(Part 2) Best backpacking & camping stoves & grills according to redditors
We found 910 Reddit comments discussing the best backpacking & camping stoves & grills. We ranked the 260 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
First answer this - 'What are you prepping for?' Do you live in a hurricane/tornado prone area? Do you expect to be out of power/water for any length of time? Start by preparing for expected emergency like loss of power for a few days, and work your way up to the unexpected.
Prepping should also be about being frugal. There's no point in going out and buying stuff just to have it. It should be something you could/will use. Start off by picking several canned food items you normally eat and making note of how much they cost. Then, when they are on sale, buy several extra. Date them, and stash them away. Remember to rotate them into your pantry before buying more. If you do this, soon you'll have several days or weeks worth of food, for not much expense. Just be sure to check it like once a week and rotate/restock it. We were without power for 11 days during hurricane Ike, and having food handy (and a stove like this one ) REALLY made life much more comfortable.
Another biggie is water. Do you have a pool? You shouldn't drink it, but you could use that for washing and to flush the toilets. Storing water long term is a whole other topic, but do your homework and get several gallons. Same rule applies as the food - date and rotate.
Create a Zombie bag. And no, I don't mean in case of ACTUAL zombies (if you're worried about them, you have bigger issues). I mean a folder or bag with a copy of all your important docs (Driver license, credit cards - both sides, marriage/birth certs, SS, etc) Put 20-50 bucks in there each payday till you have enough to keep yourselves feed, hotel, gas, etc for several days. Also, you should have a copy of whatever account numbers with contact info, passwords, etc you might need to access bank accounts, etc while at a friends, hotel, or on the road. Of course, it should be somewhere SAFE!!!! but quickly accessible if you have to dash unexpectedly. Think what it would take to keep going or recreate your life if you lost everything in a fire. Don't assume you'll have your purse. Have a backup of everything.
Do you go camping? If not, try an overnight trip. Look at what you actually use, and what you bring and could do without. Surviving comfortable for a couple days will teach you a lot about what you should stock up on.
Too small is a subjective matter. I've always been a fan of tight spaces and as a kid, loved to make forts and have a cozy little spot to call home for a while. (Feels kinda like a big kid fort that I also get to drive.) To an outsider's perspective, this space looks stupidly-small, but the reality is that I feel like I have plenty of space to live. I consider myself living in an "adventure-mobile" more so than a van-dweller. My dwelling is my truck, sure, but I spend most of my time outside of it. All of my storage can easily be stowed beneath my bed. (The blue box in the photo doesn't fit but I could get a smaller box if needed; plus it's got all my clothes in it so the accessibility is nice. There's additional space underneath that's not visible in this picture.)
How do I cook? I picked up one of these and keep a number of dry foods on hand.
Does it get too hot or cold? The answer is that it depends. My blankets keep me plenty warm; but out here in Southern Utah it is very warm. I keep a spray bottle fan at my side, as well as a cold bottle of water to keep cooled. I also sleep with my sunroof tilted up for ventilation, but that doesn't affect the temperature much. I read somewhere on here about a styrofoam cooler, dry ice, and a fan as a make-shift air conditioner and I'm trying to find more information on that. I don't want to die from inhalation. Might just muscle it out until I can buy something more practical.
Also, it's so easy to be stealth and discreet in here. I've posted in the past how I built my window blackout using Reflectix and a curtain behind the driver/passenger seats. Going to find a link to that post now and put in this comment.
Here's a link to the build process and the window panels.
The platform is 2" taller in this photo as I cut down the height after I got on the road.
I'd be happy to provide how I built the panels for anyone that's curious.
Get a $35 Butane/propane cooktop.
https://www.amazon.com/GS-3400P-Portable-Backpacking-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/B01HQRD8EO/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1540204781&sr=1-3&keywords=butane+propane+stove
They are much more versatile, the fuel is so cheap that you never recover the amount you invest in your electrical system.
Yes you can use them inside. No they don't produce much poison (on Butane) .
Further you can take the stove outside to a picnic bench when you got good weather and have friends over. With the induction cooktop you are always inside.
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The microwave should be OK to run from the alternator. I'm running a 700w coffeemaker from a 1000w inverter 215ah battery and 200w solar. Every day and my alternator charges the battery always when I'm driving
Get you're self one these super light and solid stoves only $17. I've had one going for over a year now with no issues, I know folks who have had them for longer. Then find a titanium pot and spork. I really like this one. There are cheaper ones but titanium is the way to go. Save money with the cheap stove and get the light weight pot instead. This set up is all you need and will save you weight and allow you to carry more camera gear.
In the interest of disclosure, I am an REI retail employee.
Let's start with sleeping bags. The Marmot Tressels is probably your best bet under $100, but it's definitely on the heavy side for a backpacking bag. If you can bump up to the $150 range you can get into the Kelty Cosmic Down or Marmot Tressels Elite, which will be substantially lighter and more compact.
For pads, you've got pretty good options. The Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Ultra, the REI Flash or Stratus, various Therm-a-rests or Klymits...it's a pretty wide open field.
Good packs are hard to find for under $100 new, but are much more trustworthy used than bedding. Check out Ebay or Craigslist.
Failing that, the Kelty Redwing is a pretty respecable pack for the lower end of the price spectrum.
In terms of tents, there are plenty of good 3-person options under $300, the lightest of which I can think of off the bat is the Kelty TraiLogic.
For stoves...this is among the best camp stoves I've ever used. Does not need to be complicated.
For cooking, there are a fair few hard-anodized aluminum camp cook kits on Amazon for fairly cheap that will do just fine. For 3 people, look for the largest pot to be in the 1.5-2 liter range.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
-This was generous gift from my SO's mom. It may not be the best tent out there, but at free it can't be beat.
-Got this for its small size and light weight. Future winter camping trips are a possibility, in which case I plan on snagging a wool blanket of sleeping bag liner.
-Simple basic sleeping pad, I've been using these since scouts and have wanted for nothing more, especially because of its light weight.
-In the event of winter camping, is this enough to insulate from the ground? If not, what could be added to my sleep system to keep me insulated from the ground?
-Lightweight and simple, these were cheap and seemed straight forward.
-They stack with the majority of either piece's empty space facing each other, allowing for decently dry storage for matches etc. inside.
-Comes with a tight fitting mesh ditty bag
-Another straight forward and cheap piece,
-This is really an optional piece, I plan on bringing it along on trips with big groups or when cooking meat is in the cards.
-These are the camping gold standard in my book, been using them since scouts.
-Came in a decently affordable combo pack, plan on using them for food/toiletries storage and bear bags.
-Love this little knife, cheap but durable and was a shaver straight out of the box.
-Came with a super thick plastic sheath
9)Hatchet: Estwing Hatchet - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TNWD40?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
-Heard this was a classic, people say they've still got the one's their grandfather's used. It's heavy, but I'm happy with the tradeoff.
-Got it sharpened well enough to cleanly slice through paper at the moment
-Great sharpener, pretty much the go to field sharpener from what I've gathered.
-Only took a couple minutes to learn how to use, the only hard part is consistently following the bevel through each stroke, but it gets easier.
-Very great, medium size towels with their own tote
-Seems great, picked it up at REI physical store then read reviews and got spooked, we'll see though, a minority of the reviewers swear by it.
-Just in case it sucks, any suggestions for a collapsible water container of equal size/price?
-These came free with my water filter, and they have many good reviews. If they do well, I may buy some extras.
