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Which hexamine manufacturer?


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  • #1302829
    Yoyo
    Spectator

    @dgposton

    Locale: NYC metro

    So there's Esbit. And Coughlan's? And stuff from Academy Sports? I'm curious:
    (1) Which has the highest BTU output?
    (2) Which smells the least and leaves the least amount of residue?

    I haven't played with Esbit ever before, but I'm looking forward to doing a few tests in my chemistry lab and seeing whether I'll be using Esbit this summer instead of my trusty cannister stove. So let me know what brands I should try, and where to buy them.

    Stay tuned for when results come in…

    #1985423
    Ian
    BPL Member

    @10-7

    In my experience, Esbit leaves less residue than Coghlans. I haven't used Academy Sports; they aren't available where I live in Washington.

    I can clean my pot after using Esbit with just water. With Coghlans, I can't completely remove the residue without using something abrasive.

    Ounce for ounce, I think they perform the same. I think Esbit smells worse than Coghlans but it really doesn't bother me and I just keep it in a sandwich bag.

    I look forward to reading your review! Have fun!

    Edit: I haven't seen military hexamine in a couple decades but I haven't looked for it either.

    Edit part deuce: I shouldn't say that the Esbit creates less residue. I meant to say that the soot is easier to clean off.

    #1985489
    dave e
    BPL Member

    @hipass

    Locale: Los Angeles

    where can you buy coghlan fuel tabs in Los Angeles?

    #1985494
    Ian
    BPL Member

    @10-7

    http://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-9565-Fuel-Tablets/dp/B00079YU46/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1368380307&sr=1-1&keywords=coghlan+fuel

    Apparently free shipping from one of the vendors.

    Locally here in Washington I buy it from Wholesale Sports. I didn't see one near you ala google. They are fairly common so I'd be surprised if your local sporting goods stores don't carry them.

    #1985528
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    "I haven't seen military hexamine in a couple decades but I haven't looked for it either."

    It think it is Trioxane, not Hexamine. Doesn't work as good as Esbit, but a lot cheaper and toxic.

    #1985530
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    Most of the military stuff that I've seen was Trioxane, packaged into O.D. foil packs. It is better than nothing, but it is not as good as Esbit.

    I have seen hexamine round tablets sold in O.D. cardboard tubes, but it didn't seem as hot as Esbit, either.

    –B.G.–

    #1985538
    dave e
    BPL Member

    @hipass

    Locale: Los Angeles

    I havent seen it at sports authority or rei…maybe Big5 Sports?

    edit:thx for link…that is damn cheap and free shipping too…is it the real stuff,have you bought from them?

    #1985572
    Ian
    BPL Member

    @10-7

    Nick/Bob, thanks for the correction. We just called them "Heat Tabs" and to be honest I only used them a couple of times. I left Germany in '94 and never saw them in circulation after that.

    Dave,

    I can buy them locally so I've never interacted with this vendor. These Coghlan tablets are .25oz and [normally] the Esbit tablets are .5oz. REI sells a box of 12 .5oz Esbit tablets for $6.95 vs the 24 .25oz Coghlan tablets from Amazon so still $2 back in your pocket for the same amount of fuel.

    There are 4g Esbit tablets out there but I don't have any experience with them nor have I seen them at any of my local stores.

    #1985576
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    "We just called them "Heat Tabs" and to be honest I only used them a couple of times."

    Trioxane heat tabs are OK, but not great. In Korea, we had to use those in a foxhole to heat up coffee. If we didn't use Trioxane, we had to pry the back off a Claymore mine and pick a piece of C4 explosive out. It would burn about the same, but you just needed to be careful how you handled it (not recommended). In general, Trioxane heat tabs are much larger than Esbit cubes, so you were supposed to break the bar into thirds.

    I have a box here:
    FUEL, COMPRESSED, TRIOXANE
    RATION HEATING
    3 BARS

    Chemical Compounding Corp., Riverhead, N.Y. 11901

    Three bars in one box for $1.

    –B.G.–

    #1985589
    Peter Griffith
    BPL Member

    @litesmith

    Locale: Litesmith.com

    Another brand to consider is Bleuet.

    #1985593
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    I used Bleuet for the first time one year ago. It seemed to be virtually identical to Esbit brand except for a very slight pink color to it which makes no difference in performance. I only purchased the Bleuet because Esbit brand was unavailable, and the Bleuet cost was slightly higher.

    –B.G.–

    #1985598
    Tom D.
    BPL Member

    @dafiremedic

    Locale: Southern California

    I found Coughlan's in a military surplus store in the LA area. I just bought a package of Stansport hexamine tabs to try out that has different packaging but the similar appearance (dont know if they are the same) at a military surplus store in Pomona.

    #1985655
    dave e
    BPL Member

    @hipass

    Locale: Los Angeles

    Ian ,i just ordered some.

    #1985660
    Theron Rohr
    BPL Member

    @theronr

    Locale: Los Angeles, California

    I ordered several packs of fuel and the stove from here:

    http://www.campingsurvival.com/fueltablets.html

    This is a very cheap place to get it from but shipping is not free so the amazon link might be better if you just want to try out one box.

    I did see Dick's sporting goods was selling the folding stove + fuel a while back.

    #1985663
    Jason G
    BPL Member

    @jasong

    Locale: iceberg lake

    I have to say the Coglans are a much better option for me. they have them at my local outdoor store (redwood trading post, redwood city) for $2.??.. something under $3 i think.. $2.55 maybe. And that is for 24 tablets. One of those tablets is perfect to heat up one cup of water for coffee/tea/hotchoc etc. One won't quite boil 2 cups of water but 2 tabs will for sure.
    So compared to regular 14g Esbit brand which cost $7 for 12.. these are roughly more than half the cost and twice as versatile..

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