Stoves

Lets talk about stoves. There are three things you need to ask yourself
when choosing a stove...
1) What am I going to cook?
2) What will the environmental conditions allow?
3) Cost.

Lets discuss the most basic stove/cooking rig. The solid fuel burner and
alcohol stove. These are great stoves because of relative low cost. The
typical solid fuel stoves are in the family of Esbit and military 'stand'
stoves, canned heat platforms, and Trangia type stove (can be expensive).

Advantages: Low cost of fuel bars/tablets or alcohol, low environmental
impact, takes up less space than other fuels, availability world-wide (since
151 proof rum will substitute in a pinch).

Disadvantages: Most won't let you vary the heat (Trangia will), alcohol
takes longer to heat water than compressed liquid fuel stoves.

If you are looking for a cheap "starter stove" these would be the ones to
consider. You can boil water for drinking and cooking. If you are taking
pre-cooked foods this is a good heat and eat rig.

Click Here to view a video (Win Media 808k) demonstration of an Esbit Stove

The Cartridge Stove: Think of this stove as the middle ground in
backpacking stoves. When these were first introduced most were simply
pressurized butane. Use of the butane stove showed it a lousy cooker when
its below 32-degrees. This has been overcome somewhat by blending the
butane with propane.

Advantages: Compact, heats water faster than solid fuel tabs, inexpensive
at the entry level, clean burning with little cleaning needed, and most fuel
canisters are recyclable.

Disadvantages: When you're out of fuel and its two days before you reach
civilization well..you aren't going to be able to borrow your buddies
Coleman fuel, even with blended fuels it can take longer than multi-fuel to
heat in cold temps, you have to pack out your used fuel canisters, and if
you travel abroad you may not be able to pack fuel and good luck finding
canister fuel for your particular stove in Denmark (yes, a few stoves can
use multiple manufacturers' cans).

Note: I consider pure propane stoves among the safest available because you never have to transfer fuel and it is difficult to "spill" propane on
yourself (I've done it though in sub-freezing temps in Michigan). Your
burner is generally high off the ground, wobbly and you'll want a base for
the tank when you're cooking. The propane canister makes them bulky and not usually suitable for backpacking. Also, like any pressurized fuel if it
gets bumped you could find yourself out of fuel when it's time for your
second meal.

So, take your time finding a stove. Use a friends stove or ask a lot of
questions around the campfire. Hikers like to brag about their stoves. I
have a variety of stoves because some are more suitable to specific needs
and expeditions.

So, you want to cook fast, hot, and kind of cheap? Here you go. The liquid
fuel stoves are the most widely used backpacking/hiking stove in the U.S.
Why? Primarily because the introductory cost is fairly low and the fuel is
plentiful. This is the stove you've heard about that can use usually at
least two kinds of fuel -- white gas (Coleman fuel or naphtha) and/or
unleaded gas. Some of the higher end stoves also use kerosene, and aviation fuel. Use ONLY the fuels recommended by your stoves' manufacturer. The majority of these stoves require pressurizing with the built in pump. Some without a pump require a paste to prime the generator which draws the fuel up from the canister.

Advantages: Cost is not bad -- $50-$150 average. Multiple fuels. Repair
and replacement parts available. Some have special adapters allowing for
more fuels. Light-weight compared to propane stoves. Heats better at
sub-freezing temperatures.

Disadvantages: Parts can start to get scarce as your stove ages; plastic
parts mean it's not indestructible (unlike an Esbit stove); usually need to
carry extra bottle of fuel depending on duration of trek; some generators
and associated parts can clog making stove performance unpredictable;
O-rings will degenerate over time and need replacing.

Overview: I like these stoves the best because of the multi-fuel
capabilities. If you use gasoline get premium as it is refined the most;
stick to white gas and a good filter and you should have years of excellent
service.

Important: One week or more before each trip check all your equipment to
make sure it is functioning properly. This gives you time to look for
replacement parts if needed. Remember, things like O-rings can often be
found at small town hardware stores. These stores are some of our favorite
places to get around manufacturer 'generic' type parts like tubes, hoses,
washers, screws, and more.

It's not our intent here to promote one name brand over another but to
simply provide you with enough details to make an informed decision on a
stove purchase.

Happy cooking and remember, "If you can get it for free, it's worth saving
for" (Mr. Soady, Escanaba, MI., U.P.)