-More showing of my primitivist ass, and I thought I could take some weight off of my SO by carrying enough water for the two of us.
-Got these a long time ago when I knew less, they are pretty bulky and my first item I want to replace
-SO's mom gifted this this Christmas, so amazing and thoughtful, one of the best gifts I've ever gotten and I love the color
-Pack of flashlights (might not bring all four) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V639BNC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01
Items not shown:
-Always a tin or bag of Drum Tobacco and papers
-Kindle, old generation one
-Collapsible trowel
-Paracord
-Burlap shoulder bag for gathering kindling etc
Items still wanted (suggestions greatly appreciated):
-Knife for SO
-Work gloves
-Plastic flasks for booze
-Belt pouch
-Higher quality tarp
-Knife Sharpener
-Sleeping bag liner or wool blanket
-Any food suggestions!
-Rain cover for pack
-Smell proof food bags
I don't have much experience outside of scouts, so I'm very open to critique of my setup. I will warn that I am very much into primitivism, and camping for me is a gateway to a backcountry, esthetic lifestyle I one day I hope to live, so some of my gear choices may not always be the most efficient. Any advice from a primitivist or purist standpoint is doubly appreciated.
Coghlans 8770 Pack Grill https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OPHA0S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_K6jjyb7EE1RFC
Good luck to her! I'm sure she'll have a killer time. I think she will find that a lot of people will bring stoves to events like this, even if it is a alcohol stove that you can fit in your pocket.
This probably answers most of your questions. I would do a dry run of setting up your tent when you get it so you know what you are doing before you get to the camp site. Bring any tools you might need for this (usually a hammer/mallet so you can knock in the tent pegs to keep it attached to the ground.) Look up the campground you want to visit and make a reservation. I'm pretty sure all the green pass sites have an online reservation system. Most campsites allow fires but will have restrictions/rules regarding them. Make sure you figure those out once you decide on where you want to reserve. I have a pack grill I always bring with me. You can throw it over any kind of fire pit they might have there. Sometimes they have grills there for you to use. Otherwise grab a sleeping bag, some clothes, your food and water and have fun!
Not an apartment or condo, but I do have a 2 burner propane grill that I use on my bedroom balcony for when i'm feeling extra fat and don't want to leave my bedroom or when it's too damn hot to cook inside. It's this model and you can buy extra accessories like this BBQ grill. I mainly use my cast iron skillets and this griddle.
It's super convenient because it doesn't take up much room and you can remove the legs and store it easily.
https://www.amazon.com/GS-3400P-Portable-Backpacking-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/B01HQRD8EO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550037735&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=dual+fuel+stove&psc=1#
These take the same fuel, but also butane cans which is more elegant and available at grocery stores, plus it's shorter and more stable.
AOTU Portable Camping Stoves Backpacking Stove with Piezo Ignition ，Stable Support Wind-Resistance Camp Stove for Outdoor Camping Hiking Cooking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NJYV3NP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zsqRDbVZ387C0
L-link
http://www.amazon.com/MERKWARES-SS6510210-Emberlit-Wood-burning-Portable/dp/B00ADUYW9M
Read the Art and Science of Dumpster Diving for free.
Yesterday I got 10 pounds of mandarin oranges, 10 pounds of potatoes, 2 heads of califlower, 5 lemons, from one dumpster and I could have taken a lot more if I was hungry.
There are church and community based free food pantries everywhere. Soup kitchens exist in all the major cities.
While you are still at home learn to cook and bake. Take over the kitchen and try all kinds of things. The next level is to cook and bake over a campfire or hiking stove in your back yard.
I've used the Biolite, and the fan function is ridiculous. It burns through SO much fuel (this is a good and bad thing). I'm probably going to end up with this.
Skip that foolishness and get a real one that runs off the mains: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LU2HXRK/
If power is a problem, get a portable butane stove and a pan to cook with: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OC0AWW/ This uses a standard 8oz butane can.
For the sake of keeping the peace in your office, I recommend cooking that in the break room.
Picked up one of these a couple years back for $7 bucks. Can't beat it.
Stove
I like the one burner gas one that is dual fuel
https://www.amazon.com/GS-3400P-Portable-Backpacking-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/B01HQRD8EO
Packs up smaller and I rarely use 2 burners. Although I also carry a MSR Windburner for hot drinks. That way I have a camp stove and backpacking stove for less space. Windburner (or any jetboil type) is a joy to make a hot drink with.
I'd honestly recommend just buying one of these.
$20, solid construction, cap that screws on and can store your leftover fuel.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VZ91WO?psc=1
I frequently use this in conjuction with one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BPUEGNK/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=
It acts as a solid wind screen and can easily be fed with sticks and twigs if you run out of fuel.
When collapsed, the entire set up can slide into your back pocket.
I'd rather get the BRS 3000 instead. Half the price and a quarter of the weight. It's often recommended over at /r/ultralight as well.
A camp stove that runs on either propane or butane. $32.56
AM/FM/Shortwave Pocket radio $13.99
Digital Compass watch $33.49
If it needs to be very compact, for something like a BOB, I really like my little solid fuel tablet stove. I have this one. They also make ones that use a little can of fuel.
If you're looking to replace a campfire and it doesn't need to be tiny, you may be able to use something like a Smokey Joe BBQ. When the national forest around here has a "no ground fires" decree, the Smokey Joe does alright, and isn't considered a ground fire.
Then of course there's the good 'ol Coleman camp stoves and similar. Or a Rocket Stove that uses bits of wood.
I wanted to have a stove do double-duty. Especially when it came to fuel. I have the MSR Whisperlight International stove. I carry 2 fuel canisters (30oz ea). I had one back when I was backpacking and it never let me down, but sold it when I left Colorado for the midwest where camping just didnt hold up to the Rockies.
It will use Unleaded fuel. As will the bike. So, in case I get stuck somewhere with an empty bike, I can use the stove fuel to get me another 40+ miles to a gas station where I can refuel everything.I have never had any issue with the stove heating water or making soup or rice or anything else, and the burn rate on the gasoline is fairly good, I didnt even use half a tank all year last year camping.
MSR Whisperlight International Stove
MSR Fuel Canisters
No matter what, it will come down to preference. Jet Boil works great, but it is quite a bit larger and you have to have special fuel canisters and all. The MSR is just what I happen to like the best and suits my needs.
[Turkey fryer] (http://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-SH-140L-Pressure-Detachable/dp/B0000ASCU9/ref=sr_1_10?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1345756993&sr=1-10&keywords=propane+burner)
I don't own one but I think the Emberlit Camping Stove is better, as it is cheaper and folds flat.
Coil ovens and portable burners are not common where I'm from. We have always used gas to get the coals going. You should just buy youself a camping stove like this. The butane/propane mix is super cheap and coals light pretty fast.
If you want to light them faster, more like with the torch, get one like this. To make it easier you can go to your local hardware store and grab some chickenwire. If you cut it into a 20x20cm sqaure, it gives a pretty good pad for the coals to sit on.
i use this.
i then carry gasoline in a fuel container that can be used in the stove or as spare gas.
used it for 6 weeks straight, on a motorcycle camping trip across the US. works well, boils water MUCH MUCH faster than an alcohol stove. and it fits inside my camp pot.
trust me, don't go with an alcohol stove for moto camping. i use one for backpacking but the half pound saving isn't worth it when motorcycling. plus the extra 5 minutes to boil a decent amount of water isn't worth it.
jetboil is nice but its function is too limited and its cost is ridiculous. the minimilist iso-pro stoves are nice but those containers are hard to come by in the middle of nowhere. if you carry an extra, it takes up more space than a dual fuel stove, so you're not saving any space.
the msr whisper lite is nice. i hear good things about the international version that allows a larger variety of fuel, mainly poor quality gasoline.
the stove i use has better heat control than all of the stoves i mentioned, is the cheapest, the fastest stove to boil (if you use a proper pot), and allows you to use a multipurpose fuel (gasoline) that can be used in your bike in an emergency.
