To cook or not to cook?

[Midlife]

During my research to come up with the stove that was right for my needs I started seeing some mention on the web of a few hikers that didn't carry a stove at all. Im starting to maybe think the same thing to cut that weight out. I will however carry matches/lighter in case I feel the need for a hot drink/meal cooked over an open flame. If any of you did this, how did it work for you?

Warm Regards
class of 2015

[max patch]

Almost everyone brings a stove although if you want to go cookless it is certainly doable.

On my thru I mailed my stove ahead 3 weeks as an experiment. I concluded that I preferred having a stove.

If weight is the issue you can always go the alcohol stove way.

[daddytwosticks]

Wish I could go stoveless. Love the simplicity and I am, as my wife points out, a simple type of guy. However, my morning coffee addiction prevents me from trying to go stoveless.

[quasarr]

I knew several hikers on the PCT this year who went stoveless. Keep in mind, depending on the type of food it's not necessarily lighter. You're saving the weight of the stove, but may have to bring heavier food to avoid cooking. One way to keep a light food weight is to use the soak method. A few dry foods like couscous, Ramen noodles, and some dehydrated meals can be eaten after soaking in cold water. The length of time of the soak depends on the food and your ability to stomach the "al-dente" noodles.

And some people would fill a jar with water and food at lunch, pack it up, then it would be nice and soft by dinner time. I think this method doesn't save any weight because you have to carry an extra jar of water, that probably weighs more than a stove and fuel!

[peakbagger]

Once the weather warms up stoveless is an option but in spring cold/wet conditions its hard to beat a warm meal. Carrying a stove also has a secondary use, if the weather gets colder than your gear, you can always quickly heat up a hot water bottle and throw it in the sleeping bag. Its a lot less weight than carrying a bag with a lower rating. Once it warms up, I agree that stoveless is an option

[jimmyjam]

I'm just a section hiker, but what I like to do is stop at a shelter around lunch time and cook what most people eat for dinner then on my cat can stove and then hike on. Then around 6 or 7 or 8 pm I eat PPJ or tuna on a wrap for dinner. I found this works good for me as I am too tired to mess with cooking at the end of the day and it cuts down on the food smells where I camp.

[Old Hiker]

I'm just a section hiker, but what I like to do is stop at a shelter around lunch time and cook what most people eat for dinner then on my cat can stove and then hike on. Then around 6 or 7 or 8 pm I eat PPJ or tuna on a wrap for dinner. I found this works good for me as I am too tired to mess with cooking at the end of the day and it cuts down on the food smells where I camp.

I started doing this after a week or three. I still liked a hot cup of coffee/hot choc mix with my poptarts in the AM and sometimes a hot cup of lemonade or some such on a cold night. Supper was usually something quick: bagel and cream cheese, etc. Didn't like to cook when I was really tired.

I don't think my Pocket Rocket, two pans, long-handle spoon and 8 oz canister weighed too much for the benefits I got.

[pyroman53]

I'm going to give stoveless a try on my upcoming section next month. I've been considering it for awhile. I can still have my coffee...just do cold "iced" coffee in a water bottle. The only thing I'll be giving up is the warm POC Mountainhouse or Lipton meals in the evening. What I gain is no hassle eating no matter how tired or how crappy the weather is. Yeah, a warm meal is nice on a cold evening but so is munchin on some Fig Newtons and a PB&J tortilla from the warm confines of my sleeping bag. I admit this may not work for me but I'm bettin it's going to work just fine. Time will tell.

[quasarr]

Java Juice is great for cold coffee

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[garlic08]

...On my thru I mailed my stove ahead 3 weeks as an experiment. I concluded that I preferred having a stove....

This is the best thing to do--try it for yourself and see. I did this repeatedly on the PCT and finally concluded that my hiking was better without the stove. I went on to hike the CDT, AT, PNT, AZT, WT, and others without the stove. If you're a camp chef and addicted to coffee, it's certainly not for you. If, like me, all you can turn out is warm salty glop that's a mess to clean, you might like it.

