alcohol vs esbit stove systems

[John B]

I’m new to this forum–discovered it last week.  I have been a backpacker and climber for many years.  Never got the UL religion until last year.  This was triggered by a goal of doing the Wind River High Route this coming August with two friends–a decision made last year (late summer).  Prior to that, my base weight was in the vicinity of 20 pounds–ok but nothing to write home about.  This past winter has seen a remake of the majority of my kit, bringing my base weight down to 12 pounds, which I’m OK with.  I have always used iso-butane canister stoves.  However, decided to make the leap to either an esbit or alcohol system.  I’ve purchased both, and played with them in my garage, but still havent decided on which I’m going to end up taking on the WR high route.  As I’m sure many on this forum are aware, this is an approximately 100 mile/10 day/30,000 vertical route that’s 2/3 off trail.  No reasonable way to re-supply so will start out carrying 11 days of food (10 days plus a safety margin).  This started my journey toward UL “religion”.  I will be testing out both systems in the field (I live in western Colorado) this season prior to a target date for the high route in August.  I’ve been impressed with the depth and wealth of knowledge on this site, and welcome any thoughts on what system might be better for this trip, or any of your preferences.  Here’s what I have on the two cook systems:

1. Alcohol: Toaks 750ml pot and 450ml cup, Qiwiz windscreen, Toaks Titanium siphon stove & Ti stand.  Total weight of alcohol cook system = 8.75oz/248g.  Best guess with a safety margin for fuel weight = 12oz (2 vargo 8floz squeeze bottles, 1 full & 1 half full for the 10days)

2. Esbit: Ti stove/stand along with same windscreen and cook pots = total weight of 7.7oz/218g for cook system (saves about 1oz).  Fuel weight 12oz (24 cubes of esbit fuel).

My thoughts so far–save a bit of weight with the esbit system but 1oz not going to be the deciding factor.  Esbit means no danger of fuel spillage and probably a bit safer as to fire danger.  Alcohol burns a bit hotter, found in my tests in garage brings 2cups cold water to boil in about 6 1/2 min (I live at 5800ft elevation), esbit seems to take about 9min.  Don’t mind the longer boil time.  I did test the alcohol system outside in my front yard (on 45 degree day with 5-10mph breeze)–took about 7 1/2 min boil time.

Comments/thoughts??  I searched only about 3 months back in this forum and didn’t see a specific thread on this topic–I suspect there has been one.  Likes/dislikes on these two systems???   Thanks for any info, experiences……..

[dirtbag]

I like esbit over alcohol.. personal preference.  I also use Trail Designs Ti-Tri 600 ml or 450ml.. which gives me option of alcohol, esbit or wood. So Naturally.. I use esbit and wood majority of my trips. I have dabbled with alcohol a few times.. just seems tedious to me.

So I say.. Esbit.

[Robert Richey]

I’ve been using Esbits almost exclusively for the last 23 years. At this point I only use one cube per day for a freeze dried dinner as I drink a cold protein shake for breakfast to start hiking early in the morning. The only drawbacks for me for the Esbits are the smell and the need to clean the residue off the bottom of the pot. I have had limited experience with alcohol stoves. My main concern with alcohol is safety. There was quite a fire started on the PCT in So Cal by an alcohol stove a few years ago. This is not a significant risk at all with Esbits. The weight savings add up on a long trip using Esbits and you can know precisely what your fuel needs are. Check with the post office but the last time I checked you can mail Esbits by USPS ground. If I cooked rather than just boil water I might opt for a different system but for me Esbits keep life on the trail simple and light. I might also add that for the kind of trip you are planning for to check out the series of YouTube videos by GearSkeptic. He makes quite a science of food planning with calorie dense items that can save a lot of weight.

[John B]

dirtbag and robert,

Thanks!  Robert you answered a question about esbit that I had for possible future trips: can they be mailed–I will check on this.  As to food, I have a tentative menu which will weigh in at somewhere close to 21oz/day and 2500 cal–will probably lose some weight from this intake as opposed to calorie burn, but that ok!   So far: esbit two/alcohol zero.

[dirtbag]

I get my esbit in the mail.. all the time…

[John B]

ditbag,

My initial order of esbit was mailed to me, but I’m pretty sure it couldn’t go by air?

[dirtbag]

embrace the soot!! You can always just rub some off on dirt and rocks.

[John B]

I’m with you on the soot–doesn’t bother me–I carry a small rag inside by cookpot for just this purpose

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

Esbit is probably the lightest way to go.  You can speed up the boil time by rotating the tablet to it’s side; this will increase the surface area (burn faster).  You can reduce the initial odor by unpacking the Esbit and letting it air out for a few days.

Alcohol is fine, though I am not sure that I would choose the TOAKS Siphon.  The StarLyte might be a better choice for ease of use and fuel efficiency.  BTW, if you are taking 12 oz of fuel, why not just get a bottle of HEET in the yellow bottle?

My 2 cents.

[John B]

Jon,

Thanks.  Good to know that turning the esbit tab on it’s side can speed up burn/boil–will try that.  While the esbit odor is noticeable, not sure yet that this would be a key concern for me in a backcountry setting, as the tabs are sealed while living in my pack.  Good info on the StarLyte–if I decide (after some more field testing) to go with an alcohol system, will look into this.

[Ben C]

I am a fan of alcohol. I use the starlyte with titanium cone windscreen/pot support.