As far as I know, you use a different kind of alcohol for fuel. A lot of campers use these for a lightweight, portable stove option.
Something like this is a good option:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004RHPSMM?pc_redir=1414050109&robot_redir=1
I concur, I camp twice a year or so and I have two different ones. One is lightweight for backpacking and back country camping. The other (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OC0AWW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is a more like what you described. It's easy to use and the gas is cheap. I took it back country camping once and it was too bulky to be efficient weight wise, but I use it for car camping pretty much just to boil water for coffee/eggs/whatever. It happened to rain on that trip and we were forced to heat water for our emergency freeze-dried food and had to use it inside the tent. Thus I can confirm that even in tight spaces this product is safe to use indoors.
If your budget gets a little tight, here are a few suggestions to save a few bucks (yes, I'm a member of /r/frugal, here are a few tips:
Might I suggest getting a small butane burner like this: http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Portable-Butane-Stove-Free/dp/B000OC0AWW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463643750&sr=8-2&keywords=butane+stove
The last time I went camping with a lady friend we had gnocchi with sausage alfredo sauce, green beans and mashed potatoes which was all prepared with boiling and 1 pot. She's agreed to come on another trip as long as meals stay at this level.
I absolutely love my little Trangia setup. Dead simple, made in Sweden, useable, packable, and built to last. They have other sizes and kits available, I got the one above and it works for solo or 2 person cooking with a slightly larger pot. I fully expect the stove to outlast me. Can't say that for many other pieces of hardware.
Maybe someone can help me with a question about stoves. I recently traded for this camp chef stove. It's almost 35 lbs, but that's fine because I also picked up a Jetboil Zip for just backpacking. I'm trying to figure out what cookware to use though.
I hooked up the camp chef yesterday and the flames seem to have a very nice range range of full blast to real low (I was worried they might be too powerful). When I use my Jetboil, I don't want to cook actual food in it, just boil water and then transfer to a package/pot/dish and then mix something instant.
I already have a nice 8" calphalon non stick frying pan - also heavy so I would only use for car camping on the 2 burner. This cookset caught my eye MSR Quick 2 Pot I liked that the smaller pot is non-stick and might be good to take backpacking with the jetboil for easy clean up and mixing instant meals. The bigger pot is then not coated with non stick so I was hoping it would be OK for the more powerful flames of the camp chef explorer or just hanging over a campfire without having to worry about non-stick coating bubbling or flaking. Do you think this pot is too weak for my larger stove? If it can handle a campfire I think it should be OK for 30,000 btu?
Go to a camping/outdoor store or a restaurant supply store and pick up a butane burner:
http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Butane-Burner-Stove-Free/dp/B000BVC4NY
It's what restaurants use for omelet stations. Works great.
You mention the Trangia. Have you looked into the Trangia Mini kit? It comes with a windshield that acts as a pot stand, and works pretty well for boiling water.
> Shame you don't have an inverter for your car, you can run a portable stove on one no problem.
Honestly, I'd use an Iso/Butane backpacking stove myself.
Or get a Camp stove off Craigslist. You can usually find a used dual burner (Propane or white gas) for $25 or so, and fuel will be cheaper/easier to come by than the IsoButane.
EDIT: Or build yourself an alcohol stove . It'll heat slower than propane, but will do the job.
In my opinion it's really nice to have hot food, even on short trips. I cook morning and evening most trips the Primus - Classic Trail Stove https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RHCOP0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_peIgDbG2HNZ70
Its pretty big and heavy but it'll hold a good sized pot, which is nice if you're with a group but normally something smaller like the MSR pocket rocket does just fine. Since you can't always make a fire while hiking dry places like Colorado I'd encourage you to get a small propane stove like one of these.
This article has a bunch of good information on stoves in general for backpacking. https://backpackers.com/outdoor-guides/how-to-choose-the-best-backpacking-stove-for-you/
Yeah while you don't need a jet engine to stir-fry, I do think gas is preferable to electric. People make do, but I personally just can't stand electric ranges.
This's the burner we use, more or less. It seems slightly different (perhaps even a bit stronger? When I converted our stove's KwH to BTUs I got something a shade over 9k but that one says its 12k), but it's the same company and the same model name.
If you opt for something a shade stronger like this one, 15k BTUs is like literally exactly what a Chinese home kitchen stove is. Smack a wok ring on that for a nice large round bottomed wok and you got basically an ideal set-up imo.
Camp Chef stoves are awesome. I have one of these with the griddle add-ons. I love it for the big campout each year, when I'm the defacto cook for a whole mess of people.
Don't know what you can pack yet this might help. I have several of them. Also look into camping cooking gear. It will be small, lightweight and easy to carry.
I used to use this one when I had my bayou classic 11 gallon kettle and it worked just fine. I have a 15 gallon now that wouldn't fit on it so I had to upgrade.
https://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-Explorer-EX-60LW-2-Burner/dp/B0006VORDY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486488237&sr=8-3&keywords=two+burner+camping+stove
I bought this one: Lightweight Large Burner Classic Camping and Backpacking Stove. For iso-Butane/Propane Canisters https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YLU6O6/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ZVzsub0E00KC9
I cooked breakfast on it for 2 people for three mornings and barely used half my can of fuel. Folds up small and its pretty well built, especially for the price.
Tools - wrenches, sockets, vice grips.
For a more complete check list see this guy's [packing list] (http://www.backcountrydiscoveryroutes.com/WABDR-Packing-List)
So when it comes to keeping it under $500, don't sounds so blue as $500 can get you a longs ways if you shop around.
Amazon has it on sale right now if you're interested
Thanks!
Yeah - that stove is popular both because of it's weight/size and low cost. It's a solid stove all around.
The other popular budget backpacking stove is the 'Etekcity' one. A bit cheaper at $10, if saving an extra few bucks is necessary. Otherwise I'd recommend the BRS for $17.
$9 Amazon backpacking stove https://www.amazon.com/AOTU-Portable-Backpacking-Ignition-Wind-Resistance/dp/B07NJYV3NP/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=backpacking+stove&qid=1571099442&s=gift-cards&sr=8-3
Pocket-rocket functionality but lower quality obviously, still well worth imo I bought 2 in case one failed
I’m pretty sure indoor use would easily start a fire, but here’s a good one (https://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Lightweight-Trekking-Anodized-Aluminum/dp/B001UEL76Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?)
Edit: also ventilate the room well, any alcohol will make poisonous gases when burnt
I have this stove and it's perfect for car camping trips. I've used all sorts of stoves, but I prefer this one - has it's own legs to set up anywhere, can use a big propane tank for longer trips (plus cheap refills) or if you have a lot to cook, and Pumps out the heat. Been using it for a few years now and it's always worked perfect.
https://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-EX60LW-Explorer-Outdoor/dp/B0006VORDY
I agree. I use the [cheap Chinese knockoff] (https://www.amazon.com/Lightweight-Classic-Backpacking-iso-Butane-Canisters/dp/B004YLU6O6/ref=sr_1_37?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1480608966&sr=1-37&keywords=backpacking+stove)
and then carry one of the Chinese pocket rocket clones, not this exact one just for boiling water (the thing only weighs 4oz. so to me it is worth bringing both since it is way faster for water only i.e. breakfast)
Coo.
