portable stoves

[Bige610]

I was wondering what you guys would recommend for an inexpensive stove for winter hiking. I need something i could boil some water for tea on during a snowshoe trek. thanks in advance.

 

[Shoki]

I was wondering what you guys would recommend for an inexpensive stove for winter hiking. I need something i could boil some water for tea on during a snowshoe trek. thanks in advance.

Beer can stove!! Lightweight, cheap fuel, and best of all, FREE!

Here's a cool link: http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/stoveinstruct.html

 

[DWK2]

In really cold weather, a lot of guys like the liquid fueled models (e.g., Whisperlite) better than the compressed gas types.

DancesWithKnives

 

[brians]

I was wondering what you guys would recommend for an inexpensive stove for winter hiking. I need something i could boil some water for tea on during a snowshoe trek. thanks in advance.

Bige610

Would you be using it for overnights as well? An alky stove like the white box below is a sturdy little stove and weighs practically nothing, but as mentioned above, if to be used in very cold weather, you might want to get a liquid fuel.

Also, the MSR pocket rocket is a good little canister stove.

http://www.whiteboxstoves.com/

 

[DWK2]

I have an extremely light and reliable Snow Peak Gigapower (titanium with auto ignitor) that I use for warm weather. I haven't tried it in really cold stuff. However, if you kept a canister of compressed gas warm in a pocket, I imagine it would work OK for boiling water.

DancesWithKnives

 

[dartanyon]

This thread has a great idea -

From thread - http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=696450&page=2

you won't get much smaller than this

it's my 6.0 oz 'kitchen"
- burns wood or Esbit


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=685778

You can try the trangia stove in a stand similar to the esbit one above. I have made one similar.

I dont know if mtwarden will see this post but I'd love to know if the allow will buckle under the weight of a billy and heat from the stove. I haven't tested mine yet.

 

[wolfenhawk]

I was wondering what you guys would recommend for an inexpensive stove for winter hiking. I need something i could boil some water for tea on during a snowshoe trek. thanks in advance.

I was looking for the soda can stove video online that taught me how to make the stove I make and use for boiling water for ramen noodles and found this diy video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRt8mNOP2b0&feature=player_embedded# that looks even easier and only requires one soda can rather than two as I"ve been using. It's very easy to put one of these together with a little practice and although they are fragile if you did accidentally step on it all you need is another empty soda can to make another. Just remember that the alcohol flames are invisible in sunlight. Also I usually just go to the hardware store to get the gas dryer HEET to use as fuel.

I also made a small wood burning stove that works well as long as you keep feeding it by watching this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN30_tG7S3A&feature=fvw

 

[dartanyon]

Here is a great site for making alcohol stoves -

http://wings.interfree.it/html/Pepsi.html

I got the link from W&SS

 

[jca21]

my favorite winter stove is the bush buddy. never have to carry fuel and not only is it quiet, you get to enjoy a little fire without scarring the ground. it runs on twigs and other small pieces of flammable materials and weights next to nothing.


nests nicely inside a brunton ib pot.

well worth the investment if you ask me.

inexpensive options would be popcan stoves or mil surplus trangias. but i dont think they compare to a bushbuddy.

 

[Bumppo]

Trangia or Esbit

 

[mcjhrobinson]

i got one of these....works great...i have never used it below 30 though....best of all i use HEET as fuel....can be found most any auto shop and sometimes gas stations

http://www.traildesigns.com/caldera-cone.html

 

[d_filgate]

I have a Brunton Multi-fuel. A couple of months ago I got a Stainless steel Kelly Kettle
from Ireland. When out fishing, and it starts to cool off, 1.5 liters of water, uses whatever
is on the ground, wood, grass, etc....
Boiled the 1.5 liters in about 3 minutes.
Hot chocolate....mmmmm!!!!!

Oh, btw, the Brunton works pretty good too. Boiled about a liter in just over 4 minutes.

Cheers

 

[Any Cal.]

I use the MSR ....crap, the littlest one that runs on canisters, even in the cold(ish). I have used it down to maybe 20F, it was below freezing a ways but I can't gaurantee how far, with no problems, but I was only using it to make drinks. In the winter I will throw it on the sled because it doesn't weigh much, and is real fast for making something on a break. I can have a water boiling before I could get the liquid fuel stove put together and warmed up. It seems like the canisters have less difficulty working when full of fuel than when almost empty.

 

[Rockywolf]

I use a folding esbit with wood and a small food grater I found at REI for cheap. Pull out the handle on grater, bend it into lifting tool, flattened bent sides of grater and you can use it over top of stove as stand or mini grill. Super lightweight.

 

[THE PUNISHER]

small compact vargo ti stove,i picked up one and it is small..............

 

[langston302]

I love the old Trangia's.....I have 6 in strategic locations. Alcohol....denatured and you are good for a long time.

I also use whats called a plumbers stove....I built mine out of a varnish can and a old can of beans and a ring clamp.....bring water to boil in 5-10 minutes depending on wind and water temp......


http://www.backpacking.net/makegear/stove2/index.html

 

[wolfenhawk]

I use the MSR ....crap, the littlest one that runs on canisters, even in the cold(ish). I have used it down to maybe 20F, it was below freezing a ways but I can't gaurantee how far, with no problems, but I was only using it to make drinks. In the winter I will throw it on the sled because it doesn't weigh much, and is real fast for making something on a break. I can have a water boiling before I could get the liquid fuel stove put together and warmed up. It seems like the canisters have less difficulty working when full of fuel than when almost empty.

I posted a reply earlier on cheap diy alcohol and wood stoves, but if you are willing to shed some cash for a backpack stove I can't recommend MSR enough. I have had a MSR dragonfly for a few months now and it is a great stove with a variable flame adjustment so that you can either simmer or melt snow in a hurry.

 

[Bushman5]

^ and MSR stands behind their products and customers 110%

for a winter water boiler i recommend the MSR REACTOR (got a review somewhere in BF WS&S). Works great in icy cold conditions, uses little fuel, boils water really fast. Windproof.

 

[valcas1]

I really liked the Bushbuddy but could't justify the price. After researching it I made the DIY version. Cost about $5.00 in parts and about 30 minutes of my time.

I have been very happy with the performance of it. No need to worry about fuel, It gives me an excuse to practice lighting fires. It is also really nice to keep feeding it while I drink my tea and enjoy the flames and heat of the little fire. I would say it weighs in at under 8oz.

I have some pictures of constucting it I could post if anyone is interested.

Paul

 

[XMP]

I really liked the Bushbuddy but could't justify the price. After researching it I made the DIY version. Cost about $5.00 in parts and about 30 minutes of my time.

[I have been very happy with the performance of it. No need to worry about fuel, It gives me an excuse to practice lighting fires. It is also really nice to keep feeding it while I drink my tea and enjoy the flames and heat of the little fire. I would say it weighs in at under 8oz.

I have some pictures of constucting it I could post if anyone is interested.

Paul

Please do. I just looked at the Bushbuddy online and was shocked at the price. I wouldn't mind making my own.