Hi everyone. I’m trying to decide which fuel source, if any, to use. Seems most people are using alcohol stoves these days.
How much does a bottle of HEET weigh?
What does it cost?
How long does it last, assuming you boil 2 cups of water with it three times a day on a Caldera Cone or other similarly efficient stove?
Did you find yourself carrying too much HEET and wishing you had a smaller container of alcohol for your needs?
Thanks for the info!
RickD
Alcohol is a really good choice for several reasons. Light total stove / fuel / fuel bottle weight, reasonably efficient, plentiful (hence easy to resupply as you go) and cheap.
HEET comes in 12 fluid ounce bottles. With the bottle, that’s probably 13 ounces or so. It’s only a few bucks a bottle.
If you really want to know how much you’ll use for your given 2 cups x 3 times a day, run a test on your particular set up. Multiply your results out by the number of days, then add a smidge as reserve. In reality, once your out there, you’ll figure out how much you actually need reasonably fast.
As far as carrying too much, that’s what hiker boxes are for. Sometimes all you’ll find is a 1 quart can of denatured alcohol (DNA) at the hardware store. Load up your own bottle, and leave the remainder for the next person. I saw many 1/2 full bottles of HEET and DNA in hiker boxes in 06.
Token Civilian
Thanks, TC. Pardon my ignorance, but where exactly will I find the hiker boxes? At post offices?
RickD
Hiker boxes are found at many places Hikers frequent. I’ve seen them at hotels in trail towns, hostels (for sure), & at some post offices. Many times you can find good stuff in these boxes for free: equipment, fuel, & food. Just be very careful of the food you get from these boxes. The food can be old & make you sick. Hiker boxes are great. I’ve gotten some decent equipment out of them: stuff sacks, headlamp (just needed batteries), vitamins, etc. They’re a great resource. If you want to get rid of something & don’t want the expense of mailing it back home, put it in a hiker box. Help out other hikers on the trail.
Scott
Usually post offices. Also at general stores and motels. There aren’t any “official” hiker boxes, just depends on which establishments recognize the communal trading ritual that are hiker boxes and don’t mind when we smelly folks come into see what we can scrounge. Sometimes places have them hidden out of sight from their other customers so you might have to ask if they have one.
ducky