If you don't have a cooker or lantern already I can recommend this and this. They both run on shellite ($20 for 4L) or unleaded petrol in a pinch (I think in America you call it 'gas' -- No idea how you differentiate between petrol and LPG tho :P).
Yes, they come with a "heater". Essentially a flat packet containing chemicals that react with water causing heat. Link You put your food envelope in the heater bag, add water, wait a bit, and boom semi hot, slightly more appealing "food" ;)
And yup, I believe all the food packets in the ARK require hot water.
This is what I have You can use HEET, the automotive fuel conditioner (red bottle, not yellow) I believe they are safe for indoor use.
Solid fuel you can get something like this I don't think these are supposed to be used indoors.
I like to have multi-fuel stove to keep my options open. I keep this Bushbox pocket stove in my bug out bag to cook in an emergency. I like it because it takes up almost no space, is very stable, is easy to put together, and can boil water using little more than twigs - no need to expend energy gathering and processing large amounts of fire wood. I use this mess kit to boil water. In case there is no dry wood available, I have a back-up alcohol burner that fits in the stove (a bit snug but works well enough) and I keep some denatured alcohol on hand as an alternative fuel source. There are lots of little burners like this on the market. I went with the Solo option because I would ultimately like to upgrade to the whole solo stove kit, which is cool but currently out of my price range. Finally, I have some Esbit fuel tabs that also work with the stove, but I view these as a last resort because I think they smell terrible! Some people swear by them though.
This set up works great for me as a single person.
Just get a Camp Chef. Sturdy, basic, extremely reliable, and powerful. Mine's rated at 65,000 BTUs and can get 6 gallons of 50 degree tap water to a rolling boil in less than 8 minutes.
It's an MSR fuel bottle for their liquid fuel camping stoves. They come in 3 different sizes, the one he's using is the 30 oz. The stoves run on white gas, kerosene and gasoline and have an excellent safety seal. Used one for my 6 month camping adventure around the US =)
I'm not sure about this particular one, but I guess you can't really get much more heat out of the same amount of fuel anyways, so the difference is probably just the speed you burn fuel and heat water.
I got about 10-15 uses out of 500ml bottles of ethanol(-mixes) bought at pharmacies/drugstores. I would cook 250g spaghetti, by breaking them, submerging them in my ~900ml pot and getting the water to boil shortly and after that I just set the pot aside and waited about 10-15 minutes without burning any more fuel.
I scraped an eventually got it lit. After 4-5 full REI stormproof matches. I was using a esbit stove/ potholder similar to the link below and a good folding windscreen. I vowed to never use them in cold weather again. Only alcohol or ISO.
http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-CS585HA-3-Piece-Lightweight-Camping/dp/B001UERXOQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426738355&sr=8-2&keywords=esbit+stove
This is amazing, thanks. Where do you usually (geographically) camp? I'll try to check you this year. We were at 4:30 and A last year, and will probably be around there again.
That matches what we tried for frying; it just didn't scale for chicken for us. But those tricks for getting a great french fry sound awesome and delicious.
For what it's worth, a generator is an AMAZING investment for a camp like this. Chest freezers are a godsend. And draw shockingly little power.
And by the way, we did a 100% protein menu -- all we served was chicken (drumsticks, because wings had a shitty bone-to-meat ratio and were more of a mess; but plenty of restaurants serve drumsticks and call them wings too...). We wanted to do something decidedly different than other people giving away food, and this is what we settled on. But yes -- food safety and paranoia. Both are REALLY important.
Anyone reading this: He is talking about burners like http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-Single-Burner-Patio/dp/B0009JXYQ4 for the fryer burner. I own that one for our camp, as well as a http://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-Explorer-EX-60LW-2-Burner/dp/B0006VORDY -- the Camp Chef is amazing, by the way. They suck down propane though.
Here is the 3-piece version. It might also be a little smaller. I still like chrisbenson and genericdude's ideas about breaking it down to just the most basic components to save weight.
EDIT: Here's the 3-piece cheaper at REI.
[This](http://www.GAS.com/ ONE Propane or Butane Stove GS-3400P Dual Fuel Portable Camping and Backpacking Gas Stove Burner with Carrying Case Great for Emergency Preparedness Kit (GOLD) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQRD8EO/) is the one I have and it works great. $45
I bought on of [these](http://www.Icetek.com/ Sports Ultralight Backpacking Canister Camp Stove with Piezo Ignition, 3.9 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V2PIWIY/) for backpacking.
If you only need to boil water the second option is SUPER compact and affordable. The big Coleman stoves are gonna be more pricy but unless you cook a lot at camp it's probably overkill
I chose this stove because it has a wide flame that heats evenly rather than a one really hot spot. This stove can be turned down to simmer which is nice. It is dirt cheap and comes with a carrying case. I think its a great buy and I would buy this stove again.
I haven't tried it yet, but I have both the firebox nano and an alcohol stove (one of the Esbit stoves). If no one comes through for you, OP, I could run some tests this weekend.
My car camping stove is a Gas One GS-3900P. It simmers well, but I got it because it puts out an incredible amount of heat. If you want to save on bulk, you can use a butane canister inside it instead of using an external propane tank, but keep in mind that butane has some downsides compared to propane.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006VORDY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1458592408&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=outdoor+cooking+stove&dpPl=1&dpID=41-a21yRppL&ref=plSrch
I've used this before and it works amazingly.
I have used small gas stoves this and this, both great little stoves, but you have to carry a relatively heavy fuel canister with them. I haven't used an alcohol stove. I just switched to this Esbit stove and love it. This little thing is magical and the fuel is light and can't spill!
A camp stove. amazon link
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.
Re #5, I'd settled on making my own alcohol stove, but then realized I needed a lightweight pot -- found this Esbit and I've loved using it.
I use a Trangia alcohol stove for this, mostly for boiling water for dehydrated backpacking food and for coffee/tea. I take it camping but also on not-too-hard day hikes and on picnics or beach days. I got this kit initially but I've substituted in a GSI kettle and added a windscreen (which is essential). There are lighter alcohol stoves out there (buy or make your own) which is what I would get if I had to replace this. I like the whole alcohol stove thing since it's simple and durable and the fuel is cheap and common.
How small? Iso canister stoves are basically the standard for hiking - something like this as a small, cheap and light stove, which screws straight on to a fuel canister like this. You can also opt for white fuel stoves like this one if international fuel availability or extreme cold weather performance matters. They use refillable fuel bottles that come in various sizes to meet your need. Finally, alcohol stoves are fairly popular as a lightweight, if slower, option - I have this one, though plenty of people make their own from aluminum or tin cans. Fuel can be carried in pretty much whatever, since you just pour some into the stove before use.
I use a portable butane stove like this. Butane is not the best option (they make a propane version) especially at altitude but I have used it at 8500' and it still works. I use old pots and pans that I have had laying around.
