OK, I have decided to leave my trusty Whisperlite behind on this years section hike and go alcohol. How much difference between the performance of denatured and rubbing alcohol? I have experimented a few overnighters with each, but haven’t noticed much difference - yet rubbing alcohol is significantly cheaper. Anybody done any comparisons?
MudDog
This is not the numerical data you probably want, but may be useful as you weigh fuel possibilities for an alcohol stove.
After reading this and the materials safety data sheet (MSDS) for methanol (yellow bottle HEET), I'm amazed anyone uses it to cook food. A half-ounce causes blindness and 1 ounce produces either death or a delicious Lipton Spanish rice dinner, depending where you put it.
Eric
Rubbing (isopropyl) alochol is generally not a very good fuel, as it doesn’t usually burn very hot, can be a pain to start in cool weather, and can blacken pots. Denatured (ethanol) is the most commonly used fuel, it is available at most places that sell coleman fuel on the AT,. Denatured is more expensive, but works better than rubbing alcohol and is safer than gas line antifreeze. Gas line antifreeze comes in two varieties, the one you want is methanol based (rather than isopropyl based.) Methanol is the hottest burning of the alcohol fuels commonly used on the trail, and is cheap and easy to get. One of the problems with methanol is safety, as Eric mentioned, but it’s really not that big of a deal IMHO. A half ounce of white gas would probably mess you up just as much as methanol would. Just label your fuel bottle well and you shouldn’t need to worry about ingesting it, and don’t use it in your tent (which you probably shouldn’t do anyhow because of the fire risk.) All the alcohols will safely mix, and you shouldn’t have a problem finding at least one in any town that you stop in. Have fun!
Skittles
Just wanted to let you know, Eric, that you put the alcohol in the stove, not in your food!
A few of us got a few good laughs after reading a few heet bottles on the trail now and then.
bearbait
In the underpass near my city’s bus station there are generally a few guys sitting around drinking denatured alcohol. They generally last, Oh I don’t know, a good 3 weeks before keeling over. These contrasts with the guys at the gas station drinking gas - their heads generally expolode in around a half hour, especially the smokers. Lesson, don’t drink fuel.
Rick
Don’t rely on material safty data sheets (MSDS)to give you information on stove fuel. After you reas a MSDS you won’t want to come in contact with the product. When I worked we used to by brass stock that we would manufacture into various machine parts. After reading the MSDS that came with the material, you would thinf brass was one of the most dangerious materials in the world.
Grampie