preferred stove

[RF_ace]

Which is most preferred: an alcohol stove or a canister stove. I ask this due having just sold my dragonfly, I need something quieter and more efficient, and lighter as well.

[leaftye]

A canister stove is more efficient, but whether or not that efficiency will results in weight savings depends on how much cooking you do.

I've carried an alcohol stove before, but I don't think I will again because it's too much trouble.

[RF_ace]

Yes, alcohol stoves do seem slightly cumbersome. I need some that will get me through a week of boiling water for both food and coffee, while not sounding like a fighter jet taking off while doing it

[leaftye]

How many times per day will you boil?

[RF_ace]

Perhaps twice a day, perhaps more if the weather isn't cooperating

[leaftye]

There was a study on another backpacking website where they evaluated the efficiency and its effect on weight carried. Iirc, your use should be better served by a canister stove. That does depend heavily on the weight of the canister system you put together.

[Enic]

Yes, alcohol stoves do seem slightly cumbersome. I need some that will get me through a week of boiling water for both food and coffee, while not sounding like a fighter jet taking off while doing it

I carried a Dragonfly on my thru last year. I also cooked +2/day for 2 hikers, and seldom just boiled water for meals. Stoves are personal. You need to know and trust what you use. Most everyone you meet will be using a canister. The canister stoves will be easier, but some people are scared about fuel and carry too much to prevent running out. There are few places along the trail you can't find find canisters... but watch your upcoming resupplies and plan for them.

Best advise is pick one you like and use it a lot... until you can assemble it, cook and break down in the dark. Useful when you pull in late and find out your headlamp was left on in your pack all day.

[Another Kevin]

I don't get "alcohol stoves are cumbersome." OK, my Penny has a bunch of small parts, but a Supercat couldn't be simpler: put the can down, pour in the alcohol, light. Maybe hold the pan of water above it while waiting for it to blossom.

[leaftye]

I don't get "alcohol stoves are cumbersome." OK, my Penny has a bunch of small parts, but a Supercat couldn't be simpler: put the can down, pour in the alcohol, light. Maybe hold the pan of water above it while waiting for it to blossom.

They're typically easier to tip, which requires finding a flatter spot.

They're easier to blow out.

Most types of alcohol stoves require priming.

Alcohol stoves are typically more delicate, which requires careful packing.

Fuel must be carefully doled out to prevent too much wasted fuel from a burn that's too long, or from having to start a second burn because the fuel ran out too early.

And then there's the issue and added stress of finding suitable alcohol while resupplying.

[russb]

a stove and fuel calculator based on individual usage: http://www.howardjohnson.name/Backpa...ove/Stoves.htm

If quiet is important, you cannot get much quieter than an alky stove.

[RF_ace]

I have been eyeing several alcohol stoves, and as of late mainly due their quick work, some canister stoves. Most of escapades on the AT last for a few days, so re supply issues aren't much of an issue, but weight is, I like to cover some ground while using up my vacation time. My last trip, my shelter mates where all using canister stoves and made me wishing I had one while making my evening tea, dragonfly roaring away while they already washing up and racking out

[Mags]

If you are two boil a kind of day guy, you'll want to be out 4-5 days at the most with an alchy stove (8-10 boils). More than that? Perhaps a canister stove may be better.

There other factors (quietness? ease of use? resupply? etc) that may or may not change your view point, but the above is a good starting point.

[MuddyWaters]

The cross between wt curves for alcohol and cannisters:

1) depends on the cook setup
2) depends on how much fuel is to be used

In general, alcohol will be lighter out to about 4-5 days
For those with a really light setup, and only once per day boils, even longer

There is zero issue resupplying with alcohol, its far easier than cannisters. Every gas station and convenience store has HEET.
Alcohol is also quiet. Cannisters are horribly noisy in the woods.
Tipping? not really.
Priming? Nope. No priming required for me.
Easy to blow out? nope. Not with tight fitting windscreen.
Fuel - easy to eyball for me. Fill to use line in stove , works everytime with a tiny bit left.


My solo alcohol stove, windscreen, stand, fosters pot, and fuel bottle weigh 3.0 oz
I boil 1.5x per day on avg. 0.5 oz (wt) per boil . 6oz of fuel (8oz vol) lasts 8 days.
Total wt starting is 9oz, avg wt is 6 oz.

My solo cannister setup would be a gnat (1.7 oz) SP600 /foil lid = 2.9oz , and small cannister = 3 oz EMPTY
The wt without fuel is 7.6 oz , this is without windscreen too, using sleeping pad and other items as necessary.
A windscreen tall enough would add over another ounce or more.
Fuel = 0.4 oz per day. fuel for 8 days = 3.2 oz Total req. starting wt = 10.2 oz, avg wt = 9.2 oz.