I've done a lot of camping in the Catskills and harriman, and backpacking on the Appalachian trail. The lean-to's i know of in that area can only be reached by backpacking. Be wary of "car-camping" advice. Honestly you might be better off "car-camping" at Stephens State Park or Mills Norrie State Park, which are both close to harriman, and have "tent" campsites available this weekend. (reserveamerica.com)
But, if your still interested in "backpacking" to a lean-to, here's what i recommend.
Might be better off on Amazon, unless there's a storewide discount at your local REI.
https://www.rei.com/c/sleeping-bags?r=category%3Acamping-and-hiking%7Csleeping-bags-and-accessories%7Csleeping-bags&ir=category%3Asleeping-bags-and-accessories&sort=min-price
I recommend getting two of one of these bags:
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Brazos-Cold-Weather-Sleeping-Bag/dp/B00363V3OK
https://www.amazon.com/Semoo-Lightweight-Portable-Compress-Compression/dp/B016I9SXL4
and a 4-person dome tent:
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Sundome-4-Person-Dome-Tent/dp/B019N9W7WC
Also, an alcohol stove kit:
https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Maple-Alcohol-Backpacking-Portable-Ultra-light/dp/B01DA53MP6
https://www.amazon.com/Klean-Strip-QKGA75003-Denatured-Alcohol-1-Quart/dp/B001FOSX9U
https://www.amazon.com/Magnesium-Starter-Flint-Stone-Lighter/dp/B00K5I058Y
Also, grab some Mountain House meals, they are expensive, but worth it on a first time backpacking trip. https://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=mountain+house
Check out Davis Sports Shop in Sloatsburg, ny. They've got a lot of camping gear, as well as hunting and fishing.
http://davissport.com/files/2015/03/10646840_373164796209673_7535081532103820525_n.jpg
I have become a huge fan of Coghlans gear over the years.
Good luck and have fun! :) bring star charts too :)
edit: if you want to practice making fire, this is a very safe way to do it and it is large enough to house the alcohol stove as an alternative https://www.amazon.com/WoodFlame-Lightweight-Burning-Backpacking-Stainless/dp/B01BPUEGNK
I've used one around the home for most of my life... cooking at the table is very popular in Asian cultures (Hotpot, BBQ, Shabu-Shabu), which is why you can easily find the canisters at Asian markets. But even though I have one, I've never bothered to bring it out of the house.
They use butane canisters, so they're not great when the weather gets cooler (less than 40F). The stove's ratings are also on the lower side at 7650 BTUs, and that will decrease with the temperature. In comparison, the MSR Pocket Rocket is listed as 8200 BTUs, my Coleman propane dual-burner is 15,000 BTUs and unaffected by colder weather. If I were going to buy one today, I'd consider the Camp Chef Everest which puts out 20,000 BTUs per burner. If you're actually cooking, and need to leave a pot on the stove for any length of time, dual burner stoves with built in wind screens make it so much easier.
Generally when I'm car camping, I'm cooking for several people and the big dual burner stove makes it so much easier, cooking pancakes, eggs and hash browns on one big griddle using both burners. We often have more than one dual-burner stove, but can also use our backpacking stoves and Jetboils for heating water for coffee and hot cocoa.
If there's only two of us, I can get by fine with a canister stove like the MSR PR (and Jetboil for drinks). It's a little more difficult to "cook" on an MSR PR since it's not as stable as a table-top stove, but it's much lighter to pack.
Melburnian mentions the Coleman Sportster 2 dual fuel stove. I've got an older model (40 years old?) that is sitting in the shed. It works fine (at least on white gas), but it's bulky, heavy, requires pumping (and more pumping and more pumping)... if I'm forced to pump, I'd rather bring along the MSR Whisperlite International which is lighter, more compact and also burn a variety of fuels.
You have matches and steel cup that's perfect for cooking but what are you going to cook it on? Your hand will get fairly hot quickly if you're just holding the cup over the fire.
Think about some sort of stove system.
https://www.amazon.com/WoodFlame-Lightweight-Burning-Backpacking-Stainless/dp/B01BPUEGNK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1473563835&sr=8-8&keywords=camping+wood+stove
Also, think about throwing in some cheap Bic lighters just in case.
https://www.amazon.com/AOTU-Portable-Camping-Backpacking-Wind-Resistance/dp/B07NJYV3NP?ref_=Oct_NReleaseC_3400951_0&pf_rd_r=ZW5X77JP3CV9G5XZWPGG&pf_rd_p=d1fe2b89-0441-5e7e-8eb0-22f6dc83a3d0&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=3400951&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
I use this Fohoz stove with a fuel canister because it’s stupidly ultralight and I can do anything from a rapid boil to just simmering with it. It’s a cheaper version of the BRS stove, but I haven’t had any malfunctions yet. I’ve used it maybe 10 times on a few different trips and it has held up really well. If something breaks, I won’t mind replacing it because of how inexpensive it is.
> Are you suggesting that I NOT get something like this or this to hook up to the Walmart disposable 1lb ones?
The Coleman is great, easy to use. Propane only. Do you know how much you'll use the 2nd burner? I love to cook, yet rarely use more than one burner while camping. But I'm camping, not full time. I never though about going the next decade of my life without a second burner. Maybe this is the stove for you?
The second stove is exactly what I was going to recommend. They have added the hose and the stand to use propane, but if you buy the "screwgate" "china town" butane canisters they will work too. And the 4 for $5 canisters are the cheapest disposable fuel you can buy. better pix here
I use a backpacking stove, myself. But instead of paying $5 for one can of special backpacking fuel, I use the china town butane. This is an option if you see backpacking in your future.
>Are those canisters even recyclable?
Depends on who you ask, but probably no. If you can punch a hole in them and flatten them they should be acceptable. Find out on your county's government website.
> Do I need a heater?
Lurking, I see L.A. Craigslist in your history. I'm in 40 degree weather right now on the other coast. Sorry, I have no idea.
If you were going to do the "surf to ski bum nomadic lifestyle" I'd say yes. I was in a van in CA a decade ago and was OK in Yosemite in May, but wanted a little heat by the time I hit Yellowstone. Snow at Devils Tower. I had no pets at the time. Sorry, outside my expertise.
https://www.amazon.com/Solo-Stove-Alcohol-Burner-Backpacking/dp/B008VZ91WO
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Sportster-Dual-1-Burner-Stove/dp/B0009PUQAU
I have this stove, it's only ever ran on 87 pump gas. Boils great, 87 is a lot higher octane than Naptha, or white fuel, so it ends up a bit sootier than using Coleman Fuel.
You need to look up the specs of your specific stove though. There are different combinations of multi-fuel.
When I was a college student living in a dorm I bought a portable gas stove. Eating processed microwavable food all the time get's gross and makes u feel unhealthy.
Link to a cheap portable gas stove; http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Quest-Deluxe-Portable-Butane/dp/B000OC0AWW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1415989406&sr=8-4&keywords=portable+stove
Stoves - I use a super cat stove. I've carried both canister and white gas stoves in the past, but this simple alcohol stove works best for my needs. The JetBoil really is only for boiling water. If you want to cook, you should get just about any other stove. The BioLite is very gimmicky. There are other backpacking woodstoves that work just as well, but weigh far less (My two favorites are the EmberLit and the Sierra Zip Stove). And since the charging port on the BioLite only puts out 400mA, you will not get any significant charge for your devices in the 20 minutes you will be operating the stove.
Shelter - I think you are going to be far more comfortable in a good sleeping bag under the tarp tent than you will in the bivy. Bivies suck. Really. And the emergancy tarp is not going to insulate you from the ground. It has zero insulation value. Get a closed sell foam pad or an insulated inflatable pad.
