long distance hikers not cooking at all?

[skooch]

Sorry I can't seem to find this subject using the "search" on this site.

Please let me know how many of you prefer not to bother with cooking or fire on the trail. My hike will be the 3months of summer so I'm not sure I need hot food until I get to a town or hostle. Also I haven't seen a packing list without a stove or firestarter on it. it seems like it may be easier to pack the tuna packets, peanut butter, gorp and such and just go.

[swamp dawg]

I hiked through a good section of Va. in May for about thirty days and did not cook at all. I found it so much eaiser to eat a power bar or break open a package of tuna after a long day on the trail. It is nice just to have to get water and kick back and relax.
The only thing is I did carry a small metal cup and esbit stove but did not use. I was, most of the time, a few days from any resupply so the hike went real easy.

[JEBjr]

Check out Garlic's trail journal. I think he does most of his hiking without a stove.

[leaftye]

I don't carry cooking equipment.

I think it would be foolish to go without any sort of firestarter.

[skooch]

summer hike. no cooking. why would no fire be foolish?

[Trailbender]

summer hike. no cooking. why would no fire be foolish?

A basic rule of survival skills is that you always need to have a way to start a fire. I always carry a small firesteel and a magnesium rod on my keyring. I have also practiced bow drill and flint and steel firestarting.

Aside from that, I tried no cooking, and prefer a hot meal at the end of the day. My stove is a bent piece of sheet metal with an esbit tab on it. The pot sits right over the flame, so I can get 2+ boils off one tab, which translates to 24+ burns for around 7 oz, completely worth it to me. I also used a fire twice a day for 3 weeks on my thru, and I got to the point where I could get my boil with 2 fistfuls of sticks.

[Graywolf]

I too thought about going stoveless, but I love my hot tea in the morning too much. My alcohol stove handles that just fine..

[garlic08]

I've been stoveless for the last 8000 miles or so, but it took a couple thousand miles of trial and error to figure out that works best for me. My first long hike I would bounce my cook kit ahead a few hundred miles, then pick it up and carry it for a few hundred, until I became convinced that, overall, stoveless is my favorite.

My favorite part is not having to mess with fuel resupply, and it's a little easier to resupply at small convenience stores at highway crossings. Sometimes I'll end up with two days of hot dog buns and peanut butter, but it will save me from going into town, saving an entire day of logistics and sometimes a night or two under a roof.

Many will point out that there's no real weight savings on the average, and that's true. You'll be a little heavier on the first day, but you'll be a little lighter on the last day. I tend to eat more fresh veg and fruit, justifying the extra weight because I'm not carrying fuel. So I think I eat a little better than those who subsist on pasta.

Hot coffee is usually the sticking point for most.

[10-K]

I'll go stoveless as soon as I can figure out how to make a hot cup of coffee without one.

[garlic08]

I forgot to mention that I always carry something to start a fire with, at least a Bic lighter. I've never needed it.

Also, on my AT thru I met about half dozen other thru hikers going stoveless. Considering how few people I talked to about stoves, that's a pretty sizable percentage.

And here's my typical diet: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=213108

[the goat]

i roll stoveless on longer hikes. i prefer a sandwich or two at the end of a long day, rather than boiled mush that i have to cook & then clean up after.

[Sickmont]

I'll probably carry one anyway, but only because of the hot tea/coffee factor only. And for the occasional ramen and hotsauce thing i like to do.

[Spokes]

I'll go stoveless as soon as I can figure out how to make a hot cup of coffee without one.

hehehehehehehee

[Wise Old Owl]

regular box of rolled oats
a half pound of walnuts
pound of raisins.
(3 qt) box of powdered milk,
instant mashed potatoes
fig newtons,
Wheat Thins
Beans/legumes
Jerky/sausage
Dried fish/meat
Instant Breakfast
Seeds/nuts
Peanut butter
Cheese
oil
HIGH CARBOHYDRATE
Drink mix: cider, gatorade
Pudding mix
Soup/Gravy mix
Cereals (hot or cold)
Rice or couscous
Ramen noodles (10 pkgs.)
Potato flakes
Baked cookies/breads
Crackers/chips
Granola bars/PopTarts
Flour/baking mix
Dried vegetables
Dried fruit
Candy
Mocha flavored energy bar.
Gatorade
Hard candy
*Dried apples
*Prunes
*Dried apricots
*Dried figs
*Fruit leather
*Pretzels
*Fig bars
*Graham crackers
*Plain bagel
*PopTart
*Saltines
*Granola bar
*Peanut butter Granola bar
*Cracklin' Oat Bran
*Natr. Valley G’ola

pastries for first breakfast out of town.
cashews, raisins, crackers
Fritos and a 3 ounce can of chicken salad and an occasional fresh avocado.
10 inch tortillas for dinner. sliced cheese (imported Swiss being my favorite). I'll carry pre-sliced hard salami
Rotisserie chicken in a Baggie. Swiss cheese toritilla
herbal and fruit teas
garlic summer sausage
single pouches of Spam
tortillas along with the cheese.
fruit and yogurt

__________________

[Wise Old Owl]

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=66638

[lilricky]

On my AT hike, I met up with a guy that went stoveless, but everytime I fired my Jetboil up, he was right there, begging for a piece of bacon, pancakes, or coffee. I guess its all depends on how important comfort food/drink is for you. For me, its almost vital on those grueling PUD days. Makes me start the day with new vigor! I can't do that with a power bar.

[sarbar]

You could hike for a lifetime and never need a fire but that one night you do, you will appreciate having the skills.

Couple years back I was on a PCT trip with my friend Hoosierdaddy. It was October and had never broken above freezing the whole day. We hiked from before sunrise to nearly sunset. When we got to camp he could not get warm (turned out he came down sick the next evening bad). I made him a fire out of scavenged branches and downed wood (no saw, had to be what I could break by hand). Got it blazing, got him warm and then made him a ton of hot drinks.

A stove isn't necessary, one can eat plenty variety with no cook (you would be surprised how many dehydrated foods can be done with cold water and taste great) but having fire skills and something to heat water in IS IMPORTANT! You never know - especially with storms that can kick up even in summer.

[Luddite]

I don't know if I could go stoveless. I guess its possible since most food backpackers cook is junk, i.e., Ramen, Mac and cheese, instant mash potatoes, and freeze dried crap.

Hot food just seems much more satisfying to me. I never feel full no matter how many power bars I eat.

[MuffinMan11]

Hot food just seems much more satisfying to me. I never feel full no matter how many power bars I eat.

That is why I cant go stoveless, I have to eat hot food or I will consume everything I have and and still have a rumbling belly.

[skooch]

thanks guys. awesome answers. I feel encouraged. won't forget my bic. I probably will go stoveless and eat better/healthier. I'll bring along a bowl and spork for mooching lol. seriously I can always pick up an alcohol stove along the way if I want it.