Survival Stove

[crashdive123]

Someone who got that stove from ebay india told me this:
"the stove I have bought is useless, you would spend a whole day trying to cook a meal at high altitude. A cheap kerosine pressure stove [Rs 100] that you can abandon/gift away on your last day will work wonders."

I'm about to buy this stove which looks exact as the esbit one (but which is no longer available on the esbit stoves site). So need guidance.

I've got two different style Esbit stoves. It really isn't so much the stove, but rather the fuel. As Sarge has shown, you can use a tuna can for your stove. I've never used mine at high altitude, nor have I cooked a meal on them. I have used them to boil water for a hot drink or to re-hydrate a dehydrated meal. I really like the the Esbit fuel. The other fuel that I've used is Trioxane - I don't care for it as much. In the picture, you can see the two stoves and their fuels. The largers stove on the left is sold by Esbit. The one on the right came with the Trioxane tablets. The stoves can easily be modified with aluminum foil to help shield against the wind if need be.

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[Rick]

I haven't used one at altitude either. The stove itself is just about bomb proof. The fuel is excellent, in my book. It cooks quickly, without smoke and you can blow it out and save it for later. It boils water as quickly as my MRS Pocket Rocket, maybe a little quicker. My oldest boy used it while I used the MSR and he was boiling water as quickly as I was. The down side to the fuel is...it stinks. At least to me. I find it a relatively strong smell but other than that, it's the berries.

You can use just about any kind of fuel in the Esbit stove. Esbit, Triox, Wetfire Tinder or sticks.

[Sarge47]

I put cut pcs. of coat hanger across the top of my "Tuna can" stove for the draft & it seemed to work okay. This is the thread that inspired me to make the stove, the idea being that I wanted a small one the was simple in design. True, one may not find a coat hanger in the woods, but notches carved in the rim with nails carried by the hiker would probably work. Also, holes poked around the underside of the rim should work along the same principle of the Hobo Stove.

[Ken]

I've used the Esbit at about 5,500'. I don't recall much of a difference in boil time, if my memory serves me. It's not a Coleman or a Primus or a Brunton and it's not intended to be, either. It does it's intended job VERY well.

[UnknownWarrior]

I've got two different style Esbit stoves. It really isn't so much the stove, but rather the fuel. As Sarge has shown, you can use a tuna can for your stove. I've never used mine at high altitude, nor have I cooked a meal on them. I have used them to boil water for a hot drink or to re-hydrate a dehydrated meal. I really like the the Esbit fuel. The other fuel that I've used is Trioxane - I don't care for it as much. In the picture, you can see the two stoves and their fuels. The largers stove on the left is sold by Esbit. The one on the right came with the Trioxane tablets. The stoves can easily be modified with aluminum foil to help shield against the wind if need be.

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Thank you crash and Rick for the helpful comments. I'm getting one right away. I like the one at the start of this thread but the esbit is foldable and compact which suits me better.

Even I don't need it at high altitudes. But the guy who told me tried it there. He says it doesn't work in less oxygen. Anyway it's fine for me. I would like to use it for boiling some water, cooking some rice - does it work for that? Using the Esbit fuel.

I'd also want a similar, small foldable cooker for a similar cheap price if anyone knows?

[crashdive123]

He says it doesn't work in less oxygen.

Neither do I. Seems like the stove and I have an understanding.

I would like to use it for boiling some water, cooking some rice - does it work for that? Using the Esbit fuel.

I don't see why not. Keep in mind that for the rice it may take more than one tablet of fuel.

[Ken]

Keep in mind that for the rice it may take more than one tablet of fuel.

Or just get the MRE rice side dish. Pre-cooked and Ready-to-Eat!

[UnknownWarrior]

I don't see why not. Keep in mind that for the rice it may take more than one tablet of fuel.

I read in one of the posts in this thread that you can use the stove in two positions. Is that also true for the esbit? Using clips etc. I'd love to see a pic.

[crashdive123]

I read in one of the posts in this thread that you can use the stove in two positions. Is that also true for the esbit? Using clips etc. I'd love to see a pic.

Give me a few minutes. I'll run out back and dig one out and take a few pics.

[Rick]

Yes, you can. There is a two position detente. One for larger pots and one for smaller cups like a GI cup. The altitude thing would be exclusive to the fuel, not the stove. Check and see what kind of fuel he was using.

You can store four (4) fuel tabs inside the closed stove so you always have fuel with you.

The stove is 3 13/16 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch deep when closed. When fully open, it stands 2 inches tall. It easily fits in a front shirt pocket when closed.

[crashdive123]

Not sure if this is exactly what you meant, but here goes. I grabbed the smaller stove. The first pic shows it closed up - smaller than a deck of cards - nice size for backpacking. Opened up - and the third pic with an aluminum foil wind screen. A small piece of soda can works well for that too. As far as the two position - not really needed for this one, but for the larger one in the pic from post 41 - you can fold it in a bit. Fully open it is too wide for my canteen cup, but folded in a bit and it works just fine.

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[Rick]

Where did you get that thing? Is that an old one?

Crash posted in #41 with the stove fully open. Here it is at the second setting.

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[crashdive123]

Got that one from Cheaper Than Dirt. It came with 12 Triox tablets. They've gone up in price a little since I got them. This one was $1.98 and is destined to go home with somebody from the Jamboree.

[Rick]

(Head slap! Doh!) That's a triox stove. I was thinking Esbit. I'll stop thinking now. Besides, it was hurting my head.

[UnknownWarrior]

Or just get the MRE rice side dish. Pre-cooked and Ready-to-Eat!

From what I read here, I think it will be great to use in emergencies. I've ordered one but can't find the esbit / hexamine tablets even on ebay india.

[crashdive123]

UnknownWarrior - while I may not be able to help you with getting something shipped to India, but when I Googled Esbit fuel India I recieved several responses. You may want to contact the manufacturer directly and ask.

[UnknownWarrior]

UnknownWarrior - when I may not be able to help you with getting something shipped to India, but when I Googled Esbit fuel India I recieved several responses. You may want to contact the manufacturer directly and ask.

I tried befre but I could only get listings of manufacturers dealing with hexamine. Is this the correct name of te fuel?

This is from one of the searches:
http://www.trademart.in/hexamine/com...exporters.html

Only 9 results on google seach with exact word search:
http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en...tryIN&aq=f&oq=

Unfortunately most of these take you to amaZon.com .

[Rick]

Esbit is made out of Methenamine. I have no idea how that relates to hexamine or whether one is a component of the other.

You might try Amazon.com. I think they ship world wide.

[LudwigVan]

Good post! I have been meaning to experiment with stoves, iv'e already collected cans of all shapes and sizes.

[Winnie]

How about this fuel, might suit you too Crash as it's odourless. Havent tried it yet myself but I intend doing so. It's supposed to be Esbit compatible.

http://www.armyrations.co.uk/product...l_Gel_Fuel.htm