Cooking System Question

I would recommend alcohol for a couple weeks along the AT with Dehydrated meals/rice. Macaroni/spaghetti doesn't do so well, since it requires about 10 minutes of boiling at hot (salted water) temps. Difficult to cook in a cozy of any sort because it gets starchy/sticky. I like to cook it, but I always use a SVEA.

You can resupply every 4-5 days along the AT. So, you will be able to bring enough without carrying a ton of weight. It breaks even with canisters at about 5 days if you do any cooking, but it sounds like you won't be, just boiling water. There is a significant difference between methanol and ethanol: ~9000BTU/lb vs ~12000BTU/lb so get Everclear 95% if you can. If not, go with SLX (~50/50 meth/eth.) All burn cleanly. Some of the others include all sorts of denaturating agents and often make poor fuels. Look for "Marine Cooking Fuel" on the can or listed as one of the uses. Repackage into a plastic soda bottle marked clearly as fuel (methanol is toxic.) Quantity is based on your usage. I plan on one ounce per meal. Plus one ounce for cooking each day. If you cook each morning, too, plan an extra ounce for that. (This is a little high, I actually use ~3.25oz per day.)

Second best would be to go with a canister stove. Again, with resupplies every few days, you can get a new canister at a local shop, but check availability, first. Not everywhere stocks the cans. Or carry an extra can. At ~12oz for an 8oz (240 or 220gm can) these are not terrible if you go UL.

I always carry a WG stove even if I am UL. It is just far easier for me to not worry about fuel or stoves. I bring a 20floz bottle full. It weighs about 17oz and will last a full two weeks with a bit left over. I also cook every morning and night.

On the trail, I am in no particular hurry. I can get 15 miles and still have plenty of time if I don't leave untill 0900 and don't get in untill 1630-1700 or so. I tend to be lazy about things and still make my miles.

Fot three hikers, I would suggest taking two stoves. One stove can certainly handle the job, but for the weight involved I'd suggest having a backup. Sometimes it's nice to have two stoves going at the same time.

It also depends on what you are cooking. If you are just heating water, and adding it to freeze dried packets, a single pot, like a 1.9 L one, will do you. A smaller one like a 900 ml one and a backup stove might be nice, but not necessary.

If you are going to cook food in the pot, like pasta, rice dishes, quinoa, cous cous, scalloped potato, I have found that a 1.9 L pot is just right for 2 adults, and just not quite big enough for 3 adults. I use angel hair pasta, which cooks in about 4 minutes. Lots of different sauces and meats can be added to that for variety. Same with rice and the others.

Having used white gas and canisters extensively, I'm all alcohol now. They end up being so close to being equal in weight, its not worth worrying about the weight difference. See this comparison:

http://backpackingtechnology.com/food-and-cooking/a-stove-comparison-alcohol-caldera-cone-vs-canister-jet-boil-pocket-rocket-giga-power/

If you are just boiling water, the JetBoil is hard to beat. For actual cooking, I'd take the Caldera Cone.

Some good recipes for cooked food recipes are here:

http://backpackingtechnology.com/food-and-cooking/most-excellent-menu-for-5-dinners/

When it's just me and the dog I use alcohol or Esbit (only a couple of times in the field with Esbit, but I could live with it). However, when cooking/boiling for 3 people there's also something to be said for speed, especially if people are going to need hot water for meals + coffee/tea/hot cocoa. That adds up to a lot of water.

One of the newer Jetboils with better simmer-capable burners and a 1.8 liter vessel would be my choice. I have used the MiniMo (and 1.8L Sumo companion cup) a fair amount and find its simmer capability to be excellent, which actually makes cooking possible and also helps conserve fuel by backing the flame down to a more efficient level, and by putting it in "idle" (very low simmer) if someone hasn't gotten his/her food ready to prepare when the water gets hot.

I would go with a canister stove and pot(s) to suit the menu. That will heat lots of water quickly and everyone can carry a share of the fuel. You dont need fancy pots— something like Open Country aluminum pots or IMUSA mugs will do.

This video shows the use of both alcohol and canister stoves. "Shug" is cool!!!