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#166636 - 06/09/12 08:23 AM best stove for a new hiker
ABcowgrl Offline
member

Registered: 06/04/12
Posts: 22
Loc: Alberta
I have been trying to figure out which stove to buy for my first one.Looking at the MSR dragonfly,MSR primus himalaya omnifuel,MSR whisperlite Int'l,MSR simmerlite, and the new jet boil as a extra.Can anyone help narrow this down by how good these are,easy of use,reliability.I'd like the first one I buy to not have to be replaced for a few years. I mostly do day hikes,but will be doing overnighters once my gear is complete.I go to Kananaskis,Banff national,Jasper,Ya-Ha Tinda.High altitude is not an issue now,not in good enough shape yet,but will be planning some summit trips once I am.I'll have myself plus my 14 yr old daughter,and my mother on some trips.I'll be using one stove for all of us,so it's got to be relatively fast cooking.
Thanks in advance smile

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#166638 - 06/09/12 09:17 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
I would say "none of the above." Especially since you are just starting out.

Unless you are going to be a world traveler into areas where you will be forced to use gasoline and other alternate fuels, the Internationale is overkill. Unless you are going into the snowy winter any white gas model is unnecessarily heavy, and difficult for beginners - the priming can be a struggle for the uninitiated.

I would suggest looking at canister stoves, a remote canister if you are going to actually cook - a practice most of us quickly give up in favor of the simpler "just add water" method of backpacking cookery - or at the light and straightforward top mount canister models. Remember when you are looking at them that the piezo starter on all makes and models is unreliable and you'll need a lighter or matches.

The Jetboil is the first thing every retail outlet trots out like it is the only stove worth considering. I do not recommend it to anyone getting started because I am sick of helping people with them. Primus has some fine stoves for less money, and the good ol' Snow Peak Giga is a great little water boiler. The Primus Eta Express Solo is FASTER than the Jetboil, in addition to being less expensive - but FAST is not always what you should prioritize. Cooking STYLE determines the stove. Few stoves are really good for anything but boiling water; something like the MSR Wind Pro is a better cooking stove, as it has a wide burner.

Another option that is lighter still in terms of hardware are alcohol stoves - I have more of those than anything else because they are cheap as well as light. Tho I got started with those, not all people are comfortable with them.

Function should be your first consideration. If you want to dig into all the technicalities, zenstoves.net is the website for you. They talk about all kinds of stoves, including solid fuel. Click on How Stoves Work for some good info.

Fast cooking is not a matter of which stove - it is a matter of how you cook. Visit trailcooking.com for an example of a method of simple, fast trail cooking.

ALL stoves are fiddly to some degree, and that is as it should be, since flaming objects are always inherently dangerous. Search around on this forum for threads about stoves and see how the old hands talk about them.

Alcohol and white gas are less fussy about the cold (20F or lower) than canisters. Altitude is only marginally a concern. I've used my canister and alcohol stoves over 10,000 feet without noticing a difference. Have never been to 20,000 tho.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#166640 - 06/09/12 10:26 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: lori]
ABcowgrl Offline
member

Registered: 06/04/12
Posts: 22
Loc: Alberta
I've been running backcountry pack trips on horseback for years,so the "back country" part is old, It's the "hiking" instead of riding that's new...lol.I usually cook by campfire,or the coleman stove I pack in on horse.The only thing I boil water for is coffee/tea/vegetables.I'm trying to find a light weight stove I can actually cook with,we don't use dehydrated meals.I will when I'm on my own on longer trips, but my family is used to mom cooking up steak and garlic shrimp out in the bush...lol.I'll check out the cannisters and see what I can come up with.

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#166641 - 06/09/12 10:41 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Once you start carrying everything on your back, perspectives tend to change. grin

No way would I go back to cooking. But there are some galloping gourmets in the backpacking world. Look at the book A Fork in the Trail for a happy medium.

