[pct-l] stove comparison chart

[verber at gmail.com (Mark Verber)]

Jay.. that's a pretty good list. I am an alcohol stove user, but I would add
two additional downsides. One is that some places ban them during periods of
high fire danger. They are afraid that an open fuel stove will be kicked
over and the forest will go up in flames. The second downside is that with a
few exceptions, alchohol stoves don't simmer.

I am not sure what you comments about canister stoves losing pressure is
about. I have used my at 14K ft without any issues. If anything, the
canisters would see to have more pressure at altitude.

My summary of different stove types can be found:
http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/misc.html#stoves

On 9/23/05, Jay Willis <jwillis@viclink.com> wrote:
>
> Deems, these are excellent! I've just brushed over them, but these sites
> are just what I was hoping for.
>
> I've come up with a cursory list of pros and cons of the stove types
> that I could think of:
>
> Alcohol
> pros: easy-to-build, inexpensive, light weight, availibility
> cons: less heat output than other fuel types
>
> Canister
> pros: easy to operate, quick to setup
> cons: canister loses pressure with altitude, explosive situation if
> windscreen placed too close to canister, canister needs to be kept warm
> during cold weather
>
> Esbit
> pros: can't spill, or leak in your pack
> cons: leaves soot on pot
>
> White gas
> pros: high heat output; preferred method for melting snow
> cons: noisy, heavy, cost, susceptible to clogging
>
> Wood (Zip, Trailstoves)
> pros: don't need to carry fuel, reducing pack weight
> cons: leaves soot on pot
>
> I'd appreciate any comments/additions/corrections to my list.
>
> Thanks,
> Jay
>
>
>