Stove

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frediver
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Stove

Post by frediver »

I need some opinions concerning stoves.
In the past I have used liquid fuel stoves and had great success with my S.123 + 1.5 pints of fuel for week long trips. For shorter trips I have used canister stoves, fuel was never an issue.
In realistic terms how much fuel might be needed for an 8 day trip with either a canister or Alcohol stove? FYI I am not one to measure fuel to the .001 oz. needed to achieve a boil. I normally boil and will let some items simmer.
With my seva and 1.5 pts. I can expect to have at least a total burn time of 8 hours or more for about a 42 oz. carry weight. How does this compare to a canister or alcohol stove use and burn times?
I am just not thrilled with the idea of packing almost 3 lbs of stove and fuel but if I read the descriptions correctly I would need 2+ large fuel canisters to even approach the length of burn for my Seva and then I am looking at 48oz. plus. Alcohol, in practical terms I have no clue but I am willing to try ?
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StumbleBum
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Post by StumbleBum »

frediver - just out of curiosity, if you've been so happy with your svea, why are looking to change?

Personally, I like the canister stoves. Simple, clean, and efficient - at least efficient enuf for me.

On solo trips I use a jetboil, and a single canister usually gets me by for 5-7 day trips (I usually carry a second). I'm not really into backcountry cooking tho - so don't do a lot of simmering or anything fancy - mostly just a matter of bringing some water to a boil.

I've considered alchohol stoves. Even made myself one of those pepsi-can stoves - fun project :). But never used one backpacking - the extra fuss, as compared to my jetboil, never seemed worth the little weight savings.
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frediver
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Re:

Post by frediver »

I just want to try something new and hopefully at the same time reduce my overall pack weight.
The Seva works great but the total weight of the components for a week trip will be 42oz. +/- I would like to reduce this if possible. Product descriptions tell me for the Alki stoves I should be able to get in the neighborhood of 26oz. but not ever using a alcohol stove for more than a meal or two I do not know how to estimate the real world fuel use Vs.
product descriptions.
The same holds true for canister stoves I'm not sure if a single large canister would be adequate for a week trip using the stove twice per day about 10 min. each. IMO it would be real helpful if simmer or 1/2 throttle times were given for canister stoves, all I see is time/full power.
Right now I am considering the Brasslite or the Yellowstone. I own both of them but never had occasion to use either more than a day or three.
From what I read the description on the Brasslite is fairly accurate, burntime/simmer time. The real fuel use of the Yellowstone is in doubt, simmer is just as important as boil.
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Post by copeg »

I'm bad with guestimating fuel consumption...but with regards to alcohol stoves which I almost always use during "3-season" backpacking, I thought I'd chime in. The boil time will be much longer (for my cat stove, its ~8 minutes to boil). On the jmt, I carried a gatorade bottle full of alcohol, and for 2 weeks boiling water ~1-2 times a day I made it through about half the bottle.
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The Other Tom
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Post by The Other Tom »

Ditto on the jetboil. Used it last year for the first time on a 3 night, 4 day trip (there were two of us). On the last night, our water filter broke and we wound up boiling 4 liters of water. One canister lasted us the whole trip, including the extra 4 liters. I think there was still some left in the canister, but not much. We had an extra just in case.
Like the other poster, we're not much into cooking...just heating water and adding to freeze dried cardboard..errr..food.
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hikerduane
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Post by hikerduane »

I bought a MSR Pocket Rocket over a year ago and love it. I am one that is slow to change, so using a canister stove was a big step for me. My small canister lasted for a 8 day trip which I shortened to 7 days, but I had enough fuel for another night. At way under a pound with the stove and small canister, it was less than half the weight of what my MSR Internationale with a 22 oz. fuel bottle full would have weighted. I only used it to boil water for evening meals and fixed ramen a couple nights which required boiling longer at elevation. Plus, the ease of setting up and taking it down. Love that. Not very good when snow camping though, takes too much fuel to melt snow. That is when the Internationale does good.
Piece of cake.
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freestone
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Post by freestone »

I have a Svea 123 and a Trangia alcohol stove. I prefer the Trangia over the 123, but not just for the weight. Its perfectly engineered to be efficient in all conditions, and safe to use in the vestibule of a tent which means less fuel needed. I can easily do four days on 1.5 liters. I have used canister stoves but found that altitude decreases their efficiency as does wind. I have also discovered that all windscreens are not created equal and a poor design will actually decrease efficiency even more, so I stick with what comes with the stove. I also prefer to carry alcohol to white gas. Alcohol can be carried in a plastic water bottle and if it spills, its less noxious. Bottom line? Trangia hardwear is heavier, but less fuel is needed. Trangia is a marvel of simplicity, no loud hissing, and bombproof under all conditions, but I think Svea and white gas may win in the weight department over the long haul, cooking only instant oats and Ramin and can start the stove using minimal spillage to pressurize the chamber. The Trangia Mini is under thirty dollars and is a good intro into the alcoholic side of life.
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Rosabella
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Post by Rosabella »

Well, for what it's worth - I love my Zip Stove!! I don't have to carry fuel at all. A couple handfulls of twigs, rotting wood, and pinecones is all I need to to cook dinner (the only meal I cook).

It's simple and I've not had any problems with it for the 10 years I've been using it, albeit I've replaced my original with the titanium model (lighter).

The only downside is that it blackens my pot. I just keep it in a separate ditty bag.
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hikerduane
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Post by hikerduane »

I'm sorta domesticated now after using a stove for quite a few years now, I don't know if I would want to cook over a fire again. Oh, the mess! :eek: j/k
Piece of cake.
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Rosabella
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Post by Rosabella »

I've actually become really good at not getting sooty and dirty from my blackened pot! Plus I love the way it makes my pack and gear smell.... ;)
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