Goodbye Pepsi Stove

[wacocelt]

Yes, after 5 years of using denatured alcohol I'm entering the market for a camp stove, to cook for two. I want to be able to cook a variety of foods a variety of ways (ie bacon and eggs, stir-fry) other than just boiling water. I have never used anything other than DA stoves so am clueless about where to start. While you're at it, perhaps someone could suggest a good lightweight combination cook-set which includes multiple pans etc.
Thanks for your time, sorry for being such a stove Newb.

[Lone Wolf]

MSR Pocket Rocket canister stove.

[neo]

msr pocket rocket is an excelent choice,thats what i carry neo

[Lone Wolf]

I carried a Peak 1 white gas stove for 15 years. Switched to the PR.

[Oracle]

Do most of you with alcohol stoves just boil water on them? I've been using an alcohol stove and simmering cozy for a couple of years, and can do just about everything I can do with other stoves. I've fried bacon and eggs, made stir-fry (I have a double-boiler setup, boil rice in the lower boiler and put my stir-fry ingredients in the upper pot, by the time the rice is finished (about 30 minutes) the stir-fry is about half done, a few more minutes on the alcohol stove and it's done). It takes a little more fuel for some meals, but they are certainly doable.

[gravityman]

Yes, after 5 years of using denatured alcohol I'm entering the market for a camp stove, to cook for two. I want to be able to cook a variety of foods a variety of ways (ie bacon and eggs, stir-fry) other than just boiling water. I have never used anything other than DA stoves so am clueless about where to start. While you're at it, perhaps someone could suggest a good lightweight combination cook-set which includes multiple pans etc.
Thanks for your time, sorry for being such a stove Newb.

For cooking for two, we perfer a canister stove (although we have the gigapower). We had the whisperlite (too heavy) and a brasslight Duo stove (too much fuel to make the weight savings worth it).

Gravity

[bulldog49]

To me it seems obvious. For an insignificant weight difference and the fact canister stoves are so much more convenient I really prefer them over alcohol. I have the Snow Peak giga and it works great, even in cold temps. I'm an impatient sort and when I'm ready for a cup of coffee or a hot meal, I don't want to fuss with filling the stove and waiting 10 minutes for the water to boil. Snow Peak and MSR both have a line of Titanium cookwear.

[NICKTHEGREEK]

Take a look at the snowpeak giga power BF. Couple of advantages for serious cooking:
Wide burner flame pattern distributes heat much better than the focused flames you get with mini burners. You won't need heavier fry pans to distribute heat evenly for perfect eggs.
Full adjustability -bare whisper of a flame to an inferno with a twist of a knob.
Wide pot supports and legs, very stable, low CG for less chance of tipping over.
Remote cannister- no risk of blowing things up from over hearing a cannister if you go the whole nine yards and opt for an outback oven. BTW, I use my outback for stir fry, frying and baking. UMMMMM cinnamon buns and pizza!!!
When 2 folks share the extra kitchen weight, you'll open up whole new vistas in backpacking meals, there's alot more to eat than oatmeal and ramen every day.

http://www.backcountrygear.com/catal...ail.cfm/SN1010

[tlbj6142]

A word of caution about the MSR pocket rocket (i own one), they are a bit wobbely. I'd go with a canister stove that has a more stable pot support system. Which includes just about every other canister stove other than the pocket rocket. Its thin "blade" like pot supports wiggle quite a bit. With a full 1qt pot (you are cooking for 2), it can become quite unsteady. And probably down right tipsey with 2qts.

I have not had any spills, but given that most canister stoves are all sub-4oz and cost about $35-$40, go with something other than the pocket rocket.

Though the plastic case it comes in has a "high geek" factor. Which is the reason I bought it. Now that I know better (I think), I'd choose something different.

[Big Dawg]

Love my Pocket Rocket!!

[dje97001]

I have a simmerlite that works just fine for me and my wife. If you aren't just going to be boiling water, you might actually use the simmer feature. We also use the antigravitygear 2 qt. pot with cozy, lid, and gripper. Good and light. I think they have a larger cookset that you could probably get as well.

[weary]

Love my Pocket Rocket!!

And I love my Zip Stove. The fuel is free, renewable, and never runs out.

Weary

[Lone Wolf]

When I tire of the PR I'll get a zip stove.

[-MYST-]

I don't ever plan on going back to any other stove other than an alcohol stove, specifically the soda/beer can alcohol stove. I have never found anything that can not be cooked on an alcohol stove. Yeah the BTU output is less for an equal amount of alcohol compared to most other fuels, but it is still more than hot enough to cook. In fact the heat may be a bit more manageable than most other stoves for cooking because of the lower btu's,and be less likely to burn.
I love these stoves so much I even make them for others that can't or don't want to. After all not all of us want to cut their hands on sharp aluminum edges. So if anyone is interested in buying a premade 'pepsi can' alcohol stove I have 2 types available on Ebay, this link will take you to one where you will find links to the other. Hope this helps fellow thru-hikers.

Alcohol Stove:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MESE:IT

Myst
the Adventure Continues.....