MSR Wind Pro and a hard anodized aluminum pot/pan set will be where you end up, I bet. Not as light as possible but functional. Titanium is a poor choice for cooking and a wide burner is better for frying, simmering, sauteing....
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#166649 - 06/09/12 02:43 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
OregonMouse Offline
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
If you're cooking, I'd definitely use a canister stove. As Lori mentioned, the Primus (I have their Micron and love it) and Snow Peak models are probably best. I know that both are excellent for simmering. They are certainly far lighter and far more convenient to use than the stoves you listed!

I would not get a gasoline-type stove (Whisperlite et al) unless you are planning to do a lot of winter camping in really cold temperatures. Its one advantage is for melting snow in really cold temps. Even so, I'd get a canister stove for 3-season camping. Plus you don't have to pump! Back in the late 1980's I went on a group trip, taking my Whisperlite. Everyone else on the trip had the only available canister stove at the time, the Bluet. By the time I had my water boiling with the Whisperlite, everyone else had finished their meals and washed their dishes! Needless to say, I ditched the Whisperlite after that!

Even for winter camping, quite a few people have switched to using a canister with a remote setup which allows the canister to be upside down. That rig overcomes the big problem with the canister in cold temperatures, the propane part of the fuel mix boiling off first leaving liquid isobutane. There has been quite a bit of discussion about this on Backpacking Light; unfortunately the articles there require a paid subscription.

The one thing you have to remember when switching from horsepacking to backpacking is that you now have to carry everything, so you want far lighter versions of most of your gear. It took me quite a while to adjust, and I still don't know how I staggered all over the North Cascades with a 50-lb. pack! Fortunately, everything except gear (especially skills like keeping warm and dry in nasty weather) is transferable!

IMHO, if you want to cook, go for it! Of course, for more than a day or two, fresh ingredients are too heavy and will spoil. There are lots of great recipes using dry ingredients! There are also lots of great recipes, using supermarket ingredients, on trailcooking.com.

As I've gotten older, I have less interest in cooking and no interest at all in washing dishes, which is why I only boil water and rehydrate home-dehydrated meals in a freezer bag and cozy.

You might want to look over the articles on the home page of this site, left-hand column for ideas on going light!
_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey

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#166669 - 06/10/12 12:16 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: OregonMouse]
ABcowgrl Offline
member

Registered: 06/04/12
Posts: 22
Loc: Alberta
Thanks Lori..went in to MEC today to further investigate stoves,left more confused then when I went in,lol.So far all the gear I'm buying is as lightweight as I can afford.I'll be under 25lbs,carrying some of my daughters and mothers gear :)I'll research the cannisters for a day or two and see what i come up with.another thing that occurred to me today..which is more efficient on time/fuel...my daughter and I each having our own smaller pot(eating differnent meals) or the one 2L for us both?If we share,I'll be on a neverending mac n' cheese dinners thanks to her!lol.

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#166672 - 06/10/12 02:40 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
TomD Offline
Moderator

Registered: 10/30/03
Posts: 4963
Loc: Marina del Rey,CA
I agree with the idea of a canister stove for you. I have a Primus Micron, but I wouldn't recommend it given other choices. I don't like the pot supports. I would look at one of these- Soto Regulator

The direct link won't work for some reason, but go to the MEC website and you should find it.

A newer brand on the market, but this stove gets good reviews. I've seen one at REI (our version of MEC).

Also stay away from the MSR XGK. It is a great stove for climbers, it is not a stove for serious cooking. I have one of them too. I also have a couple of other stoves, including the traditional Svea 123, an Optimus Nova (too finicky) and a Coleman Xtreme (a good stove, but out of production and canisters are no longer available).


