# Stoves gone wild



## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Interesting...

CampStove

Heavy, but potentially eliminates a few other kit items. As I told the guy who sent me the link: Might be a worthy tradeoff until it's been raining that day.

*Seriously, though...what's your stove set up? Penny alcohol? Old skool white gas? IsoButane mini (Snow Peak, etc), IsoB heat exchanger (Jetboil, etc)? Fire?*

I've been running an old Snow Peak GigaPower Manual. Never got with liquid (kerosine, etc) fuels for some reason. Thinking I'll add a wind shield and call it good, or pony up for a newer Jetboil (Sol Ti).

Tea is a staple in our diet, and we've also begun to take to those pricey dehyd meals. I'm thinking quick trailside tea breaks. Jboil is impossible to beat for boiling time without going to the bigger MSR Reactor.

Whatcha got?

Mike


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## donmeredith74 (Dec 29, 2006)

You should give Caldera Cones a look. I use a ti cone with my 475ml mug. 

DM


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## campredcloudbikes (Feb 22, 2008)

alcohol stove or open fire


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

problem with wood burners is that they're the first to get the axe when fire regs start coming down. last summer, ALL cooking was prohibited the fire danger was so high. 

I have a Primus Alpine Lite canister-top stove that's my go-to for most trips. If I'm going short and light, I have a supercat alcohol stove I'll use. I have been tempted to replace it with a more efficient (but still fairly simple) alcohol stove. I also have a Primus Multi-Fuel that does winter and car camping duty. It's a liquid fuel stove that can also use a canister in a remote canister setup. It's very nice, but it's too heavy for most 3 season use. If I was doing international traveling this would be the stove I carried because it can burn almost anything.


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## osprey (Feb 10, 2012)

primus eta power gas.
msr simmerlight.
msr whisperlight int. 

depending or where and how long I will be travelling. 
I am experementing with wood. Not sure if I want that as mine only heatsource.


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## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

That BioLite does look interesting, I like the USB charging feature alot. I've been looking at the JetBoil ones but haven't purchased one yet. Currently using a car camping stove that I wouldn't want to carry any long distances.


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

the one by mbeganyi, on Flickr

home made, or my trangia. 
i have 3-4 home made stoves that i can take out. 
really depends on my mood.


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

I have a MSR Pocket Rocket and old WhisperLite that I use for backpacking.

I hope to (finally) build a Penny Alcohol stove before Summer. I have an old-skool Heineken keg can that I liberated from a Southwest airlines flight a couple years ago.


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## 12wheels (Dec 10, 2005)

I use a classic Trangia or a homemade Super Cat in the warmer months and a Whisperlight Int in the winter. The Trangia gets the most use since it holds enough alcohol to heat water for 3 meals which is perfect for Friday night through Sunday trips.


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

Stove? What's that?


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## Outsider (Jan 1, 2007)

The BushBuddy or Bushcooker is my choice outside the winter, when not too much rain is forecasted. It is light and works well. A few Esbit tables provide a good backup.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

I use this little dude. DrPepper can stove, burning HEET. Drilled jets. Mess kit pot with a thin coat of black paint, and a tight lid. Wind screen made of flashing (not pictured).


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## funkydrum (Mar 10, 2007)

Optimus Crux has been great. Stores nicely due to it's folding design. Also utilizes 'heat-sink' design ala Jetboil for crazy efficiency.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

I still use my old MSR Whisperlite that I have had for about 20 years, from my mountaineering days in the Alps - still going strong. Lightweight, and packs small, only problem is great care required around tents. Good thing about petrol is that it can be easily got anywhere in the world.


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## MattP. (Oct 3, 2005)

Trangia Mini for me. Cooked with it 19 days straight down the Pacific Coast.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Hi my name is Vik and I am a stove addict...

I've got:

- 20yr old MSR XGK-II [hot as hell and no simmer - multi-fuel]
- MSR Dragonfly [hot as hell and some simmer - multi-fuel]
- MSR Simmerlite [pretty hot, quiet and you can simmer easily - white gas only]
- MSR Pocket Rocket [hot, quiet canisters only]
- Trangia [hot, quiet alcohol only]

I use the Dragonfly for extended trips where I'll be cooking a lot. You get a lot of mileage out of white gas or gasoline and resupply is easy.

I use the Pocket Rocket when I'm flying and need a stove. No mess and stove head doesn't make security folks freak out. Just need to score a canister or two when you land.

I use the Trangia for trips where weight/size matter and I can get away with one fuel bottle. It's small/quiet and clean. Works fast enough for tea and boiling water for dehydrating meals.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

vikb said:


> Hi my name is Vik and I am a stove addict...
> 
> I've got:
> 
> ...


LOL - I wouldn't call a pocket rocket quiet. less noisy, perhaps, than the XGK, but it's not a "Rocket" for nothing. All my compressed gas stoves are loud. My little canister top Primus can be turned down pretty low and it's not terribly noisy then...but for boiling water with the heat cranked up - just as loud as my expedition stove.

The only ones I would call quiet are unpressurized alcy stoves.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NateHawk said:


> LOL - I wouldn't call a pocket rocket quiet. less noisy, perhaps, than the XGK, but it's not a "Rocket" for nothing. All my compressed gas stoves are loud. My little canister top Primus can be turned down pretty low and it's not terribly noisy then...but for boiling water with the heat cranked up - just as loud as my expedition stove.
> 
> The only ones I would call quiet are unpressurized alcy stoves.


I've rec'd dirty stares from folks at the next campsite when I was cooking dinner with the Dragonfly. We'd become accustomed to the sound, but as we walked away from our picnic table and then back towards it we had to agree it sounded like a small jet plane was taking off...:madman:


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## sean salach (Sep 15, 2007)

Just started using a homemade double wall wood stove. Soup can and a Spaghetti-Os can. Upper holes on the inner can for an efficient burn. One handful of twigs will melt snow down to 18-20 oz of water.


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## hmto (Jun 13, 2006)

My MSR Dragonfly is like the proverbial jet taking off, especially when everyone is still sleeping and you want to eat.
I have a couple Biolites on order, been following this product for over a year now and had hoped it was going into production last spring. Regardless, it's not really about another stove option for us, but more so for third world countries.


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## Live2rideUtah (Jan 3, 2012)

That stove is sweet, I bet the make a huge impact in third world countries with the charging and light features


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## Lone Desert Walker (Sep 15, 2011)

sean salach said:


> Just started using a homemade double wall wood stove. Soup can and a Spaghetti-Os can. Upper holes on the inner can for an efficient burn. One handful of twigs will melt snow down to 18-20 oz of water.


That sounds cool, got any pics? I like the wood stove that selfpropelled devo uses in this video, Complete with stove pipe. Kifaru 4 man tipi with stove - YouTube I have been thinking about making a little woodstove for a long time, just never got around to it.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Mines home made. 1/2 pint paint can stuffed with cotton balls and soaked with denatured alcohol. 2" high perforated windscreen held on the the outside with large ring clamp. Works great.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

leeboh said:


> soaked with denatured alcohol.


perfectly simple. you might find that HEET (methanol) burns a litte cleaner, if you ever see any soot on your pot..


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

The denatured work good and clean for me, i think the isopropyl burns black. I bring a small WELL labeled 8 oz container to add later. Make sure to not have any spilled on hands when lighting.


