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My 165 mile TRT hike is just a hair over 1 month away. I have nearly every detail ironed out and ready to go. I am still completely at odds over which stove setup to bring for this journey. This will be a 13 day trip, with 3 resupplys (1 every 4 days).

So I would have new 8 oz. canister every 4 days (or approx. 8 meals....nothing more than boiling 2 - 4 cups of water). OR I would be refilling some type of container with denatured alcohol every 4 days ( still not sure how much fuel it will take, which might be one of the reasons I am gun shy for this little soda can stove).

I have always used my little Primus canister stove. However, hanging out with the folks on this website, got me educated on the benefits of the tiny catfood can, or soda can liquid fuel stoves, so I bought one of those too. My concern is that it is that I am going to have to carry so much alcohol fuel that it would acutally equal or surpass the weight of my canister setup. So I ask you....what would you carry?

Please take into consideration all things, weight, ease of use, cost....everything. What would you bring. Think it over for a little, do some math, scratch your head, ponder it over a beer. I am counting on some good advice.

Go with the devil you know. Unless you have experience & confidence with the soda can stove, don't start your experiment now. For full disclosure - I haven't converted to soda can, but I do use an Esbit stove for overnighters into the GC. I don't think there is much difference with 4 day resupplies. I haven't done the calculations but unless I had full faith and confidence in my cooking system, I would not take it.

Yeah, that's kind of what I had heard. But that 4-5 days time frame seems to be the cut off for which is better. I have used the soda can a couple times and it works fine...there is nothing that can go wrong with it.

Your input is very appreciated. Let's keep the votes and bullet points flowing. I could do half the trip one way then half the other as well...

If you're going any place with fire bans, stick to the canister. It's also faster and takes a little less fuss. I usually stick to alcohol, though, when I can. In cool to moderate weather I use about 2-3 oz. of alcohol per day to boil 1.5L of water, but that's with a Caldera Cone, which improves fuel efficiency, so you might end up using more. WIth four resupplies you'll probably come out lighter on average with alcohol.

Do you need 8oz canisters with 4 day resupply? Can you go with smaller canisters?

I was wondering that myself. I could probably get by with a 4oz don't you think?

Dirt4dinner wrote:I could probably get by with a 4oz don't you think?

You could start with an 8 oz and just put 4 oz cans in your resupplies. That way you'd be sure of having extra as long as you don't mind lugging that first one the rest of the trip.

I have been talking with my buddy. I think we are each going to carry a 4oz. and then we will keep one 4oz. between us as a back up. So at all times we willl hvae a fresh 4oz. in case. We can just take turns carrying the back up.

Give it to him first, cause you know he'll forget ;)

You can count on it, Honest Joe.

Your doing the hike in your new Treks right? Then you would have saved enough weight to carry one each.