Packs - I love osprey packs. They are great. The only thing you want to do is not to buy too big of a pack. You will just end up filling it up with useless gear. Buy the pack last. Once you have everything else, put it in a box and measure the volume. Then you know how much capacity you need. Then weigh it. Now, when you go to the store to try on the packs, they will hopefully have weighted pillows that you can fill the pack with and see how it carries with the amount of gear you plan of carrying.
I don't have one, or know anyone who does. Sorry. My first impression is that this is very cool tech, but I wonder about the weight for backpacking. Two pounds is a lot. The advantage, of course, is that one does not need to carry fuel for the stove, sticks and twigs are available everywhere.
How much will the lack of fuel matter to weight? A trangia or similar alcohol stove like this Solo Alcohol stove is much, much lighter, only 3.5 oz. and fuel is only a couple of ounces.
A Solo Stove weighs 9 ounces, but lacks the fan that makes the fire burn more quickly, and it doesn't charge your phone. For the cost of the Biolite, and the weight, I'd go with other options.
What type stove are you looking for? Is it primarily solo trips?
I use a couple esbit stoves (one is tab only, one is tab/alcohol), a couple small fire stoves, and the etekcity stove if I'm taking my canister.
Here is my primary kit -
https://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Lightweight-Trekking-Anodized-Aluminum/dp/B001UEL76Q/ pot and tab/alcohol stove plus i add this...
https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Ultralight-Portable-Backpacking-Ignition/dp/B00B4FY8YO/ canister stove
It works for me for up to 3 people, a large canister fits in the pot (if you remove the tab and alcohol stoves) along with my cooking extras (salt/pepper, couple tea bags, via packets, true lemon packs, lighter, tinder, couple mayo packs, candle) and the canister stove.
If I'm going solo I take the alcohol (tabs and heet) stove and a fire stove as backup. Sometimes I solo with this smaller pot and tab stove and fire as backup.
https://www.amazon.com/Esbit-CS585HA-3-Piece-Lightweight-Camping/dp/B001UERXOQ/
All these could be had for less than $50 and give many options to tailor the trip.
Good luck!
Gas ONE GS-3900P New Dual Fuel Propane or Butane Portable Stove with Brass Burner Head, Dual Spiral Flame 15,000 BTU Gas Stove with Convenient Carrying Case Most Powerful Heat Output Stove https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1RO9WG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2rMXBbXF29WQF
That is not a bad stove, but This one is $10 cheaper, and i've used it, and it's good.
also 320 matches is overkill. Either use a smaller pack or just do a bic lighter. Or maybe waterproof matches.
I really like the sawyer water filter. Whatever you get, the best thing you can do is fill up a 'dirty water' container in the middle of the lake, and use that to refill your gravity filter. Over 5 gallons starts to get tricky to bring back into the canoe. We tend to pour the filtered water directly into a container rather than use a 'clean' bag. Pro tip - if you are boiling water for cooking, you don't need to filter it. Just use that big jug of fairly clean water you pulled from a good distance from shore.
As a pot, a 9 cup coffee peculator works really well for just boiling water. Bonus as it also acts as a peculator - heat water in another pot, then poor over the filter/grinds rather than wait for a full boil to peculate. I'll usually pack a 600ml pot that heats smaller amounts of water and doubles as my coffee cup. Nice to have a single walled cup you can set on the fire grate.
For the morning oatmeal, I just pack in a paper bowl. Easy cleanup in the fire.
Depending on how many days, a canister style stove is hard to beat for groups of four. Longer trips, or trips with more people, a white gas stove starts to work out better. There is an entire cult around building beer can stoves, but they tend to be a bit slow for 4 hungry people.
We tend to do a fair bit of freeze dried foods when we go. A long handled spoon - either from a DQ malt or something fancy titanium works nicely for eating directly out of the bag. No real cleanup.
I'm packing in an $0.88 pizza pan as an aluminum surface to cook fish if it is over the fire, an aluminum foil pouch for in the fire. Semi-disposable Tupperware works nicely to keep crackers from getting crushed in a pack.
Going in this weekend as well. Will be in the bars in Ely the Friday night before. Possibly see you in that corner of the world!
Maybe consider something like this if you are looking to save on some space.
https://www.amazon.com/WoodFlame-Lightweight-Burning-Backpacking-Stainless/dp/B01BPUEGNK/ref=lp_3400951_1_2?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1486007474&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1
That's an incredibly interesting story!
Feel free to disregard if you don't like blunt advice, but I am just shocked a man of your experience got himself in that situation:
>I was prepared for something like this and it was always my greatest fear while working up there, so I was caching survival gear. I had 10, 3 hour fire logs, 15 gallons of fuel, tarps, rope, shovels, and ax and hatchet, ground cover, a survival kit, extra packs of hand warmers and foot warmers up there in case something like this happened...
>My thermal "Space Blanket"...
If that is your survival gear then you were extremely reckless in getting yourself into that situation, and I'm skeptical that you have the appropriate skill and knowledge to be risking getting caught in that environment -- which should be obvious to you now.
Warmth: What kind of fire logs? Unless they're something I am not familiar with, those should be ditched. They take up way more room and weight than they're worth. Replace those logs with 800+ fill down sleeping bags. Four sleeping bags for you and your passengers will weigh less and take up less space than those logs, and as I'm sure you experienced, those logs are not very effective. Down bags are extremely compressible, and if you set up your tarps(shelter) correctly and get out of the wind they will keep you warm. Space blankets reflect radiant heat (infrared radiation), considering their minimal bulk they're not a bad idea to have with you, but do not rely on them alone. With water, food, and shelter, you can stay a good sleeping bag indefinitely almost anywhere on earth.
Shelter: A single tent pole or hockey stick or anything rigid could have vastly improved your shelter. You would have been just fine inside the helicopter with the aforementioned sleeping bags.
Water/Food: 15 gallons of fuel for what? The bird I assume? I can't speak to that, but you should carry a MSR Whisperlite or similar product, you can feed it fuel from your R44. Keep it out of the wind and it will melt water and make you hot food until you run out of fuel.
Clothing: Jeans. Mountaineers call cotton "death fabric". Cotton is good at soaking up moisture and retaining it, keeping you damp. It is comfortable in the summer because of its evaporative cooling properties, which is why it kills people in the winter. Always have layers: Base, thermal, shell, and as many in between as you can. Unless you're a welder, synthetics fabrics are the best thing since sliced bread.
There have got to be ways of improving the cold weather starting of the R44. Is it the batteries getting to cold and underpowered that's the problem or the torque required to crank the engine once it reaches a certain temperature? Obviously it's a bit of both, but do you have an idea if it's one more than the other?
Call these people and ask them which sleeping bag you need: http://www.westernmountaineering.com
MSR Whisperlite
It really depends on how you want your food. Since its a longer trail and you want to save as much weight as you can and get the best value out of your ounce to calorie ratio going the dehydrated route works best. For that all you need to be able to do is boil water to re hydrate the food, so a pocket rocket stove or jetboil will do you best.
I however like having more control over my cooking and having "gourmet" options when I trail hike. The Pocket Stoves and the like are essentially a torch blasting strait up, and have hot spots in the middle. Food burns there, and even on a low simmer, it still would run way to hot. I like using the Primus because its still light weight, and has better heat distribution. It still boils water fast, and though isn't as fuel efficient as a Pocket Stove I'm willing to sacrifice it a bit to have better food. But if all you plan on doing is re hydrating food and don't mind a little bit getting burnt on the bottom, a little pocket stove will do you just fine.
