availability of stove fuel (esp. Trangia)

[misterflask]

I am a trangia fan, attracted to the simplicity, silence in use, and odorless spills.  On a TA in 2012, I was able to easily buy yellow HEET methanol fuel whenever needed.  But on a drive to a recent backpacking trip I discovered that the yellow HEET had disappeared from convenience store shelves in the southeast.  Any Trangia users care to comment on recent availability of fuel?

I also have a jetboil clone.  You can buy isobutane cans at any backpacking nexus, but I'm not sure about availability on the road. Again, any comments?

[John Nettles]

HEET is often available only in the winter in warmer climates.  However, if you go to any Walmart (lots in the SE) or an auto-parts store like Autozone or O'Reillys, you should be able to find it year round.  To be sure, call a Walmart on your route now to check. 

You can also buy methanol in hardware and paint stores.

Tailwinds, John

[John Nelson]

Interesting information. I've never had trouble finding yellow HEET, but now I'm aware of the potential problem. Since yellow HEET is sold primarily as a fuel system antifreeze, it makes sense that some outlets would only have it available in the winter, and outlets in warm areas might not carry it at all. In addition to convenience stores and gas stations, you might also look for HEET in grocery stores. If you can't find the yellow HEET, you can use the red HEET, but it's sootier.

If you can't find HEET, as John Nettles said denatured alcohol should be available in paint and hardware stores regardless of season. But you'll probably have to buy a quart, which may be more than you want at one time. You could also try camping or outdoors stores, but those stores are harder to find in the middle of nowhere.

In a pinch, you could buy isopropanol alcohol (rubbing alcohol) at any drug store, but  the common 70% doesn't burn very well. If you are lucky, you might find some 90%+ isopropanol alcohol.

If you are really desperate, you can buy everclear (grain alcohol) at any liquor store. It burns very well, but it'll probably cost more than just going into a restaurant and buying dinner.

[staehpj1]

I never counted on convenience stores for yellow Heet unless it was one that had a lot of automotive stuff, but always was able to find it at any auto parts store, walmart, or other big box store that had much automotive stuff.

As John said if you don't find yellow Heet any paint store, Lowes, Home Depot, or decent hardware store should have denatured alcohol, but usually the smallest they will have is a quart. That is a lot more than I ever want to carry at one time, but in a pinch...

I've never had to resort to Everclear, but it looks like it would be a last resort solution.