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Posted by Bill S on October 10, 2006 at 7:01:06 pm EDT
In reply to Re: Stove information posted by Chumango on October 10, 2006 at 6:42:35 pm EDT

I find in my personal use that compressed gas and white gas fuel usage is about the same weight per person per day when doing equivalent cooking. I have taken to weighing my canisters at the start and end of trips to measure the actual fuel usage, with the white gas usage just coming from how many person-days a gallon fuel can lasts.

Some people seem to have the habit of leaving the stove running between "courses". That is, they heat the water for coffee or tea, leave the stove on while they drink the cup, then heat another pot for their freeze dry (or whatever), then leave the stove on while it rehydrates, etc. Sort of like lots of people leave the water running while they brush their teeth. My habit of turning the stove off when not actually heating something, and having something ready to put onto the burner as soon as it is lit comes from wanting to minimize the weight of extra fuel I have to carry on expeditions or on winter ski tours. I don't want to run out early, and I don't want to carry even an ounce extra if I can help it.

I have also noticed that people discard a canister with a couple ounces of butane still in it rather than carry it in to exhaustion before putting on a new canister.

Our usage on Alaska Range trips generally runs to 9 gallons of white gas for 10 people for 25 days, or 4.6 ounces per day, which includes melting snow for all water. It's actually a bit more, since we usually reach our goal and return in less than 25 days (so maybe 5 to 6 ounces per day). For backcountry ski tours, I plan on a bit more (allow 8 ounces), and for summer Sierra trips, I allow 2 ounces per person-day (canister or liquid fuel), actually using closer to 1.5

Lots of wasted fuel.

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• Re: Stove information - Chumango 08:23:38 10/11/2006

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