[pct-l] Esbit vs. Alcohol and some canister notes

[Slow Comfort]

The Titanium stove weighs 10oz.  And It's not a problem for me to have
a cold meal if there's regs against using natural fuel.  Or, I'll just
fire up the back up.  Strange, how times have changed, toxic fuels
manufactured with toxic results for the end use as well, are sometimes
prefered to the natural way - reminds of Dylan's lyrics, "There's a
slow train comin'

I can't imagine the stove burning out for many years. But as the case
with most lightweight gear, we trade off weight for extra care.    I
have done some field work on the old 18 ouncer, like mending the
battery connections, all it took was a pocket knife and a little duct
tape. There's hardly anything that can go wrong unless the motor
fails.  I've never had a fan go out, its a fairly sturdy motor, I
guess, never had a problem there.  As to whether the titanium will
last any longer than the heavier model, I can't really say, but I'm
thinking years of service for the titanium model as well, but, since I
just bought it, we'll have to see.  You can make a small wire grate
for it if you want to cook, like say in a mug that's less that 5
inches wide, or buy the optional wire grate for it.  I use a 0.9 liter
pot that almost 6 inches wide so I don't use the grate.  The stove is
5 in wide across the top.

One other thing about this stove is that in requires tending while its
burning.  It's really a small campfire.  but instead of logs and
branches, you just keep feeding it with small twigs, crushed pine
cones, bark, dried thick weed stalks, etc.  I even burn camp trash
others leave behind.  And I enjoy my cooking time so tending the stove
is part of the joy for me.

Couple of ways to deal with soot.  When I camp, I usually take a bar
of cheap soap to rub on the outside of the pot before use.  That works
pretty good at inhibiting soot buildup, the clean up then is minimal.
 But since I'll be weight conscious for the PCT, I'll probably just
use the old Indian method, gritty dirt, light sand preferably mixed
with some crushed leaves or pine needles does a good enough clean-up
for me. I use a thick ziplock poly bag to house the stove in my pack.
I use a G4 and I just stuff it in the bottom of one of the deep,
webbed side pockets.  Its handy that way and fits perfectly there.

I'm sure it's a matter of preference.  But, as for me, I got big hands
and thick fingers, so those little alcohol and tablet stoves are a
little more difficult for me than most folks. But I do keep a tiny one
for back up. The Zip stove suits me physcally and my personality likes
the rustic nature of it.

Hope that helps.

Keep the wind at your back.



On 1/24/07, Marcia <gottawalk at pacbell.net> wrote:
> or in case of wood fire stove ban, which I've
> never encountered, so  I've never used the backup and on the way up to
> a bald spot (no fuel) I just pick up a bit of sticks and bark for the
> zip stove along the way...doesn't take much...no problem.
>
> Burning wood in some areas of the Sierra is prohibited above 9600' perhaps
> because of slow regrowth or preventing the deadwood nutrients of decomposing
> back into the  this soil.18 oz is a lot! How much will the ti zip weigh?
>
> YMMV
> Marcia
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