[pct-l] re: Hello & Alcohol Stoves

[Michael Henderson <mhat92@tidepool.com>]

karen wrote:

>>>  Regarding the stove discussions, I wonder if anyone has experience
with the simple alcohol stove in cold weather.  ......Drawbacks are
possible problems locating fuel, denatured alcohol. 
Sometimes on the AT, my friends would be visiting hardware stores to
resupply on fuel whereas I could find white gas in more places.
<<<

i have the trangia alcohol burner, and will be using it on our thruhike
this year.  i've used it in freezing conditions just fine.  i lent it to a
friend who did a fall southbound hike on the AT this year, finishing jan 7.
 he ran into some 5* and 10* weather toward the end.  said it was slower,
but still worked.  the secret is to sleep with the fuel, just like the
butane canisters.  the best part about the trangia is you can store 2-3 oz
of fuel in it, and it is as leak proof as a nalgene.  just put it in a sock
and keep it in the foot of your bag.  i also use a nalgene for my fuel
bottle, so am not afraid of sleeping with that, either.

denatuerd alcohol, paint thinner, lacquer - all pretty much the same thing,
at least as far as burning in a stove goes.  you can also use everclear and
other extremely high proof "drinking" alcohols, not quite as efficient.
rubbing alcohol will also work, less efficient still.  (try to find 90%,
most is 70%).  again, my friend on the AT had to buy rubbing alcohol twice
- it smokes more and you have to use more, but you can get by.

i expect we'll end up having to use rubbing alcohol on the PCT a couple
times, but that doesn't bother me.  (well, it does a little, but not enough
to give up the stove.  in fact, we'll probably do a test hike with rubbing
alcohol, just so we know what to expect).  if regulations permit, i like a
good cooking fire, too.

they're just so EZ!


mike
ke kaahawe, AT92  TYT94  PCT99!
mhAT92@tidepool.com
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