Backpacking Stoves

[DAA]

...Fuel weight depends on how much I take with me...

Steve, or any other alcohol stove users, how much weight in fuel do you typically need to carry? Say for a three night solo trip, boil water twice a day, 2 liters in the morning and 1 liter at night - so, say 9 or 10 boils total, of 1 liter each? How much fuel weight would you carry to start that trip?

Thanks!

- DAA

 

[Mike K]

Steve, or any other alcohol stove users, how much weight in fuel do you typically need to carry? Say for a three night solo trip, boil water twice a day, 2 liters in the morning and 1 liter at night - so, say 9 or 10 boils total, of 1 liter each? How much fuel weight would you carry to start that trip?

Thanks!

- DAA

+1

Also wondering the same thing. Thinking seriously about upgrading to alcohol stove system.

 

[steve]

Steve, or any other alcohol stove users, how much weight in fuel do you typically need to carry? Say for a three night solo trip, boil water twice a day, 2 liters in the morning and 1 liter at night - so, say 9 or 10 boils total, of 1 liter each? How much fuel weight would you carry to start that trip?

- DAA

That's a lot of water to be cooking. I would take 550 ml of fuel for that trip.


I use less than 40 ml of fuel to boil 3 cups of water (0.7 L). So that's roughly 55 ml of fuel per liter of water.

55ml * 10 = 550 ml, or roughly 1/2 L of fuel for that trip.

methanol weighs 786 g/l.

So that would be .550 * 786 = 432g = 15.2 oz (weight)


Somebody please double-check my math, I haven't taken math since high-school and there are bound to be a few errors in there.

 

[steve]

That seems like a lot of fuel, I might be off a bit on my calculations.

What does a iso/propane fuel canister typically weigh when full?

 

[Mike K]

That seems like a ton of fuel, I might be off a bit on my calculations.

What does a iso/propane fuel canister typically weigh when full?

@DAA might be boiling for 2+ people. According to Snow Peak website: iso/butane canisters (3.9 oz or 7.8 oz)

 

[DAA]

With my Jetboil, I can do that much on a 100 gr. canister (8 oz total weight) and have some left over. From actual use, I figure I can do at least ten 1 liter boils on a small canister.

That is an awful lot of boiling for a three night trip though. Probably over stated that. Usually do about a liter for coffee in the morning, and maybe another half liter for breakfast. Actually though, I often do a full second liter and used what is left to wash up. So, yeah, 2 liters in the morning is pretty typical. And I guess a liter at night for dinnner isn't outgrageous either. So, never mind, I guess I wasn't really over stating it that much after all. I probably do boil 9 liters on a three night trip. Maybe more, really - since I often have tea during the day.

- DAA

 

[steve]

Good info. So even for a quick overnighter, you have to carry an 8oz canister of fuel, where I would only take 1.5 oz of fuel.

For some trips, an alcohol stove will be lighter. For others (like the one you mentioned), a canister stove will be lighter.

The fuel of an alcohol stove weighs more than a canister stove. The main advantage is being able to take the exact amount you need, and the fact that my fuel weight goes down considerably each day.


As the trip goes on, the fuel weight also drops quickly. This guy explains it well (granted he is a bit biased):
http://www.thesodacanstove.com/alcohol-stove/myths.html#weight-of-fuel-makes-stove-heavy-to-carry


For those interested, 12 fl oz of heet costs about $2.12

 

[River]

Be aware that alcohol stoves are usually not allowed when there are fire restrictions.

 

[steve]

I'd like to get an esbit stove too since I love collecting gear. Plus they're cheap and super lightweight.

 

[Nick]

I'd be curious to compare the esbit fuel weight-to-boil ratio compared to alcohol. And is esbit allowed under fire restrictions?

 

[steve]

I'd be curious to compare the esbit fuel weight-to-boil ratio compared to alcohol.

Same here. Sounds like we need to do some field testing, although I'm sure the esbit will destroy just about any other stove for fuel weight:boil ratio.

 

[River]

You'd want to check with the specific agency issuing the restriction, but usually up here I see it written that the stove needs an on/off valve. So the Esbit and twig burning stoves wouldn't meet that.

 

[steve]

is it pretty easy to snuff out a burning esbit tab? Could you blow it out and re-use it for the next meal? It says they have a 13 minute burn time. I wonder how long it takes to boil 3 cups of water (mainly wondering if I could eek 2 boils out of a single tablet).

 

[Nick]

It seems like it would be a lot easier to snuff out than burning liquid! Haha. @Smokey doesn't get on the internet much, but I think he was using esbit on my last Winds trip and he actually broke the tabs up. They're sort of split into 4 sections I believe to make doing that easier, so you can break it and use 1/2 or 3/4 and dial in how much you want to use.

 

[steve]

cool. I've heard of people snuffing their alcohol stoves (suffocating them), then pouring any unused fuel back into their bottle. I'm not that weight conscious.

I'm curious how dirty they make your pot.

Are you esbit guys getting any "fishy" smell with the tablets? Does the smell linger on your gear, or is it only while cooking?

 

[Cody]

I'd be curious to compare the esbit fuel weight-to-boil ratio compared to alcohol. And is esbit allowed under fire restrictions?

Funny you should ask. That was my ten-year-old's science project this year. She is presenting it tomorrow at the school (and Dad is super proud) Esbit wins over alcohol.

She looked at fuel efficiency by fuel weight consumed of: Esbit (on a wing stove), denatured alcohol (on a fancy feast stove), and isobutane canister fuel (on a MSR Pocket Rocket).

Pocket Rocket is the most fuel efficient of course (and Jet Boil would be more so); however, if you take into account stove weight or fuel packing weight where canister fuel stoves are significantly heavier, Esbit had even more of an advantage.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[Nick]

That's awesome, Cody. I think she needs to hop on and school us with her results!

 

[Cody]

I'm curious how dirty they make your pot.

Are you esbit guys getting any "fishy" smell with the tablets?

The tar comes off easy at home with soap and water.

There is some smell, but it isn't too obnoxious (but you don't want to be hovering over it inhaling it for health reasons). You can also buy a brownish off brand tablet that burns longer... yet smells worse. Esbit brand isn't too bad smelling.

I actually have some hexamine fuel tabs that I got in a Singaporean Army MRE a few years ago. Never used them. I have been meaning to try them. They are about 50% larger than Esbits.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[DAA]

Sounds like an Esbit setup would be nice for one or two night solo trips. Probably even for longer solo trips, as far as that goes.

- DAA

 

[baltocharlie]

Sounds like an Esbit setup would be nice for one or two night solo trips. Probably even for longer solo trips, as far as that goes.

- DAA

I saw my first Esbit system years ago while bike touring on the C&O canal. I was impressed with it's tiny size, and I mean tiny. You could put it in your pocket and go. I had the white gas system. The esbit system was too slow and messy for me. My gas gas was too heavy and finicky for me(priming). I settled on the Jetboil. I eat better on the trail because it is so easy. Often(especially when exhausted from hiking/biking) I do not want to fool around with a stove thus the jetboil is the answer for me. The jetboil is the microwave of the backcountry. 1 button and 60 seconds later you have boiling water. A little heavier and a tad bulky but it is my go to. I think it ranks high in terms of weight for trips lasting 1 week. The esbit is great for 1-2 day trips and alcohol or white gas is best for longer trips.
I attached a link for one guys comparison of fuels. He is bias towards alcohol. Lots(too much) information.
http://zenstoves.net/StoveChoices.htm

When it comes to food I think the system which you like to use is best. If you do not like messing with it you will not eat as well. Food is our fuel and we shouldn't run out