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## sean salach (Sep 15, 2007)

Lone Desert Walker said:


> That sounds cool, got any pics? I like the wood stove that selfpropelled devo uses in this video, Complete with stove pipe. Kifaru 4 man tipi with stove - YouTube I have been thinking about making a little woodstove for a long time, just never got around to it.


No photos right now, but it's a smaller version of this, with some slight modifications to the design:

How to make a wood gas stove - YouTube

I added a second row of holes below the upper intake holes on the inner can. I also removed the bottom of the outer can so that I could access it with my hole puncher, and it makes it easier to attach little cat food can wings I made for stability on snow. I went smaller to save weight, and because I only need it for rarely melting snow on longer winter trips.


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## Hellcat405 (Mar 12, 2010)

*Another meth head*

I hadn't posted here yet, but was really excited to see a bikepacking forum get added. 
I made some alcohol stoves to take to a bike/outdoors gear swap meet here in Tempe, AZ. (the last picture is supposed to be a stick figure... nothing else)


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## donmeredith74 (Dec 29, 2006)

Sean, do you have any issues with the steel cans rusting after the first several burns? 

DM


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## ConfederateLawyer (Jun 3, 2011)

For trips in mild weather, I like the convenience of canister fuel stoves. My go-to kit is a Snow Peak GigaPower stove and a 700 ml titanium mug with a lid and folding handles. When the temperature dips below freezing or I am headed somewhere that canisters may not be available, I grab an MSR Whisperlite International. The canister stoves start flickering out around 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit. The white gas stoves, like the Whisperlite, only have a weight savings over canister stoves if you are on very extended expeditions--like 3 weeks or more--and even then the savings isn't much. 

And one benefit of canister stoves over alcohol stoves is the ability to turn it off and pack it up immediately.


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## sean salach (Sep 15, 2007)

donmeredith74 said:


> Sean, do you have any issues with the steel cans rusting after the first several burns?
> 
> DM


Not yet, but I'm sure they will eventually. It only takes about 30 minutes to make another and they're basically free, so no sweat if/when it does. I had a chance to use it head to head against an MSR International a few days ago on the Yentna River. From set up to warm water, the MSR melted snow down to almost 40 oz of water in about the time the wood stove melted snow down to about 20 oz of water. If speed and efficiency when in operation is the main goal, the real stoves kick ass. I ran mine on some small branches I broke up a few hours earlier while taking a break. The stove would have run for another 20 minutes or so on the handful of twigs I put in it.


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## sean salach (Sep 15, 2007)

Lone Desert Walker said:


> That sounds cool, got any pics? I like the wood stove that selfpropelled devo uses in this video, Complete with stove pipe. Kifaru 4 man tipi with stove - YouTube I have been thinking about making a little woodstove for a long time, just never got around to it.


Alright, just finished making one for my roommate, so I have new and used photos now.

This is what it looks like 'brand new', and one photo of a stove I've used several times, and rolled in snow to quickly cool it down before putting it away. The end caps are just cat food can lids you can buy at any supermarket, and the pot stand nests in the bottom. I recommend using an MSR style aluminum stove support if using it on snow.


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## hitek (Feb 22, 2006)

I have a Esbit Pocket Stove. Small an light, works great for heating water for coffee or warming up your dehydrated food.


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## swampboy62 (Feb 10, 2009)

I really like the looks of this set up from bikepacking.net:

8.5oz Bikepacking Kitchen

There are some cool stove projects on instructables.com - here's one:

Pocket Alcohol Stove - "Jet Stove" (Camper's Guide)

Steve Z


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

This weekend I made a "Mini Zen Chimney/Sideburner Stove" out of 1 Red Bull drink can (about halfway down on this page). Weight = 7g.

I paired it with a conical windscreen made using the template calculations on this page under "Making Your Own Cone Shaped Pot Stand." The screen material is from a disposable aluminum baking pan. Weight = 24g.

The pot stand will be a pair of Ti tent stakes inserted in holes through the windscreen. Weight = 0g (already in my shelter weight).

I use a Fosters beer can as my pot. Weight = 32g with lid. The lid came from a small can of mandarin oranges, I believe. A near-perfect fit to the top of the Fosters can (just a bit tight). The lid "handle" is a sawed-off golf peg secured with a tiny screw.

Using around 20 mL of denatured alcohol, 355 mL of water boils in a little over 4 minutes, with a couple minutes of additional burn time. This is the amount of water I need for an average single-serving dinner.

The stove, windscreen (rolled up) and fuel bottle will all fit inside the pot. The fuel + bottle should be about 170g (enough fuel for 5 meals plus reserve). So my complete 5-night cooking kit should be around 236g (8.3 oz.).

Finished product in foreground; unimpressed spectator in background:










The blue paper under the tools is the template for the windscreen.

System assembled, ready to boil:










Packed up:










A very lightweight 237 mL (8 oz.) drinking water bottle, used for the fuel, fits perfectly inside the rolled up screen, on top of the stove.

BTW I used one of these smooth-edge can openers to pop the lids off the Fosters and orange cans. It's not the normal metal-cutting type of opener. The Red Bull can was cut to size with a utility blade according to the Zen Stoves web page.


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## Crudcake (Apr 25, 2010)

MSR Whisperlite International. Heavy but dependable as sunshine in the Sahara.

CC


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## SuPrBuGmAn (Jun 20, 2009)

I've been using a Bluett/Esbit stove, but just recently picked up a Jetboil.


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## brokebike (Jan 31, 2013)

I love my Snowpeak Giga. Packs up so small, it's crazy.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

Bikepacking newbie here:

Anybody using inexpensive stoves like the ones below? It doesn't seem like it. Are there glaring drawbacks to these stoves for the person hoping to get out bikepacking just a few times a year?
They seem super simple and a windscreen can be fashioned for them. What I'm missing is what does a $70 stove provide that's so much better than a cheap stove?

Amazon.com: Lightweight Large Burner Classic Camping and Backpacking Stove. For Butane and Propane Canisters: Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com: Ultralight Backpacking Canister Camp Stove with Piezo Ignition 3.9oz!: Sports & Outdoors


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Littlebug-


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

I just made a soda can stove. It was a but artsy-craftsy to make, but once I got what they were getting at, it went together pretty well. 

It lit right up and burned pretty evenly. I think I got my jets a bit too big. I might try another one and make things a bit tighter. 

I'm a noob too, so I'm just piecing things together.... Figuring out what works.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

pimpbot said:


> I just made a soda can stove. It was a but artsy-craftsy to make, but once I got what they were getting at, it went together pretty well.
> 
> It lit right up and burned pretty evenly. I think I got my jets a bit too big. I might try another one and make things a bit tighter.
> 
> I'm a noob too, so I'm just piecing things together.... Figuring out what works.


Ya..I made a cat food can stove. It needs refinement but in the end its more of s fun project than anything. I mean the stoves I listed above are less than 8 bucks. Sure, with a fuel can they are heavier than a homemade alcohol stove but no heavier than the 70 or $120 brand name canister type stoves. That's really what I'm looking for comparisons on.


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## phirebug (Apr 20, 2012)

eatdrinkride said:


> Bikepacking newbie here:
> 
> Anybody using inexpensive stoves like the ones below?[/url]


i use the 2nd one on a near daily basis for making coffee at home. It's a cheap knock-off of a pocket rocket, so I wouldn't take it on a serious expedition, but it's never given me any problems. And it costs about as much as a can of butane.


