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...
Friday, 13 April 2012
Monday, 9 April 2012
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?...
Sunday, 8 April 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,...
Friday, 6 April 2012
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...
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
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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