One benefit I found hiking in arid terrain is that a dry camp is easier without a stove. If I only see one water source every day or even two, I'll eat my main meal at the water source then just snack when I camp. That led to seeking dry camps because I found that they're better sites--better views, less condensation, and fewer bugs, rodents, people, and other nuisances .

As mentioned above, it's not about the weight so much as the simplicity. To travel for months and not once resupply with fuel has a certain freedom to it. But the way I do it, it is lighter, too, overall--if not on the first day, it certainly is on the last. Hiking into town with no stove, pot or empty fuel container in your mostly empty pack is a great feeling.

[The Cleaner]

FWIW folks with expensive dental work or just older hikers with possible teeth problems need to be careful if going stoveless. If you got teeth like a horse you won't have a problem eating all the stuff that makes up a no cook meal...

[elray]

That brings back a fond memory of a thru I met in SNP a few years ago, he showed me his method of sprinkling the flavor pack on the dried block of Ramen noodles and eating the entire chunk as is, now that's hard core!

[Mags]

Wrote this article a couple months back:
http://www.pmags.com/going-stoveless...od-for-thought

[ChinMusic]

I'm a coupla days from completing my AT right now. I've been stoveless the whole way. I don't even carry a cup. I have a plastic spoon for peanut butter. That's it.

Stoveless/cookless is just natural for me. Tortillas are my friend. I get plenty of warm food in towns.

[Plodderman]

I am not sure if I would not cook if I were thru-hiking it all at one itme but I am a section hiker and have done 600 miles a few weeks at a time and I have never had a stove. This past years week of section hiking past I went vegan on the trail and had no problem at all. I do not remeber any htru hikers or others sections hikers who did not cook but it would be hard to notice beacuse I have my food ready and ate while the others are cooking.

I will say that if you do not cook you might lok at adding pumpkin seeds to your food needs as they are high in calories.

[bigcranky]

Iced Via gives me my coffee fix, along with chocolate covered espresso beans. But I only go stoveless in warm weather - I like a hot meal when it's cold.

[Astro]

I am just a section hiker, but after my first section to Neels Gap, the first thing I bought was a Jet Boil. I do not think I would have made it 630 miles now without it. I sort of see it as a compromise. I just boil water for oatmeal, grits, and Mountain House (and even Knors/Lipton). Get hot food for breakfast and supper, but never have to worry about cleaning a pot. And as Chin Music says the warm food in town is always something to look forward to.

[MuddyWaters]

Here is why I bring a stove:

1) Variety of food
2) Hot food is a comfort thing. Most dinners we eat at home, are hot.
3) I need something to do while my sweat soaked clothes from the days hiking dry out a bit on me. Gives a reason to sit around for 45 min or so.

Just because you have it, does not mean you have to use it.

[Midlife]

Amazing food for thought. Thank you all for the helpfull information. I have a section hike in Maryland coming up this November. Since I already have a selection of Mountainhouse picked out I think I will be cooking this trip. Next trip though, I will be trying stoveless with some of your ideas. Thanks again gang.

[Del Q]

I went stoveless a few years ago, had the pleasure of meeting and hiking with two well known thru hikers, Trek and Eric D (PCT guy), although I am only a section hiker I am not sure I would go back to cooking. Neither of them do.

It is not all a weight thing, I prefer the simplicity, can camp anywhere - only need water to drink, pass enough towns on the AT to enjoy what is available. I am also eating a minute after I sit down. Have hiked to near dark more times than not in that all I have to do is pitch my tent, find a place to hang and get water if needed or nearby.

There are a TON of no cook foods, Eric D turned me onto single serving SPAM, new dinner staple with pita bread, mustard and cheese if I have it.

If someone has a fire going I will cook my SPAM or cook my ramen. Ramen soaked for a few hours in a zip loc bag works for me.