[SGT Rock]

Same here. I have done steak, omlets, and all the standard backpacking meals on alcohol. I am going after sushi sometime on alcohol. Comon LWolf, lets hear it....

[Mountain Dew]

Hey brother and fellow Mairnttt... Boy. The pocket rocket is fine, but Snow Peak Giga is a superior stove for many reasons.
1. the S.P. Giga has four legs for the pot to stand on instead of the PR's three.
2. The fuel adjustement knob is longer and bigger on the SP Giga
3. The SP Giga is the same price as the PR
4. The SN Giga's burner spreads out further for wider pots/pans...
5. both weigh the same as well.
6. same size as the PR...
Try Mountainsports.com They sell them for 39.95 and you don't have to pay sales tax if you live outside of Texas. Any orders over $49 is free shipping as well. Shipement to Erwin or Alabama Chris would take less than a week. Take care brother... " You gotta live hard to be hard" ... lol

[Jack Tarlin]

Wacocelt:

I own both a Giga and a Pocket Rocket and I like 'em both.

I'm a big fan of propane stoves: Lightweight, simple to use, no fuel bottles, very easy to re-fuel on A.T. They never fail, give a great flame, bring water to a boil very quickly; in short, in every factor but weight they're more efficient than a soda can stove. However, when you consider how much water you need to bring to boil water enough to feed two hungry thru-hikers, what usually happens when a couple is using alcohol stoves is they either have to boil water twice and effectively cook two dinners, or they EACH carry a stove and fuel, which means that if two folks travelling together rely on one propane stove, they're actually carrying LESS weight, the savings mostly coming in fuel weight.

Only "problem" with propane is figuring out your fuel needs and how long a cannister will last. In my experience (I only cook at dinnertime and rarely, heat up water for coffee in the morning); one cannister will last me between 7-10 days on the Trail. Cooking for two will probably mean you'll be cooking larger meals, i.e. using a bit more fuel, so plan accordingly.

A few tips: Since there's two of you, consider carrying an extra "small" fuel cannister as a back-up on longer stretches of the Trail; and secondly, a great way to conserve fuel is is to kill your stove flame and keep your dinner covered with a pot lid or piece of tin foil for 3-5 minutes.....your dinner will continue to cook, and you won't be burning up fuel. Doing this every time you cook will add 1-2 days worth of fuel to each cannister.

Off the top of my head, here's a quick list of places that have cannister fuel:

*Neels Gap (Walasi-Yi Center)
*Nantahala Outdoor Center
*Happy Hiker Outfitter, Gatlinburg
*Bluff Mtn. Outfitters, Hot Springs
(Fuel might also be available at either Mt. Mommas or Standing Bear Farm
Hostel)
*Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin or Mahoney's Outfitter in Johnson City (Miss Janet
goes there almost every day)
*Any of the Outfitters in Damascus
*Hardware store, Pearisburg or Wal-Mart
*Outfitter in Troutville (actually Daleville) or Waynesboro; also Wal-Mart
*Shenandoah Park Wayside Camp stores
*Outfitter in Front Royal
*Outfitter in Harpers Ferry
*Hardware store, Duncannon
*Outfitter in Port Clinton if its open, otherwise Cabela's in nearby Hamburg
*Outfitter, Delaware Water Gap
*Outfitter, Kent
*Outfitter Great Barrington or Williamstown, MA.
*Outfitters, Manchester Center
*Hardware store Hanover or neareby Outfitters in West Lebanon
*Hostel, Glencliff
*Outfitters, Lincoln, NH
*Outfitters, Gorham NH or Wal-Mart
*Some of the Hostels in Maine (call them to confirm!)
*Shaw's Boarding House, Monson

There are probably some others I'm forgetting; plus, anytime you go off the trail to a major town with either a Hardware store or a Wal-Mart, you'll find
cannister fuel. Also, make sure and check hiker boxes, especially in hostels,
which very often have cannisters, tho sometimes these are almost empty.

Cannister fuel can be mailed ahead, but check on the rules of your parcel carrier....some forbid it, some carry it via Ground Mail only, etc. Rules for USPS, FedEx, UPS are available on-line.

Last advice if you're depending on a cannister stove: ALWAYS have at least a day or two's worth of food that doesn't require cooking in case you ever experience stove failure (which is rare) or if you mis-judge your fuel supply. Actually, this last bit is good advice for everyone, in case you run into weather so horrible that cooking is either impossible or more trouble than it's worth. It's always smart to have a block of cheese, can of tuna, stick of pepperoni, etc. in case you have to "eat cold" unexpectedly.

[Mountain Dew]

Hey WacoCelt..... I have a Fosters can stove that is perfect for two people. It holds twice the fuel as the typical can stove and is more stable because the can is wider. Weight: under an ounce... See there...stick with what brought you.

[Jack Lincoln]

Same here. I have done steak, omlets, and all the standard backpacking meals on alcohol. I am going after sushi sometime on alcohol. Comon LWolf, lets hear it....

I always thought you did the sushi raw! I like the Wasabi sauce but I like my seafood cooked.......

[SGT Rock]

You have to cook the rice, which is called sushi, that is where the name comes from.