My first UL stove?

[Steve Davis]

So right now I have the Jetboil Sol, which is great, but I'm looking to get as light as possible. I just bought the Snow Peak 600 "Hot Lips" Mug (3oz) and the guy at REI told me I can use it with a stove. What would be super light and durable? I am considering the Esbit stove…

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/titanium-esbit-wing-stove.html#.UfHiZmSgml8

It weighs less than an ounce and seems like it would work perfectly with my mug.

Thoughts?

[tt quattro]

I've come around to using a simple cat food can stove. Super light and the fuel is readily available.

[Stephen Barber]

Alcohol and esbit stoves are super light, but be aware that in many parts of the western USA they are banned during high fire danger, and you will need to either use your Jetboil (or another lighter canister stove) or just take cold food.

[Bob Gross]

I use a half-ounce titanium Esbit wing stove with a 1.8 ounce Snowpeak titanium bowl.

–B.G.–

[michael levi]

Esbit is good for fast and light trips. My whole cook kit weighs 3.5 ounces. Take how many tabs you plan to use. I use coghlans tabs.

[Steve Davis]

do the rangers actually check what stoves you're using?

[Desert Dweller]

The way funding is now you'll be lucky to see a ranger, but it's best to comply with the guidelines/rules just in case. It's not worth a fine.:-P

[michael levi]

Interesting how we call esbit esbit even though we mean solid fuel hexamine. Some products are just that way such as Windex.

[Marko Botsaris]

Steven, keep in mind that when you start using a really light stove fuel -efficiency becomes a much more important issue. Your jetboil to take one example, or at least the Ti version, will actually become a lighter option after a certain number of un-supplied days, depending on how much you cook. So for a long trip an Al stove may not even be the lightest option, even were it to weight nothing at all. Just some food for thought.

[michael levi]

I agree if the trip is going to be long I will take my canister stove, its enjoyable.

But for weekend type trips I have a hard time justifying lugging around a metal slug.

[Steve Davis]

yeah, cuz fuel adds up when you need a 1/2 oz tablet for every heated meal. thats an oz per day or so. still, i dont plan on going on any long trips for a while. still getting used to backpacking.

is there any article on here that covers all the types of stoves and the pros/cons of each type?

[Brian Johns]

I'd pair a Zelph's StarLyte stove with a suluk 46 windscreen if you want a fun, user friendly UL setup for your 600 mug (probably a size small windscreen). Esbit is nice, but alcohol is more fun to tinker with, and it sounds like that's what you're looking to do right now. Plus Esbit, er um hex amine, will probably gunk up your nice new SP 600 a bit. Horses and courses and all that. When it comes down to it, they are all light, uber light. But Alcohol is fun. It's silent, you light it, go do chores around camp and return 6 or 8 minutes later to your boiing water.

Also, not the lightest you can get but over time they add weight savings in efficiency – also works with both Alcohol and with Esbit – try a Trail Designs caldera cone sized for your SP 600 with either the Trail Designs 12-10 stove or the aforementioned Zelph's.

[michael levi]

Suluk46 has a complete esbit/ alcohol setup, if I didnt already have one id like this one.

Super light at 1.59oz.

[Steve Davis]

Thanks Brian. I just want something that is light and good for 3-5 day trips. Right now my JB is 17 oz and I need to cut that down. Base weight for summer backpacking is down to 9.28 lbs, so I'm getting there :P

[Steve Davis]

found here…

http://www.suluk46.com/products%20%20-%20P13%20TEA%20System.html

looks cool. but how do u prevent it from getting crushed???

[michael levi]

Shaving a pound off of cook kit must feel nice:)

[Steve Davis]

what about this 1.9oz stove on top of a 3.5 oz fuel canister, with the 3 oz SP 600 mug thats only 8.4 oz for a canister setup?

http://www.snowpeak.com/litemax-titanium-stove-gst-120.html

seems i wouldnt need a wind screen with that. might be the best mix of light weight and durability.

obviously an esbit/alcohol stove might be better for 2-3 day trips than this, but what do u guys think?

[Bob Gross]

You can only slightly beat the 1.9 ounce stove weight with a Gnat (about 1.65 ounces). Then you can use simple aluminum foil for a windscreen if you have mild conditions.

Remember that the 3.5 ounce butane fuel has an empty canister weight plus the fuel weight.

I've used Esbit for six or seven days, and it works fine as long as the conditions are mild.

–B.G.–

[Brian Johns]

I have a lite max and I really like it. That said, the Giga-Power is cheaper (especially used) and a more robust stove. I prefer its pot supports, and the brass that attaches to the canister. The Lite Max is aluminum, and could be cross threaded resulting in fuel leaks if you're not careful with it. The Giga Power is just about bullet proof, but it is 2 ounces or so heavier. I thought my Lite Max weighs 1.6. I'll have to check. 1.9 sounds high. Did SP change the design? Kovea has some under 2 oz. stoves like the Gnat and LiteMax that look nice too. Probably a little cheaper.

[mik matra]

I bought this stove and I could barely boil water in my garage in 20degrees celcius with it!! I tried all sorts of alcohol stoves and esbit to boil the water but only managed hot water. I thought jees I'd have no chance in freezing weather then.

Then upon closer inspection of the inner ti ring (not the outer windshield) I noticed there is only holes in the bottom part of the sheeting not the top. I put in 4 holes at the top but got sidetracked with work and couldn't get back to it for a bit. Here is the problem….I left water in the alu container and it reacted with the aluminium and ate some holes in it. Stuffed!! I haven't been able to try my new pot stand and looks like I am up for a new pot as well!!

Back to the drawing board….again.

[mik matra]

…I keep coming back to my jetboil. It is strong, user friendly, VERY efficient and I can pack it anywhere in my pack without the fear of crushing it……I am just having trouble justifying the weight!!

[Aaron Sorensen]

I tend to just crush a fosters can each time out.
By first use, the lid is useless.
Just bought a 900ml pot. I use a cat can stove with a medium size metal can cut down that acts as both the cat can holder and pot holder.

I am going to try to find an aluminum can large enough to act as the wind screen as well.
You just leave 3 one inch extensions that come up from the bottom of the can that goes around the pot by a 1/3".
Make it about 1" higher than the cat can. form a "V" in the extensions and cut the V part down the 1" where the pot rests on the V
3 in 1 and makes everything much more stable.

[Dean F.]

@"is there any article on here that covers all the types of stoves and the pros/cons of each type?"

You're kidding, right?

Well, there is the entire six-part "Stoves, Tents and Carbon Monoxide" series. But also this:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/comparative_fuel_efficiency_and_weight_of_stoves_pt1.html#.UfOA1ay9K3Q

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/comparative_fuel_efficiency_and_weight_of_stoves_pt2.html#.UfOA1qy9K3Q

Then there's this, re: canister stoves, though it's dated (2005):

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/lightweight_canister_stoves_test_report_ii.html#.UfOBEay9K3Q

I also recall a thread a LONG time ago where I laid out- in very general terms- the pros/cons of various stove fuels. I'll see if I can dig it up. I'm CERTAIN that there are numberless such threads here.

[Mike Farrell]

The Snow Peak Ti light stove is outstanding. It is very small and light, very reliable and has a very hot adjustable flame. It easily boils 2 quarts of water or turn the flame down and heat up a tortilla right on the burner.

[Author]

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