Homemade alcohol stoves (using denatured alcohol or HEET) are very popular. This site has lots of ideas.

If you can keep total pack weight down to the low 30's in poundage, trail runners are far more comfortable than boots unless you're going to be doing a lot of off-trail hiking in scree, etc. Regular running shoes are fine if the soles have deep enough tread for a grip on slippery surfaces. If you decide on boots instead, get really light ones, no more than 2 pounds per pair. Goretex boot/shoe linings, IMHO, don't breathe enough to keep you from having wet, sweaty feet all the time. If you get them wet (get in water over the tops or similar disaster), they take days to dry out. Well-ventilated shoes dry a lot faster and are more comfortable.

If you do a search here you'll find a lot about treating water. I don't think anyone boils--it uses a lot of fuel and the water tastes really flat. Some use chlorine dioxide (Katadyn Micropur tabs or AquaMira). This requires several hours to kill the nasties so requires you to carry more water. Some prefer filters. Just don't use iodine--adverse reactions to it are common (I am so sensitized to it that I can't eat seafood or anything made with iodized salt) and it isn't as effective as chlorine dioxide.

There's a big section here on making your own gear.