I'm still using commercial dehydrated meals (Mountain House, Backpackers pantry, etc). But I'm going to start dehydrating my own and using these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D7OD22E/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2MJ9S17NXHLXY&coliid=I2UVR9UOU1TYOD&psc=1
I really don't like washing stuff so I prefer the boil-in-bag method. Speaking of, I also use a Toaks long handle spoon because it works well with eating from a bag.
Water filtration I use a Platypus Gravityworks 2L system when I'm solo, and the 4L when I'm with others.
My current cookware is the Esbit alcohol stove and pot - http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Lightweight-Trekking-Anodized-Aluminum/dp/B001UEL76Q/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1458441950&sr=8-5&keywords=esbit+stove
Snacks can vary - trailmix, jerkey, etc. but I always have at least 1 Snickers with me because they're awesome. And filling.
There are some great deals to be had on /r/geartrade and /r/ulgeartrade and as mentioned before whiteblaze.net used gear forum.
Look at youtube for videos on ultralight on a budget. Compare things and research. For example GSI's Microdualist cookset is $55 at REI - https://www.rei.com/product/830830/gsi-outdoors-halulite-microdualist-cookset?CAWELAID=120217890000796848&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=15724606000&CATCI=pla-133227615640&cm_mmc=PLA_Google|404_10153|8308300001|none|f679b86e-0c1a-4715-82c0-4c64ac953c04|pla-133227615640&lsft=cm_mmc:PLA_Google_LIA|404_10153|8308300001|none|f679b86e-0c1a-4715-82c0-4c64ac953c04|pla-133227615640&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsa7pmoiv1QIVCAVpCh197gVtEAQYASABEgKojPD_BwE Walmart sells the exact same set (I've got the GSI and I'm kicking myself after seeing this) for $15 - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-10-Piece-Easy-Storing-Camp-Cook-Set/49332887 - I've compared them and they are identical except for the utensils!
Amazon for a great titanium stove - $16 - https://www.amazon.com/Titanium-Miniature-Ultra-light-Equipment-Supplies/dp/B01N5WRJ8A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501351142&sr=8-1&keywords=brs-3000t.
Look at tents from NatureHike - their BA Fly Creek knockoff is a bit heavier and gets fantastic reviews for $100-120ish on ebay or Aliexpress.
You can start out with stuff like this, be relatively light and upgrade from there!
C..
What kind of burner is that? I have this one and I'm looking for something more powerful
19 hours without power...didn't get below 54 in the house..not bad. EVERY person on my block assured me this was highly unusual. I must have jinxed us. Learning my lessons as I go.
I regretted replacing the leaky old gas kitchen stove. meaning i had no serious way to make fire. I ended up putting a candle in a perforated spoon holder from ikea to make tea. and ordered a small stove Esbit Lightweight Camping Stove for Use with Solid Fuel Tablets as long as i can cook tea and ramen i can deal with nearly anything.
I immediately topped off my iphone and kindle with the laptop, and eventually used the small battery charger to recharge the iphone, though i could always charge both in the truck. I order a new battery pack charger that does everything Intocircuit® 11200mAh Power Castle Heavy Duty 5V 2A/1A Dual USB Ports External Battery Pack Charger I really don't think that eton crank radio charges iphones very well.
For the rest of the season i have my eye on a little propane heater.
No worries about the long reply!
Amazon sells a dual fuel single burner that looks pretty good. I'm probably gonna go for it. Nice to be able to use butane or propane. Maybe you'll like it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQRD8EO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KK88ybC5Y09R6
For the shower I'm leaning on the Nemo Helio shower. Looks pretty sweet. I'll definitely look into the 12v should I get power in the future.
That's interesting, about ambient temperature and it's effects on inverters. Didn't know that, didn't think it mattered much. I'm happy I went with the cooler, the need for a power system was driven by the initial desire to have a fridge.
I'm a little concerned about the amount of space (or lack thereof) I'll have in the truck (Tacoma), but I don't have a lot of stuff, and also have an access cab which helps a ton. Gonna do a raised bed platform, and my shell is a high top. It's all in the attitude I think, and I'm SO thrilled to have gotten the ball rolling, after years of planning and research.
I appreciate you sharing your experience! Super helpful. I'd love to know how the roof vent works out for you too, if you go for it.
I've never seen a standalone infrared burner.
I am not recommending this, but another option is to get a high power outdoor propane burner like this one (picked randomly from amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000ASCU9/
This burner is 60,000 BTU. To give you perspective, that's more power in one burner than most gas ranges have across all of their burners.
Put a cast iron pan on that and you'll be at crazy high heat in no time.
Unfortunately not any I know of.
If you're looking for cheap and abundant fuel, I like the Vargo hexagon wood stove that I use on occasion for it's weightless and limitless free fuel. The stainless steel version is reasonably priced and the weight doesn't really matter on a bike.
If cheapness is paramount, make an alcohol burner (see http://zenstoves.net/ - I prefer something of the "super cat" style), and carry a gallon of denatured alcohol for $8 from the hardware store. A gallon of fuel takes up a lot of space in bike luggage, so maybe go for the smaller 1 qt cans and buy a new one at hardware stores along the way.
As for using petrol, it's stinky and messy. Unless you can rig some kind of stove to heat off your exhaust, I'd avoid it. And if your bike's tank is like mine, the baffles might make it difficult to siphon unless you've got a nearly full tank. But, if you insist, there are cheap knockoffs of the MSR products here and a knockoff coleman but for the same prices as the real thing.
Try it out yourself.
This is also a great little stove for super cheap that's also super light. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5WRJ8A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GBBMAbNJGEDAC
Dude, you should get a propane hot plate so you can at least make some eggs or hotdogs and stuff like that.
Out here in the West, we cannot burn fires right now. Usually, however, this is not the case. I usually use a fire for all my heating needs. I stumbled across this and thought it innovative.
I use this. It is 12 oz, so a little heavy. However, I can cook and boil at the same time if need be.
This is also cool.
But if you really want to go super light, make sure your kettle or pot does not have any plastic or silicone parts, and that you have a towel or a glove to touch it when it is hot. Make a stick stand or a tripod with twine or cordage and hang the kettle or pot from it....or... take a flat rock and place in the middle of the fire, setting the pot on top of it. The latter method takes some technique and will require a lot of fire monitoring to keep the flames where they need to be. You also need a perfect rock.
The Coghlans pack grill is good.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coghlans-8770-Pack-Grill-Metallic/dp/B001OPHA0S/ref=cts_sp_1_vtp?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=1212178027&pf_rd_r=VT8SDGE43BE6FTZZY0G9&pd_rd_wg=2juPk&pf_rd_s=desktop-detail-softlines&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_i=B001OPHA0S&pd_rd_w=TsTxH&pf_rd_i=desktop-detail-softlines&pd_rd_r=VT8SDGE43BE6FTZZY0G9&_encoding=UTF8
Check out reviews on it on youtube .
Burners. Is 30k BTU enough? I need to get a burner and am looking at getting a Explorer Camp stove so it can at least multi-task / allow for others to brew with me if they don't have their own burner.
http://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-Explorer-EX-60LW-2-Burner/dp/B0006VORDY
Specs out at 30k BTU per burner I know a lot of the other brewer specific single burners are a lot higher. Should I worry or will this get the job done?
