Move to Esbit

Hi Terry,

I too just made the switch to a Caldera Keg and Esbit tabs and I really like it. While I'm no expert I can at least tell you what I do.

1. I should plan on one tab to heat up ~32oz below 10,000 ft. Up to 1 1/2 tabs for above?
-I asked Rand from traildesigns.com about this same thing, but in relation to the JMT as I'll be doing it in August and this is what he told me: "as you go higher in altitude, the temperature at which water boils goes down. What I found when I did the JMT was that at lower altitudes or with colder water to start with I was doing 2/3 to 3/4 of a tablet of esbit per boil. As I got higher in altitude, I found that I could often get my boil on 1/2 a tablet." I'm pretty sure he was talking about two cups and not 32oz though.

3. Bring a little alcohol to easily get the tab going. (not sure how much).
-I haven't had any trouble getting them lit but I'm sure somebody out there has considerable more experience then me and can give you a more informed opinion.

6. Where's the best place to get esbit? Are some products better than others?
-I got my Esbit tabs from antigravitygear.com. Their prices were just a little cheaper then everywhere else I looked and it was the same kind.

Hope this helps some!

Thanks Erik….

One other note…..I was doing my esbit burns with a 900ml Evernew ti-tri……so there is a possibility that the keg, being taller and skinnier, will have different performance characteristics. Also, I was doing mostly Enertia trail foods….which on occassion only do 12oz….but 2 cups as well.

Rand :-)

I have been using the keg-f and really, really, really like it.

1-i find 1 tab to be enough for a 12oz or 16oz boil plus enough to heat up water for coffee or tea below 10000'. I have no experience above at that altitude.

2-i just run the bottom of my can with a bit of dirt and call it good. I always store in the caddy from trail designs.

3-you can scrape off a timy bit of the esbit tabs to make tiny "scraps" that light faster and easier. Never tried that alcohol trick, but then might as well just go with an alky stove.

4-true

5-i store my esbit in the blister packs it comes in and keep a tiny plastic bag (not ziplock) to put those in. And store in the caddy. I can't "recommend" this as its always a bad idea to put toxic materials in your pot, but I take the risk.

6-i've only used esbit brand tabs. I've heard that the knock offs aren't as good but cannot confirm. Esbit are usually available at outdoor stores.

7-this is a great stove system and I bet you'll enjoy it. The low weight of the whole system supplies a pot/mug as well as 2 bowls!

I have yet to light an esbit tab, but would like to know. What is the preferred method of extinguishing your tab in preparation for using the rest of it later?

Then blow Or drop a piece of foil over it

1. I should plan on one tab to heat up ~32oz below 10,000 ft. Up to 1 1/2 tabs for above?
I'd plan on two just in case. 32 oz is a lot of water.

2. A sandwich ziplock can be used to contain the residue on the pot vs. trying to clean.
I wouldn't bother trying to clean the residue. Plus it's probably toxic to the aquatic life.

3. Bring a little alcohol to easily get the tab going. (not sure how much).
Yeah, do that. I brought esbits on my last JMT section and couldn't get them going for the life of me. I went through about one mini-bic lighter per tablet.

6. Where's the best place to get esbit? Are some products better than others?
I think some must be better than others. I may have gotten a bad or old batch. Nothing appeared physically wrong with it, but I just couldn't light it. I'm not sure I'll ever use esbit again because of this and because of the smell and the residue. Alcohol is just so much cleaner.

Sorry, had a typo there. I'd say I'd be good with the 24oz that the H-Keg can hold, not the 32. I know esbit can be messy, but I just don't want to worry about shipping or buying alcohol while on the trail.

I find matches work well to light esbit tabs. just light the match and lay it across the top of the tab, allowing about 1/4 inch of the match to burn before the flame contacts the tab. this way the flame heats up the fuel as it gets closer and it lights every time.

I usually use the round coughlans fuel tablets. I prefer them because they're smaller and I often want a smaller but longer lasting flame than I get with the bigger esbit. They also cost about half as much as the esbit brand tabs and are the same as far as I can tell.

"3. Bring a little alcohol to easily get the tab going. (not sure how much)."

1-2 drops is all you need.

4. "I can mail esbit without restrictions:"
I had the same question, but the answer seems to be no;
e.g. http://www.gottawalk.com/shipping_fuel.htm
This would exclude the convienient USPS Flatrate boxes for resupply… If anybody has a different knowledge I would be interested to hear as I'm just thinking of using ESBIT on a 4 Week CDT stretch this summer.

