Monster Energy BFC 32oz water bottle / stove….

[Bryce]

…well that's the idea anyway. To replace my Heiny stove and one of my water bottles (generally a Poland Springs bottle or Platy) w/ this 32oz "Monster."

I will have to consider the PIA factor of having water stored in the same place I'm going to boil water in (freezer bag cooker here). If I come into camp with 32oz full of water, what do to? Drink down a tone of water until I have just the right amount to make dinner with?

Will my water treatment strategy change? (currently using Chlorine Dioxide tablets….least until the Steripen Freedom comes out…and even then, is the neck of this bottle bit enough to get the Freedom down in there? Would I do double treatments for 32 oz? Can I swirl it enough?)

Will also add weight for a small container to hold matches/lighter/chicken wire pot stand/ tea light candle (holds the alcohol) as well. They used to nest inside my Heiny can. Gotta see if in the end I'll still save weight.

The can isn't quite as stout as my Heiny can, but I think it'll be ok with care. It weighs 1.5oz on the postal scale at work.

[Jake D]

first.. 32oz of Monster makes me nauseous and shaky just thinking about it haha

if you are only replacing one water bottle with the can then you can put any extra into the other platy or bottle? i wouldn't really want to end up with zero water once you're done with dinner. plus if the can gets a leak somehow you'll be really screwed with no container.

should be able to fit those little things in a ziplock or cut off water bottle (pack protection from the wire) that wouldn't weigh too much.

short answer.. sounds like it would work.

[Bryce]

The serving size is 8oz at a time, haha. I didn't drink this one, just came across an empty. I don't believe they still make them. :(

I have historically carried 1 x 1.5l Poland Springs bottle and 1 x 2l Platypus. I have done this because I ~feel~ like I consume a lot of water on the trail and I have used Chlorine Dioxide tablets. Of course it all depends on the trail and water availability, but if water sources are plentiful enough and either a) I'm not as worried about beasites in water sources or b) I carry a Steripen that doesn't add too much weight to my pack weight, I could conceivably carry less weight in that I won't have to carry as much water.

So I'd always have a 2l platy with me in addition to the 32oz stove/Monster BFC.

Not sure what you mean by wire? I think I can put the can directly into a side pocket, replacing a water bottle. At worst, the can will need to go into a rice cakes sleeve if I use Esbit tabs (gets sooty).

[Bryce]

40 grams = 1.41095848 ounces

[Jake D]

wire.. chicken wire pot stand. i dunno if it had any pointy bits that you'd want to keep covered up.

sounds like it will work then.

gunna be in your neck of the woods this weekend. gf and i are doing the bear mtn day hike friday since the weather looks so nice.

[Bryce]

Ah yes, the pot stand and matches/lighter. Freezer bag for the win, I agree.

Good deal on Bear Mtn, nice place. If you are in the area, come to the NE Winter meetup and fill out the member map!

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=56055

Hope to see you there.

Bryce

[Jake D]

yea, she lives near hartford so it's not too far. i don't have much winter stuff and camping in the snow has little appeal to me ;) i have spring/summer goals so i'll be up north mostly a fair bit.

[Kevin Beeden]

Have you seen this thread?

You make a good point about the difficulties of your water bottle also being your cookpot…

[Jake D]

Bryce.. i saw those cans at a Cumberland farms in Windsted area so they are still out there. In case you want a backup.

Bear mtn went well. went the opposite way we should have since a guy on the way down said the north side was icey so we were going to go out and back but folks on top said N side was fine so we went down that way :P i don't like backtracking so even though it was harder it was fine.

[Bryce]

@Kevin, I looked at that thread just now. I'm looking to go lighter. Def. no pot, just freezer bag cooking. Gotta think this through a bit. :)

[Dan Yeruski]

Nice idea to use the container for both.

Pour excess water into a 1 gram freezer bag until monster container is ready to be put away and then pour unused water back into monster via pin point pour spout of freezer bag.

[Bryce]

That's a real possibility if my 2l Platy is already filled to the brim. Thanks!

[Bryce]

Was thinking I could use this in the winter as a hot water bottle at night in my quilt if need be because it is sealable. The can is not all that rigid, so I'd have to be careful, but if I had a fire going I could certainly warm some water in it, then slip the bottle into a rice cakes bag (to keep soot of me) and into bottom of my sleeping bag.

[Ryan Smith]

I like your thinking with the multi-use item Bryce. I bet you can make it work although it may take a little effort & thought to do so.

You mentioned the Steripen Freedom. I hadn't even seen that yet. I wonder if its LED would be bright enough to leave the photon freedom at home?

Ryan

[Bryce]

It may, but not sure how long the battery would last and if it would significantly affect it's primary purpose of treating water over the length's of trips I take. But…it may allow me to drop the backup photon.

[Justin Baker]

I've done just a stainless 32 oz bottle with freeze dried meals. It's more practical if using wood for fuel, because you can just heat up the whole thing and pour as much as you need without regard for fuel consumption. But I don't know how well a can will hold up to a wood fire. So it might be a hassle. But good luck with it.

[Bryce]

Yes, the alum can needs more care. I suppose setting it next to the fire will be the answer….we'll see.

[Dan Yeruski]

Yes, your platy is full, stick with your original idea. It's a good one. You eliminate one bottle. That means a lot!!! There a lots of stoves out there that are designed for the monster cans. I wish you well on your project.

[Bryce]

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=49519

….whether in alcohol or esbit mode.

Kicker is…my 1.5l Poland Springs bottle is .85 oz.

I'd have to compare weights of:

1)
Heiny pot
1.5 liter Poland Springs bottle (.85oz or .5oz Poland Springs bottle)

vs.

2)
Monster 32oz BFC
Container to hold cooking "stuff"

[Bryce]

1)
Heiny Pot (28g)
Foil cap for Heiny Pot (1g)
1l Poland Springs bottle (14.17g)

~44g

vs.
Monster 32oz BFC (40g)
Container to protect cooking "stuff" (has to be <4)

Ummm….Houston we have a problem here. I considered just a ziplock freezer bag (6g), but that is heavier that my original setup and my cooking "stuff" is not in a protective container like it currently sits in the Heiny pot. No sure I can find a protective container for <4g. :(

The only possible two wins w/ the Monster BFC is that the water is boiled under pressure, so boils quicker, and uses less fuel (is my guess), but not sure that would pan out for a weight savings. Other win is by dropping one water bottle, I gain back some volume in my SUL pack (GG Murmur). But this doesn't even take in the consideration that PIA factor of having to juggle a cooking pot / water carrier vs. two separate items.

Am I (hopefully) missing something here?

[Jake D]

Hehe life is rough in the light zone huh ;) i can have 10lbs of food/water and still be under what i've carried for a weekend before.

could probably cut your hair and get 4g… oh wait.. umm..

For me i'd say for weekend trips the monster system. and for longer go with the heiny pot. that way you have a more robust system for longer trips and have reliable water carrying devices

[Bryce]

I'm all light all the time… so back to the Heiny and the Monster BFC goes in the gear closet to hopefully me born again some day. :p

Maybe in the winter I'd use the Monster BFC if I was tight on space while carrying a lot of gear in my GG Mariposa.

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