|
Camping stoves are a pain, Some use fuels
that are difficult to find, while others need to have their jets
cleaned regularly. They all are affected to some extent by
altitude and cold weather. They require you to carry canisters
of fuel that can cook five meals, even if you only plan to cook
once. Some of these fuels can be expensive as well.
What is a backpacker to do? Well, I don't have a rundown of all
the different camping stoves here. Most of them are really too
heavy for lightweight backpacking. I am going to make one
general suggestion, then, for a cheap and light stove. Then I'll
discuss an even simpler option.
Alcohol Backpacking Stove
An alcohol stove is one of the lightest options available. They
are light, the fuel is available everywhere, and it is cheap.
It's safe to carry alcohol because it isn't explosive. You can
carry the exact amount of fuel you need, and you can carry it in
almost any container.
This explains why the Pepsi-can-stove became popular with
ultralight backpackers. If you have seen it described on the
net, you know the do-it-yourself diagrams are sometimes hard to
understand. For simplicity, my own Pepsi can stove is just the
cut-off bottom of a pop can that you burn alcohol in, and cook
over.
This version isn't the most convenient, and it works
poorly, but it weighs less than an ounce. Use a few rocks to put
the pot on, with the stove in the middle. Sometimes I may rig a
quick tripod of sticks to hang the pot from, or use whatever
works at the moment.
Don't try this at home. Buy a commercially made one. Outdoor
stores and others have some that are under 2 ounces, and they
are designed to preheat and vaporize the alcohol for much better
performance than I get from mine.
Alcohol doesn't burn very hot, so it isn't recommended if you will be
backpacking in the winter. A white gas camping stove would be a
better choice for that.
What kind of alcohol do you use? Any of the following:
Denatured alcohol. You can find it in hardware stores in the paint thinner
section.
Gas treatment. This is the stuff meant to remove the water from your car's
gas lines and tank. Just look at the ingredients to be sure it
is alcohol. You can find it in any place that sells car-related
products.
Rubbing alcohol. This works, but not as well . The advantage of it is that
you can buy it in virtually any pharmacy, grocery store or
dollar-store. Avoid the ones with colors or scents added.
Stove fuel. Some camping stores are now selling alcohol for
stoves.
You can carry alcohol in a plastic container. I use an
eight-ounce mini soda bottle. An ounce for a stove and an ounce
for the fuel container - that's keeping it light.
How much fuel should you bring? Do the math. Practice with your
stove to see how much fuel it takes you to cook a pot of soup.
Then multiply that by the number of meals you plan to cook on
your trip. Add an extra ounce or two, just in case.
If you have actually never owned a camping stove, except for
homemade pepsi-can can stove. You can eat granola bars and nuts
and tortilla chips for days on end without problems. I forage
for fresh food along the trail as well.
Use a small aluminum pan. It holds a quart and weighs just two
ounces. You can use it to heat water in over a twig-fire, so I
can have hot tea made of whatever wild herbs are available.
Still, even this pan is a rare addition to my packing list. I
just don't need hot meals or drinks to be happy, even on
week-long trips. There are so many healthy and delicious
ready-to-eat food options now.
The advantages of camping without a stove are clear. There is
less weight to carry. You eliminate not only the weight of the
stove itself, but also the weight of the fuel and the cooking
pot and spoon. Life on the trail is much simpler as well - no
time spent cooking or cleaning pots.
Obviously a backpacking stove is not a necessity, except when
needed to melt snow or ice for drinking water. However, we are
all different. You do backpack for enjoyment, and if that meant
I needed a hot meal for dinner, bring a stove. In other
words, you have to figure this one out for yourself.
------------------
Key Points
1. Alcohol stoves are the lightest and cheapest stoves for
backpacking.
2. There are several types of alcohol you can use in them.
3. You don't necessarily need to bring a camping stove.
-------------------
Use film canisters for carrying things when backpacking. I
usually label them with a piece of masking tape on the side. Put
them in a plastic bag for extra security - the tops will
sometimes pop off. Of course, these may be hard to find soon,
with everyone using digital cameras.
Toothache? Pieces of oak bark can be chewed for relief. Don't
take it from the trunk, but scrape softer pieces off branches.
Use in moderation, as the tannic acid can be hard on the
stomach.
To test a tent site, lay out your ground cloth and lay down on
it to see if it is a comfortable place. Remove rocks and sticks.
You can even scrape a small depression where your hip will be,
for greater comfort.
|