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

Somewhere there's a break-even point for weight when you're comparing an alcohol-based system to a canister system. For me with the Red Bull stove I posted above, I think it's around 8 days (1 boil per day at dinner). YMMV, of course.

Recently I put together a kit using the aluminum cup from a 6-hour tea light candle for the burner and a 12-oz. keg-style Heineken can for the pot. The candle cup barely registers on my 1-gram scale. I got the 6-hour candles at World Market. Most places sell the 4-hour candles which hold less than 0.5 oz. of fuel. 

The stove is merely an open-flame burner cup (no jets, chimney, etc.) The system uses a conical windscreen plus tent pegs for pot support. This will boil 8 oz. of water in 6 minutes or less and the whole kit is 5 oz. in weight, incl 8 boils of fuel. I use Mary Jane Farms backpacking meals that only take 8 oz. of water to rehydrate, so I can get away with a smaller pot. 

But, with the small pot base and the tendency of the flame to wander in any kind of breeze (even with the wind screen in place), it's possible for the fuel to run out before the water boils; and the tea light cup barely holds 0.5 oz. Not very efficient. I don't think this would be my choice for an extended trip.

That's about as far down the weight-weenie stove path as I care to venture


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

Also, some areas prohibit open-flame cooking and, depending on who you ask, alcohol stoves fall into that category.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

eatdrinkride said:


> Ya..I made a cat food can stove. It needs refinement but in the end its more of s fun project than anything. I mean the stoves I listed above are less than 8 bucks. Sure, with a fuel can they are heavier than a homemade alcohol stove but no heavier than the 70 or $120 brand name canister type stoves. That's really what I'm looking for comparisons on.


I'm not looking for serious expeditions at this stage. I'm looking to do single overnighters. I know I have tons of room to pack stuff, and I'm not going so far that the added weight really bothers me.

Still, a full bottle of Heet and this little puck can stove still weighs less than my tabletop stove with a screw-in fuel canister base, and takes up way less room in my pannier.

I still need a pot stand and a wind shield to go with it.

Next step after scoring those items it to try and cook someting with it in my driveway... while the neighbors look at me funny. :skep: 

Heh... and while browsing around, I saw this at REI:

BioLite Wood Burning CampStove - Free Shipping at REI.com









I though it was pretty cool that somebody finally though of putting a Peltier Junction in something that burns fuel to charge up your electronics. I wonder how much fuel it takes to recharge an iPhone? At 1A, it takes an iPhone like two hours to fully charge from dead. I can't imagine feeding this goofy thing fuel for two hours, but it is at least an option in the woods... especially considering that solar panels are either big heavy when big enough to be effective, or small light and generally weaksauce... and that's if you have direct sun shining on it.


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

pimpbot said:


> Next step after scoring those items it to try and cook someting with it in my driveway... while the neighbors look at me funny. :skep:


It may actually be better to do this out in the open and let your neighbors see you, rather than let their imaginations run wild on what you're "cooking" based on fumes alone.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Another question:

So, what's the deal with these solid fuel stoves? Seems like that little puck would be an easy, simple solution. It seems the fuel pucks are cheap enough... like 50 cents each. Solid fuel seems to be an easy no-mess way to transport stuff.

What's the downside? Weight? Also, I would think that you're pretty much committed to one whole block of heat. It looks like it can't be adjusted to your needs... in other words, if you just want a little for a small cup of warm tea, or a lot to heat up a quart pot of canned chilli, you can't adjust it to your needs.



random walk said:


> It may actually be better to do this out in the open and let your neighbors see you, rather than let their imaginations run wild on what you're "cooking" based on fumes alone.


heh... good point. More like, my 'cooking' might be a trigger for my neighbor. He seems like a tweaker. I don't know him very well. I've only lived in this house for 4 months and he keeps to himself.


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

pimpbot said:


> Another question:
> 
> So, what's the deal with these solid fuel stoves? Seems like that little puck would be an easy, simple solution. It seems the fuel pucks are cheap enough... like 50 cents each. Solid fuel seems to be an easy no-mess way to transport stuff.
> 
> What's the downside? Weight? Also, I would think that you're pretty much committed to one whole block of heat. It looks like it can't be adjusted to your needs... in other words, if you just want a little for a small cup of warm tea, or a lot to heat up a quart pot of canned chilli, you can't adjust it to your needs.


Never used them myself, but from what I've read, there aren't too many downsides. Chiefly, one of the complaints about the Esbit tablets is the residue left after burning; but many people also say it's easily scrubbed off your cook pot. Others don't like the smell of the fumes. I suppose if you're cooking under your shelter in bad weather this can be an issue.

But I understand you can blow them out when you're done cooking, so there's no waste.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

Ok....all interesting info but I'm not so much about weight weenie issues with the stove. I'll be doing single overnighters, not 300 mile races. I still present this question to anybody who'd like to chime in....what is the downside to a cheap $8 stove (like I listed above) compared to the expensive stoves of the same type? If I'm lucky to get out a few times a year for overnighters with my son is there some compelling reason to spend $70 or more on a stove? I'm guessing not.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

phirebug said:


> i use the 2nd one on a near daily basis for making coffee at home. It's a cheap knock-off of a pocket rocket, so I wouldn't take it on a serious expedition, but it's never given me any problems. And it costs about as much as a can of butane.


Thanks, I missed your post until just now.


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## GtownViking (Jul 27, 2012)

I use the Jet-Boil Flash. Love it.
Jetboil Flash Personal Cooking System | Backcountry.com

USed it several times. A few times for my wife and I. Did the whole Mountain Home dry food package thingy....did great! Used the coffee press accessory and that was cool too. It's not as small as the other stuff out there but it is very nice to store everything inside the canister. Fuel, stand, stove, etc.... cool beans. To me it was worth the $99. I don't care to 'make' my own. Rather have something that was designed, built by professionals. It's just one less thing for me to worry about when packing and getting ready for a trip. I'll cut corners (financially and materials) elsewhere.


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## CamoDeafie (Jan 5, 2013)

While I was cleaning my parents' pantry, I came across this BBQ Grill/Stove... its not even a pound; in fact, I think it weight as much as an unopened 12 oz soda....takes Charcoal bits; but from the design, I think it could use Sterno/Canned Heat and wood...its big enough to fit maybe 4 small burger patties; and the skewers are for shish-kebabs, or smores (used them for smores at the beach ) I do also have a canteen stove for use with a Canned Heat burner with my canteen cup, but I am thinking I want to use this grill for when I have meat to cook instead of stewing the meat...


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

eatdrinkride said:


> If I'm lucky to get out a few times a year for overnighters with my son is there some compelling reason to spend $70 or more on a stove? I'm guessing not.


Reliability is the only major thing that comes to mind. If you get one with a piezo-electric starter, you should carry a lighter as a backup in case the starter fails.

Stability of the stove legs and/or pot supports is another area where a cheaper stove might suffer. A review I read on Amazon for one of the stoves you posted said their stove came with uneven supports.

The flame may not adjust low enough to do slow cooking or simmering, if that's your thing. Not that a more expensive stove would do much better. If you're just boiling water, that's a non-issue.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

Well it sounds like a cheap stove might be the way to go for an introduction into bike packing. No sense in dumping a ton of money at this time. Thanks for your input.


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## morganfletcher (Jul 22, 2005)

I use this. Only used it twice so far, but it works fine. It's really light and minimal.


