have spent all the money.

[chris]

Drink a can of beer. Cut the bottom two inches off. That is your stove. Put some version of alcohol in it (denatured, HEET, grain, etc). For a stove stand, eat a can of beans. Cut off the bottom and the bottom 3 inches or so. Cut some air vents into it. That is your stove stand. Or, take a metal wire hanger. Unbend it. Then, bend it into a stove stand.

[MileMonster]

Make a pepsi can stove or buy a brasslite. Light and oooh soooo simple.
Just one dude's opinion.

[Peaks]

Most of the replies favor an alcohol stove. But, alcohol stoves don't work for all. So, my recommendation would be to make a homemade one, and then actually use it and find out for yourself if you are happy with it, or want a fuel that puts out more BTU's.

[Lilred]

I use an alcohol stove that I made and love it. I'm ordering a pot and cozy from Tin Man before my section hike next summer, so simmering problem is solved.

[grrickar]

My suggestion would be to try making an alcohol stove. If you like DIY projects then you will likely get into the project and experiment with stove designs, etc. If you aren't happy with alcohol stoves then you can always go out and buy a stove. By starting with alcohol you are spending very little if anything to build one, so all you have spent is some of your time.

I have not built a stove yet for lack of free time, but I do plan to at some point. I have three stoves at home, one large Primus 'car camping' propane stove, an Optimus Nova liquid multi-fuel stove, and a lightweight Optimus Crux canister stove.

I use each of them in different situations: the Nova liquid fuel stove I find is best for longer trips because it is fuel efficient and I can vary the size of bottle that I carry. Since it burns almost everything, fuel sources aren't an issue - I can burn diesel, AV fuel, or gasoline in a pinch. Kerosene and white gas are the most common fuels used with the stove. I can carry the stove, and have a hiking partner carry the bottle or vice versa.

The Optimus Crux only weighs 3.1oz, and I can choose from a 4, 8, or 12 oz canister - and it will lighten my load on short or solo trips.

The Primus Scout propane stove uses the large propane canisters, so I use it when weight is not an issue and I'm camping with my family.

I do want to see what is all the fuss about alcohol stoves, my only concern is the amount of time they burn and whether or not one can cook over one. I think most just boil water and rehydrate noodles and such with their alcohol stoves.

I typically do the same regardless of the stove I use, but in the event I want to cook I want to have flame control and burn time to support the meal I am preparing.

[Ridge]

I was once a dino-fuel toting/dependant hiker. Got a wood/solid fuel burner, have never gone back. I use the Sierra Zip stove, 16ozs. However, a lighter wood stove would be better. I may get the titanium or a homemade version later. Plenty of posts on this site about the wood burning stoves.

[Doctari]

I have had 3 gasoline stoves, liked 2 of them (#1 tried to blow up on me, long story) may some day go back to them, but I doubt it.

I converted to "Pepsi can stove" about 2 years ago, LOVE IT!! Considering the cost, & weight, it is the best stove I have ever owned. Cooks nearly as fast as the gas ones, especally if you factor in the set up & take down times.
My alcohol stove sets up in a few (10?) seconds, best time with the gasoline was about 45 sec to 1.5 min. take down is: let it cool while I eat, pick it up & toss in the cook pot, or about 2 seconds, gasoline about same as set up.
So add from "I want to eat" to "Stove is put away" to the "Actual" cook time, & I believe the times will be very close.

My $0.02

Doctari.

[SGT Rock]

I was once a dino-fuel toting/dependant hiker. Got a wood/solid fuel burner, have never gone back. I use the Sierra Zip stove, 16ozs. However, a lighter wood stove would be better. I may get the titanium or a homemade version later. Plenty of posts on this site about the wood burning stoves.

Consider an alcohol stove as a renewable fuel stove, not a dino fuel. Ethyl Alcohol is basically wood reduced to the essentials.

[Ridge]

Consider an alcohol stove as a renewable fuel stove, not a dino fuel. Ethyl Alcohol is basically wood reduced to the essentials.