I never said it was possible to brew AG in 3 hours or less. In his initial question, OP wrote that he thought AG would take 3-4 additional hours compared to an extract brew day. In my experience, AG takes me around an hour longer. Here's how I get there:
My setup when I was brewing extract was a 5 gallon pot, gas stove, and an ice bath in my sink for chilling. My gas stove sucked. I would steep for 20 minutes, then it would take me around 30-45 minutes to bring my water to a boil. Boil for an hour, then chill to pitching temps which generally took around 30 minutes. So all said and done I was looking at slightly over 2.5 hours, and that's if I was super efficient with my time. In reality, when taking into account cleaning my kitchen and setting up before hand and cleanup afterwards I was really at around 3.5 - 4 hours.
My AG setup is a cooler mash tun, 10 gallon megapot, Camp Chef propane burner, and I still use an ice bath for chilling. (Next upgrade is a wort chiller.) I use two pots on my stove to heat my strike water which will take roughly 20 minutes. Mash for 60 minutes, then sparge for 15. My camp chef burner will bring my water to a boil in around 20 minutes. Boil for 60 minutes. To chill, right now I'm draining half of my wort into one of the kettles I used to heat sparge water and setting up two ice baths - one in my kitchen for the sparge kettle and one in my basement sink for my boil kettle. So, chilling still takes me about the same amount of time, 30 minutes give or take, since I'm chilling around 2.5 gallons in two pots. All said and done, that's 3 hours and 40 minutes. With several brew days under my belt, I'm right around 4 hours in reality.
Yes, there are several things that could be done to chop time off my extract brew day. A more efficient stove would make the biggest difference. Cut out steeping grains and add a wort chiller and you could easily be done in 2 hours or less. As for the cost of my AG setup, $400 is pretty dead on. The megapot is $219, the camp chef burner is roughly $80, and the cooler and fittings cost me around $50. That totals to $349, include tax and shipping and we're right around $400.
If you want to stay relatively cheap, go with Esbit cook stove. I just bought one and it worked out amazingly. I made my own windscreen by buying a disposable aluminum cookie sheet from Target for about $1.50 and rolled it flat with a rolling pin. Then i just rolled it into a tube and stuffed it in my pack. It worked well this weekend in the crazy 50mph winds up in the mountain.
Don't know if you're looking for suggestions, but I have two of these and they don't budge when you have a completely full keggle bubbling away:
http://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-SH-140L-Pressure-Detachable/dp/B0000ASCU9/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1372712647&sr=1-1&keywords=camp+chef+burner
it's a normal titanium camping kettle (http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-Halulite-Kettle-Ounce/dp/B0018BLKOU/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1367895130&sr=1-1&keywords=Titanium+camp+kettle) and I used a mini camp stove http://www.amazon.com/Emberlit-Camping-Stove-Stainless-Steel/dp/B00ADUYW9M/ref=sr_1_20?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1367895198&sr=1-20&keywords=Folding+camp+stove
Edit: if the links don't work it's a emberlit camp stove and a GSI outdoor halulite tea kettle
A collar of steel/aluminum that goes around the burner, forcing all the hot air to hit your brew pot instead of blowing out the sides.
For example, this King Kooker has no collar, but this Camp Chef does.
My hiking partner helped out, so to give you an idea, one of us took care of boiling water and cooking the starch (rice & pasta) interchangeably, while the other boiled water and rehydrated the proteins and sauces.
It took about 45-50 minutes to rehydrate each meal, but we had plenty of daylight left and I used my awesome Emberlit titanium stove to save on isobutane. I just kept on feeding it dry twigs inside a fire ring.
I didn't mind the time it took as it was one of the highlights of our trip aside from all the amazing Roosevelt elk and wild life we saw at every turn.
Blackened Tilapia and Roasted Asparagus
This is one of my favorite meals and it is packed with protein and delicious.
Warning: please only cook this outdoors, it will smoke up your house
Macros:
626 Calories
72g Protein
38g Fat
5g Carbs
Ingredients:
8oz (225g) Tilapia
A lot of Cajun Seasoning
12 Spears (12 metric spears) Asparagus
2 (30ml) tbsp Butter
1/2 (7.5ml) tbsp Olive Oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Equipment:
Gas Stove $23 on Amazon
Cast Iron Pan $24 on Amazon
Cookie Sheet
Hot pad
Lack of Fear
Directions:
This is all written from memory, criticism is appreciated.
Final tip; If you don't care about macros and calories (cheat days, end of a cut, etc) make this with cat fish and instead of asparagus, french fries and cole slaw.
Thank you for replying!
So one like this would be allowed right? It’s a dual one
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01HQRD8EO/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1523151975&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=propane%2Bportable%2Bstove&dpPl=1&dpID=51OeolmuH1L&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1
You should get a portable camping stove like the Primus Classic Trail and isobutane fuel to eat up some food : https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000RHCOP0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486183208&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=trail+stove&dpPl=1&dpID=41zwhCSmQvL&ref=plSrch
With that, go with beans, diced tomatos, oatmeal, lens, eggs, etc.
I personally use these cookware :
X-Set 31 : http://www.seatosummit.com/product/?item=X-Set+31&o1=0&o2=0&o3=584-32
X-Pan : http://www.seatosummit.com/product/?item=X-Pan
Both pricey, but pure awesomeness.
The stove is pretty tiny, though the gas canister would take up a bit of space.
But, yeah, probably not necessary for a long day hike. Mine is more geared towards overnight trips. I just pull out a separate backpack for day hikes
Something like this though? Nobody would ever know. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000RHCOP0/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1520239387&sr=8-10&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=backpacking+stove&dpPl=1&dpID=51Oely99J6L&ref=plSrch
I just bought the Esbit CS985HA 5-Piece Lightweight Trekking Cook Set with Brass Alcohol Burner Stove and 2 Anodized Aluminum Pots. It's on a UPS truck somewhere on its way to me now.
I bought it to meet two requirements. I wanted to be able to store my alcohol in my stove and be able to turn the stove off without burning all the alcohol. I also wanted everything to fit inside a cooking pot. This set had all that in one self contained unit at a reasonable price (it was $40 when I bought it, now it's listed at $47) and pretty good reviews. Amazon is telling me I'll have it by Wednesday.
Suggest this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkLba0aJ13k
Another popular youtube hiker (can't recall now) recommended this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NJYV3NP/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=geartesttv0d-20&linkId=4ae763c603be0ecde4d43e8494a3682b&language=en_US
I haven't tried but I love how small it is.
These probably aren't BI4L, so flame away, but it's perfect for your situation:
http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Butane-Burner-Stove-Free/dp/B000BVC4NY
These are butane powered... You can find them local at restaurant supply places and oriental markets. They are very powerful but have good control to cook on. My office uses them in the cafe for making everything, and they look VERY well used. They are also apparently safe to use indoors without fancy ventilation, though I'm sure there are limits to far you'd want to take that.
Maybe not perfect for outdoor use since the flame isn't well protected, but it's cheap and will do the job you have at hand now very well.
I would buy local so you can test out the valve/igniter, the QC is iffy, some makes are better than others.
You can also just buy a portable stove or a can of Sterno at a grocery store. It'd be much cheaper than burning alcohol in the long run. Can also get a much more efficient alcohol stove with adjustable flame on Amazon for about $20: http://amzn.com/B008VZ91WO
Fun to make your own though but there are much better options.