Dinner at Pantoll by fnagrom, on Flickr

Morgan


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

FWIW we've been using a Mini Tattoo stove... alcohol, not the fastest thing, but holy cow the weight, size, ease of use, price, and bomb-proofness of the design have totally won us over. Husby made a stand/windscreen from roofing flashing that fits right inside our MSR 750ml pot along with a couple fuel bottles and the stove itself, so it packs down nice and tidy. Uses maybe 3/4 oz of OH to boil up 2c water.


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## wahday (Mar 23, 2012)

TobyGadd said:


> Stove? What's that?


Ha! Certainly there is a good case to be made for cold meals and no stove weight at all!

I have only done a handful of overnighters and generally the only thing I heat is water for coffee in the AM. So, I have cut my kit way back to a little homemade beer can alcy stove (with denatured alcohol) and two small metal cups - one for boiling the water and the other for drinking out of (so I don't singe my lips). SUPER light! Sometimes I will use hot water and dehydrated milk in my granola which on chilly mornings makes for a great warm breakfast. But my favorite dinner these days is sesame or peanut noodles pre-made. Perfect blend of carbs and protein and it tastes great after a long ride. I eat it right out of a ziplock bag (well, two inside of each other for good measure), reseal and put in the bear bag to hang. No fuss, no muss, no cleaning, and you can eat immediately.

Not the best photo, but you get the idea. The stove is inside a cut down coffee can which the cups and stove all nest into for transport. This was before I switched to just two metal cups for heating water, but wanted to show the stove/coffee can/windscreen/pot stand arrangement.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

verslowrdr said:


> FWIW we've been using a Mini Tattoo stove... alcohol, not the fastest thing, but holy cow the weight, size, ease of use, price, and bomb-proofness of the design have totally won us over. Husby made a stand/windscreen from roofing flashing that fits right inside our MSR 750ml pot along with a couple fuel bottles and the stove itself, so it packs down nice and tidy. Uses maybe 3/4 oz of OH to boil up 2c water.


Wow that thing is small! How does the alcohol get from the bottle into the stove through the hose? Does it just automatically suck it or does the bottle need to be on its side and it flows by gravity? I am thinking you could put a needle valve in that hose line and use that to regulate the flame.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

Just squeeze the bottle. 

I did a little overview vid of the stove + windscreen + pot et al earlier this season, shows how to use it: 
here.

Truly a thing of beauty between the simplicity of the design, light weight, tiny size, and lovely machining.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

I take two burners, off road touring. A Kovea Eagle and an MSR Pocket Rocket. The High-Performance ISO-Butane/Propane fuel that they use, works well and quickly. Most of my riding is done on the Great Dividing Range in Oz.

The two burners work well, because I can cook a meal with different foods and have the dishes cooked and ready at the same time. Also when it comes to boiling water, which I do a lot of here in SE Oz , I'm not bogged-down waiting to use the only burner while the water is boiling. This is hydatids and liver fluke country so boiling water to a rolling boil, is highly recommended.

Two 460g gas canisters will last me a bit longer than two weeks with heavy use, like boiling several litres of water each night ready for the following day, and heating water for coffee, cocoa or soups, at least 3 times a day, as well as cooking the main meal at night. 

I have a stainless steel billy for boiling water and the cooking pots are from Trangia. 

Warren.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

Wild Wassa said:


> I take two burners, off road touring. A Kovea Eagle and an MSR Pocket Rocket.
> 
> Warren.


Is the Eagle much quieter than the PR?


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

I just did a bike24.com order as I wanted some Schwalbe Supreme folding tyres for the Ogre.
To compliment my Trangia alcohol stove which I've come to like, having had my Optimus multi-fuel confiscated at Sydney airport, I got bike24 to add a MSR Pocketrocket.
Priced at 25.17 EUR = $36.37 AUD = Win

German postage is slow and pricy but with bike24 you can add an awful amount of items before they add more postage costs unlike ordering from the States where they are quicker to add costs for every item. Shipping to Western Australia from the US is also pretty pedestrian on average.
Its funny as shipping from the UK is super quick even though its much further away.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

rifraf said:


> I just did a bike24.com order as I wanted some Schwalbe Supreme folding tyres for the Ogre.
> To compliment my Trangia alcohol stove which I've come to like, having had my Optimus multi-fuel confiscated at Sydney airport, I got bike24 to add a MSR Pocketrocket.
> Priced at 25.17 EUR = $36.37 AUD = Win
> 
> ...


Funny about that. I sometimes order stuff from chainreactioncycles.com in the UK, and sometimes my order will arrive in 3 days to the California Bay Area. I've ordered stuff from Ohio that took a week.


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

My German order arrived with no trouble.
I've yet to try out my pocket rocket but I couldn't resist ordering a multi-fuel stove
to compliment my Trangia 27 series.
I've coming, a Primus Omnilite Ti which I read can be fitted to my Trangia as an option giving it a bit more versatility with regards fuels and cooking speed.
The Omnilite has a reputation of excellence with regards simmering as opposed to Trangias own X2 multi-fuel offering (also designed by Primus).
The Omnilite is titanium and can utilise canister gas as well as the usual liquid fuel options of white gas/petrol, kerosene/diesel,
Primus OmniLite Ti with 350 ml fuel bottle :: All Stoves :: Stoves :: Cooking :: Moontrail
Once this arrives I'll probably look at selling the MSR Pocket Rocket as the Primus already covers the LPG option.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

I just picked up an Esbit solid fuel stove on Amazon ($12!). I was thinking I could use it like a pot stand with my alcohol stove. Man! This thing is tiny! I'll have to see how my soda can alchy stove fits in there, but I think it's gonna be tight. 

Gonna do some cooking experiments in my driveway this weekend.

*edit*

Dangit! How do you remove images?!?


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## Central Scrutinizer (Aug 30, 2005)

My current stove:










Made from an aluminum bottle. Crimped with needle-nose pliers around the rim a little each time, round and round, until it looks right.

Dead simple. No jets to clog, etc. Fill it with alcohol, light it, and start boiling water.

Works great with my mug, which is only ~5" diameter - the heat is centered on the bottom. I used to use a pepsi stove, but with a small-diameter pot the stove jets focus the heat around the outer diameter of the pot, making it less efficient.


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## Ivan67 (Aug 23, 2013)

CamoDeafie said:


> While I was cleaning my parents' pantry, I came across this BBQ Grill/Stove... its not even a pound; in fact, I think it weight as much as an unopened 12 oz soda....takes Charcoal bits; but from the design, I think it could use Sterno/Canned Heat and wood...its big enough to fit maybe 4 small burger patties; and the skewers are for shish-kebabs, or smores (used them for smores at the beach ) I do also have a canteen stove for use with a Canned Heat burner with my canteen cup, but I am thinking I want to use this grill for when I have meat to cook instead of stewing the meat...


That is great, what company makes that? I have one of these https://cyclopsphoto.ca/galleries/survival/folding_wood_stove_med.png and it does fine but the one you have has more cooking capabilities.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Ivan67 said:


> That is great, what company makes that? I have one of these https://cyclopsphoto.ca/galleries/survival/folding_wood_stove_med.png and it does fine but the one you have has more cooking capabilities.


That is pretty *****in'! It would just be as pimp as all getout if you rolled up to your campsite, whipped this out, whipped out a 12oz pre-marinated steak and just frickin BBQed it right then and there... like a boss!!


