Hey all. The last major purchase I need to make before my March thru-hike is a stove. I’m seriouslly considering going with a Brasslite.
Before I make a purchase, I wanted to hear from those who’ve used a Brasslite product, specifically on a thru-hike. What are your opinions on their stoves?
Thanks for the input…
3 months to go!
Nomad
i used one through to the shenandoahs, then it failed on me. i got in touch with the brasslite guy, and he said there was a small batch with a bad weld - send a new one out to me right away.
nice stove, very efficient, worked well with my evernew 1.3L Ti pot. only downside is that you cant shut it off once its going…
–megabite
megabite
Hey Nomad, instead of buying a stove, just make one. I’ve tried making and using the pepsi can stoves, but I don’t like them. My stove is simply an open potted meat can and a wire stove stand. Check out Puck’s 2003 PCT journal gear section for a picture of his stove. Mine is the same, except I put the windscreen on the outside of the wire stove stand. I use the windscreen from my old MSR stove.
It takes about a minute longer to boil water with this stove compared to the pepsi stoves. But the good thing about my stove is that as soon as my water boils, I place my pot directly on the burning can of fuel. This puts out the flame, and I can pour the unused fuel back in to the fuel bottle. It’s cool enough to pour back about a minute after the flame is extinguished.
The stove, windscreen, stove stand, lighter, and my cup all fit inside my MSR titan kettle pot – just less than a 1-liter pot.
By the way, thanks for the care package! That was very cool!
yogi
I just noticed you mentioned a March thru-hike. This must be a different Nomad than the one who sent me a package!
yogi
I have a similar stove to your design Yogi. I’m also not crazy about pepsican stoves.
A tweak to your stove design is to add the base from a tea candle. Remove and discard the candle from that small aluminum piece and drop the aluminum piece in the center of the can (it weighs almost nothing and lasts forever). If you fill that tea candle piece with alcohol, it’s the perfect quantity for boiling water. Less guessing how much alcohol to use.
The guy who taught me this said when you want to simmer longer just squirt extra alcohol in the can before you start.
HotFoot
Thanks for the advice. Apparently I have a little bit more research to do.
Nomad is just my SN, not a TN…so no, I’m not the same guy.
Nomad
I used a brasslite on my AT Thru in 03 and will be using it again on my attempt at the PCT next year. It is one of the old solo’s I think. I thought it was a great little stove. That being said, Yogi is right, an empty can works just as well for the patient person.
Yo-YO
Look at a Trangia alcohol stove. (7 ozs)
Try http://www.thru-hiker.com/ (about $14.00)
This stove is made very well. You should never need a replacement
Trangia has several option kits. I chose the Liberty Mountain Trangia Westwind. It’s super lite with only a tri-stand that breaks down.(drill holes in the stand to lighten further) All you need is a foil wind screen.
All models come with a simmer lid and a seal lid. I use the simmer lid to put out the flame and the seal lid to save unused fuel. Works super. (Only thing to remember is not to put on the seal lid for a couple of minutes after you put out the stove. A hot stove will melt the o-ring seal. They also sell extra o-rings.)
I also use the evernew 1.3 titanium pot. Comes with a mesh carry bag. Stove inside cup, inside pot, inside bag.
A red plastic medicine bottle from the pharmacy for fuel. They gave me one free.
Check it out,
Pete
pete56
Not to throw cold water on alcohol stoves, but they really work best in warmer weather. You should expect some cold weather in March and April. So, you might consider another fuel for the start of your trip.
But, if you have your heart set on alcohol, my recommendation would be to make a pepsi can stove now and try it out. Doesn’t really cost anything. And use if for the first few days on the trail. When you get to Mountain Crossings at Neels Gap you will have a better idea of what you really want and buy a Brasslite or other brand there.
Peaks