Can we talk about those tiny camp stoves that take forever to boil water?

I picked up one of those little alcohol stoves last summer for a weekend trip up in the Gila National Forest. The thing was light and cheap, maybe $25, but it took over 15 minutes to boil just one cup of water. Meanwhile my buddy with a standard propane stove had his coffee ready in 5 minutes. I learned that ultralight gear often trades speed for weight savings. For a quick morning brew before a long hike, that wait felt like forever. Has anyone else run into this trade off with minimalist cooking gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason_kelly821d ago

Huh, I gotta disagree a bit on this one. In my experience, that extra wait time is totally worth it when you're packing light for a multi-day trip and every ounce counts. Your mileage may vary of course, but I'd rather sip coffee and watch the sunrise for 15 minutes than lug around a heavy propane canister.

sethr1115d ago

Oh wait, propane cans aren't actually that heavy though. A standard 16oz canister weighs about a pound, so it's not really a big deal unless you're counting grams on some ultra-light trip. More of a volume thing than a weight thing, really. But hey, you do you on that sunrise coffee routine, that sounds nice.