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## Ivan67 (Aug 23, 2013)

pimpbot said:


> That is pretty *****in'! It would just be as pimp as all getout if you rolled up to your campsite, whipped this out, whipped out a 12oz pre-marinated steak and just frickin BBQed it right then and there... like a boss!!
> 
> View attachment 826621


Well I do not know about pimp but it sure would beat my little stove, I live off of my rig and travel around so I need compact and light weight, just figured that users looked like it could get pretty flat and that is why I wanted to know the name. Also not sure what you mean by boss, I have been medically retired since 2004 and do not have a boss.


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## CamoDeafie (Jan 5, 2013)

internet slang/joke on the "like a boss" thing.

as for the brand; I haven't been able to find out the exact brand; although I find that the brand that used to make them; sells BBQ grills but no longer this specific model....there are similar BBQ grills out there; you might be able to find one pretty cheaply...or you can get one fabricated..... there IS the idea though; you could make it even simpler...









just use it over a campfire, or a few canned heat/sterno burners.


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## Ivan67 (Aug 23, 2013)

CamoDeafie said:


> internet slang/joke on the "like a boss" thing.
> 
> as for the brand; I haven't been able to find out the exact brand; although I find that the brand that used to make them; sells BBQ grills but no longer this specific model....there are similar BBQ grills out there; you might be able to find one pretty cheaply...or you can get one fabricated..... there IS the idea though; you could make it even simpler...
> 
> ...


This is good too, I really need to find some more camping stores. This is what I miss about not being back in Texas, seemed like back home you could get this stuff anywhere but in Europe they sell flashy, bulky stuff for the egotistical outdoors type.

Thank you,


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Ivan67 said:


> Well I do not know about pimp but it sure would beat my little stove, I live off of my rig and travel around so I need compact and light weight, just figured that users looked like it could get pretty flat and that is why I wanted to know the name. Also not sure what you mean by boss, I have been medically retired since 2004 and do not have a boss.


Yeah, I just imagine if you were bikepacking with a bunch of folks... you're packing your gear up before rolling out. Everybody has their ultralight minimalist stuff, they look at you funny when you pack up your foldable BBQ. Everybody laughs at your choice in gear.

You get to the first spot to camp, everybody is eating their reconstituted slop out of their little bags you whip out the BBQ, grill up a steak, and all of a sudden you're everybody's best friend.  All you had to do was to carry an extra third pound of gear with you.

Heh... so I fired up my alchy stove in my driveway on the Ebit pot stand. The pot sits directly on top of the alchy stove with no air gap to the center, choking it off to a trickle of flame. Not good. It wouldn't boil water at all.

I tried to make a shorter soda can stove, but messed it up right at the end of the process. Gonna try again tonight when I get home from work. I wonder if I just punched out the jet holes bigger if that would work?


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## owtdorz (Apr 26, 2012)

Ivan67 said:


> That is great, what company makes that? I have one of these https://cyclopsphoto.ca/galleries/survival/folding_wood_stove_med.png and it does fine but the one you have has more cooking capabilities.


Grill Portable Folding Barbecue BarBQ Le Gourmet by CrabbyCats


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## kameraguy (Oct 12, 2004)

*Vital Stove*

Hi Guys,

Saw this thread and didn't see mention of this little guy:

Vital Stove

Vital Stove

Looks very compact and the demo videos show this little thing doing awesome work cooking stuff. Seems like a great bike-day/packing stove due to it's small self-contained rectangular form factor, and it's use of natural materials found wherever you set it up.

Haven't bought one myself, but might get one if they go on sale. I think Amazon sells them but they are a bit pricey.

Anyone use/have one of these?


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

kameraguy said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> Saw this thread and didn't see mention of this little guy:
> 
> ...


Seems kinda big and heavy. Not sure where I could pack something like that.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

My stove for weight saving travel is a 35 year old whisperlight.

The biolite is a very cool idea. Just pack some dryer lint to get it started...


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

For BBQ in the bush I use a couple of stainless cake cooking racks with a little bit of wire to hold them together. Total weight is around 100g. Get a fire going, find a couple of suitable rocks and get that marinated butterflied lamb roast going:










Or get some gourmet sausages on:










It's all good.


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## Ivan67 (Aug 23, 2013)

pimpbot said:


> Yeah, I just imagine if you were bikepacking with a bunch of folks... you're packing your gear up before rolling out. Everybody has their ultralight minimalist stuff, they look at you funny when you pack up your foldable BBQ. Everybody laughs at your choice in gear.
> 
> You get to the first spot to camp, everybody is eating their reconstituted slop out of their little bags you whip out the BBQ, grill up a steak, and all of a sudden you're everybody's best friend.  All you had to do was to carry an extra third pound of gear with you.
> 
> ...


Yeah I need something bigger, I am a big man who likes to eat. I live on my bike and my meat comes from trapping and fishing.

I used one of my first trailers as a cooking surface once, generally I ride alone but that certainly attracted some attention but I was to hungry to play around with m little fire cooker. That trailer only made it about two more days after that and I had to get a new one. About six months later I ended up back at the same shop I bought that at ad the owner asked me where the ZAK was he sold me and I told him, we just laughed about it. Instructions never said "Do Not Use As A Cooking Surface".

I guess some of my south Texas comes out sometimes, and in Europe that is a fast way to get on Youtube, normally tittled with something like Idiot, Jackass, Moron, Another Yank. LOL


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## Ivan67 (Aug 23, 2013)

owtdorz said:


> Grill Portable Folding Barbecue BarBQ Le Gourmet by CrabbyCats


Dude you are awesome. Thank you so much for that, I am going to find out the physical address of this place or another now that I have a brand. I wish I could just order it but I live on my bike, or maybe the camp site I like to use down in Italy will let me use their address for this.

You just made my year.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

pimpbot said:


> I wonder if I just punched out the jet holes bigger if that would work?


worth a try. my alky stoves need a pretty good amount of preheat to get going, so you might try that too. just make a little tray out of foil that the stove can fit in, and pour some fuel around the stove.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Bill in Houston said:


> worth a try. my alky stoves need a pretty good amount of preheat to get going, so you might try that too. just make a little tray out of foil that the stove can fit in, and pour some fuel around the stove.


Without a pot on it, it heats up nicely. I tried heating it up then putting a pot on it, and the flame pulled back to a trickle.


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## RossJamis (Aug 27, 2013)

I still use the old school Optimus hiker. Its simple and gets the job done..If I want to boil a pot of spaghetti for 8 or fry a steak its got the gusto to do it.


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## kameraguy (Oct 12, 2004)

pimpbot said:


> Seems kinda big and heavy. Not sure where I could pack something like that.


Interesting comment. From looking at the stoves being posted in this thread, this is one of the smaller offerings.


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

RossJamis said:


> View attachment 827813
> I still use the old school Optimus hiker. Its simple and gets the job done..If I want to boil a pot of spaghetti for 8 or fry a steak its got the gusto to do it.


I really miss mine.
It got confiscated at Sydney Australia airport.
I'd owned it over 20 years and flown with it on many continents so it came as a complete shock.
I'm hoping one comes up on a local ebay.
Apparently you cant even mail them as I've heard tails of people winning them on international auctions only for them not to be delivered due to "safety" reasons.
Probably they dont want them on planes I guess.
My favorite cooker of all time and certainly the most multi-fueled with its ability to use metholated spirits (alcohol).


