[pct-l] stoves?

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, all,



I don’t need an array of statistics – fact checked or not – to convince me
there’s a real possibility that any stove, particularly a home-built alcohol
stove, can start a wildland fire.  The close-call fires, those that were
extinguished quickly or those that fizzled for some reason, aren’t reported;
nor are dangerous instances where a fire was averted by some stroke of dumb
luck.



If/when I cook – or more correctly heat water – I use either a TrailDad cat
food stove or the classic pop/beer can stove.  I like both types, and both
of them have served me well over a number of years.  I really appreciate the
functional elegance of those designs in that they are extremely lite, they
cost virtually nothing, they have exactly no moving parts to go wrong, and
–best of all – they perform their intended purpose very well.  For fuel I use
either alcohol the way the stoves were intended to be used or I turn the
stove over and place solid fuel on the center of the bottom. In either
instance the remainder of the gear is the same:  Same pot.  Same wire mesh
pot stand.  Same foil wind screen.



I had what I deemed a “close call” with the alcohol stove once even though
no fire whatever was involved.  I was on the east side of Mt. Hood well
above timber line -- timber line, not Timberline Lodge – and after most of a
day of hiking I stopped to prepare my evening glue-stew.  Not surprising, it
was a windy afternoon.  That day I was using the pop can stove exactly as
can be seen in this photo: http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=201601



I placed the stove in an appropriate spot, charged it with a dose of
alcohol, set my pot stand around it, wrapped my foil windscreen around all
of it, and prepared to light the fuel, but I hesitated: Before lighting I
decided to fill my pot and have it immediately ready to place onto the pot
stand.  As I fussed with the pot and canteen a gust of wind hit the
windscreen pushing the wire pot stand against the stove, tipping it over and
causing it to tumble and roll well out of reach – spilling fuel the entire
way.



In addition to my lack of aforethought, part of the blame rests with the
design of the pop can stove:  It has a relatively small diameter bottom and
a similar-sized top rim, making the whole thing almost a round ball.  It
usually sets nicely on the ground with no duty to support the pot, but when
knocked over by the wind, or possibly by having been kicked, it tumbles
nicely.  The bottom of the cat food can stove is flat, and greater in
diameter by half, making it much less likely to topple and tumble.



I remember that instance whenever I use the set-up, particularly whenever
I’m about to remove the pot from the still-burning stove.



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 7:04 PM, Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>wrote:

> Yah Kevin,
> Pepsi can stoves are so stable that they burn nice holes into whatever they
> sit
> on - shaped like the bottom of the can. Every picnic table that I chanced
> to see
> along the PCT had these stabilizing burn holes.
> MendoRider
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Kevin Cook <hikelite at gmail.com>
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Sent: Fri, December 10, 2010 7:28:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] stoves?
>
> I've been using an alcohol stove (Pepsi can style) for years now. I can't
> imagine every using anything else. Every canister stove I've ever seen
> weighed more and/or was less stable when cooking. Then there is the issue
> of
> having to carry 2 canisters when on still has a couple days in it, but not
> enough to get through the next section. With an alcohol stove, you will
> always leave town with the right amount of fuel. One can make an argument
> that they, canister stoves, are more convenient, but it's not a strong
> argument. My alcohol stove might take longer, but I'm not in a hurry on the
> trail. ;)
>
> On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 8:04 AM, <mctanker at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> > Been using an alcohol stove. Is this the best bet, or should I use a
> > cannister stove?  Cook water only for breakfast (1 cup) and dinner (2
> cups).
> > Thanks,
> > Dennis (aka Sunshine)
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>
> --
> ~ Kevin
> Soon To Be PCT Thru Hiker!
> "The indoor life is the next best thing to premature burial." Edward Abbey
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