Edited by TomD (06/12/12 03:19 AM)
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#166676 - 06/10/12 11:04 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
hikerduane Offline
member

Registered: 02/23/03
Posts: 2124
Loc: Meadow Valley, CA
I picked up a lightly used MSR Dragonfly last Fall on eBay. I am very impressed with its ability to simmer for a long time, unattended. Sounds like you have experience getting out, so it should be no issue other than unfolding a DF from its packed configuration. A remote canister stove may be great also, MSR has the Windpro II now. Also remember, canister fuel is much more expensive than white gas, it is just convenient. I'd get more cooking time under my belt before trying a alcohol stove, they seem to need more attention to key elements. Maybe use one as a novelty until you get things right. With that said, Trail Designs Caldera Cone system which is designed around many pot specific sizes is real easy to use with denatured alcohol for just boiling water. Some small canister stoves to consider are the Snow Peak Giga Power, MSR Micro Rocket, Coleman Exponent F1 which has about 20% more btu's than the others, but discontinued. They come up on eBay. I was given a very used one and have been impressed with its heat output. Just not the Coleman quality of old.
Duane

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#166689 - 06/10/12 03:04 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: hikerduane]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada

Hey Cowgirl,

for a newbie in canada, I would strongly reccomed two things:

1) go to MEC and buy a snow peak gigapower canister stove - it's very small and light, slightly better in wind than the dragonfly, and not too expensive. It takes the isopro canisters (of any brand) that you can buy in MEC.

2) after you've done 1), consider an alcohol stove like this: http://www.jureystudio.com/pennystove/ I use this as well.

For me (just boiling water for breakfast and dinner) I use number 2 on trips less than 5 person days. For anything longer (or more people) I use number 1) - number 1) is less fiddly.

_________________________
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#166698 - 06/10/12 05:45 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Buy your stove last. First, figure out what you're going to eat: will it be boil-and-soak, or will you be doing actual cooking? That will determine what kind of cookware you'll need.

Once you've figured out the cookset, find a stove that works with it. Make sure the pot supports are wide enough to avoid a tippy pot, and sturdy enough to hold, without bending, the weight of the pot and whatever will be in it. Also check the flame pattern: if you're using a tall, narrow pot, a small "pinpoint" flame pattern will work well; if you're using a wide pot, you'll want a wider flame pattern to avoid concentrating all the heat in one spot.

I'm a long-time user of MSR stoves, including the Whisperlite, Pocket Rocket, Windpro, and Simmerlite. They're great stoves. However, I've recently fallen in love with my Jetboil Sol for solo use - it's like someone watched me cook and desinged a stove and pot just for me. (I boil-and-soak.)

Since you're doing real cooking, and I don't, I can't give you any advice on makes or models. I would advise you to stay away from the MSR Reactor; it's great for boiling water, but a bit limited on flame adjustment. There are some folks who can do real cooking on a Jetboil, I've heard; and Jetboil does sell a fry pan and a couple different pots that work with its pot support adapter. However, check out the flame adjustment before you buy - my distinctly uninformed opinion (since I only boil) is that it's not all that sensitive - but I could be wrong.

And, if you're like most of us, you'll have every good intention of buying only one stove to use forever. But, like the rest of us, you'll quickly realize that there's a proverbial highway paved with good intentions, and end up with three or more stoves. smile


Edited by Glenn (06/10/12 08:57 PM)
Edit Reason: Learned new information

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#166699 - 06/10/12 05:48 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Nothing wrong with mac-n-cheese! Especially if you toss one of those foil-packs of garlic-and-herb tuna or salmon. (Coleman Max Patch Mac-n-Cheese with tuna or salmon is wonderful - just fixed some last night on a quick weekend trip. the Coleman meal is actually made by Enertia.)

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#166700 - 06/10/12 06:33 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
SC Forester Offline
member

Registered: 05/12/12
Posts: 27
Loc: SC
I know I’m in the minority here but I would recommend an Esbits stove. Now for more than one person I would go with the group and recommend a canister stove.
I have used an older version of a MSR whisper lite, a cheap walmart version of a MSR pocket rocket and trangia alcohol stove. I normally just “cook” by adding hot water or boil in bag. If I’m boiling water for a group I will take the walmart canister stove. If I’m solo “cooking” I flip the trangia over and us a solid fuel tablet. Short of losing your fuel it’s hard to have a stove failure with solid fuel.