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## RossJamis (Aug 27, 2013)

rifraf said:


> I really miss mine.
> It got confiscated at Sydney Australia airport.
> I'd owned it over 20 years and flown with it on many continents so it came as a complete shock.
> I'm hoping one comes up on a local ebay.
> ...


You should have no problem as long as its new,but they are a bit pricey for a new one.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

kameraguy said:


> Interesting comment. From looking at the stoves being posted in this thread, this is one of the smaller offerings.


Oh, my bad.... withdrawn. I thought the pot on top was somehow attached to the stove, or something.

Nah, looks pretty swank, actually.


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

Just came across and was impressed by the Kovea Spider
Its getting great reviews and looks very stable.
Wood Trekker: Kovea Spider (KB-1109) Long Term Review
Adventures In Stoving: The Kovea Spider (KB-1109) Remote Canister Stove


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## curtboroff (Sep 21, 2010)

I prefer DIY alcohol and woodgas stoves made from recycled cans.
These are what I been using this year.


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

RossJamis said:


> You should have no problem as long as its new,but they are a bit pricey for a new one.


No longer available new.
They have been superseded by the Optimus Hiker plus without a silent burner which I dont want.
I've missed a couple of unused ones on Ebay.
I'd love to bid on a second hand one but am too worried about what I've been hearing about them getting snaffled in transit by the postal service.
I'll think about requesting the seller remove the tank and sending it separately.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Here are a few UL cooking setups I've tried the last year or so.

Trangia and Ti pot shown above:

Bikepacking Cooking? | The Lazy Rando Blog...










Vargo Ti stove [aka. the No-Go Ti stove]  :

Vargo Triad Stove Review | The Lazy Rando Blog...










Trail Designs F-Keg:

vikapproved | Trail Designs F-Keg Stove System Review










Beer can stove and Ti pot:

vikapproved | Bikepacking Cooking MK2?

The last link is my best setup so far.


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## bradkay (Apr 9, 2013)

For years I used the classic Svea stove, then about twenty years ago I switched to the MSR Whisperlight. Since then I have added an MSR Pocket Rocket and use one or the other depending upon how long the trip is and where it is (longer trips I take the Whisperlight - easier to carry extra fuel). 

I don't use freeze-dried food on bike trips. It is far too easy to stop at a grocery store and pick up some pasta or rice and something to top it off with. Freeze dried stuff is for wilderness backpacking trips, IMO.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

bradkay said:


> I don't use freeze-dried food on bike trips. It is far too easy to stop at a grocery store and pick up some pasta or rice and something to top it off with. Freeze dried stuff is for wilderness backpacking trips, IMO.


+1 - if you can get access to real food that makes a lot of sense and is far more tasty! I tour on my MTB to get into the backcountry where there are no people or stores so I mostly carry freeze dried meals for dinner.

On one bikepacking trip this summer we stopped at each horse-packing outfitters camp we passed to see if they'd sell us a coke.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

vikb said:


> +1 - if you can get access to real food that makes a lot of sense and is far more tasty! I tour on my MTB to get into the backcountry where there are no people or stores so I mostly carry freeze dried meals for dinner.
> 
> On one bikepacking trip this summer we stopped at each horse-packing outfitters camp we passed to see if they'd sell us a coke.


This. I'm thinking about the solo trip I did this summer where I didn't talk to any humans for nearly 3 days and only saw some horse people at a distance on day 2... freeze dried food was just fine by me!


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## bradkay (Apr 9, 2013)

Even on backpacking trips I will take some frozen tortellini and sauce for the first night - just to have one meal that's tastier than the freeze dried stuff. B the second night any food tastes great!


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## 1 Speed (Jan 8, 2004)

I have a Soto Microregulator and really like it. Super light and really kicks out the heat.


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## ads-bully (Feb 26, 2013)

vikb said:


> Vargo Ti stove [aka. the No-Go Ti stove]  :
> 
> Vargo Triad Stove Review | The Lazy Rando Blog...


Vik, why do you say the Vargo is the no-go stove? Are they crap??


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

ads-bully said:


> Vik, why do you say the Vargo is the no-go stove? Are they crap??


I provided a link to my review of the vargo stove in my post above. It's was underwhelming to use.


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## eugenemtbing (Nov 16, 2010)

This seems like a nice alcohol stove design:

http://vimeo.com/m/64726512

Haven't tried it yet, but will.


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## eugenemtbing (Nov 16, 2010)

Funny -- I just realized Vik has this video listed in his blog. Sorry!


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## ads-bully (Feb 26, 2013)

vikb said:


> I provided a link to my review of the vargo stove in my post above. It's was underwhelming to use.


Ahh sorry mate, missed that one...


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

eugenemtbing said:


> This seems like a nice alcohol stove design:
> 
> How To Turn A Beer Can Into The Only Camping Stove You'll Ever Need on Vimeo
> 
> Haven't tried it yet, but will.


That lit fast and put out a lot of flame! I might have to try that design. Any idea why he drilled the one little hole between the flame outlets and the rim of the can?


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## eugenemtbing (Nov 16, 2010)

Must be a vent for air intake?

I bought and drank a large lemonaid today, in preparation for my stove!

Got a bottle of ethyl alcohol at the drug store for $2, but wonder if I should have gotten isopropyl/rubbing alcohol.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

hmm, some kind of vent is prolly right. ah, i think it may be to prevent liquid fuel from being forced out of the burner jets.

i use HEET from automotive section of bigboxmart. it is methanol. ethanol supposedly burns ok, but isopropyl is supposedly sooty.


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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

Just made one. I like it better than the one I made with the jet holes. I like that I can put my pot directly on the can. I used Denatured Alcohol and boiled 2 cups of water in under 6 minutes.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

_Stoves gone wild?_... how about wild stoves that are historically traditional ... like an open fire.










Warren.


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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

Campfires are not allowed in my area.


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## tim208 (Apr 23, 2010)

msr pocket rocket. just remember something for a wind screen.


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## eugenemtbing (Nov 16, 2010)

For those who want to live and breathe stove options or, like Vik, just consider themselves stove addicts:

http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/p/who-heck-is-hikin-jim.html?m=1


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## eugenemtbing (Nov 16, 2010)

I made a stove as outlined in that video. Started out with 70% ethyl alcohol. Could not keep it burning with the pot directly on the stove. It would burn OK when I spaced the pot above the stove with 1/8th inch brazing rod laid across the face of the stove, but this was unstable and finicky. The flame was blue and clean.

I then tried HEET (methyl alcohol) and 91% isopropyl alcohol. Both burned well with the pot directly on the stove. It took 8 minutes to boil two cups of cold water with HEET, and 11 minutes with isopropyl alcohol in 60 degree outdoor air temp with very little wind. The HEET burned blue and clean, and the isopropyl burned orange and sooty.

The clear winner is HEET, but it is clearly poisonous/toxic. I would rather use isopropyl or ethyl alcohol, which are actually sold as a skin antiseptic. Not sure if that is feasible though.

In the end, I probably screwed up this stove by enlarging the flumes and adding pin holes, etc., so a new one is in order. It is certainly small and light. The flame is not vigorous, however, which makes me wonder if it would be a PITA to use in the wet, windy, stormy conditions many of us bikepack in.


