Reddit reviews Esbit Ultralight Folding Pocket Stove with Six 14g Solid Fuel Tablets

It’s a solid fuel camp stove. The metal part folds out and you sit a pot on top of it. The fuel blocks are burned one at a time but are stored inside of it when not in use.

Edit: similar to this

Camping stoves are less than $10, and the fuel will last for a couple days worth of dinners. Fried eggs and Grilled cheese can help keep you warm!

Plus you can justify the cost by actually using the food you've already got. Plan B would be to buy the fuel and make a stove out of a used can, but that's more dangerous for most people.

Well, that's only the top part. You still need the fuel.

I initially thought you were linking to something like the Esbit stove. I have one. Was able to warm up a can of ravioli and make some hot tea.

I'm fully clothed wearing a coat. Homeless challenge.

Backpack - $12.95
headlamp - $10.17
sleeping bag - $24.00
travel toothbrush + paste set - $4.90
Dr Bronner Soap - $4.99
baby wipes - $3.95
Good pocket knife - $12.99 metal spork - $2.16 pot - $8.96 stove + fuel - $10.99 $96.06 add on a bottle of water and bic lighter from a store and that's it.

Well that can be a long list... here goes though:

Water

Dehydrated food

Cooking utensils (I just bring a small pot/cup and a spork personally)

Stove

Sleeping bag

Tent (two pound, two person from Big 5)

550 paracord

2 tarps

Katadyn base camp filter

Sunshade for camping pad

Multi-tool

Compass

Map

Lighter & matches

Water purifying tablets

I'm sure I'm leaving a few things off, but those are several of the basics

I use an alcohol stove. The one I have is made by these guys from those heavy aluminum beer bottles. It will not crush easily and comes with a windscreen. You could just make your own though.

There are other companies who make alcohol stoves and even sell them on Amazon.

Lots of people like Esbit stoves but the fuel is harder to come by.

For a canister stoves I think UL folks go with the MSR Pocket Rocket but I am not sure because I haven't used one in over 8 years.

Over the past year I've been piecing together camping gear. I ultimately plan on doing backpacking trips once I become a more experienced camper, and graduate college. Growing up, I went camping frequently but never really did any backpacking or primitive camping where you have to hike to the campsite - my dad always took us to the campsites you can drive up to. My friend, who boasts about the camping etiquette and survival skills he learned in boy scouts, justly criticizes my experience camping - which is limited to campsites that don't require you to pack light and have easy access to water (and restrooms). For example, I've never had the opportunity of digging a hole to shit in. Do I just dig a hole with my hands? Do I need to bring a shovel? How much toilet paper do I need to bring for a 2-3 day trip? I know I have to bring the used paper with me, so how do you recommend carrying trash in general?

Things like this I figure I'd learn overtime. And I do plan on pacing myself; I'm going to work my way up from 1-2 day trips to 2-3 day trips to 4-5 day trips, and ultimately something like the Appalachian Trail. My favorite place to go camping is Big Bend National Park, and there's a 2-3 day trip I'd like to do sometime this year.

I guess my main questions are:

1. How would you recommend starting off? Would a couple of 2-3 day backpacking trips, with my friend, be a good place to start?
   
2. Is my gear sufficient? Is there anything I'm missing?
   
3. Any general tips, book or gear suggestions.
   
   Here's a list of my gear:
   
   

• REI Passage 2 Tent
  
• Osprey Volt 75 Backpack w/ bladder
  
• Marmot Trestles 30 Sleeping Bag and a sleeping pad
  
• Hammock (which I think, if i'm using a tent, would make for a great pillow when it's folded up)
  
• Mess Kit and utensils
  
• Fuel Tablet Camping Stove
  
• Rechargeable flashlight
  
• A small, rechargeable lantern
  
• 2 multi-tool pliers - one big, one small
  
• 2 knifes
  
• First aid kit
  
  Also, I plan on getting a pair of hiking boots this summer. Any suggestions?
  
  edit: grammar

I just recently went on my first backpacking trip. It was just an overnight trip, but I used this: http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO

It was the cheapest (10 dollars including enough fuel for a day or two), smallest stove I could find, it was rated well and I got free shipping. After using it, I was very happy with it. I used it to boil water for coffee, and I cooked hotdogs and chili with it as well.

I was literally just using it on the ground (and I only brought a small lantern and some glow-sticks with me for light. I was able to cook on it in the dark nonetheless. Super easy and effective.

If I decide to go on longer trips, I might get something bigger, but then again I might not. It's pretty awesome.

The only downside is that the fuel has a bad odor, and you have to wash your hands (or wear gloves) when handling it. Simple problem to fix though. Just don't sit downwind of it and keep your food covered if possible.

Pretty sure this is a portable camp stove. You would maybe soak that pad in alcohol and set a pot on top. Something similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1539965937&sr=8-14&keywords=camp+stove+folding

Pot $12 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004Z10XTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ZcYNyb0J85PK0

Folding stove and fuel $10 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C1UGVO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_phYNybV3AVZ1B

Not throwing money at a deceptive half assed kickstarter $ !=

Edit: and look a huge kit on sale https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GG5FXHW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_zkYNybKKJMJZR

Wow. Yea I can see that.

Someone should write a book; a street survival nutrition guide. It's not easy to buy the kind of food that works best in those situations from regular grocery stores.

Edit: we've been fly fishing out in the middle of nowhere for so long I can cook a surprising amount of stuff on this little stove the size of a pack of cigarettes, called an Esbit stove. Once you have the little stove, moreover, which costs about $10, the solid fuel pellets are really cheap. I could write an Esbit stove healthy field cooking cookbook.

