All freeze dried meals taste like heavily spiced paper towels to me. If I wanted to exist on spices, I'd take bottles of spices.

Real food has the advantage of having as many preservatives as you add to them, as much salt as you add, and tasting like - well - food.

I agree that the stove you linked to is not worth the money. It's also heavier than most top-mounted canister stoves.

I would be extremely cautious about buying any backpacking gear from amazon.com. For one thing, returning anything there is a real pain, as I have found out. REI and backcountry.com both have unlimited warranties and extremely liberal return policies. I understand that a few other firms do, too. At amazon.com, just contacting a human to arrange a return can take days!

For lots of info on recent model canister stoves, check out Hikin' Jim's blog, Adventures in Stoving. There is also an excellent article on the most recent advances in canister-type stoves on Backpackinglight.com, but it requires a subscription to read. Most of the same info can be found on Hikin' Jim's blog.

As Lori mentions, you can make your own alcohol stove out of a cat food can or two, or a soda can, for even less--even if neither you nor your neighbors have a cat and you have to throw the food away!

More comprehensive stove info here and (for a popular cat food can alcohol stove) here.

That is pretty close to mine list as well. I do buy food occasionally there, though. But, boys scouts will eat almost anything.

Welcome to the forum...I'm in Akron area and know the Mohican area..

Aimless - that's a good motto! I also try to think of three reasons that I need it with me. If I can justify it then I take it..If not then it stays home..hmmm? Is that why I hike alone most times?

Gershon, thanks for that advise. I've been setting up the tent in the living room (which my 20 month old loves). It is very easy to set and take down. I just got the pocket stove. So ill be practicing this weekend.

Well its set I'll be going to red river gorge July 18-21. A buddy of mine will be going with me. I'm getting excited. I'm not sure if I should be calling this my mid-life crisis or not but this will be a challenge (bad back and knees). I've been doing some local hikes.

Check out http://www.campmor.com/

Do you work for campmor?