toejam
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Post by toejam on Dec 26, 2016 7:25:28 GMT -8
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 26, 2016 12:17:36 GMT -8
That was great fun, toejam ! Nice to see that we are already about down to the base weight were most started out.
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on Dec 26, 2016 12:43:33 GMT -8
Great survey and summation. Lot's of data. You can tell it took some time to get it all together. Thanks for the link.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Dec 26, 2016 12:44:46 GMT -8
I was surprised not to see the WB stove listed among the top 5. All of my research tells me it is lighter in the long run than the Pocket Rocket. Availability of alcohol has to be at least as often as canisters.
Keeping in mind that most of these people were young, I am still surprised their Base Weight was so high. Seems to me, a couple of months reading on the net would convince them to get their BW down to under 15.
4+ pr of shoes, heh? If a person knew that in advance, and sent shoes ahead every 500-600 miles, I wonder how that would work out? Might just be easier to buy in towns as needed.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 26, 2016 12:54:54 GMT -8
I was surprised not to see the WB stove listed among the top 5. Me too. I wonder if the use of alcohol stoves got diluted by people using different kinds. 4+ pr of shoes, heh? If a person knew that in advance, and sent shoes ahead every 500-600 miles, I wonder how that would work out? Might just be easier to buy in towns as needed. Since feet might change with that much walking, I'd be reluctant to buy ahead. But it could also be hard to buy in most of those small places. Maybe order ahead from REI with a size adjustment if needed, and hope for the best?
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Post by trinity on Dec 26, 2016 12:55:44 GMT -8
I was surprised not to see the WB stove listed among the top 5. All of my research tells me it is lighter in the long run than the Pocket Rocket. Availability of alcohol has to be at least as often as canisters. I'm pretty sure that alcohol stoves are often banned in sections of the PCT on any given year. All depends on fire conditions, but it probably doesn't make sense to chance it and risk having to purchase a new stove halfway through your trip.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 26, 2016 12:58:43 GMT -8
I'm pretty sure that alcohol stoves are often banned in sections of the PCT on any given year. All depends on fire conditions, but it probably doesn't make sense to chance it and risk having to purchase a new stove halfway through your trip. That may be true, though I can only remember once when they were banned in some part of the Sierra that we were considering visiting. I do remember some serious discussions. OTOH, the WB is so light that I'd take the chance of having to add a can stove for a stretch. I did wonder if people were just too tired to fuss with them. An alky stove does take more patience--a little hard sometimes to get going and keep going, and it takes longer to boil the water. That's not an issue for me the way we hike, but if I were trying to make long days, it might be.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2016 15:54:39 GMT -8
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Dec 26, 2016 21:04:40 GMT -8
4+ pr of shoes, heh? If a person knew that in advance, and sent shoes ahead every 500-600 miles, I wonder how that would work out? Might just be easier to buy in towns as needed. Feet change over time, sometime very quickly. Hoosierdaddy and I picked up three young guys at Julian and one could no longer fit into his shoes. It was just too painful to walk in them. The big problem was that there were no suitable shoes for him in Julian. So they were forced to wait there while shoes were shipped. Hopefully he estimated the correct size. Zappos is one of the best souses for shoes and they have almost all the various brands. Rumi
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Dec 26, 2016 21:07:55 GMT -8
I was surprised not to see the WB stove listed among the top 5. Me too. I wonder if the use of alcohol stoves got diluted by people using different kinds. The PCTA and other groups have made a concerted effort to advise against alcohol stove for use, especially in California. It just makes sense. There may be a few areas which outright ban them now. Rumi
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Dec 27, 2016 5:29:37 GMT -8
4+ pr of shoes, heh? If a person knew that in advance, and sent shoes ahead every 500-600 miles, I wonder how that would work out? Might just be easier to buy in towns as needed. I have a friend whose 5th pair of Salomons was coming apart by the time he got to Stehekin. His resupply box with new shoes got lost in the mail and he had to finish the trail with duct tape holding his shoes together. Stehekin is at the top of the list of places to definitely mail a resupply box, and I don't think buying new shoes was an option. This guy texted his wife with a DeLorme regularly and had her send 30 boxes up the trail. An alky stove does take more patience--a little hard sometimes to get going and keep going, and it takes longer to boil the water. I hear a lot of stories about PCT hikers who don't cook their food, but don't hear about alcohol stoves. I'll shout out to my pal who did it this year and see what he says.
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Dec 27, 2016 12:10:02 GMT -8
An alky stove does take more patience--a little hard sometimes to get going and keep going, and it takes longer to boil the water. I hear a lot of stories about PCT hikers who don't cook their food, but don't hear about alcohol stoves. I'll shout out to my pal who did it this year and see what he says. Going stoveless is the latest fad on the PCT at least. At some point eliminating weight turns what should be an enjoyable journey into a sufferfest. Going stoveless might be that point for me. Rumi
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Dec 27, 2016 12:22:24 GMT -8
The PCTA and other groups have made a concerted effort to advise against alcohol stove for use, especially in California. My friend reports that the potential for having them banned was the big reason he didn't see PCT hikers using them. The reason he personally used a JetBoil was because it was fast and easy at the end of long days. Here in the west I only see old guys using alcohol stoves. I think it's dumb to lump them in the same fire risk category as campfires, and I've seen them be reliable in the woods. Are they popular with younger hikers on the AT?
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Post by trinity on Dec 27, 2016 12:37:13 GMT -8
I think it's dumb to lump them in the same fire risk category as campfires Maybe not the same category as campfires, but I definitely consider them more of a risk than the average canister stove. Once you have some experience with them, absolutely, they are safe and reliable. But it is easy for a beginner to make mistakes, in part because it's difficult to tell whether or not it is lit, in part because it has no off valve, and in part because if you accidentally tump it over, you apray liquid fire all around you, which is potentially far more dangerous than tipping over a canister stove, which has a more contained flame. I can speak from experience, as someone who is still not too far up the learning curve on alky stoves. In a dry environment, a minor mistake could easily be catastrophic.
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Dec 27, 2016 13:03:22 GMT -8
The issue with alcohol stoves as far as fire danger is concerned is that there is no positive shut off. When the danger of fire becomes great like the last few years in California, the officials try to be proactive.
Acquiring canister gas is not an issue on the PCT.
Rumi
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