BTW, I’m not down on those interesting looking items like the Kelly Kettle, etc., For me, due to spending a lot of time above treeline in the alpine, and where weight is a very important factor, that is what my purpose for an alchohol stove is. In that regard, I will also often take it on day trips and cook up some noodles and make tea or coffee for a hot lunch.
I see things like wood burning stoves, and the heavy but nice kettle, as nice luxury items for car camping or float trips, but not very suitable for multi day trips where you carry everything on your back. If anyone does want more info on where to get that titanium sheet foil feel free to PM me and I’ll seee if I can dig it up.
Alcohol is good for short trips, but the fuel isn't that efficient, so the cap is about 5 days before isobutane becomes a lighter solution.
I mentioned the Backcountry Boiler earlier in the thread as a UL variant of the wood burning Kelly Kettle. I don't see that I added a link or picture, so here goes.
I really want one, but it's hard to justify since I don't cook. The only time I'm likely to light a fire is when I need to melt snow, and this stove would be terrible at that unless a pot is used...which is possible with this pot stand.
It can also come with an alcohol wick to convert it into an alcohol stove.
Yes, someday is right. I really like the Backcountry Boiler, its on my want list for sure.
Some others on my list is a Trangia 25/27, Evernew Appalachian Set, Optimus Hiker+, and Svea 123.
I am thinking of trading in my 8r for a Svea 123. The Svea just seems more practical of a stove than the 8r. The 8r is cool, but its pretty small for its weight and can not be nested in a smaller cookset. I think the Svea would be more useful, and the Hiker+ also.
The Trangia I would probably install my Primus Omnifuel in the base. I hear it is a very good setup. I think a Trangia 25 kit with the Omni Fuel stove would be great for car camping with the family
Alchohol stoves and winter do not work. I will have to look at that Boiler. Any other good suggestions for winter cooking that are lightweight?(apart from maybe buring the wood - which at least would not be wet!) I may even have to re-evaluate the wood burning for winter ski trips, nice to brew a coffee on a day trip even. A stove that weights 500 grams of more however is just too heavy.
the esiest and most simple one i built once was with a metal tomoto juice can, a roll of toilet paper, and common methyl hydrate or any rubbing alcohol. it worked great for boiling water.
I became quite interested in that Backcountry Boiler as a potential candidate for winter as it’s weight is reasonable (but might be even better if it were titanium). So I stayed up real late looking a uTube and other reviews. Thanks for pointing that out. I’m amazed that that Neoprene jacket does not burn! My first concern was with how narrow the base is. As I am in the Rockies a stable cooking platform is not the norm, and a couple of the reviews identify that as a problem. The second is with fuel if you are not using dry wood. While the optional alchohol felt is a nice idea, I don’t like the inefficient yellow flame you get from non pressurized alchohol. And back on to weight. I have found that around 6,000’ and above, and in cold weather, freeze dried food and some of the better noodles need to participate in the boiling process for a couple of minutes or they cool too quickly to rehydrate properly. So that means carrying an additional pot and pot holder assembly for the top, which will probably bring your weight up to at least 600G. I still really like the looks and concept of that system, and if it were available in titanium I’d probably be all over it.
So for three season use, the current system I use weighs 400G when I include enough alchohol to boil about 6 litres of water, is bomb-proof in high winds, is easier to start than wood, works well on unstable ground, and costs much less, seems like it is still a good bet:
Have you tried freezer bag cooking? All you do it heat up your water and dump it into a ziplock freezer bag that's in a cozy. After a few minutes your soup should be rehydrated. No extra pot necessary, and no cleaning afterwards.
I remember getting interested in that looking at it about a year ago. I can’t remember anymore why I came to the conclusion it wouldn’t work too well for what we do, so I guess I should revisit the concept. At the moment our favourite noodles require a few minutes of boiling. I know many like the instant Ramen noodles, but if they research what Palm Kernel Oil does to them, they’d probably stop eating them.
Now I’m off to the back yard between rain squalls to set up the new single wall tent that just came in.
What single wall tent?? Zpacks, Tarptent, Lightheart...? I'm liking the new Tarptent Cloudburst 3. It looks like it could be a good affordable winter palace.
SWMBO and I love ramen. I won’t go backpacking without a few bags. The Chicken flavor made with a can of Cream of Chicken soup is awesome “comfort food”, IMNERHO! The one we have right now is “Top Ramen” by Nissin foods. I’m holding a beef one in my hands right now.
