Gas Cannisters Vs Liquid Fuel

[FerlasDave]

If temperatures are down so cold that your gas is going to struggle I’d have two questions for you.

A.) Are you going to hang around for long at such a temperature?

B.) Will you be erecting a shelter which will increase temperature enough for it not to be an issue?

 

[Pattree]

@Broch - I wasn’t challenging you . I was impressed!

 

[TLM]

In not.winter time a litre of ethanol lasts for a week for two people. In winter add half a litre and that is ok for three persons in summer. I tend to carry a small gas canister and MSR burner just in case, been nice a few times. Hot meals or water is nice but not necessary, a good tent (or other dry arrangement) and sleeping bag are more important.

When alone I usually carry some redundant equipment that with a larger party is spread around. Depends of the season and range a lot.

 

[MikeLA]

Sometimes - but after a long, wet, maybe even snowy hike in to the hills, the last thing you want to be waiting for is your hot drink or hot food. I've had to fix up quick meals and drinks for people shivering with damp and cold and in the dark at altitude (well, altitude for the UK) - I can do that in a couple of minutes with my multi-fuel MSR Stove. The outdoors isn't all about relaxation and mindfulness

And when you’re 17, never been hillwalking in your life, knackered in the Cairngorms and hungry. Great experience that week set me up for many years of fantastic hill walks.
Can’t remember what we cooked but in the 1980s there wasn’t much choice and I doubt glenmore lodge spent much on the camping food.

 

[Ozmundo]

Back when I was much more into mountaineering I had an MSR whisperlite (nuclear afterburner). But for the UK just too much stove, where a cheap cartridge unit is fine even in the Cairngorms. They are a tool for a job.

I concur that gas stoves are boring.

I like hexi TV, twig burners or hobo meths for a brew up as it’s also about the ambience and I don’t need a half a litre boiled in most occasions.

 

[Mesquite]

I concur that gas stoves are boring.

That's why I prefer my liquid fuelled stoves like my Svea123R, Optimus 111, Coleman 425 and various other paraffin stoves. They've got a warm personality that gas stoves just don't have

 

[MartinK9]

First thing in the morning I use Meths and a Trangia Mini.

I like the quiet and so do my neighbours at 0700.

During the day if a communal fire isn't going my jetboil makes an appearance.

 

[Broch]

If temperatures are down so cold that your gas is going to struggle I’d have two questions for you.

A.) Are you going to hang around for long at such a temperature?

B.) Will you be erecting a shelter which will increase temperature enough for it not to be an issue?

Well, yes, the whole idea of getting up there was to camp out in white out conditions and in a two man tent I doubt the temperature got above -5C - gas just does not work well at 1000m sub-zero.

 

[Watch-keeper]

My Trangias have been relegated to car camping stoves now purely because there are lighter options out there. Ignoring my previous comment, I think for shorter trips gas is the way to go because its just so convenient, turn it on and light it and you have instant heat. If I'm going solo and as light as possible I take a super small alcohol stove with a foil wind shield. Alcohol is slower but I like the low weight and you can tailor the amount of fuel you can take.

 

[LtDansLegs]

Sounding like there is a time and a place for liquid fuel stoves, will have to check which one I have at home. Looking forward to doing some cooking over a fire next time I'm out and about, will hopefully only need the stove then as a backup .
Many thanks
LTDansLegs

 

[GreyCat]

I've always had a soft spot for a Trangia since my dad brought one home in the late 70's/early 80's..... I was borrowing it 10 years later then eventually got my own.

Had other stoves in the past- including a MSR multi-fuel thingie (still in the shed somewhere)- but my favourite camping stoves are the Kelly kettle or Trangia, because they are so simple.

When I started converting my van in 2019 (think "insulated tin tent" rather than "home from home"), I didn't want the hassle of a gas installation, so I obtained one of the last Origo spirit 2-burner marine stoves.

They since stopped making them, but they're great- nowt to go wrong, bombproof, highly controllable and a no-spill reservoir system. (I was so impressed I quickly acquired a second one off the evil bay as my home back-up, glad I did as they are very much unobtainium now). With bio ethanol being so easily available and working well in them, it's a much easier option than gas and reasonably green. They are a heavy lump- very much a base camp thing- but reliable and very safe because of the reservoir design.

GC

 

[Laurentius]

Gas is safe, reliable and works down to below minus temperatures. Some gas stoves have a pre heater across the burner so you can effectively turn the cylinder upside down and burn liquid gas.

Fuel stoves can flare up and if you don not sues good quality fuel the jets can block.
I use Aspen 4 in mine. I have a Coleman stove that I use when I canoe camp but it is much easier to gas or my Trangia set.

In the UK I can’t see any reason to use liquid fuel stoves. We rarely get consistently low temperatures and carrying and using petrol or equivalent is more problematic. I had a fur bottle leak once in a canoe expedition and had to eat petrol tasting fuel for several days!

I have stopped using gas, I don't think it is particularly good for the environment, there is manufacture of the cans to be considered in that equation as well. I use either alcohol or wood because it works well enough.