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#184849 - 10/10/09 09:01 PM How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove
Art_in_FL Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 09/01/07
Posts: 2432
Unless your going to depend on a charcoal grill or traditional campfire, both of which have major issues and weaknesses, you going to want to get yourself a portable stove of some sort.

There are a lot of makes, models, options and general ins and outs at every turn. Researching the available options isn't easy and, often on any single page, the opinions will often contradict themselves.

To help you along:
http://zenstoves.net/StoveChoices.htm

Look around the site and you will find a fairly detailed examination of stove types, fuels, plans for stoves you can make, many out of found materials, and links to related sites.

Personally I have a charcoal grill for recreational home use outdoors, a single burner propane model for inside use during emergencies at home, a Svea 123 white gas unit for hiking and camping, and a fan blown wood burner for after disaster and long term use. I figure seeing as that there are plenty of woods around there will always be wood.

When considering your stove choices remember that boiling water is a good way of treating water that only requires a pot and fire. It vastly increases you fuel use but can eliminate the need for chemicals and most filters. The possible need for unlimited fuel pointed me toward wood as a long term fuel source.


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#184853 - 10/10/09 10:34 PM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: Art_in_FL]
Dagny Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 11/25/08
Posts: 1918
Loc: Washington, DC
Comprehensive information, thank you.

I have an absurd number of car camping stoves -- three Colemans and two Bruntons.

JetBoil backpacking stove is in my permanent camp kit -- for boiling water for coffee.


My low-tech stoves are:

Lodge cast-iron grill: is my current fave at home for outside cooking.

Weber grill: (portable rectangular one) for camping.


No-tech stoves:

Thermette and Kelly Kettle -- these can be fueled by twigs or animal dung.


And I have a Coleman propane oven that I've never actually used.






Edited by Dagny (10/10/09 10:34 PM)

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#184862 - 10/10/09 11:58 PM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: ]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
The only stove I have packed in a kit is the Pocket Rocket in my truck GHB. Being in the truck it becomes available for use in my 96 hour kit.

I picked it because of the "pocket" aspect. It packs small, but it's also a great stove with excellent flame control.
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#184869 - 10/11/09 01:08 AM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: Art_in_FL]
LED Offline
Veteran

Registered: 09/01/05
Posts: 1474
Used propane and white gas for years. Now I only use alcohol and a coffee can hobo stove. Current setup is a Clickstand with Trangia burner and couldn't be happier. Sure, alcohol has limitations but the fuel is super cheap, available everywhere, and there's no moving parts to lose or break. I do love the Svea though. If I ever went back to white gas thats the one I'd get. Beautiful classic stove.

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#184876 - 10/11/09 01:40 AM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: LED]
Y_T_ Offline
Newbie

Registered: 10/04/09
Posts: 31
Loc: Arizona
good link. smile I've referenced the zenstoves site many times. it has helpful info on all the different kinds of fuel, as well as the pros and cons of the various kinds of alcohol fuels.

I have Coleman propane canisters and a 2-burner portable stove for bugin or car camping.

but got some Trangia alcohol burners for BOBs, with a knockoff for the GHB. I like that the fuel (alcohol) is cheap, very easy to find and less likely to be sold out than the canisters in an emergency. I also find the alcohol burner lighter, easier, more flexible and more portable than a canister stove.

however I know that some people swear by things like the jetboil and the pocket rocket.

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#184878 - 10/11/09 02:28 AM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: Art_in_FL]
TeacherRO Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/11/05
Posts: 2574
Quote:
a single burner propane model for inside use during emergencies at home,


Are you concerned about carbon monoxide buildup?


Edited by TeacherRO (10/11/09 02:29 AM)

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#184881 - 10/11/09 03:04 AM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: TeacherRO]
dweste Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/16/08
Posts: 2463
Loc: Central California
I have many of the above and accumulated a stove for just about each fuel type because introducing people to an example of such stoves is something for our outdoor group.

The only "stove" I currently lust for is a Thermette.

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#184882 - 10/11/09 03:11 AM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: TeacherRO]
Art_in_FL Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 09/01/07
Posts: 2432
Quote:
Are you concerned about carbon monoxide buildup?


It is a valid concern. But with reasonable precautions, limiting use time, never leaving it running unattended, and maintaining adequate ventilation it isn't really much of a risk.

In some ways propane, along with other pressurized gas units, have an advantage in this because they are quite easy to relight. So there is less temptation to leave them going to avoid having to follow an elaborate procedure to restart them once they cool.

It also helps that the local climate is fairly warm compared to the northern states, even in winter, so there is less resistance to opening a window a bit.

I have made it many years with only moderate brain damage. YMMV.




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#184888 - 10/11/09 03:44 AM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: Art_in_FL]
UpstateTom Offline
Member

Registered: 10/05/09
Posts: 165
Loc: Rens. County, NY
This is a great thread...

For camping and backpacking I have an old Optimus Explorer. It's a pressurized liquid fuel stove, and it'll burn just about anything - white gas, kerosene, even alcohol. Lots of heat, reliable, simmers well, but you'd be nuts to use it inside, IMO.

For away from home emergencies I have a foldup esbit stove. Think of it as little bricks of solid sterno, except a little hotter.

At home I have a coleman propane stove that fits on top of a 16oz canister. Bought it because it was inexpensive and clean burning. It works great, but too big for a backpack.

I've experimented with making little alcohol stoves, but don't have one I like yet. I like alcohol as a fuel because it burns cleanly, doesn't have the kerosene smell, and IMO isn't as dangerous as gasoline or white gas.

Do those that carry the Trangia's like them, or are they just "ok"? I'm waffling between getting one of those, or a butane/propane canister stove like the one shown above, to take with me for field emergency work where the Optimus stove would be too much of a pain.

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#184894 - 10/11/09 07:13 AM Re: How to Choose a Backpacking/Survival Stove [Re: UpstateTom]
LED Offline
Veteran

Registered: 09/01/05
Posts: 1474
Most people seem to really like their Trangias, myself included. Their cooksets are very well thought out and extremely wind resistant. However, I wanted to use my own kettle and pots so I started using the clickstand which was designed around the Trangia burner. Not as wind resistant as the trangia cookset but pretty close.

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