Purchases so far:

• Esbit stove. Haven't had a chance to use it yet.
  
  
• Solar 5 Battery/Charger First use last weekend. Really love it so far.
  
  
• LMF "Spork"
  
  On the to-buy list, I'm hoping to get into ultralight + hammock camping for the summer:
  
  
• Exos 48 Pack
  
  
• Hennessy Hammock Expedition
  
  Also do you guys have any recommendations for a warm-weather sleeping bag? I live in GA so past April, the lows only get into the 60-70 range on a "cold" night. I'm almost leaning towards Hammock + just a warm camp blanket. Any thoughts?

Then go with the MSR Whisperlite that /u/gcranston recommends. However, it doesn't use ISO-Butane as suggested. It uses white gas. It is very easy to get a hold of here in the US. I have had one for almost 20 years and it still works wonderfully.

You have to purchase the bottle separately, but they aren't that expensive. Just make sure that you use a windscreen. It improves the cooking time significantly. You can easily make one.

I've used the Esbit (http://amzn.com/B001C1UGVO) stoves before too and they work. They don't work super fast, but if you are cooking something for one, you can't really get any cheaper. If you are only cooking for yourself or just heating things up, these little stoves work well. Every time I have used one, I have had people tell me that it will never work, how silly I look with them and how cheap I am, but they are small and cheap. Again, you need a windscreen for these to work.

How long would one of those little 8ounce gas cans last for?

Also, whats the benefit to gas cans vs solid fuel like this

Usually I eat at the camp site or close to it. But in case I want a cup of tea/coffee I carry an [Esbit Stove] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001C1UGVO/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481712503&sr=8-2&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=Esbit&dpPl=1&dpID=31ZdIVkJyJL&ref=plSrch)

It packs small, costs nearly nothing and is capable to heat an occasional can of food as well

Edit: formatting

Anybody can understand that. It wasn't what I said. Read what I actually wrote. I am speaking specifically about THIS POST. OP in THIS POST spent at least $10 on these supplies. Yes, many people have these things and can make one for cheap or free even. No one is arguing that. What I was saying is that even if you can build one of these for $1-2 and another $1-2 on fuel, they are still half way to the cost of a real lightweight stove that will work in all conditions and last a long time and actually work repeatedly and as expected.

For a fun/novel thing to do, there is nothing wrong with it. If you would rather have this than even an esbit tablet (which would still cost less than this stove + fuel and be lighter and not make a mess and work in almost all conditions), then that is your choice. I wouldn't and I have made many makeshift stoves and gear of all sorts. Sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn't. This is onetime that it is a false economy.

Edit: For anyone that wants to see what I am talking about, at even a bit of a high price on Amazon you can get six Esbit tabs and the stove for $10, which is about $1 per use and not far off what an alcohol stove will cost to run. One tab also will actually boil water in most circumstances in 8 minutes or less: https://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO/

Esbit is a similar fuel type (solid). It would work better for camp cooking than sterno.

• https://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO

Here is from the budget backpacker:

Stove: esbit is 6.3 oz with 6 fuel cubes (weight includes fuel) for <$11.00: http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462135828&sr=8-1&keywords=esbit+stove

Pot: GSI stainless weighs 5 oz for <$10.50 http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-Glacier-Stainless-Bottle/dp/B001LF3IB6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1453225574&sr=8-6&keywords=backpacking+pot

Utensil: I use a standard aluminum fork and spoon because they weigh less than an ounce each, but you can also look at this:

Toaks titanium spork weighs 0.6 oz for <$9.00 http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-SLV-01-Titanium-Spork/dp/B009AO19MK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462136083&sr=8-1&keywords=toaks+titanium+spork

Once again, not 100% ultralight, but pretty light weight and a good starting place for a beginner.

I have this mini, portable stove on my WL.

So you could do the chopping, and I could do the cooking?

You can also get an Esbit version. They're nice because they can hold a fair bit of fuel in a pretty small package. It comes with a screw top and an O-ring, so you can fill it with fuel, put it out, and seal it back up with no wasted fuel. They're also lightweight, and you can use over the counter rubbing alcohol for fuel - although the BTUs on that sort of stuff might be inferior to other fuels. I don't know.

The only thing I WILL say about them, though, is that I'd recommend keeping it relatively warm in colder weather. I've found that my alcohol stove simply refuses to start if its too cold, and so the last time I went out I kept it in my sleeping bag with me while I slept, and it fired up without much trouble in the morning.

Also would recommend some sort of windscreen, just in case. Esbit does also make another UL stove that uses their fuel tablets, which the alcohol stove can fit into (but getting it lit requires a little extra effort either getting it into the slots, or lighting it while its in the slots).

Of course, there's also always these guys also by Esbit, which you can store the fuel cells in when its folded. The only thing I don't like about them (which take with a giant grain of salt, because I'm 100% an amateur to all of this) is that you're limited with the fuel cell and the length of burn. You don't end up wasting any excess fuel with the alcohol stove. Also, you do get the added benefit, if you're using rubbing alcohol for fuel, of having an antiseptic available in a pinch.

Finally, an option to keep the whole package on the small end, you have these little guys as pot stands. They work great to keep my pot elevated off the stove, but I will say that they do seem to get in the way of the burn a bit and inhibit some of the airflow, but not enough to be a huge issue. They fit into the Esbit alcohol stove perfectly, but again, you might be better off with something that lifts the pot up a bit more for a better burn. I think they're designed to be used with the their own brand of alcohol stove, though, so that's probably why they don't work great.