[pct-l] IDEAS on what stove to use when cooking for 4

[Swope Christopher]

You should check out the stoveweight over time article on thru-hiker.com (http://thru-hiker.com/articles/) 

There's some good information there. 

If you're planning on boiling water for 4 all at once, the alcohol stove isn't going to be as efficient (in terms if fuel weight) as a canister stove. The thing is though, that's a lot of water to boil all at once. Most meals require about 2 cups (per person) to hydrate/cook. Boiling 8 cups at a pop, I doubt (no science in this opinion) that a canister stove is the most efficient, and suspect that a white gas stove is probably the better tool for the job.

That being said I agree with Steele-Eye and Eric. Being self-sufficient is better. It will allow your group more flexibility, in many ways. I guarantee one of you will get sick of whatever it is you plan to eat first. This way you'll all get sick of whatever you're eating at your own pace.

Nice way to work in the corn pasta there, Steele-Eye.


Swope

On May 3, 2011, at 5:22 PM, Charles Doersch <charles.doersch at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
> 
> Since there's four of us in my group next year, we've presumed the MSR canister would be our quickest, hottest, most efficient way to heat water. 
> 
> I've read some advice that alcohol-burning stoves might not work particularly well for four guys together (quantity of water being heated, etc.)-- but I'm wondering what your experience has been. 
> 
> Of course, availability of the canisters at stores along the trail could be a problem. Is it an important problem?
> 
> We have had enough experience cooking over wood-flames (chaparral flames, dried cow dung flames, etc.), that we thought of utilizing that as a fall back or regular alternative to the MSR canister. 
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Charles Doersch
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> 
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/