I retired at 40 and have enjoyed every minute of it. Like my
wife says, I don’t know how I ever found the time for a job.
Jerry
From:
BackpackingLight <at> yahoogroups.com [mailto:BackpackingLight <at> yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of James D. Marco
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2010 12:14
To: BackpackingLight <at> yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [BackpackingLight]Reactor Stove (was: jetboil v. giga
stove)
Thanks, Ken,
I hadn't thought about it in
quite those terms. I really 'don't work for
anybody else!'That is a GOOD thought. My daughter just delivered her first,
soo, I am also a grandpa. I may end up as a gofer cum baby sitter....a
crazy
week.
Yes, you are certainly correct.
That is good fuel use.
Efficiency in fuel weight is
highly individual. Outside conditions
will effect it a lot. Soo, yes it makes sense to set up a chart of some sort,
Excel is pretty good at that, but anything that shows this will show your use
over the times you go. Now for the hard part. It takes a lot of trips out with
both types of stoves to make any real comparisons. Even then, it will not be
absolute...fuel variations alone will make it wander about 3-5%.
I have done about 30 days for
the past 30-35 years, soo, I know that
2-3 days (for two) is about break even under late spring, summer, early fall
conditions. Solo, I would almost always take the alcohol stove for two or
three nights out. If I am expecting temps down towards freezing, I will always
take the WG stove. Alcohol is lighter, but doesn't do so well above 4000' at
32F. It burns about twice the fuel it does at 50F...not sure why...water
temp,
cold air robbing heat from the pan...something like that. Most just do not fare
well...the Caldera cone may help with that...but, still, I cannot say....
Anyway, I also bring my stove
for backup water boiling if the water source
is very bad. Silty, muddy water, wrung from a rag, things like that. I
don't trust
chemicals...even AquaMira is only glorified hypoclorous acid (chlorine bleach)
in action. And, this is exactly when UV will fail. Muddy water and silt is a
definite
no-no with filters...good way to plug them up. Boiled, you can drink the mud.
(Usually, it will drop to the bottom, soo, only the bottom half inch is
tossed.)
Soo, a good stove is a necessary item. Or, some way to make a camp fire.
You MUST have enough water.
Anyway, a chart of usage should
be kept, even if it is only a mental one.
With canister stoves, I would suggest bringing an extra canister...just in
case.
Not exactly the UL way, but on longer outings, safer. I visited two stores on
a paddle trip a few years back that did NOT have any alcohol. I did not have
the transportation needed to go to the next town to get some, soo, back to the
campfire. Both had Coleman gas, and propane, but no canisters, either. I was
willing to buy a canister stove at that point. I could get a table top burner
that
would burn the propane tanks...I rejected that idea out of hand...
Some people will get 7-14 days
for break even. The heavier stoves and
canisters offset the weight of a LOT of fuel even though they are highly
efficient.
If time is important to you, skip the alcohol stoves, the canisters burn a lot
hotter.
Even though it means carrying a bit more weight. See if you can get Jerry to
give
with some observations on his. He may have some insights on it's operation.
It sort'a depends on your use and your priorities. So, it pays to know about
how
long you will be out, and, about how much fuel you need.
My thoughts only . . .
jdm
At 01:07 PM 5/1/2010, you wrote:
James,
Welcome to the group of those of us
that 'don't work for anybody else'.
I used the reactor on a 6 night, 7
days, trip on Vancouver island west coast trail last may.
I only got it because I got it for 60 dollars at rei garage sale. (That's 100
dollars off)
2 of us used the stove a lot.
1 to 1.5 liters boiled at least 4 times a day.
I even used it to make hot lunch a few times, which I almost never do.
I didn't go through (2) 220 ml Snow Peak canisters.
I was impressed with the stove. (I may bring it when my wife and I do the
Benton MacKaye trail.)
I can hardly feel any heat escaping from the stove when it's turned up full
blast.
I haven't done any testing to see about the efficiency YET.
I can see an efficiency chart telling
me how many days I would need to be out before the stove weight outbalanced the
fuel usage of alcohol.
Am I right?
Ken
From: James D. Marco
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2010 12:20 PM
To: BackpackingLight <at> yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [BackpackingLight] jetboil v. giga stove
Jerry,
Yeah, I looked long and hard at
the Reactor. Just to blasted heavy,
a lot heavier than my whole cook set and fuel for three days for two people.
I looked around for some catalyst that would work with alcohol stoves, but
they did not look promising either.
One thing I did think of, that
I have not tested yet, was a catalyst and
alcohol added directly to the water. After the reaction, you just drink it.
But,
I haven't found a suitable catalyst yet (non-toxic or some mineral you would
need anyway... Several available, but they will build up in your blood stream
to toxic levels...not real great for your liver/kidneys for more than a day or
two.)
Anyway, the Jetboil is a lot
more conventional and a bit lighter as you
say.
My thoughts only . . .
jdm
BTW: I am now on terminal leave for retirement...still a few meetings to go to
and that blasted dinner with the watch thing...I will opt out if possible.
James Marco,
302 Mary Lane,
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-273-9132
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