#048 Evolution of a Lightweight Backpacker - Stoves
Trading my gas stove system for a solid fuel tab system allowed me to drop weight from 21.5 ounces to about 10 ounces..
The first two pieces of backpacking gear I purchased many years ago was a small camp pillow and a small camp stove. We’ll discuss the pillow in the Miscellaneous Stuff post a few weeks from now.
When backpackers talk about stoves we’re referring to the ridiculously small gadgets that fit in the palm of our hand. Oh how we love our treasured mini-gadgets.
These mini treasures can bring a pot full of water retrieved from an icy stream in the middle of the wilderness to a boil mere moments with scant effort on our part. The simple coupling together of fuel canister to stove, the slight turn of a mini-valve, the flick of the Bic, and we’ve recreated a flame that resembles the tail end of a mini-rocket ship to heat our water.
Most of the meals backpackers eat, like oatmeal, instant potatoes, and dehydrated prepackaged meals requires hot water for rehydration. Not to mention the ever important coffee, tea, and hot cocoa.
With that image of the mini-rocket ship’s flame burning in your mind I’ll introduce you to my first backpacking stove, the MSR’s Pocket Rocket. This three inch high, 2.6oz rocket ship-shaped stove boils a pot of water in just a few minutes.
I applaud the simple design of this stove. It attaches to a 4oz or 8oz fuel canister which doubles as a sturdy base. It’s three arms hold the pot of water securely as the flame shoots straight up the middle. It’s easy to reach valve let’s me control the force of the flame with ease.
I’ve hiked with people who’s stoves were very popular, yet were complicated, fail miserably, or worse, catch itself and everything around it on fire.
This stove that served me well for many years on many backpack trips, car camping trips, scout campouts with my son, power outages at home, and other occasions is now in my emergency kit at home, still fully functional and reliable, ready to serve me again when the occasion arises.
So, why is it no longer in your backpack gear?
I’m glad you asked?
My friend Mama Mosey turned me on to a different style of stove a few years ago. The Esbit Cook System’s design is much simpler than that of the gas stoves. It requires no attachment to bulky fuel canisters, which need to be discarded once emptied , no knobs to turn, and no more guessing how many burns you have left from a near-empty canister.
This stove uses a small fuel tab which rests on a small platform inside. The stove’s top cradles the bottom of the cookpot for a secure fit. The stove itself is a windscreen, has plenty of ventilation to allow the flame to breath, yet hold heat. Also, if the fuel tabs run out before the end of the hike, small stick and other debris are an excellent replacements, and are plentiful in the wilderness.
The Esbit system does take a little longer than most gas stoves to get the water to desired temperature, but what’s the hurry? You’re relaxing in the wilderness preparing a warm meal, where else do you need to be?
Waiting a couple of minutes longer to boil water is well worth the simplicity of use, the compact design, and the massive drop in weight and bulk in my pack.
I’m impressed with the compact storage of the Esbit stove system; the fuel tabs and the lighter fit inside the stove, the stove fits inside the small 3.5 inch high, 4 inch wide cookpot. Everything you need to cook your meal fits in the palm of your hand.
I’ve used this stove over the course of five hundred Appalachian Trail Miles and it hasn’t failed me yet.
Join me next week as we talk about some of my lighter choices in dishes and utensils.