A New Blog

I've got a new blog.  Odd as it may seem, sometimes I actually go hiking.  Yes, it's true.  I don't just sit around and play with stoves all day.  If you're interested in a trip report from my recent ascent of Bighorn Mtn (10,997'/3352m) and The Dragon's Head (10,866'/3312m), take a look at my new blog:  Hikin' Jim.The Dragon's Hea...

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What's the Best Gas Stove?

Recently, I got asked "what's the best gas stove?"  In my ever-so-helpful way, I replied "it depends."  :)  While that might seem a bit evasive, it really isn't -- it really does depend on what you, the user, want to do with the stove and under what conditions.In an effort to better answer my friend's questions, I put together the following concerning the question of the best canister gas stove:For colder weather (from about 50F/10C...

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Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day from all of us here at Adventures in StovingThe Adventures in Stoving Team on the trail in Monrovia CanyonHope all you fathers out there had some adventures of your own this day...

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California, Stoves, "Campfire" Permits, and ESBIT

I live in California in the United States.  I thought I'd comment about what is and is not permissible with respect to stoves, fires, and fuels in the backcountry here. Unfortunately, there are a welter of jurisdictions including state parks, national parks, city parks, national forests, county parks, and Bureau of Land Management areas.  Each of these may have their own rules and restrictions.  Even different units of the same overarching agency will have differing rules. However, there is one thing that is generally required...

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Blog Status 5 Jun 2012

Rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. :) Yes, I still exist even though I haven't been blogging much lately. My new job requires a good deal of commuter travel. Commuting more than 2 hours a day in heavy Southern California urban traffic seems to have sapped my energy to the point where blogging isn't very appealing, even blogging on a fascinating subject like stoves.Time also is far more dear. With my old job, I had in effect an extra...

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Gas in Cold Weather: The Myth of "Fractioning"

I'd like to dispel a myth that's out there: the myth of "fractioning." Supposedly, if you've got a typical canister of gas (i.e. containing propane and some form of butane), in cold weather (temps below the vaporization point of all but the propane), only that fraction of the fuel that is propane will burn. Supposedly.Here's an example of the myth: You have a canister that is 70/30 butane/propane. Propane vaporizes at -44F/-42C; butane at +31F/-0.5C. Now, say it's 20F/-7C out. According to the myth, only 30% (that fraction of the mix that...

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Wood Cooking Clean Up

Ever find yourself holding back on using a particular pot or pan for wood cooking?  I mean they do get pretty darned black if you use them on a wood fire.  Sometimes I hesitate to use a pot I usually use with gas or alcohol on a wood stove because I don't want to get the darned thing all black.Well, hold back no longer.  There's a simple trick out there that can get your pot clean again after cooking on a wood fire.  The trick?...

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Blog Status, 8 Apr 2012

Well, I've found a job.  After about a quarter of a year's worth of unemployment, I'm quite grateful.   There's just one catch:  The work is in the next county over, and I'll be commuting, at least for the short term, a couple of hours each way.  Necessarily, my hiking and therefore my blogging is going to be greatly reduced.  Gone will be the mid-week evening hikes to test stoves.  Also, chores and such that I could do on a weeknight will perforce be pushed to the weekend, reducing my time there.  A pity,...

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How Much White Gas Do I Need?

How much white gas should you bring on your trip?  That's actually going to depend a lot on your style of cooking, your stove, the conditions, etc, but let's take a look and see what we can come up with.The white gas stove I've used the most is my MSR Whisperlite.  I'll be using my experience with my Whisperlite to generate the numbers that follow.My MSR WhisperliteA word about style:  On most of my backpacking trips, I keep cooking...

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Canister Stoves 101: Thread Care

Don't screw on your canister stove too tight. Why not?Well, take a look at the threads on a canister some time.Notice how the threads do NOT go all the way out and form a sharp line.  These threads are rounded off.  That means that the only part of your stove's threads that are going to grip the canister is the very tip (very outer edge) of your stove's threads.Whoa!  Wait a minute.  Do you mean to tell me that the only thing...

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Canister Refiller -- WARNING

I've been seeing a particular canister refilling device on eBay lately as a "MacCoupler Liquefied Gas Refill Adaptor Gas Charging Valve Inflatable converter" [sic].    This particular device is just downright dangerous and in general should be avoided.  I'll explain why I say "in general" in a minute.A very dangerous canister refiller.  ** AVOID! **OK, so what's wrong with this refiller?  Well, in case you don't recognize...

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The New Jetboil Sol

In 2004, backpacking stoves experienced something of a revolution:  The Jetboil PCS was introduced.  The Jetboil PCS is the very definition of a "game changer" -- The Jetboil PCS really shook up the backpacking stove world (in a good way, I might add).Has Jetboil rested on its laurels?  No, indeed not.  Jetboil is now on what I would consider its third generation of stoves, the new, high-tech Jetboil Sol.The new, compact, lightweight...

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Canisters, Cold, and Altitude: Gas in a Nutshell

OK, so here's the deal on canisters in cold weather and at higher elevations, in step-by-step form:1.  Choose good gas.  For weather below 50F/10C, avoid butane mixes. Get an isobutane mix.  I've got all the major US brands evaluated on my blog in What's the Best Brand of Gas for Cold Weather?  Above 50F/10C, it typically doesn't matter what brand or blend you buy.2.  Know your limits.  Canisters containing isobutane mixes work reasonably well down to about 20F/-7C at sea level throughout the life of the...

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Aluminum JetBoil Sol -- Trail Report #2 and Cooking Report #4

I'd done several cooking reports on the aluminum JetBoil Sol already.Aluminum JetBoil Sol -- Cooking Report #1Aluminum JetBoil Sol -- Trail Report #1 and Cooking Report #2Aluminum JetBoil Sol -- Cooking Report #3But I wanted to be sure that the JetBoil Sol that I was testing wasn't somehow unique.  So, I called a buddy -- a buddy who owns a JetBoil.So, I thought I'd do side by side omelettes on two different JetBoil Sol's.  I don't have...

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Aluminum JetBoil Sol -- Cooking Report #3

I did some fancier cooking in Cooking Report #1 and Cooking Report #2 -- but I didn't use the Jetboil Sol's "cup."  I used a nice MSR Blacklite fry pan.So, what about the Jetboil Sol's cup?  Is it only good for boiling water?  Or can it do a little more?I thought I'd find out. An aluminum JetBoil Sol cupSo, time to try one of my old standard trail meals, ramen noodles with dried veggies.  For today's cooking, I'll be using...

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