fuel efficiency?

Munro277

Thru Hiker
Prob spelt that wrong but... so had a flat cat stove snow leopard set up on an MSR TItan kettle for many years ..so on the hill but shelters under my trap with a foil piece underneath stove i tend to need 20 ml of biofuel to boil up say 500-600 of cold water lets say air temp of 3c and water came from a cold running beck ..so is there anything thats much more effient ?
 

Mole

Thru Hiker
Not much more. Really. I always factor in 20ml (17g) of alcohol per 500ml rolling boil. And usually end up with a small amount of spare fuel

A cone might be a little more effective. Indoors 15ml for a 500 boil is possible. That's c13g of meths.

More efficient would be Esbit/army Hexamine Outdoors above freezing, in my cone with the msr kettle, I can consistently boil 750-800ml ml of water on one 14g tab.
500ml boil takes about 11g fuel when tested indoors.

I'd stick with the snow leopard unless you particularly want a different pot or windshield.

If changing, for efficiency, quality and simplicity, I'd recommend a wide Evernew pan with Trail designs Ti sidewinder. Can get 600,900,1300ml sizes.
 

Munro277

Thru Hiker
Not much more. Really. I always factor in 20ml (17g) of alcohol per 500ml rolling boil. And usually end up with a small amount of spare fuel

A cone might be a little more effective. Indoors 15ml for a 500 boil is possible. That's c13g of meths.

More efficient would be Esbit/army Hexamine Outdoors above freezing, in my cone with the msr kettle, I can consistently boil 750-800ml ml of water on one 14g tab.
500ml boil takes about 11g fuel when tested indoors.

I'd stick with the snow leopard unless you particularly want a different pot or windshield.

If changing, for efficiency, quality and simplicity, I'd recommend a wide Evernew pan with Trail designs Ti sidewinder. Can get 600,900,1300ml sizes.
Thanks or info Mole..when its really cold i sometimes dislike putting pins in to make pot stand but other than that its been superb and had a lot of use now,i tend to only take gas now if i know i wont find water and have to do that dreadful chore of melting snow..at home in the lakes i still seem to get away with finding water even if i have to dig some snow away to find it ..i sometimes read bits where they say they get a boil with 10 or 12 ml of fuel if that was true then it wud be worth looking at..ive tried tabs a few times and hate the smell so back to biofuel it was ..safe travels peter
 

Munro277

Thru Hiker
Yeah...10-12ml in the kitchen :D; yet to find someone who ONLY takes the 'lab based' fuel amount..

As per Mole - esbit more efficient - I use it mostly.
Do all Esbit Tabs stink ? seemed to leave mess on the bottom of pot to if i remember right ?
 

Robert P

Thru Hiker
@Munro277 Not sure if this helps but I've compared Snow Leopard + Toaks 650ml with Trail Designs Sidewinder + Evernew 600ml (trying a couple of stoves - Snow Leopard and a MYOG stove). The Sidewinder was a little more efficient regardless of stove, but not enough for me to be bothered (unless I was planning a long hike). How much of that marginal difference is due to the pot shape (taller and narrower vs shallower and wider) it is difficult to say. I only carry one pot /mug so if I want a hot drink it will be the Snow Leopard system and if I don't it will be the sidewinder.
 

Munro277

Thru Hiker
@Munro277 Not sure if this helps but I've compared Snow Leopard + Toaks 650ml with Trail Designs Sidewinder + Evernew 600ml (trying a couple of stoves - Snow Leopard and a MYOG stove). The Sidewinder was a little more efficient regardless of stove, but not enough for me to be bothered (unless I was planning a long hike). How much of that marginal difference is due to the pot shape (taller and narrower vs shallower and wider) it is difficult to say. I only carry one pot /mug so if I want a hot drink it will be the Snow Leopard system and if I don't it will be the sidewinder.
Ta robert
 

edh

Thru Hiker
I don't get residue using Flatcat stoves usually - tad of easily wiped soot perhaps on occasion.

The residue does build up on the stove support foil, so I throw mine away when that happens.

If we cross paths I can lend you a 600, 900, or 1300ml Trail Designs Ti Sidewinder and esbit stove(s) to play with.

I boil water outside my tent usually, so smell not an issue - the only time I notice it is when I blow esbit out...it then smokes a bit. As I've never found the unused bit very combustible, if its small I don't bother blowing it out now.
 

Munro277

Thru Hiker
I don't get residue using Flatcat stoves usually - tad of easily wiped soot perhaps on occasion.

The residue does build up on the stove support foil, so I throw mine away when that happens.

If we cross paths I can lend you a 600, 900, or 1300ml Trail Designs Ti Sidewinder and esbit stove(s) to play with.

I boil water outside my tent usually, so smell not an issue - the only time I notice it is when I blow esbit out...it then smokes a bit. As I've never found the unused bit very combustible, if its small I don't bother blowing it out now.
Thanks edh might try some again think ive got an esbit burner/support thing somewhere where\ which tabs do you recomend ?
 

edh

Thru Hiker
Whatever I can get...but a couple of years ago I bought about 200 as they were super cheap..still using those.

Mr Mole might be better placed to advise as he has used many types?
 

Mole

Thru Hiker
Esbit is good due to packaging/shape, but uk army surplus is just as good efficiencywise, and 1/4 the price, but need to break up the blocks. which may not fit in your stove if it is made for the shape of 14g esbit.
 

Munro277

Thru Hiker
Esbit is good due to packaging/shape, but uk army surplus is just as good efficiencywise, and 1/4 the price, but need to break up the blocks. which may not fit in your stove if it is made for the shape of 14g esbit.
Is there a sweet spot hieght to stove too pot bottom ? Army ones just off eBay ?
 

SteG

Thru Hiker
Esbit is good due to packaging/shape, but uk army surplus is just as good efficiencywise, and 1/4 the price, but need to break up the blocks. which may not fit in your stove if it is made for the shape of 14g esbit.
What do you use to hold your fuel tabs mole?
 

Dave V

Moderator
Staff member
Too right, 2 X beef with cracked black pepper ;) dam nice. You can also add a bit of oil to the pan and do crispy potatoes cubes nicely, burger and chips ;-)
 

FOX160

Thru Hiker
But would the solid fuel be more efficient in lower temps than burning meths,
due to burning vapour?
 

Dave V

Moderator
Staff member
But would the solid fuel be more efficient in lower temps than burning meths,
due to burning vapour?
That I don't know, I've only really recently started using hexi again my experience of it before that was many years ago with the old fold out stoves.

Based on the tests I've done at home, 14g of hexi is the equivalent of 17g of alcohol for a 500ml rolling boil.
 
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