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## jbphilly (Feb 22, 2012)

Anybody have any good ideas for improvised windscreens? I'm abroad right now and forgot the windscreen that came with my MSR Whisperlite, although I'm using a Pocket Rocket right now.


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## lai (Dec 6, 2011)

Wild Wassa said:


> _Stoves gone wild?_... how about wild stoves that are historically traditional ... like an open fire.Warren.


Always when there is a chance to use open fire I use this military proven mess kit. MILITARÍA 1914


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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

jbphilly said:


> Anybody have any good ideas for improvised windscreens? I'm abroad right now and forgot the windscreen that came with my MSR Whisperlite, although I'm using a Pocket Rocket right now.


I use a sheet of aluminum foil folded over a few times.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

jbphilly said:


> Anybody have any good ideas for improvised windscreens? I'm abroad right now and forgot the windscreen that came with my MSR Whisperlite, although I'm using a Pocket Rocket right now.


I use aluminum roof flashing, but that may not be easy to get. if you cut the top and bottom off of an aluminum can, you will end up with a decent little sheet of aluminum to experiment with.


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

Another option is to make a windscreen from the bottom of an alu baking tray - the disposable type. They are thicker than alu foil and can stand up to a fair amount of abuse.


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## wahday (Mar 23, 2012)

I also use aluminum foil. The restaurant grade is best (snagged from leftovers), but doubling over the consumer grade works fine as well. I make it so the ends overlap so you can fold them together snugly. I like the disposable baking tray idea as well. The whisperlite screen isn't much more than that to begin with.


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

Another vote for the disposable alu pans. But in a pinch the foil is fine. It will burn more easily though when close to the stove flame.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I had an old beat up MSR stove windscreen I cannibalized to make a smaller screen for my beer can stove.










It's got a nice blend of stiffness and flexibility.


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

If you want to make a conical windscreen / pot stand, in post 34 I provided a link to zenstoves.net on how to make the template using your stove/pot dimensions.

Once I got the cone (frustrum) dimensions, I laid out some paper on the kitchen island, taped it down, and used a pencil tied to a string of appropriate lengths to draw the arcs. A little additional friggin'ometry calculated where to draw the side boundaries for the desired radii. That was the hardest part of the effort (must remember to include overlap for the interlock, if any).

After a test fit of the paper template over the stove/pot, I placed it over the bottom of a disposable lasagna pan, traced the outline with a sharpie, then cut with heavy-duty scissors. I punched vent holes every 3/4" or so with a standard paper hole-punch and made a couple of cuts for an integrated interlock.


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## ward (Aug 20, 2009)

Not a choice for "minimalist's", but for those who need (want) to simmer, cook w/ a pan or just want a simple, strong, versitile stove w/ a wide flame and don't mind a few extra ounces, I like the good 'ol Primus Classic Trail (formaly the "Yellowstone"). More often than not, it's "The one that gets used"...


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

You guys got me all fired up to make one of those stoves as well. I like it! Simpler in operation than the penny stove I normally use and almost instantaneous formation of the jets.


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## Coondog#77 (Aug 13, 2012)

TigWorld said:


> You guys got me all fired up to make one of those stoves as well. I like it! Simpler in operation than the penny stove I normally use and almost instantaneous formation of the jets.


Just found a vid on how to make this stove, figured id share.





How To Turn A Beer Can Into The Only Camping Stove You'll Ever Need from Tom Allen on Vimeo.


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## C. Alshus (Jun 29, 2004)

My preferred method.









Propane/bhutan gas:

MSR Whisperlite og Dragonfly.


















White Gas, diesel, Jet A1, etc; Primus Omnifuel.


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## eugenemtbing (Nov 16, 2010)

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but I might try this, as I am a coffee addict. HEET storage elsewhere though.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

instant coffee? why doesn't he just punch a baby?  just go with turkish coffee... cool setup. 

with the heet, if you spill it in the can it evaporates completely, BUT it leaves behind a very bitter residue. i'd definitely want to store it elsewhere too.


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## eugenemtbing (Nov 16, 2010)

A friend of mine carries it in a metal fuel bottle on the back of his seatpost. Nice out-of-the-way spot if you're not using a seat bag.


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## CamoDeafie (Jan 5, 2013)

yeah I understand twigs/sticks not always available for burning, which is why I also have the bbq foldable grill and some sterno cans, and some charcoal bricks...along with the stainless steel canteen cups.


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## fastmtnbiker33w (Feb 3, 2004)

TobyGadd said:


> Stove? What's that?


Says the guy who fired up Apple's stove to make soup.


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## damnitman (Jan 30, 2008)

Has anyone tried the Soto Muka? I have one, though limited experience with it...I've set it up in the yard a few times and so far am very impressed with its function as compared to my Whisperlite Intl. (my previous Gold Standard). A friend used one on a 2,000 mi Alaskan winter odyssey (Anchorage Man Finishes Iron Dog Trail...On A Bike - KTUU.com) and said he really liked his, but I guess I'm curious if anyone else has any experiences...


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## Solo-Rider (Sep 15, 2013)

I sometimes take some cooking gear in my backpack on snowy winter rides. I try to make a small adventure out of it. Even when I'm close to home. 

I love this stove and had it for around 4 years.


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## bornhere (Feb 21, 2009)

Anybody use one of these?
Emberlit

I have one that I have not used yet. I am just planning my first trip and was going to carry it (after some testing) with the Vargo ti as a backup and some esbit tabs as just in case. Mine is the stainless version so not light, but I live in an arid climate so fuel should not be an issue. If it happens to be wet I think I can use an esbit cube to start wet twigs in it while still cooking.

Those beer can stoves are great. I use a similar type that I made from a Venom can (when they used to make them thicker) to start my home fireplace last year. We ordered a cord of wood that turned out to be pretty green still.


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## damnitman (Jan 30, 2008)

I've used a regular Esbit stove with a foil windscreen, they work ok...that Emberlit looks pretty slick. I carry my esbit as a back-up to my Muka on winter fatpacking overnights and in my survival kit while doing non-biking stuff in the woods here in Alaska.


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## outback97 (Oct 3, 2012)

This thread is great, I have not done any bikepacking (just backpacking and car camping) but am dreaming up some trips now thanks to this forum.

I might have missed it but didn't see any reference to the "Fancy Feast" alcohol stove in this discussion.

Fancy Feast Cat Food Can Backpacking Stove - YouTube

I made a couple of these last summer and played around with them on a backpacking trip. Seemed to work quite well with 95% Ethanol. They are very easy to make compared to some other DIY alcohol stoves. Has anyone else here tried one?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I've tried a few cooking setups. This is my current favourite for lightweight bike tours.

vikapproved | Bikepacking Cooking MK2?


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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

vikb said:


> I provided a link to my review of the vargo stove in my post above. It's was underwhelming to use.


Dang, I just ordered the Vargo Triad. I didn't need it, but I was hypnotized by the titanium. Oh well, it can sit and look cool on the shelf if it doesn't work for me.

I also just got a MSR Pocket Rocket for Christmas. It's cool and all, but the fuel tank seems bulky. I think I still prefer my soda can stove, light simple, and effective.


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## Welnic (Feb 6, 2013)

I'm more in the "stove, what's that" category, but I'm mainly going to be bikepacking with my 8 year old son, and I think he would enjoy the camp scene a lot more if there was cooking involved. So thanks to everybody that has posted their take on stoves.