In “Top Ramen” by Nissin Foods, there is no “Palm Kernel Oil”. A lot of other weird stuff and “Palm Oil”, but no “PKO”. Or maybe there’s some Great Chinese Conspiracy to pawn off one as the other?? IDK. But I can see it’s important to you.
So what Ramen are you talking about? And how much PKO do they use??
And why do you hate Palm Kernel Oil? (Not sure what it even is, beyond the obvious “Oil extracted from the kernel of a palm nut”, and I understand organic chemistry reasonably well, so I’d appreciate some factual details… all I seem to be able to find through Google is hate and BS (that’s “Blog Statements” if there are any young eyes reading)…)
Just curious. I will keep looking. And looking for anything we eat that DOES contain “Palm Kernel Oil”…
That couldburst 2 looks nice. I went for the Big Agnes Scout even though I already have 2 single wall tents (Integral Designs MK3, and Big Agnes Seedhouse 1) because it uses your trekking poles for set-up and thus comes in a 879 grams. As I’m not a ‘prepper’, or a survivalist, and I don’t have a ‘bug out bag’, and I only drink expensive beer and scotch, looks like I’m well prepared for my enevitable journey into homelessness. ALso on Labour day it was 25% off with a free footprint and free shipping to Canada, so I had to grab it along with some Ovaeasy eggs and whole milk powder which I have trouble finding here. (It appears as though they are having a sale today as well that takes 20% off, but does not look like they have any free footprints left).
It is a fairly ‘old school’ design, amazing how everything from the 70’s is back in fashion. Here’s how it looks as set up in my back yard right now, the way I plan to use it with the poles external rather than internal, as you can see this old retro design results in a lot of room for 2 people:
Having done a minor in nutritional biochemistry back in the 80’s I don’t pretend to be an expert, and I definetly support the doctrine that you should be free to make all your own choices, a phillosophy I even extend to my sub-adult kids. I simply give them my opinion and leave them to make their own choices, and I say the same to you. Sorry, but I’m not going to go into the skinney on why I avoid PKO, but I can’t help but now throw in one more observation, grab that can of Cream of Chicken Soup and look at the sodium content on it, then if you have not done so for awhile, take your blood pressure (Oh, and BTW, those Ramen noodles will give you 36% of your recommended saily sodium intake for one packet, so have one of those and a Cream of Chicken Soup and you should be set for the entire day). And yes, Palm Oil is quite beneficial for you and is a desirable ingredient (Palm Oil is 49% saturated fats as opposed to 82% saturated fats in Palm Kernel Oil), but give that it is significantly more expensive than Palm Kernel Oil, do you trust the labelling on those Ramen Noodles from SE Asia?
Dude! Beer cans for stove bodies and Scotch for fuel!!!
Who didn’t see that coming?
(Edit: Even I missed the “homelessness” bit!! Excellent humor!! “Preppers” in general, expect to be inevitably semi-homeless for extended periods of time on their Journey through Life… Deep!)
Well, the truth of the matter is I don’t really drink expensive scotch, I’d just fantasize that I could. Pretty much the same story on the beer, but now that homelessness, now that’s something you never know about……
Nice tent. It's a classic design. I really like how it has loops at the peaks, which should mean it could be hung instead of using poles. I wish Henry Shires would do the same thing with some of his tents.
The Cloudburst 2 is okay, but I actually meant the 3. It's hard to find because Henry hasn't linked to it on his site.
I'm hoping one side of those pole sleeves ends in a pocket. That'll make it much easier to set up when it's really windy. Set up would basically be staking the front of the tent into the wind, maybe the front guylines too for extra security. Sliding in the poles from one side...they'd still lay flat at this point. Pulling out the rear of the tent will pop it up. The rest is staking.
I have a single wall dome tent that's supposed to do very well in high winds, but I'd hate to try setting it up in high winds. I'd much rather have a tunnel tent for that.
I just picked up a Nemo Transform tarp. It can be a flat tarp or a pyramid with a zippered door. I can't wait to use it this winter.
Indeed, at 49 oz for 3 people, at that weight and with that design that is a very appealing shelter.
So now I’m also wondering about a Bothy, of which I have no experience. Looking at some reviews I would think something you can hold up internally with a pole would be better than not. For example the Integral Designs Bothy, which are made near me and they give us a Pro Price on their products through work, do not appear to have that option, whereas the Brooks-Range apparently does. Do you have any recommendations or tips on Bothy’s?