..as a second choice, multifuel as third, to the unlimited uses I have become accustomed to with the wood burner..ie: showers, unlimited boiling of water and cooking, melting snow and no fuel carrying (unless going above tree line). I would not even think of using any other stove after using the zip for so many years without any problems, including running out of fuel. I keep it in my car for making coffee, several pine cones will do the trick, and I can set it on my hood. I use a 5 cup glass coffee maker carafe for boiling when car camping, a s/s pot when backpacking. My time of getting off trail to buy, carrying, spilling, smelling fuel is over. I can even grill a steak complete with hickory chips(can even use store bought charcoal if I want), have a small circular grill for doing this. Think of how much alcohol or gas it would take. I was once a die hard gas/alcohol user, and I admit, I had my big doubts about the wood burner. I have been converted for 5+ years. I posted elsewhere on wb why I had to switch to the wood burner along with other tips and stuff.

[weary]

I was once a dino-fuel toting/dependant hiker. Got a wood/solid fuel burner, have never gone back. I use the Sierra Zip stove, 16ozs. However, a lighter wood stove would be better. I may get the titanium or a homemade version later. Plenty of posts on this site about the wood burning stoves.

Welcome to the wood burning club. We'll never be in the majority, except among the few remaining counterculturists. But truly there is nothing significant for sensible people to complain about a wood-burning Zip Stove. The fuel is free. It exists almost everywhere. Is non polluting (the same emissions from burning our twigs in a Zip stove would result from the natural decay that is inevitable had we not burned it). It's quick. It simmers. It boils. It serves as an emergency insect repellant. A way to get rid of unpleasant shelter users! The list is endless.

The complaint I hear most often is that a Zip gets soot on the bottom of a pot. I have to chuckle everytime I think about this complaint. Of all the challenges of the trail, a sooty pot is significant?

Weary

[Ridge]

The complaint I hear most often is that a Zip gets soot on the bottom of a pot. I have to chuckle everytime I think about this complaint. Of all the challenges of the trail, a sooty pot is significant?
Weary

A sooty pot (black) will heat the contents up much faster than a sparkling clean one will, this is a big plus for using a woodburner!

[TakeABreak]

I started my hike with an MSR Whisperlite, when it worked, it was fine, but there are lots of problems with this stove, I used an alchol stove once, I borrowed, once when my MSR Whisper lite stove was broken, it worked fine. I switched to a Primus Alpine titanium, the stove weighs 3 ozs, canister with fuel is 12 ozs., last 9 - 12 days. Fuel is relatively easy to get, I still have and use this stove occassionally and would use it again for another thru hike.

[SGT Rock]

I'm not bagging on wood stoves. It is a cool idea and I have used one. I just don't do enough extra cooking to need the extra weight of one. I cook two to three meals a day sometimes with extra cooking for coffee or tea and still have plenty of fuel most of the time since I have strived to build fuel efficient stoves. If I remember the zip stove weight for just the stove correctly, well I am under that including pot, pan, stove, fuel and a bunch of other items, and the weigh just keeps going down as I use my fuel. It might jot be as romantic as sitting over a zip stove with an open flame, but to each his own.

My review of a zip stove from a few years back: http://hikinghq.net/stoves/zip.html

[Ridge]

I like to take a hot shower on the trail, with the zip woodburner and my homemade 5 gallon mylar bag (3ozs) shower I can do it. This is just one major reason I carry the extra weight. I will be cutting the weight down on this stove by either getting a titanium one or by modification of existing stove. By using the woodburner I have eliminated worrying about fuel and water purification(especially if my filter clogs). This allows me to concentrate on obtaining food. Another problem eliminated is the problem of shipping fuels or flying with fuels, cannisters, etc. This is why I ended up with a zip, United Air had a problem with me carrying fuel or even a used fuel bottle to Australia on a bp trip I took several years back(right after the Value Jet crash in the Everglades caused by some kind of fuel cannisters). I got the zip, was very skeptical at first, but it worked great and have continued to use it ever since. Past problems I have had with alcohol and multifuel type stoves have been very cold weather, maybe temps below 20 degrees, these stoves didn't perform well, especially my alcohol stove. They also didn't perform well at high elevations (ie: out west in the High Sierra's).

[Pencil Pusher]

Oh cannister stoves work fine in the cold and at whatever altitude the Sierras can dish out. If 'multifuel' refers to something like a Whisperlite, those will work fine too.