[pct-l] Stoves, stoves and more stoves....

Sat Jan 19 08:49:34 CST 2013

Randy,
I used the same MSR Pocket Rocket on my thru hike last year.  All my canisters arrived where shipped.  Ultimately, I shipped my cooking gear home from So. Tahoe and went cookless.  That decision was made in order to be a more efficient hiker and had nothing to do with the ease of use and reliability of the MSR PR.

FYI:  Calculating Need
Outside, on a 30 degree day in January, I fired up a full 8 oz MSR canister and burned it on high until depleted.  Burn time was 129 minutes.  Conservatively calculating 4 minutes per day of burn time ( I only heated up 2 cups of water each evening) I anticipated a canister would last approximately 28 - 32 days - and mailed replacement canisters accordingly.  First replacement was mailed to Agua Dulce, etc.

Weight factor:  MSR PR vs Alcohol Stove System
I always assumed that the alcohol stove system was the lightest system.  However, at a maximum weight of 17 oz (stove, plastic tube case and 8 oz canister) which will last 28 - 32 trail days, it seems the MSR PR is a very reasonable alternative.

Gman

On Jan 18, 2013, at 10:35 PM, Randy Godfrey wrote:

> PCT friends,
> 
> There is so much discussion over and desire to use the alcohol stoves. I feel like I'm missing something here. Are the advantages of using an alcohol stove that great over using a canister stove? My sweetie and I take a few 8-9 day backpack trips in the North Cascades and Utah every year and use an MSR Pocket Rocket canister stove. The stove itself, along with its little plastic tube case weighs 3.9 oz. The canister, containing 8 oz of fuel weighs 13.1 oz and lasts Lori and I one full week. We only boil water for coffee and hot cereal in the morning, and for freeze dried dinners in foil envelopes (either home made or Mountain House) in the evening. For an 8 or 9 day trip we will take along an extra small 4 oz container that we sometime will need to use on the last day or so. 
> 
> Wouldn't this system be viable for a thru hike?I understand that shipping the canisters is an issue in that they must be surface shipped, taking a while longer to reach the resupply destination. Are there other things to consider when using a canister stove for a thru?
> 
> Thanks everyone,
> 
> Randy
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
> To: Daniel Zellman <danielzellman at gmail.com>; "pct-l at backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net> 
> Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 9:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Stoves, stoves and more stoves....
> 
> It is my understanding that if an alcohol stove has a shut-off valve it would be legal - just as canister stoves are. The ability to shut off  the flame is the deciding criteria. Can the size of the flame be reduced with the shut off "mechanism" so you can simmer? I found that being able to reduce the flame with my Jetboil was very desirable when cooking on the trail. That stove was very fuel efficient. I could cook two meals a day for six or seven days with a canister that weighed 13 ounces. There is also a smaller canister - I'm not sure of its weight. I think it might weigh seven ounces. I wonder how much alcohol would weigh to cook much as a 13 ounce canister. I think that the propane burns hotter than alcohol, especially at the higher elevations. I also liked the push-button spark way to ignite the flame.
>  
> The above are just my thoughts and opinions. I have never used an alcohol stove.
>  
> MendoRider-Hiker
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Daniel Zellman <danielzellman at gmail.com>
> To: PCT-L <pct-l at backcountry.net> 
> Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 6:04 AM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Stoves, stoves and more stoves....
>   
> Bill wrote: "It's also not going to be legal in areas where fires are not
> allowed."
> 
> Hmmm. I would have thought the combination of the enclosed flame and
> the shut-off mechanism incorporated into the alcohol burner would mean it
> WOULD be legal wherever gas and canister stoves are legal. No such luck...?
> 
> -dz
> 
> On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 1:18 AM, Bill Burge <bill at burge.com> wrote:
> 
>> It 9 ounces.
>> 
>> It's also not going to be legal in areas where fires are not allowed.
>> 
>> You should be able to get your stove, pot, and maybe wind screen to be
>> under nine ounces.
>> 
>> SomeGuy
>> Bill Burge
>> Typoed on my iPhone...
>> 
>> 
>> On Jan 16, 2013, at 4:44 PM, Daniel Zellman <danielzellman at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> As with so many things, the deeper I get into the subject, the more I
>>> realize how little I know and how much I have to learn. So...
>>> 
>>> Does anyone have any experience with the Solo Stove<
>> http://www.solostove.com/>?
>>> Given how (relatively) light and eco-friendly and versatile it is (or
>>> appears to be), it looks like a strong contender, but I'd be very
>>> interested in thoughts/experience of anyone who's actually used it before
>>> shelling out the $$.
>>> 
>>> Thanks.
>>> 
>>> -dz
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
>>>     --Buddhist proverb
>>> -----------------------------------
>>> Daniel Zellman, LMT, CMLDT
>>> TX lic. #: MT115984
>>> 
>>> Tel.: 512.293.9315
>>> danielzellman at gmail.com
>>> http://www.sunnatamassage.com/
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>> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
>     --Buddhist proverb
> -----------------------------------
> Daniel Zellman, LMT, CMLDT
> TX lic. #: MT115984
> 
> Tel.: 512.293.9315
> danielzellman at gmail.com
> www.sunnatamassage.com
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