Pros:
Can use very light wing/platform stoves
No metering (as with alcohol). If I need 4 boils I bring 4 cubes, simple
Can be used without a stove in a pinch, support pot on rocks
Does not leak or spill
Long burn times are good for fire starting

Cons:
It's stinky, like rotton sea food
It leaves a goopy mess on your pot and stove
I have to buy it on the internet (if I can find it there)

My recent inability to easily get fuel tabs has forced me to get my alcohol stoves back out. I really like solid fuel but it's seems hard find places to buy it. I know it's not impossible to find but I have to order it on line (if in stock) and wait a week or 2. It used to be available at Walmart or any store with a camping isle. My theory is that Coleman has edged Esbit out so that consumers will favor its fuel canister systems and white gas stoves (at Walmart type stores). Obtaining the fuel is just irritating so I am switching back to alcohol, which can be found at almost every gas station near a trail.

Eventually I may just bulk order a bunch of Esbit. Does Esbit expire?

I have some Esbit cubes I purchased 11 years ago which I just did some stove testing with a few nights ago. They seemed to burn and light fine, although it's been over 10 years since I last used them.

I've used esbit exclusively for 3 season hiking for many years, including the PCT and the CT. They're great!

CAVEAT: you have to protect them from wind while lighting AND cooking. I light mine with a BIC lighter, holding the flame against a corner of the tablet. Remember that any flame is hottest at the tip.

No, you can not (legally) send Esbit through UPS or USPS. It must go ground, labelled accordingly.

I buy esbit-brand tablets at REI in boxes of 12, or they can be ordered from BPL or other on-line sites. Rarely have I found them along the trail, although they are available at:

PCT/JMT – Mt. Whitney Hostel in Lone Pine (and likely at the Mt Whitney Store itself as it's the same owner) and at Muir Trail Ranch.

CT – Salida Mountain Sports and in Silverton at Outdoor World. There is an REI in downtown Denver that I've never been in, but the Portland REIs all carry esbit so I suspect they will also.

I keep my esbit tablets in their protective packaging inside an OP Sack, which I carry on the outside of my pack. Whenever I ship them, I do the same. YMMV.

Esbit tablets also make great emergency firestarters (12 minute burn time) for those who use some other stove fuel but also carry an emergency firestarter.

What is your carry weight for your Stove system for 3-4 day long wknd. trek?

I use alcohol with a Heiny can and tealight plus some chicken wire for the pot stand. Everything is stored inside the heiny can so no need for additional bags to store the tabs, sticky pot, etc.

I'm wondering if the lighter esbit tabs would get near the weight of my alcohol setup for a long wknd. w/ extras needed to carry it? Could someone spec out their complete stove setup with Esbit for a 3 day wknd under 10k elevation? thx.

I always start mine with alcohol hand sanitizer.

Bryce,

item — oz.

Ti Wing stove — 0.50
homemade, heavy foil windscreen — 0.30
ESBIT tabs — 0.5 oz each
FrieLite 550 cup/pot — 2.70
lighter mini bic — 0.40
net stuff bag — 0.25

everything fits into the cup; the stuff sack is the one that came with the cup.

-Kent

I find that storing Esbit tabs in an OPSack is better than a Ziploc.

Thanks for the info Kent…

So if you partially burn an esbit tab, it's stored inside your cup lying free or is there away to seal it up? (never smelled an esbit tablet, but I'm gathering they smell really bad?)

Put partially burned tabs in the same bag as unused tabs. Whatever you do, don't leave opened tabs "free" in you pot —- that'll be some nasty coffee!

I find that partially burned tabs stick to the stove so I leave them there until time to fire it up.

Looks like Kent C does not list a bag to store new and partially used Esbit tabs (that fit inside his cup) in his list above…..looking for him to clarify. Thx.

The smell is a mildly unpleasant chemical smell. I don't even notice it unless I hold it close and inhale. It might vary depending on the individual but I think the much discussed esbit smell has been way overblown on forums.

Thx for the feedback everyone. Seems like the opsak is a no brainer. One last question, I guess since this stuff is so smelly, you have to store it in a bear canister? I have a 5-day stretch I'm a little worried about fitting everything in my BV solo if I have to include the esbit tabs.

I wouldn't want them in the can with my food. I carry them in doubled small Zip-Lock bags. I can't imagine the smell attracting animals.

I don't have much to add to this discussion except to say that I love my Caldera GVP Fosters/Gram Cracker kit. I've used Esbit on and off for years with fair to middling results. But the combination of the Caldera Cone with a properly adjusted Gram Cracker is just dynamite! It easily brings 2 cups of cold creek water to a full rolling boil with plenty of Esbit left over to heat one more cup for instant coffee. I love efficiency and this system delivers in spades! Plus the whole thing fits neatly in its own insulated stuff sack/cozy to take up very little room in the food bag.

Sorry if this is a useless post but I get excited whenever I fit a piece of gear that really delivers for me! :o)

Michael