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#166702 - 06/10/12 06:46 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: Glenn]
DTape Offline
member

Registered: 11/23/07
Posts: 666
Loc: Upstate NY
Half a package of Knorr Vegetable soup mix added to a box of mac and cheese is good too.
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#166705 - 06/10/12 07:28 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: DTape]
OregonMouse Offline
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
Just to point out that the OP, in her second post, says she wants to do real cooking, not just boiling water! That's why I recommended the canister stove, not esbit or alcohol. She needs to be able to simmer!

_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey

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#166708 - 06/10/12 08:17 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: SC Forester]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted By SC Forester
I know I’m in the minority here but I would recommend an Esbits stove.
....
it’s hard to have a stove failure with solid fuel.


Except in Alberta (where the OP is from) where the tablets are very difficult to come by consistently.

snow peak (and canisters) she can walk right into MEC and buy, and you can get canisters in any major centre. and it simmers well wink
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#166711 - 06/10/12 08:47 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: OregonMouse]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Sorry - I missed that. I'll alter my previous post accordingly. Thanks for the heads-up.

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#166716 - 06/11/12 08:38 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: Glenn]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted By Glenn
Sorry - I missed that. I'll alter my previous post accordingly. Thanks for the heads-up.


Don't be sorry, heck, I have esbit envy for longer hikes - it's totally the lightest option, and is completely foolproof as long as you just wanna boil water.. It's just not available a lot here and so I have trouble consistently finding them. (and just end up using alcohol or a canister stove.)
_________________________
Any fool can be uncomfortable...
My 3 season gear list
Winter list.
Browse my pictures


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#166717 - 06/11/12 09:44 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: OregonMouse]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Originally Posted By OregonMouse
Just to point out that the OP, in her second post, says she wants to do real cooking, not just boiling water! That's why I recommended the canister stove, not esbit or alcohol. She needs to be able to simmer!



I have alcohol stoves that simmer.

Anything canister stoves can do, alcohol stoves do with less expense at colder temps. But they are not for everyone. You have to adjust and plan out the cooking process more than you would with canisters.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#166732 - 06/11/12 05:36 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: phat]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
My previous post wasn't about Esbit - I had recommended some stoves assuming boil-and-soak, not realizing the OP had already ruled that out. So, I recommended against some stoves that have poor flame control, and suggested a couple that might work, depending on the type of cookware needed.

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#166749 - 06/12/12 03:25 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: Glenn]
TomD Offline
Moderator

Registered: 10/30/03
Posts: 4963
Loc: Marina del Rey,CA
Don't forget, we're talking to a beginner hiker who most likely will be learning everything else involved as well. That's why I recommend a canister stove. I guarantee I can put one together and start it in less than two minutes and that includes taking it out of the bag or pot I carry it in. Yes, those other stoves all have their merits and I have several as I stated above, but for simplicity, you can't beat a canister.
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#166751 - 06/12/12 06:58 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: TomD]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
I'd agree with that. For many years, I used white gas stoves, but for the last 10 or so, I've been a canister user because they are so simple. The only disadvantage I can think of (other than really, really cold weather - when I stay home) is that you never know how much fuel is left. But, if in doubt, it's easy to carry a spare (yes, it's half a pound. No, I don't notice any real difference carrying 20.5 pounds instead of 20 - if I did, I'd leave my chair kit behind to equal things out.)

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#166758 - 06/12/12 09:40 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: Glenn]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
There are two ways to know how much is left in a canister. Get those Brunton stickers that go on the side of the can, or start weighing the canisters after each trip to track usage.

A 4 oz canister (the smallest one) weighs something like 7.14 oz. Empty it weighs (hey!) about 3 oz. Depending on the efficiency of the particular stove you have, which will be clear to you the first canister you use til empty, you can estimate how many boils you have left in the can. Which is not as hard as it sounds. Of course, the less gas in the can, the less efficient the stove gets, and that last half ounce or so just leads to the stove burning out silently without boiling.... But then you take it home, punch holes in it, pitch in the recycle bin, and get the next one.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#166770 - 06/12/12 01:45 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: lori]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
I also like to do "real cooking". I find that for frying (like fish) a stove that has a larger diameter burner ring works better. I mostly use my very light SnowPeak but it has a tiny ring that does not work as well for larger pots or frying pans. As for "fussing" with white gas, it really is not that hard. The nice thing about white gas (or alchohol) is that you take exactly the amount of gas you need whereas with cannister you only have three choices - small (2-3 days for one person, actually cooking), medium (5-7 days), large (8-9 days). The spent cannisters also bother me- I have two large boxes with cannisters that have about a day or two fuel left!).

