[pct-l] Life of an Esbit Tab....

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good afternoon, ‘Ol Gal,

I have some 10 year-old Esbet kicking around that I used for
comparison-testing fuels, and it still looks and burns as new.  The package
hasn’t been totally sealed in that time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexamine_fuel_tablet



I used to use solid fuel quite a bit, but I didn’t use Esbit:  I mostly used
military surplus trioxane tablets.  I greatly prefer trioxane because, 1)
its LOTS cheaper, depending upon where and how much one buys, 2) it doesn’t
blacken the bottom of my pot, and, 3) its well packaged in single tablets or
in three-tablet sticks.



 It’s been said that trioxane fumes are dangerous, but all fumes are
dangerous, so I don’t breathe any of them; that includes cigarettes or
anything else.



Esbit has one advantage:  One can blow-out a burning piece and save it for
another meal.  Trioxane is more difficult to blow out, but I treat all solid
fuel like I do alcohol, i.e. I light a piece and let it burn out.  When the
fuel is gone the meal better be ready to eat because it’s going down
regardless.



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 1:42 PM, Marge Prothman <marge at prothman.org> wrote:

>
>
> Does anyone know the life of Esbit Tabs, I have had some stored in a big
> plastic tub for about four years now.  I do not know
>
> if they will  be any good,  or should I just dump them.  I was wondering if
> they might just  crumble up.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Marge (the old gal)
>
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