Stoves

[BikeNerd]

I've been trying to find the right stove to take.

White gas stoves leak and are bulky.

Cansiter stoves can explode if you bite it.

Alcohol Stoves?  I found several Do It Yourself Alcohol Stoves on the web and they don't look to bad.  Alcohol is a clean burning fuel and the stoves don't seem to weigh much at all or take up any room.

Here's the best site that I've found so far with lots of links to others.

DIY Alcohol Stove Site

Just in case anyone is looking for a new project.

[Peaks]

Your choice of stove depends on what type of cooking you plan on doing, and how much weight you want to carry.

A homemade alcohol stove (typically called a Pepsi stove or a Cat stove)is very popular among long distance hikers.  The reasons include light weight and cheap to make.  But, alcohol puts out relatively few BTU's.  It's enough if your cooking consists of heating 2 cups of water to boiling and that's about all.  Alcohol can be bought at most paint and hardware stores.

A white gas stove, such as the MSR Whisperlite, is also popular.  Better heat output.  Use unleaded gasoline rather than lug a gallon of coleman fuel with you.  I wouldn't say that a backpacking stove is bulky and leaks.

Canister stoves are also used by some.  However, the canisters can be hard to find in the small towns that the ACA routes typically go through.    

[OmahaNeb]

During the past 30 years of using backpacking stoves, I have never had the stove or the fuel bottle leak.  Keep in mind the seals that keep the fluid in the containers do go bad and need replacement from time to time.

My vote is for the MSR stove that can burn unleaded gas if needed and it is not bulky.  If using unleaded gas, you will have to clean the stove more often.

[mjarvis2]

I think that the MSR Whisperlite is white gas only, whereas the Whisperlite Internationale is multi-fuel.

[Peaks]

AS far as I know, white gas is unleaded gas without additives.  In the days before Coleman fuel, we used Amico gas in our coleman stoves and lanterns because it was the only gas comonly sold without lead in it.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Personally, I use a Coleman Peak 1 (now called Exponent Feather Dual-Fuel) and have done so for the past 21 years. The early models had a leakage problem, but in 1986 they recalled the original Peak 1 and replaced it with the model I carry now. Never had a problem with it, particularly in cold weather.

Last year I won a MSR Wind Pro Iso-Butane fuel stove at an REI cooking contest. It is much lighter, and has become my summer stove. BUT...it is very tippy. I have lost several meals and burned myself a couple times. It does heat faster than the Coleman, but they are both really good stoves.

Ride safe,
Hans


Hans Erdman, WEMT
Backcountry Trail Patrol-MN
www.trailpatrol.org

This message was edited by Trailpatrol on 11-27-04 @ 6:37 PM

[alh]

I also have used Coleman Peak 1 stoves for many years. I prefer using white gas stoves; the fuel is available virtually anywhere in the US and Canada. Gas canisters are sometimes hard to find, and always hard to dispose of; it's also difficult to know exactly how much fuel you really have left.

I have not had problems with fuel leakage, even on the Great Divide route. I pack the stove and fuel bottles upright.

Think about what kind of cooking you plan to do; I tend go all out; including hauling around an Outback Oven. I need a stove that can really simmer, which the Peak 1 does very well. Some stoves, like the MSR Whisperlite, don't simmer very well.

I have also used a MSR Dragonfly, which cooks and simmers quite nicely. It is however *very* loud; my friends prefer that I bring the Peak 1. A friend uses a MSR Simmerlite, which cooks and bakes very well, without the noise.

This message was edited by alh on 11-27-04 @ 10:45 PM

[L540]

Hello, I am a new forum member but a long time cyclist, and a long time Adventure Cyclist member.  My experience with backbacking type stoves is extensive.  I personally use a Coleman peak 1 stove that works on Coleman fuel.

This type of stove has been on sale at Galyan's for about $25 as of late.

I prefer Coleman fuel for several reasons.  It costs about $3.00/gallon, close to the cost of unleaded gas at $2.00/gallon.

It burns very clean.  Coleman fuel is available in almost every town.  Coleman fuel is more efficient than propane.

If I was cycling in an area where I was worried about fuel availability I may consider dual fuel or Kerosene but both of those fuels burn much dirtier than Coleman fuel.

Coleman Fuel is basiclly naptha.  It has many more btu's/pound than propane, about as many as gasoline, and a few less than kerosene.

[Peaks]

Coleman fuel:  I'll agree that it is probably the fuel of choice.  However, the problem I had was that it's usually only sold by the gallon.  Far more than I need to fill my 11 ounce bottle. Therefore, I suggest going to second choice which is unleaded gasoline.  (Hate those gas pumps that make you prepay.)

[JayH]

The only time I haven't seen those gallon Coleman fuel cans is when I've seen smaller MSR brand gas that is actually labelled "white gas" rather than just Coleman Fuel.  However, cost wise, it's almost the same and I haven't seen the MSR brand white gas at campmor recently. A lot of times, I've seen those gallon gas cans at trailheads and some cooking stations when backpacking, but I'll never rely on them to be there.  

Jay  

[jkm4_72]

I built an alcohol stove last year and used it on some cycling trips.  I think they are best suited for trips less than 1 week, only in warm weather, and only when your cooking needs are limited to boiling a couple cups of water.  I'd also be a little leery about finding fuel for it in more remote areas.  The stoves are simple, but require careful measuring to build.  It took 3 tries before I was able to get 1 that was acceptable.

[nc_scott_s]

Hey, I realize all gear is a personal choice, but I'll throw in my two cents...
As noted before, long distance hikers especially love alcohal stoves... hence my bias towards them.
If you don't want to build one, buy a trangia or any of the other comercially available.  Although they put out less heat, its a trip for recreation and relaxation... what is your hurry?  They are not that slow.  IF you include set up time of your white gas stove, the total time is close to the same.  After you descover how light weight they are, you will descover all the other finner points of them.  They are incredibly simple to run.  They are silent.  And the heat is always set close to a simmer so you can cook a wide variety of things, not just two cups of water.  Wind screens definately help.
However, for what ever reason, it seems to take a long trip to appreciate their value.  I set off on the Appilacian Trail swearing I would not use them, now I swear by them.
Good day, the sun is coming up and a dirt road and a bike are calling my name,
Scott

[MikeJuvrud]

If flying is required, I recommend the MSR Whisperlite International 600. It is extremely compact, easy to use and I've used it a lot. You can find suitable fuel easily at almost any location. That way you don't have to worry about how you are either going to bring fuel with on the flight or find fuel when you get off the plane.

[skibc]

If you are going over seas at all look at a stove that can burn any type
of fuel.  As some countries only allow certain types of fuels for sale.  
We have an older Coleman that burns anything, always works and we
always have fuel for it!

Happy pedaling!

Nancy

[SKYMAX]

Ummmmm, what exactly is "White gas"?
We may have another name for it Down Under.


Clear skies, Max.

This message was edited by SKYMAX on 2-14-05 @ 4:44 PM