Be sure your pots have tight fitting lids. You waste lots of fuel trying to boil water without a lid. And use a "cozy" - an insulated pot wrap, because most cooked meals can be taken off the stove when about half done, and then finish "cooking" in the cozy. This really saves fuel. Another real fuel savings is to solar-heat your water. The FIRST thing I do when I get into camp is fill my Playtapus 2.5-liter bottle and set it facing the sun, with a black stuff sack behind it.

And lastly, be sure you have a good wind-screen or some means of protecting the flame from wind. The snow-Peak does not come with a wind screen but you can buy one separately.

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#166771 - 06/12/12 01:48 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: Glenn]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
We spend $$$ to reduce the weight of our sleeping bag, and then add half a pound just to carry a spare fuel cannister? Me thinks we just use the one pound weight reduction as a good excuse to buy a new sleeping bag! Three cheers for gear-a-holics!

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#166782 - 06/12/12 06:49 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: wandering_daisy]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Shhh...my wife might hear you! smile

Actually, I only carry the second canister when I know one is about to run out on me, and want to let it. Usually, I save the near-empties for camping at the car the night before, and start down the trail with just the new one.

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#166794 - 06/12/12 08:55 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: Glenn]
sandia Offline
member

Registered: 04/18/12
Posts: 68
My vote, given original post, is for canister stove. I can't remember which MSR brand I've got. Is NOT pocket rocket.

The bivie stoves for hanging in a tent.... are certainly not a good pick for this poster...

MSR's history with stoves over past 30 years makes it the only choice in my mind for canister or gasoline stoves.

Gasoline is a pain, slightly dangerous, etc., and not all that light in weight.

Alcohol is GREAT for boiling a little water for a little cooking for one or two people. This person doesn't want that....That's my view.


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#166797 - 06/12/12 09:14 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: sandia]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Originally Posted By sandia


MSR's history with stoves over past 30 years makes it the only choice in my mind for canister or gasoline stoves.

Gasoline is a pain, slightly dangerous, etc., and not all that light in weight.

Alcohol is GREAT for boiling a little water for a little cooking for one or two people. This person doesn't want that....That's my view.



My EXPERIENCE is the exact opposite of this. MSR can't seem to get stoves exactly right - some are okay, the Reactor was actually redesigned after it was panned by backpackinglight.com for giving off dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. The original pocket rocket was prone to the pot supports loosening and warping in the heat of the stove to the point that the pot wobbled dangerously. I got rid of mine after trying everything to keep the wind from blowing it out. (I don't try to cook in high winds. I'm talking about breezes.)

I've fried eggs over alcohol stoves, baked muffins, boiled pasta, and pretty much anything else - the Featherfire stove has an adjusting knob and simmers for 40 minutes on less than an ounce of fuel.

As usual, I think I am on a different planet than sandia.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#166799 - 06/12/12 09:23 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: lori]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
Lori, I am very intrigued about your alchohol stove. I have never been interested in making my own stove from a beer can. Is there a internet link to your stove that gives more information?

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#166803 - 06/12/12 10:23 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
ABcowgrl Offline
member

Registered: 06/04/12
Posts: 22
Loc: Alberta
I'm goig to go rent acouple different models and take them on our next caping trip.I figure I'll try cooking meals on a different one each day,and see what happens...and throw my trusty ole stove in the truck just in case...lol smile

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#166804 - 06/12/12 11:28 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: wandering_daisy]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
There's the two stove approach - make a Simmercat and a Supercat, boil on one and simmer on the other - or the adjustable stove.