I typically cook in my pot vs. just boiling water. With the starlyte, you can use as much fuel as you want, snuff it out, and save the rest of the fuel right in the stove.

Alcohol is also very easy to source and doesn’t smell so bad. I’m not sure what I would do with any partially burned esbit tabs. I’m sure others have solutions. Honestly, it’s probably the smell that has kept me away from esbit. It’s really sickening to my nose.

[Monte Masterson]

Hexamine provides approx. twice the BTU’s per weight than alcohol. I find the nasty tar like residue of Esbit to be the worst thing about it. It also costs more per boil than alcohol, but if I was thru hiking and fuel availability became an issue then of course I’d go with alcohol because you can find it at any hardware or auto parts store. Not so with Esbit. I still far prefer the hexamine though.

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

BTW, if you go the solid fuel route, don’t necessarily lock in on Esbit, you might consider Coghlan’s (https://www.coghlans.com/fuel-tablets-956).  They are a smaller size, but allow you to dial in the amount of fuel you use rather than blowing out and recycling Esbit.  They are a bit less expensive and in my opinion, do not burn as cleanly as Esbit.  Search the site, a few people have found nice (light and cheap) storage containers for Coghlan tablets.  My 2 cents.

[JStanky]

I’m a big fan of Esbit.  Esbit is going to be more fuel efficient and I feel like you can more easily control how much fuel you are using.  I use 1 cube (14g) per day.  Enough to boil for dinner and coffee in the AM, and I typically have a little bit of the cube left over.  Esbit can’t spill.  You can blow out the cube when your water is warm enough to rehydrate your food and save it.  Somewhere on BPL there is a big study on the fuel efficiency of canister, esbit, and alcohol, but I didn’t find it in a quick search.  If you’re planning on bringing 12oz of Esbit fuel though you might actually be lighter (at least in total weight) bringing a canister stove.  They are even more efficient than Esbit.  Personally I’d bring the Esbit though, I like gear options that can’t fail.

[John B]

Ben, Monte, and JStanky-thanks!  leaning toward esbit but going to field test both.  I am a “boil water only” cooker and don’t expect this will change anytime soon.  If going the esbit route, I would most likely just use 1 cube for breakfast, 1 for dinner and let them burn out rather than try and save a partial cube.   Have thought about the availability of esbit as opposed to alcohol on thru hikes, would definitely use alcohol on thru hikes.  As JStanky says, good to havev an option that won’t fail (and doesn’t have the spill issue!).  Jon, thanks for the info on coughlan’s–will also look into that.  Ben, thanks for another vote on starlyte.  So, look’s like 5 to 1 on esbit so far…

[Monte Masterson]

All you need is a decent sized knife and a stick to hit down on it to divide a .5 oz Esbit cube into smaller portions (1/4 and 1/8 oz). See the perpendicular grooved lines on the Esbit cube? They’re made for just what I’m describing. So you don’t have to blow out and reuse cubes unless you want to.

[John B]

Thanks, Monte!  Guess I’m a slow learner–didn’t pick up on the grooves and that possibility.  I would most likely only use 1/2 cube in the morning (for coffee and a bit extra for instant oatmeal), and a full cube in the evening (for freeze dried dinner & hot drink).

[Link .]

JStanky, Are there the the articles(from 2006) you were thinking of?

COMPARATIVE FUEL EFFICIENCY AND CARRY WEIGHT FOR SIX LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACKING COOKING SYSTEMS: PART I ASSEMBLING COMPARABLE COOKING SYSTEMS AND TEST DATA  .

. COMPARATIVE FUEL EFFICIENCY AND CARRY WEIGHT FOR SIX LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACKING COOKING SYSTEMS: PART II CALCULATING FUEL USAGE, CARRY WEIGHT ANALYSIS, AND COST/EFFICIENCY CONSIDERATIONS .

[Monte Masterson]

I can boil 12 oz water with 1/2 cube Esbit if the winds aren’t strong, and that’s with just a simple aluminum windshield. A well designed cone system will of course be more efficient, but it’s heavier and really not worth it for only 2 boils a day IMO. Sometimes 3/4 of a cube is optimal like for boiling 16 oz water. One whole cube for 20 oz.

[John B]

Thanks, everyone who has shared their thoughts!  I’m probably going to be using all 3 systems going forward:  iso-butane canisters on some of my shorter (3day/2night) backpacks in Colorado, esbits for a lot of longer trips, and alcohol for longer yet thru hikes when re-supply is an issue.  Still planning to give esbit & alcohol systems field tests here in Colorado prior to final decision on the August WRHR.

[John B]

p.s.    How do you search the database for a specific topic?? haven’t figured out how to do that yet??

[dirtbag]

I use 14 g esbit, 5g esbits and also 4g esbits. Mix and match depending on water amounts to boil. You can find them on Amazon. Like my backpacking/camping equipment (which esbit falls into) over the years I have stocked up on many..

MANY.

[Link .]

John, to look for a topic on BPL go to the black bar at the top of the page and on the left you will see a white box with a magnifying glass, click on that and it will take you to another page and you type in the info you are after.

[John B]

Thanks, Link (and everyone)!

[J R]

One point that I don’t think was mentioned is that neither of these fuel sources are allowed on an airplane, so if a trip involves flying then you have to source your fuel after you land. Denatured alcohol is a lot easier to find, and there is always the yellow-bottle HEET alternative.

[Author]

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