[pct-l] Canisters

[Brian Lewis]

Paul wrote: "On my last trip out, I used a Pocket-Rocket and packed a home
made pepsi-can stove as a backup with sufficient fuel for a couple of days -
I would probably use the same strategy for a longer hike."

An alternate light weight (never mind ultralight) approach to this might
have as a backup plan the idea of eating cold until repair could be effected
or a replacement could be obtained.  Apart from the limited number of
outfitters near the trail, I saw pepsi can stoves left in some hiker boxes
along the way. Perhaps you could get help to make your own at a trail
angel's house.  Note also that some people eat cold the entire trip, and for
made-to-be-heated foods a person could either adjust to eating that cold too
(I did that some in the Army lo these many years ago ...) or yogi some stove
use off of others (thru-hikers often start solo but end up hiking with
others).

I did carry a couple of backup things on the trail last year (LED light from
the ADZKO, paper sunglasses from optometrist), but I wouldn't have
considered taking a backup stove, particularly a different type of stove
with (therefore) a different fuel source.

I'm not trying to say that either approach is right or wrong, just offering
a different viewpoint.


Brian Lewis / Gadget '08
http://postholer.com/brianle