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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

Well, I had good luck with my Vargo Triad. Was a little worried, but I got it to bloom and boiled 2 cups of ice water in about 8 minutes. Total burn time was almost 18 minutes, so I am happy.

One was to speed up blooming is to put a little priming pan under the stove to heat the stove and fuel in it before actually lighting the stove.


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## Om Flyer (Sep 18, 2005)

I've been working on this cook kit lately...
Everything below nests nicely in the SP 600. 

Snow Peak 600 w/silicone handle covers
4 Dog Night Ti Lid
Jetboil fuel can stabilizer (trimmed to fit)
Optimus Crux stove
100g fuel can
mini bic
towel

15.1 oz

Still working on:
Windscreen 
folding Utensil


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## jan_nikolajsen (Oct 28, 2011)

Fize can stove. It roars and does not need a separate stand. Can be refilled with squirt bottle when burning.

The one/two person setup shown below. This is my sons creation, but I use it when I can.









145 grams, or a little more than 5 oz.




Pot cozy made of closed cell foam.


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## mik8yu (Jul 25, 2012)

Couldn't get all the combustion chamber to shoot out flame. Was using 99% alcohol(not sure how truthful was the pharmacy re: content) the flame was yellowish as pictured and left black marks on the cooking pot.

Would adding a bit of water to he fuel help with the burning? The 99% alcohol I was told would absorb moisture in the air is that why it burns yellow and left black charcoal like marks on the pot? It was not so clean afterwards.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

Hard to tell what you got going on there. Post a picture of the stove.


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## mik8yu (Jul 25, 2012)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

mik8yu said:


> Couldn't get all the combustion chamber to shoot out flame. Was using 99% alcohol(not sure how truthful was the pharmacy re: content) the flame was yellowish as pictured and left black marks on the cooking pot.
> 
> Would adding a bit of water to he fuel help with the burning? The 99% alcohol I was told would absorb moisture in the air is that why it burns yellow and left black charcoal like marks on the pot? It was not so clean afterwards.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


IPA burns very dirty, even 90% IPA. I won't pretend to know why but denatured alcohol or HEET in the yellow bottle burns very clean. I ruined my first two homemade stoves using IPA.


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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

mik8yu said:


> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I looks like you don't have jetting vents and you tried to make a double walled stove. Did you follow any instructions or is that a freestyle? I would suggest making one of these: How To Turn A Beer Can Into The Only Camping Stove You'll Ever Need on Vimeo. By far the easiest stove I've made and works great. I always use denatured alcohol. It burns clean.


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## Empty Mags (Jan 30, 2014)

I bought the Optimus Crux HE Weekender set for hunting/camping and it works great. Don't see any reason why I would not include it on longer bike trips once I start riding.


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## willapajames (Dec 18, 2005)

eatdrinkride said:


> IPA burns very dirty, even 90% IPA. I won't pretend to know why but denatured alcohol or HEET in the yellow bottle burns very clean. I ruined my first two homemade stoves using IPA.


Yeah, Isopropyl alcohol sucks as stove fuel. Denatured alcohol or HEET are what you want for sure. When I hiked the AT back in 2000, it wasn't always easy to find denatured alchohol (BTW, denatured alcohol is essentially ethanol with poison in it so you don't drink it) so I had to use isopropyl a few times, and it was garbage.


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## curtboroff (Sep 21, 2010)

bornhere said:


> Anybody use one of these?
> Emberlit
> 
> I have one that I have not used yet. I am just planning my first trip and was going to carry it (after some testing) with the Vargo ti as a backup and some esbit tabs as just in case. Mine is the stainless version so not light, but I live in an arid climate so fuel should not be an issue. If it happens to be wet I think I can use an esbit cube to start wet twigs in it while still cooking.
> ...


My wife got me an emberlit SS for Christmas. I LOVE this stove. I've used it on a couple winter hikes and overnighters, but no extended trips yet. It works great with my beercan alcy stove as well.

Here's a pic of me playing with it for the first time, in a snow hut I built in my backyard.


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## MrMcFeely (Apr 29, 2013)

I just finished a good multi week adventure with a break in the middle for resupply -- used a trangia with a few water bottles of everclear. I like the trangia because it's pretty easy to put the cap on and save fuel vs penny cans where it was possible to save the fuel but not convenient enough for me to do it every time. Like using the everclear because it's not poisonous, it doesn't stink if it gets on other stuff, and it's a great internal and external antiseptic. You can even cut water with it to lower the freezing point.


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## evdog (Mar 18, 2007)

To new ideas!



KazYamamura said:


>


I'm going to have to think about whether I can make this work using the beer can stove while camping


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## Skeeno (Jan 14, 2009)

Tried the popcorn last night. Actually worked pretty well, minus the excessive smoke from the oil.


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## jmmUT (Sep 15, 2008)

MrMcFeely said:


> I just finished a good multi week adventure with a break in the middle for resupply -- used a trangia with a few water bottles of everclear. I like the trangia because it's pretty easy to put the cap on and save fuel vs penny cans where it was possible to save the fuel but not convenient enough for me to do it every time. Like using the everclear because it's not poisonous, it doesn't stink if it gets on other stuff, and it's a great internal and external antiseptic. You can even cut water with it to lower the freezing point.


And of course, you can drink it too if you are feeling particularly hardy


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## wahday (Mar 23, 2012)

My Vargo wood stove arrived in the mail yesterday. $30 including shipping from ebay. It's the steel version and not the Ti one, but it still only weighs 7.4oz and is a little more than half the price. Can be used alone or a windscreen for a beer can alcohol stove which fits nicely inside.

Unpacked it, set it up and let my 13 year old son light the first fire. Was roaring within minutes using leaves, twigs and matches to get it started - no firestarter needed. This thing is awesome! My only complaint is that there is a tab next to the door that keeps coming loose, causing the stove to come undone. Easy fix with a pin or wire stuck through it to keep it in place. But glad I did a dry run first. Here is a link to a video showing the issue and easy fix:






The other thing I will say is that it does require constant feeding or it burns down pretty fast. Which is actually good for me in the arid southwest (where I shouldn't be wandering away from any unattended fires), but something to be mindful of.

And some pics of the stove:


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## chrisx (Mar 4, 2009)

for 70% etheyl 
Use a thin Redbull size can. 
Poke holes in the outer wall about half way down. 
One hole for each flume. 
Bigger than pin holes. 
Outer wall only. 
Works well in hotel rooms.
Very poor in the wind.



eugenemtbing said:


> I made a stove as outlined in that video. Started out with 70% ethyl alcohol. Could not keep it burning with the pot directly on the stove. It would burn OK when I spaced the pot above the stove with 1/8th inch brazing rod laid across the face of the stove, but this was unstable and finicky. The flame was blue and clean.
> 
> I then tried HEET (methyl alcohol) and 91% isopropyl alcohol. Both burned well with the pot directly on the stove. It took 8 minutes to boil two cups of cold water with HEET, and 11 minutes with isopropyl alcohol in 60 degree outdoor air temp with very little wind. The HEET burned blue and clean, and the isopropyl burned orange and sooty.
> 
> ...


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## chrisx (Mar 4, 2009)

here is the video
for 70% ethyl, use a redbull, thin size can, add more flumes, add holes in the outer wall. don´t forget the small hole he poked near the upper lip. 
ethyl burns clean
ethyl can be used for hygiene if there is no water around



*******#77 said:


> Just found a vid on how to make this stove, figured id share.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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