[pct-l] Esbit stove

[x384kz@xxxxxxxxx (Steve Reber)]

One alternative fuel to consider is Esbits.
Esbits, which looks like 1/2 oz sugar cubes, can be legally mailed by air.
You need at most half as much Esbit by weight as alcohol for the same amount
of cooking.
Since it is solid it is easy to carry.

The down sides are that they stink when burning, they leave a residue on the
bottom of the pot, and they cost too much.
The residue is easy to remove with a little dirt and water.
If you don't want to pay the 4.95 or 5.95 per 12 tabs (maybe cheaper by the
case) then make an alcohol stove, buy along the trail, carry a little more
weight, and save.

The Esbit stove is cheap, lightweight, and works well.
You can save a couple ounces and avoid the sharp edges of the Esbit stove by
making your own.
Get an MSR Whisperlite windscreen.
Wrap it around your pot (I like REI's Evernew 0.9liter titanium) and cut off
some of the extra to serve as a platform to burn the Esbits on.
Get some 1/4" hardware cloth from Home Depot or hopefully something similar
lying around. The height of the Esbit stove, 1 3/4", is perfect for the
0.9liter pot. Cut a strip of hardware cloth a little over 1 3/4" wide and
fold the edges over so its height is 1 3/4". You have a pot stand that is
stable, easy to store in your pot, and will last thousands of miles.
Put the pot on the stand. Wrap the wind screen around it. And cut off the
portion of the windscreen that blocks access to the pot handles.

For most cooking you only have to bring the food and water to a boil and it
will finish cooking without more heat.
You can blow the Esbits out when done and use the remaining portions next
time.
The cost is reasonable considering your other expenses and the cost of
alternative combinations of stove and fuel.
Supply by mail is a lot more dependable than hoping the next town has alcohol.

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