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Post by flyinion on Jan 27, 2016 10:43:08 GMT -8
Hi guys, so I realized I'm still missing one critical piece of equipment as I get everything ready for my first backpacking trip in decades later this Spring. That would be something to cook with. I think I'd prefer a canister based stove of some kind although I'm not opposed to the refillable fuel bottle as long as there's a low risk of leaking (and I have no idea what they are filled with). I was originally thinking of a MSR pocket rocket but then I realized I'd have to find some sort of small pot to go with it. So I'm thinking maybe an integrated "system" would be a better choice like the MSR Windburner. What do you guys think? The only thing I've ever used previously, well, I didn't use it because I was like 6 years old but my parents would use some burner that screwed onto a canister and whatever pot you brought would sit on that. Of course that was in the late 70's so I'm sure things have changed. It looked something like this www.rei.com/product/636832/primus-yellowstone-classic-trail-stove
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Post by flyinion on Jan 27, 2016 10:57:28 GMT -8
Oh, I just remembered what I was looking at a few months back trying to be cheap about it. I think I was looking at the pocket rocket from MSR and this for a cookset to go with it www.rei.com/product/830766/gsi-outdoors-pinnacle-soloist-cookset Puts me at roughly 2/3's the cost of an integrated system like the Windburner,
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Post by hikerjer on Jan 27, 2016 11:08:04 GMT -8
I have both a pocket rocket and the GSI system you posted. I'm well pleased with both. Canister stoves have their drawbacks - deposal of empty canisters, you really never know exactly how much fuel you have left and they are not very efficient in cold weather, but for convenience, they are hard to beat. I also have a MSR Whisperlite but seldom use it except in the winter. The pocket rocket is pretty much my go to stove. As for the fuel bottles, Sigg and MSR make ones in various sizes that hold your white gas. I've never had one leak.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Jan 27, 2016 11:16:44 GMT -8
Are open fires allowed? Do you want one? Will it be cold? Will you be at altitude? I'd stay away from the refillable ones unless you need it. They're bulkier and heavier (I recently used one for a month, but I had no choice). Canister stoves are a good place to start. The Pocket Rocket is a good choice. The Pinnacle system will work well except for the crummy spork. Get a good long handled spoon like this. The long handle makes it better for stirring as well as reaching deep into food pouches (if you're using them). I've come to prefer plastic to metal.
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Jan 27, 2016 11:26:14 GMT -8
Whichever stove you get, less moving parts equals less maintenance in general. Bells and whistles are what you want to avoid. They only pay off in the short run. Pocket rockets are talked about frequently in the forums. As mentioned, temperature range has much to do with most people's choice in a stove. White gas performs better in cold (in general) than canister stoves although with some skill, anything for the most part can be made to work in most conditions. After many years, my primary stove is also my cheapest (Whitebox Alcohol stove). Mind you, it's taken skill to learn how to use it in different conditions and many environments don't allow it (Depending on the area you hike in). For me and the places I hike, it is perfect - no moving parts, ultralight (1 oz), and..well, just works.
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trinity
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Post by trinity on Jan 27, 2016 11:29:32 GMT -8
Are you planning to actually cook, or just boil water for dehydrated meals? I only do the latter, so a basic canister stove works well for me. My go to is a Snowpeak Gigapower, not all that different from the pocket rocket--a blowtorch with a tightly focused flame well suited for boiling water efficiently, but now so great for sauteing or simmering. I have a soloist cookset, and it is just fine, but much more weight and bulk than I actually need for my purposes, so I just pair my gigapower with a Snowpeak Trek 700 mug, perfect for boiling water as well as holding my morning coffee and my evening whiskey. Another option might be the GSI minimalist, which is what my wife uses. Like Hikerjer, I have an old Whisperlight that I never use anymore, the canister is just so danged easy. I recently added a Kovea Spider and a Caldera Cone to my stable (yes, I have a problem). Used the Spider on my last trip and loved it, a bit bigger than the giga, but much more stable, allows for the use of a windscreen, and the canister can be inverted in colder weather for liquid feed. I have not used the Caldera Cone yet, but I might take it for a spin next week. This is a great place to do a little research: Adventures in Stoving
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Post by flyinion on Jan 27, 2016 11:54:16 GMT -8
Thanks guys. I will probably most likely just be boiling water for things like pouch meals or coffee or instant oatmeal or something like that. I'm not planning on trying to do a whole lot of "real" cooking on it. Also not planning on much/any cold weather/winter use. Sounds like the pocket rocket or similar might be a good choice then paired with a small pot/cup set.
