Let's Talk Gear - Stoves

Okay, so we'll come back to the hiking and camping with kids soon (I'll actually be taking my 6, 4, and 2-year olds camping next weekend), but for now let's go to something that's on every hardcore hikers mind this time of year, including those of us at the Wildernest: gear.

It's spring, and for those who either loathe the winter or haven't taken the plunge into winter camping, it is a time to get the gear out, clean it out, or head out to upgrade your gear. One of those technical pieces of gear that (nearly) every backpacker ends up owning is a stove. So, what to choose?

Backpacking stoves fall into three main categories these days: alcohol stoves, canister stoves, and liquid fuel stoves. Yes, I know there are other options - no cook, cook on the fire, fuel tablets, gel, etc. - but we're talking the big three here - any of which would be a necessity on a backcountry adventure.

The lightest choice is an alcohol stove. To clarify, you're not cooking using rubbing alcohol or your favorite libation; you're using denatured alcohol. The benefits of an alcohol stove are inexpensive fuel and one of the lightest functional cooking options available. There is also something cool about making your own alcohol stove. I haven't done it myself but one of our former employees at the store made each of us one that can be measured in grams. Man that thing is cool! There are also some great pre-made models like those offered by Trangia that are still pretty light but a bit more polished. There is a distinct down side to alcohol stoves, and that is fuel efficiency. Boil times are not near those of gas powered stoves so you will need to be patient come dinner time. I often take my alcohol stove when I am going on a quick and light overnighter that only involves 1-2 meals to cook, that way my entire stove and fuel weight is an incredible three ounces.

Not ready to make the plunge to something so extreme, but you still want to to light? Then maybe a canister stove is for you. Canister stoves are typically filled with isobutane/propane mix whose ratio varies by manufacturer. The different canisters leads to the inevitable question: Do I need to use the brand of fuel that matches my stove? The rule of thumb is that if it fits, it works; nonetheless some manufacturers have proprietary canisters that fit only their stoves, like Camping Gaz or Coleman. (My Personal Liability Disclaimer: Use the fuel that matches your stove! The manufacture will have used their own fuel in determining statistics such as boil time and canister life anyway.) One of our personal favorites here at the Wildernest is the Pocket Rocket by MSR, although there are many different designs. The upsides of canister stoves are weight, compactness, and ease of use with instant gratification. The downsides are an uncertainty of how much fuel remains and less than optimal performance in cool weather. In addition, you can't enclose most with a windscreen since you are enclosing your flame and fuel in the same area - a big no-no. However, that is where some companies like Jetboil and others come up with remote canisters and the ability to flip canisters to burn more fuel. Believe it or not, there are more details we could discuss, but we'll move on for now.

The third major category is liquid fuel stoves. The fuel of choice is typically white gas. Even though alcohol stoves have become extremely popular among long distance hikers, liquid gas stoves such as the MSR Whisperlite have been a staple of the hiking community. The Whisperlite has been hanging on to my generation like the Svea did to the prior one. Why are they so cool? Many white gas stoves are field serviceable and maintainable, plus you always know how much fuel you have left. Refilling fuel bottles can be clutch when on long distance trails like the Appalachian Trail, where you can purchase fuel by the ounce at some outfitters. Looks like you might run out of fuel before the next town stop? Engineer a trade with a fellow hiker for some of your signature GORP and you are still in business. Another plus - you pressurize the bottle so they perform better in colder conditions that other stoves. Before you get too excited, there are of course some negatives... These stoves are generally the heaviest and bulkiest, plus they often involve priming which means you have a couple of extra minutes to wait before you can start dinner.

Can't decide which one? Then do what some of us do and own one of each kind... (envision wry smile and please don't tell my wife I don't need one of each). If you have any questions about stoves or anything else gear related, feel free to contact me at thewildernestchris@gmail.com. Happy camping this spring!

"A Walk in the 'Woods'"

This is Chris from The Wildernest again, with some info on a Lancaster hiking trail a stone's throw from the store - the Farmingdale Trail located off of Good Drive. Please pardon the double quotes in the title; I can explain. The outer quotes are an inside joke code that my wife Sarah and I use when I want her to go on a hike with me, to indicate that I wasn't going to overdo the miles. It's not that she doesn't like to hike, it's just that, well... I was a little too aggressive in choosing the mileage for her and I to hike and backpack early in our relationship. So, when my reputation for long hikes was already in place, she would inquire, "Why don't you just walk in the woods?" And so, a walk in the woods implies something less intense than a hike in our family.

The interior quotes refer to the location of our hike. We decided to go to the landlocked Farmingdale Trail, the trail head of which is located at the Noel Dorwart Park in East Hempfield Township. The purpose of the hike was two-fold: to get out for a nice walk with my wife and three sons... and to possibly assist in inducing labor on Sarah, who was very pregnant with our fourth son.

The first thing I noticed was that the woodlands along the trail were young and distinct. A bit farther along I noticed the occasional tire along the side. With some further research, I realized that in my ignorance I had no idea that the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority had opened the trail on a former landfill. That sort of nixed my thought that someone should come through here and get these tires and take them to a landfill. Ha! However, this is a great example of reclaiming some land that was lost for some time.

Anyway, the trail makes for a nice easy walk (or jog or bike), especially with kids. Its location is also a plus, with few other trails in the vicinity. You can easily piece together three miles worth of travel with the various loops. So, if you want to make a quick and easy jaunt with just a bit of seclusion and you live in the area, I would highly recommend it. However, if you are truly looking to get into the forest in Lancaster, you should head to the northern or southern parts of the county where more outdoor opportunities are offered.

So, the walk to didn't bring on the baby, but we were blessed with a healthy birth within a couple of weeks. Another plus was that our 20-month-old hiked much of the 1.5 miles we went without being carried - his longest trek ever! One final kid note: My oldest son, a kindergartner, shares my same concern for keeping hiking areas clean. He found a plastic bottle on the ground and picked it up for us to carry out, saying that we need to keep the Earth healthy. I asked him where he learned that, expecting to feed my parenting ego; however, his response was, "I don't know... I think I just know it." Wow - maybe we are hard-wired for tree hugging...

Well, stay tuned for more on Lancaster trails, hiking/camping with kids, and much more. If you have any questions or comments, contact me at thewildernestchris@gmail.com or Shawn at the store at thewildernest@msn.com.