Tag: backpacking stove

March 26, 2025 – Experimenting For Peace of Mind

March 26, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I am in the opening phases of meal planning. I am planning on using freeze dried meals for at least some of my meals, preferably both morning and evening. One of the things that I have no handle on whatsoever is how much fuel will I need for this. As with all containerized gas, even a fuel style gauge wouldn’t be terribly helpful other than giving something to worry about.

So, I set about running a test. How long does it take to heat up water to boiling and how long will a full cannister burn. From that information, I will be able to devise a usage calculation to tell me how much fuel will I need.

Technically speaking, I could probably do this on the trail during my practice runs. But I think an actual controlled experiment not only will give the information faster but also probably will be more accurate. Trying to keep track of stuff in the field is difficult unless you are extremely disciplined. I try to do this at the rifle range, even keeping notes and I still forget stuff all the time.

I performed this experiment using the 100 gram fuel cannister. It is the smallest and I would think the fastest to complete. I will extrapolate the results to a 230 gram cannister which is what I think I want to take with me but I don’t want to run the test for double the amount of time.

The other potential variable of the test is that I am burning a Jet Boil brand cannister. The larger size (more locally available) is the Kovea brand. I am going to assume that the fuel weights are as advertised and that both brands are the same fuel mixture generating the same BTUs.

Here are some variables that I cannot test here. The first one is elevation. Because air pressure is lower at higher elevation, water will boil at a lower temperature. This effect becomes prominent at elevations greater than 3000′. Assuming complete combustion (full BTU conversion), in theory elevation should add runtime to the stove.

Another is temperature. The outside temperature will presumably be lower in the morning and warmer in the evening. I performed my test at ambient basement temperature which was 62 degrees F. Those effects will possibly cancel each other out taking more time in the morning and less in the afternoon.

A larger temperature component would be the starting point of the water. I started with tap water which is probably around 40 degrees F. If my water is straight out of a mountain stream, it could be 33 degF. It could also come from my pack which may be 90 degF (I really hope not). So, that may range from no effect to longer run time.

The final variable I could test is how much water do I need to heat up? I ran two measurements 1L time and 1/2L time. For freeze dried meals, I will likely only need 1/2L but for breakfast, I very will want some coffee or tea. I think it is always better to heat up more than you need for cleaning purposes as well. I guess what I am saying is it seems like 1L is probably the realistic measurement.

To my surprise, the 100g cannister ran for two hours. I found that 1L took 9:20 to boil and 1/2L took 5:40. If I round up, I should get 12, 1L boils or 20, 1/2L boils. This tells me that one 230 gram cannister should be more than adequate for my meals for a week. That would be a 4.6 hour (276mins) run time with 27, 1L or 55, 1/2L boils.

One critical thing my test did show me is a result of the fact that I didn’t run it straight through. I found that the igniter only worked the first couple of times. I do see it sparking but I cannot say if that is a gas issue or an igniter issue. As a result, I will need to have a secondary ignition source. I already have a lighter in my pack so that should be good to go. More testing on this is definitely warranted.

End Your Programming Routine: I now have peace of mind. The only other consideration I may make is redundancy. If I choose to only bring one cannister and a leak develops or some other issue, I may be stuck. I could choose two 100g or one spare 100g or none at all. I have not yet decided if I want to bring a back-up. That is to be determined.

March 13, 2025 – A New Year, New Gear Part 6

March 13, 2025 / / 0 Comments

What you see below is my new stove. Did I need a new stove? Technically no. I have an old 1980s era stove and my son also has a Jet-Boil (this stove is very similar). I thought about just borrowing my son’s stove and I also thought about taking my old stove as well.

First and foremost, the stove I already have. It works. My younger son uses it on camping trips. I have no qualms about the function. The main disadvantage is that it is heavy. I would guess that it weighs around five pounds. I like the fact that it uses liquid fuel as I am not a fan of disposable cylinders. I have an aluminum bottle that I use but again, that is more weight and bulk.

Using my son’s Jet-Boil was the backup plan. At one point, he said that he wanted to go. I am hoping that he is actually working by the time that I am hiking. I figure worse case scenario, I can trade out this new stove with the old one that my younger son is using. While I am enjoying this process, I will only be doing it so many times and I can put the old stove into backup duty rather than primary duty.

Why FireMaple and not Jet-Boil? The best reason is that it is cheaper by about 50%. I heard about this on the Explore Oregon podcast a few months ago. It was a show about getting into backpacking and this is the brand the expert recommended. I have to say, looking at the two side by side, they seem comparable quality and function.

In addition to the stove, This ‘kit’ comes with a 1L cup, a fuel can stabilizer and a pan adapter. Each of these pieces can be purchased individually because you can buy a stripped down option that is just the stove and pot. There are a few other things that you can add like a pressure pot (for high elevation cooking) and a French Press screen for coffee or tea. I am definitely not looking to add more weight to my trip but I am not opposed to using this stove on more trips.

The fuel cannisters come in three sizes 100g, 230g or 450g. The nice thing about the design is that both the 100g and 230g cannisters nest in the pot. Unfortunately, the 230g cannister is large enough that the lid will not lock on but it still fits. I don’t have a 450g can but that is what I am planning on taking with me. I need to do some duration testing but I am planning on only taking one cannister with me. The less the weight and bulk the better.

The stove does have a built-in igniter. I think that I will pack a secondary ignition source as well. I haven’t decided if it will be matches or a lighter. I like matches better but they limit your attempts. The old, strike anywhere matches I could light off of a zipper or rock but the the new matches are just not the same. If you wear out, lose or get your OEM striker, you matches are toast. So, it will probably be a lighter.

No doubt that this is a highly desired luxury. A water system failure can have deadly consequences. Dehydration and parasites are no joke. A stove is technically not required. In fact a friend suggested that I could eat cold freeze dried meal if I was looking to keep weight and cost down. No, not really but if I run out of fuel, it is not the end of the trip. From the other perspective, I suppose I could technically boil water so it is just another option in the toolbox.

End Your Programming Routine: Believe it or not, I am starting to get all of the necessities collected and moving onto the luxuries. The next purchase is going to be a water filter, definitely a necessity. I have plans of getting my tent at the beginning of next month. I am looking forward to that because then I can start doing some overnights. I will also switch over to my new pack on my weekend hikes carrying all the gear I will have with me.