Is it a good idea to use Trioxane(esbit) tabs too heat and cook on the trail? Are they readily available in the trail towns?
Bucky
Trioxane cooking
system
#5
I love my esbit. Buy Coughlan’s fuel tabs. Just got them 24 for 2.99. That should last nearly a month. Like I said in my profile, I am eating while whisperlite’s are still whispering and alcohol stoves are barely hot. The simplicity is phenomenal. At the end of a long day, it can’t be beat. I have hiked over 3000 miles with an esbit and love it. Double bag the tabs to lock in the smell–they definitely boil water—less than one round Coughlan tab for a ramen. I don’t have a single complaint about the esbit. Just be careful and mail yourself tabs or carry extra–some parts of Virginia and northward can be scarce for fuel. Happy Trails.
Yahztee
system
#6
Bucky - Try out the (easy) Esbit way before you decide. They aren’t for everyone. I have used em and love em. They DO boil water in competitive time; you can split them in two for less water to be boiled; re-lite what you haven’t used; they’re easy to light up; lite weight; doesn’t spill (great for spastic me); not that hard to find. But they do have a fishy smell and leave a sticky dark residue. I have an alcohol stove (thanks BW)- but I still don’t think it’s as easy as the Esbit(sorry BW).
Peep
system
#7
I think about 5 to 10% of the people I saw last year had Esbit.I had a Whisperlite and loved it!!!
Virginian
system
#8
THose who list their gear choices seem to agree with the Virginian. About 30% each for canisters, alcohol, and gas fuel, with the remainder esbit and twiggy stoves. HYOH
Jim2
system
#9
Esbits are stinky. We still have to show you how to run the alky stove. See, what’s with the new e-mail?
BW
system
#10
Twiggy stoves? tee hee
Esbit = EZ & efficient. May not be the thing for everyone though. I possibly need another lesson on “how to run the alky stove”?
Peep
system
#11
I love my Esbit stove, yeah the tabs stink a bit but have you smelled yourself after 5 days without a shower? If you put the fuel in your maildrops you don’t have to worry about finding it anywhere else, and REI will send it to you anywhere if you run out towards the end! Bottom line, it’s fast, easy & light.
Stacey
system
#12
That’s what deodorants is for. Yeah, “it doesn’t work”. But…one that did is Right Guard Gel in the green crank up clear whatever applicator. After you smear some on your parts put some on the esbits and they don’t stink at all. You just throw them away since they won’t light now and get out your butane Superfly.
Bushwhack
system
#13
I used hexamine on the Colorado Trail. I used tabs similar to coughlin hexamine tabs because they are cheaper than esbits (which are also hexamine). The larger trioxane tabs used by the military are very stinky and inefficient in comparison. Both hexamine and trioxane are very expensive fuels. I used 2-3 (usually 3) hexamine tabs for a day in the summer to heat one hot meal and one hot beverage. The coughlin tabs are about half the size of esbits and so 1-1.5 esbits a day in summer could work. I spent ~$20 on fuel for my 50 day hike in CO. So if one were hiking the AT, he or she could expect to pay up to $50 or more on fuel. That’s well over twice what would be spent on alcohol and white gas. The only reason why I used dry fuel (hexamine) on the CT was because I wanted to carry 2 weeks of fuel at a time (the stuff is very light and compact) because my town stops were spread out, plus I was unsure I’d be able to find alcohol at some smaller towns along the way. On the AT, alcohol is widely available and towns are very close to one another. I would opt to use alcohol on the AT, but those is just my thoughts . -Matt
Sweeper