[Paddlewise] Backpacking stoves and tarps

>>>>>Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 08:50:12 -0800
From: "Mary Zuschlag" <mzuschlag_at_attbi.com>
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Lightweight backpacking stoves (was:
Introduction)

> > Several of us have also had discussion about silnylon tarps and
> > lightweight flies, whether for bivvying or regular camping...comments
> > here appreciated, too!
> >

I use a trekkers tarp it is great for groups of 3 or 4 you can pitch it
high
as a tarp or low as a tent.  <snip><<<<<

I've been a big tarp fan for a long time.  For weeklong trips, we generally
bring a tarp for each tent and a large "community" tarp to gather under for
cooking & eating.  Put a tarp over your tent and suddenly no more problems
with condensation or tracking in rainwater when entering the tent or
donning or removing raingear (you may be able to tell this is written by a
native US Pacific northwest person).   Although the bulky reinforced
plastic tarps are inexpensive and adequate for short trips, for longer
trips it's tough to beat a coated polyester tarp.  [Nylon works fine as
well, except that it's more sensitive to UV radiation and tends to stretch
more, especially when wet (which raintarps tend to get, duh...)].  They
take up much less space and weight than the cheapo blue plastic tarps.

Regarding stoves, in my opinion we are still waiting for the perfect stove.
I've got a new MSR Whisperlite, which is very reliable but (despite the
advertising) still don't simmer very well, at least for very long.  I've
also got an Apex II, which simmers really well when it's not verging on
exploding in a pillar of flames, and also provides high heat output with
boiling times approaching the MSR -- if you don't mind a little anxiety
while you're cooking.  Then there's the MSR Dragonfly, sounding a little
like a jet taking off as others have mentioned, but which also tends to
concentrate the output into a narrow flame that's not great for cooking.
Then there's the cannister-type stoves which are easy to use and great for
cooking, but are bulky and more expensive to operate and require hassling
with the cannisters.  And, in my opinion the alcohol stoves suffer from
having less heat output (partially because of the design but also because
alcohol has less energy than gasoline) and require larger amounts of fuel.
All I ask for is a stove that lights and adjusts and warms up nearly as
well as butane; is as reliable and lightweight and stable as the
Whisperlite; has a broad even flame like the Apex II in a good mood; burns
cheap unleaded gasoline without getting gummed up; works well in both
summer and winter; doesn't require earplugs to use -- but makes just enough
noise so you know it's still running; doesn't cost an-arm-and-a-leg; will
hold together long enough to bequeath it to your grandchildren (sorry, the
kids have to get their own, since I'm still using it); and which gets the
thumbs-up by all the airlines.  Is that too much to ask?

Evan Dallas
Woodinville Washington



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