You can see, for me alcohol beats cannister even out at 8 days, by 1/4 lb. More if consider a windscreen for the cannister stove, and need to start with a full cyl, etc.

Without a doubt, a single cannister is better on very long resupplies, especially like a jetboil. Or for real cooking instead of FBC.

[RF_ace]

Yeah, it seems like all of the thru people use alcohol, at least the ones on YouTube. I just want a little less headache when all I need to do is boil water.

[Starchild]

I am going with a jetboil because of how I end up using the stove and my experience with a alcohol stove. I find that the jetboil gives me a bit more time for hiking the trail, or to sleep (including making coffee while still 1/2 asleep ), allows impromptu trail treats like pine needle tea much easier, makes in tent vestibule cooking much safer. I also wonder if carrying more food that needs to be cooked effect on pack weight.

In the winter I have also used a jetboil for snow melting instead of carrying extra water, that turns out to be a weight savings + hot water in the winter can be a benefit.

Peace

[colorado_rob]

I am going with a jetboil because of how I end up using the stove and my experience with a alcohol stove. I find that the jetboil gives me a bit more time for hiking the trail, or to sleep (including making coffee while still 1/2 asleep ), allows impromptu trail treats like pine needle tea much easier, makes in tent vestibule cooking much safer. I also wonder if carrying more food that needs to be cooked effect on pack weight.

In the winter I have also used a jetboil for snow melting instead of carrying extra water, that turns out to be a weight savings + hot water in the winter can be a benefit.

Peace

+1 on this. And a "jetboil" is in no way "horribly noisy", sometimes I have to look over and see if it is really on. Perhaps something to do with my 56 year old ears?. And the JB Sol Ti very, very efficient, more efficient weight-wise if you have to go more than about 4 days between resupply points (which I will sometimes do), and assuming you like lots of hot drinks (which I do). I guess my main reason is that when I want a hot drink, I want it in 2 minutes, not 5 or 6. Maybe this philosophy will change on the AT? We'll see.

[staehpj1]

I know this is just my opinion and others may not share them, but:

1. I don't get the comments that imply alcohol is somehow more trouble. I can't imagine how it could be simpler.
2. I also don't get comments about alcohol being in some way less reliable. Again it is about as simple as you can get and therefore about as reliable. Much more so than canisters or white gas stoves both of which have moving parts and therefore more points of failure.
3. An extra minute or even several to boil water isn't an issue for me because I light the stove and go about other camp chores rather than stand over it counting the time it takes. But regardless we are talking a few minutes here do some of you really maximize your effort to the extent that relaxing in camp for a few minutes is a problem?
4. I do agree that if you will be melting snow for water and/or need to carry fuel for much over a week that canisters or white gas start to make more sense than alcohol. At what point that is the case will depend on how much cooking/melting you do per day.
5. I don't understand how 5-10 minutes of the noise a white gas stove makes can be considered a problem. If anything, I actually find it kind of comforting.

[burrito]

if you fly , obtaining the right fuel for your stove can be a pain, . i have been on trips where i had to share a stove with someone for 10 days, i didnt enjoy it
, so the alchohol stove for me is great,
in very cold weather i put a small bottle of fuel in my pocket to warm it up a little,
also, the stove i built is a penny stove ,so i can extingiush it and pour the extra fuel back into the bottle.
if the stove dies, [i have used the same one for 8 years], i can bur a six pack of hieneken, and make one in camp with my swiss army knife,
providing i can find someone to help me drink the beer, so far this has not been a problem

[Starchild]

if the stove dies, [i have used the same one for 8 years], i can bur a six pack of hieneken, and make one in camp with my swiss army knife,
providing i can find someone to help me drink the beer, so far this has not been a problem

Being able to make a usable alcohol stove 'to get by' till (for me) I can get a canister resupply is something I have played around with and have gotten it to work with the jetboil pot. Not how I would like to use it but at least I know I can if I had to. I'm sure with a bit of extra effort I could make it much better.

Also wondering if Esbit could be used as well with a jetboil cup as a alternative fuel. Update, apparently this works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys4pErIJF9k

[88BlueGT]

Yeah, it seems like all of the thru people use alcohol, at least the ones on YouTube. I just want a little less headache when all I need to do is boil water.

I have used a few different canister stoves and I have settled on my pepsi can alcohol stove a while back. I have been using the same stove (and is still in perfect shape) for 3+ years now and I have NEVER had an issue with it.... ever.

People go with alcohol stoves because there is no headache with them, no moving parts, nothing to break of fail, etc. My pepsi can stove works like a charm, lightest stove you can possibly carry AND boils water in 2-3 minutes? Wheres the headache? I also bring the top of a tuna can (grooved) for a primer if needed and have a simmer ring for alternative cooking.

To each his own... but I'll be an advocate for alcohol stoves until I find something better... which I have not yet.