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tomas
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Post by tomas on Jan 27, 2016 12:13:35 GMT -8
Also not planning on much/any cold weather/winter use. Sounds like the pocket rocket or similar might be a good choice then paired with a small pot/cup set I use a 700ml pot or a 400ml cup with my Pocket Rocket and have no problems with it. As Jer mentioned above there are some drawbacks to a canister stove, but convenience typically trumps them. For a longer and/or a colder trip I would use my Whisperlite stove that is darn near bulletproof. Never had an issue with the canister leaking. A lot of people here swear by their alky stoves. I've a Trangia that has an integrated windscreen/pot stand that I use in the summer time quick overnights or long dayhikes when I want to sit and boil up some lunch. My confidence levels are not as high with an alky stove as they are with the other two systems, but that's really more on me than the systems.
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amaruq
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Post by amaruq on Jan 27, 2016 12:30:54 GMT -8
I use the Optimus Crux canister stove and the aforementioned GSI Soloist (and doubly suggest investing in a better spork). The stove folds up small enough to tuck away into the domed bottom of a canister. As tigger said, with a bit of know-how, one can make most stoves work in various conditions.
That is to say, I keep the pressure in the canister up by storing it in my pants for a bit prior to boiling water.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2016 12:52:26 GMT -8
I used to weigh my canisters, at home to get an idea of how much fuel is left. I now use the float the canister in water method to get an idea of remaining fuel. See Link below for one way of measuring the remaining fuel. fuel remainingPutting the canister in the sleeping bag, with me at night helps things along on those colder mornings.
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Post by snappypepper on Jan 27, 2016 13:34:55 GMT -8
We use a Jetboil Minimo (mostly just for boiling water), and we have camped in 30 degree weather with no issues. It has a great igniter and simmer control which is nice. It's been a solid stove for us and my SO greatly prefers it to his old MSR Whisperlite.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Jan 27, 2016 13:41:25 GMT -8
To follow up on what others have said:
I also have an Optimus Crux mentioned by amaruq, the folding version, and like it. There's potentially a part that can fail that isn't in the non-folding version, but it's pretty heavy duty. The Crux is similar to the Pocket Rocket - made for canister fuel.
As for times when a bottle or multifuel stove is required I use an Optimus Nova (not the Nova+), and used it on a recent trip to Patagonia, where open fires aren't allowed and canister fuel can be hard to find. It's less efficient (at least in my hands) and requires more maintenance than other types of stove, but if open fires aren't allowed and you can't count on finding canister fuel, well, it's a good option which has been used thousands of times. You'll need to learn the differences between the various types of fuel if you go this route, which is why it's not recommended for starters, not to mention the fact that you may never need a multifuel stove. It's similar to the Whisperlite tomas mentioned.
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Post by Coolkat on Jan 27, 2016 13:49:30 GMT -8
and the aforementioned GSI Soloist (and doubly suggest investing in a better spork). Here here!! Replace the spork. I invested 8 bucks in a folding titanium spork.
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Post by Westy on Jan 28, 2016 7:23:52 GMT -8
Cook or Boil?
3-Season or 4-season?
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jan 28, 2016 8:44:13 GMT -8
Boiling water in 3 seasons, I use a White Box Stove $20 and a GSI tea kettle $23. The Pocket Rocket is $40 alone. It is a good stove, and I used one for almost 5 years before moving over to an alcohol stove. Both stoves require a pot with at least a 6 inch bottom to make the most of their burn pattern.
As for what to carry the alcohol in, there are many options, including a small soda bottle, or an 8 ounce water bottle. Just make sure to label it so no one drinks out of it.
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