HX Kettle

It’s been a while since I did the math, but to save total weight, you need mutliple people or multiple nights or snow-melting (versus expecting some liquid water) for the HX pot in winter.

That said, I usually bring one, regardless.  Having “too much” fuel on a winter trip provides lovely luxuries like lots of hot drinks or a hot head + neck “shower”.

It’s been a while since I did the math, but to save total weight, you need mutliple people or multiple nights or snow-melting (versus expecting some liquid water) for the HX pot in winter.

Math doesn’t do me very well, and vice-versa…but that may not matter because “multiple nights of snow-melting for more than one person” is a perfect description of the situation.  It’ll be me and a partner (possibly two) over multiple nights, and the only liquid water I’m planning on having at night is the remainder of whatever we had for the day.  So, I’m thinking of moving away from a pot entirely, since all I need to do is create lots of hot water for bottles, tea, coffee and meals…and yes, a few decadent clean-ups; the pouring spout of the kettle would make all of those things easier, especially in the confines of a tent and/or kitchen trench.  I also need to go wider than taller, because the Muka throws an absolute ton of heat out of its burner; even throttled down, it’s slightly oversized for my 1.3L Evernew…so I’m thinking that a heat exchanger base and a corrugated windscreen that wraps the vessel might be the way to go.

Some cordage can be a good idea (for lots of reasons) on a winter trip if it allows you to toss a pot into a stream and score some liquid water, thereby reducing your fuel needs.

I once brought a hand drill and hand pump to extract water from under the lake ice since I knew it as going to be only 4-5 inches.  An inertial pump with a foot valve would be even lighter and more compact.

Also consider a stove base.  Roger brings some 1/8″ plywood.  I like a square of waxed cardboard (doubles as a fire starter and cutting board).   Even packed snow can settle unevenly when a stove is radiating heat and there’s a few pounds of stove, fuel, pot and melting snow pressing down.

A scoop, fashioned from a thin HDPE container from the recycling center, is really nice for scooping hot water from the pot without having to use a pot grabber to handle a few kilos of boiling water.  Or just a plastic measuring cup with a long handle (which can double as a bowl/drinking cup). 

Good info as usual, David; thank you.

Also consider a stove base.  Roger brings some 1/8″ plywood.  I like a square of waxed cardboard (doubles as a fire starter and cutting board).   Even packed snow can settle unevenly when a stove is radiating heat and there’s a few pounds of stove, fuel, pot and melting snow pressing down.

I noted during a couple of test runs, yesterday, that the stove is entirely too hot for most substrates; on a picnic table at the local park, I managed to heat the surface enough to force a bit of sap and/or preservative out of the surface.  I’m concerned that even a scrap of thin ply faced with flue tape would get too hot, so I’m thinking on higher-temp solutions.  It’s a small stove, but it’s potent; snow surfaces underneath would be melting very, very quickly, as might any adhesive, plastic or synthetic fabric.  Maybe I need to sandwich some aerogel between two thin sheets of polished titanium. ;)

Edited to add picture.

Pictured: A slight rise in temperature was noted.

@Bonzo: How about high temperature paint from the auto industry to protect the plywood?

Not a bad idea, Iago, as long as it’s not just transferring that heat directly through.  I’m not sure if that kind of coating is going to prevent any heat gain in the substrate. 🤔

I have some Nomex fabric you can have. It’s silver one side. Experiment with it.

I have some Nomex fabric you can have. It’s silver one side.  Experiment with it.

That’s…huh, didn’t think of Nomex.  That’s a rather promising idea; I’ll happily take some of that to play with.  PM incoming.

Also: found a couple of less-expensive kettles in The Amazon; one HX and one not.  Both in the 1.6L range.  I may get them to pay with.