Mini Bull Designs used to have the Black Fly - a stove that weighed the same as a Giga (three ounces) with adjustable height wicks and a base you filled with water to keep the alcohol cooler while you were operating the stove. Has built in pot supports. You could set it on high (more wick) to boil water, blow it out, reset it to simmer, and make anything you want. Tinny has since moved on to making remote canister clones (alcohol version) and stopped making stoves like that. It wasn't a pop can stove.

The Featherfire is at packafeather.com. I haven't used it much, since I am primarily a boiling-water type "cook" these days. The stove isn't the most durable thing ever but when I've taken it, wrapping it in a brawny towel prior to packing in the pot has done the trick. But it steam bakes near perfect muffins. You can snuff it with the lid and recover unused fuel.
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#166814 - 06/13/12 08:04 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: lori]
William Offline
member

Registered: 09/21/04
Posts: 27
Originally Posted By lori
make a Simmercat and a Supercat, boil on one and simmer on the other
I use a so-called simmercat a lot, as opposed to the standard two-row version, because my testing showed it delivered more total heat per unit of fuel. IOW I find it more efficient though somewhat slower.

But I don't understand the "simmer" notion. Maybe at the very start, but once the fuel starts boiling furiously the thing is like a blowtorch, you can't simmer anything.

The only way a simmercat can be used for simmering is if you load it up with max fuel, get your couple of minutes of simmering, and then be able to snuff the flame and recover the fuel.


Edited by William (06/13/12 08:06 AM)

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#166816 - 06/13/12 09:36 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: William]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
I also tried to make a Supercat per the template you get off Zenstoves, and Skurka's website.

Fewer holes is the key to both, AFAIK. Luckily I have a cat who will eat Fancy Feast every day if you let her.
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#166829 - 06/13/12 01:33 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: lori]
ETSU Pride Offline
member

Registered: 10/25/10
Posts: 933
Loc: Knoxville, TN
I like the MSR Pocket Rocket for its simplicity and reliability. If you get a skillet or pot that doesn't have a handle on it, it will stay balance on the stove arms. They have skillet handle you can just grab the cookware without it being permanently attached to the skillet. A buddy of mine has fried trouts with his Pocket Rocket using the same set up I just mentioned.


Edited by ETSU Pride (06/13/12 01:35 PM)
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#166864 - 06/14/12 12:24 AM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ETSU Pride]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Originally Posted By ETSU Pride
I like the MSR Pocket Rocket for its simplicity and reliability. If you get a skillet or pot that doesn't have a handle on it, it will stay balance on the stove arms. They have skillet handle you can just grab the cookware without it being permanently attached to the skillet. A buddy of mine has fried trouts with his Pocket Rocket using the same set up I just mentioned.


And moving the pan around every few seconds to avoid one inch of burned fish surrounded by sushi, no doubt. That flame is way too narrow for serious cooking. You guys must have been cooking behind a wall to get the flame low enough without your breath putting it out.

I'm only exaggerating a little, from my frustrating miserable six months trying to get that stove to behave.
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#166921 - 06/15/12 12:27 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
jwild Offline
member

Registered: 05/07/11
Posts: 85
Here is one of mine
grin



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#167821 - 07/12/12 05:40 PM Re: best stove for a new hiker [Re: ABcowgrl]
lostagain Offline
member

Registered: 04/09/12
Posts: 48
Loc: DFW, Texas
late to the thread, but i might suggest that something equally important is your cooking gear. I presume that you've got a bunch of it from horsepacking, but if it's weightier, you might consider a set of GSI Bugaboo Camper, or Pinnacle Backpacker sets. These pots are extremely temperature efficient. Mine get hot by running them under hot water in the sink. They're also non-stick and clean up quite well.

I would fashion a cozy for them as they will also cool off quite quickly once removed from the heat.

As for stoves, I gave up my Whisperlite as being too heavy, cumbersome, large, and frankly dangerous in favor of my old and trusty CampingGAZ Bluet. Going to have to give that up for a Primus or Giga as it's getting harder and harder to find fuel for the Bluet. frown
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