Esbit stove

“I don't have enough stoves. Only about 6 of them so I bought one of these little Esbit stoves.

It reminded me of heating C-rations over trioxane tabs, but I thought maybe it would be a little more efficient. The package says the fumes from the fuel are non-toxic which is way different than the trioxane.

Do these really boil water? I guess I will find out this weekend. I have a sierra cup that I can use with it.”

“They do boil water, but the damn things are heavy as rocks and they stink up the universe.”

“Yes, they will boil 2 cups of water. Don't try more.
A good windscreen is required to get a good boil.”

“The instructions said you can use it in a tent. It is lighter than most of my stoves and smaller.”

“I've found a little aluminum foil as a wind screen greatly improves boil time.”

“Esbit is pretty much the same as trioxane. It'll boil though. A wind screen would be a good idea.”

“My alcohol stove goes out in a wind. I guess they all need a wind screen.”

“No way I'd use it in a tent regardless of what they say, but if you're trying for a Darwin Award, it might not be a bad idea.”

“pretty much.

I haven't had my pepsi can get blown out by the wind before. Must need a bigger breeze.”

“Bacpac, you'll find that the Esbit tabs are WAY more efficient than trioxane. The fumes may be non-toxic but they are obnoxious nonetheless. StoveStomper has built a lightweight stand/windscreen out of aluminum roof flashing that he cooks with. He just places the Esbit tab on a small, flat rock.”

“Windscreens are definately necessary w/ esbit.


I've boiled twenty ounces of water w/ it plenty of times. (water for two meals)

I tend to throw two tabs in the stove if I need to do larger amounts of water, blow out the tabs once I get a boil (if anything's left) and relight them for next time.

Esbit is slow, pack some patience.”

“That big of a difference FatherG?”

“Dammit Stove, ya beat me to it...”

“I think I will just use a piece of aluminum foil.”

“HUGE difference,HPM. I can't get water to boil with trioxane. Depending on temp/wind, Esbit will do it in 5-8 minutes. Wouldn't recommend cooking in the tent though...El Stinkaroo, dontcha know...”

“I wasn't aware trioxane was that bad. I've smelled esbit. Pretty nasty stink.

I learn something new every day.”

“No way would I use Esbit in a tent. Stink city!”

“LOL...now I can say it.

Like we didn't have enough of these threads?”

“LOL
Just trying to keep up with the boob and beer threads I guess.”

“Esbit is about all I use. I have occasionally boiled water without a windscreen, but only when the air was very still. They do stink to high heaven, and they leave a residue on the bottom of your pot or cup. This can be easily wiped off with baby wipes, or with more difficulty using leaves. I really, really wouldn't use one in a tent, mostly because of the stench.

One cube will usually boil a couple cups of water with a little leftover. I blow them out like Sass said, and leave what's left on the stove for use with another tab the next time. They're great for just boiling water, but I have cooked using multiple cubes. Just be sure and add another cube before the first one burns out.”

“Stove, I have found that a heavy-duty paper punch works quite well for making the holes in aluminum flashing. Lots easier than drilling.”

“FG - that page is still on my site for historical purposes. An updated design is located on another page and I use a paper punch also.”

“Esbit took me thru 9 days on IR w/out any trouble. For me, 1 tab boils 2 cups of water (w/ windscreen) in 10 minutes.”

“Why all the fuss....Just get a jet boil! :-)”

“I used an Esbit all during the summer of 2002. Like many have said, you can boil two cups of water no problem. Figure 10 minutes. I use an aluminum foil wind screen (a must) and would not use it in a tent. It even seems to do the job in extremely cold temps, but when it is extremely cold, you really wish it would work faster.

Now I bring two tabs as a back-up cooking option figuring I can make a stove out of rocks in an emergency.”

“After my weekend on the Manistee River Trail with Sassafras, I have decided I want to use an Esbit stove. Anyone have one they want to sell? And, is there somewhere I can get the tabs in a larger quantity than 12?”

“Esbit stove

Never seen them in quantities larger than 12 tabs.”

“Thanks, Bit. Unfortunately, I can't find them locally here, so I guess I am gonna have to pay the S & H charges, too. Sucks.”

“wolfie, my website has a couple of easy to build windscreens/potholders that work great with Esbit tabs.

The Boy Scouts also sell an aluminum version of the esbit stove, very light.

I used esbits on my last backpack a couple of weeks ago.
Only real drawback is the mess they leave on the bottom of your cookpot.”

“Campmor sells the tabs too. I usually just order two boxes to keep the shipping costs down.”

“wolfie - Don't you have a Galyin's up there. They carry the tabs.”

“...is easily removed with a baby wipe, which I keep in the wal-mart bag I keep my pot in. The wal-mart bag also protects the rest of the contents of my cook-kit bag in case I miss some of the goo.

Another drawback to Esbit: The constant b!tching by fellow hikers about the smell.”

“Yes, I checked Galyans first thing. They are out of stock and of course, none of their people knew when they would get any in. INfact, the two guys I talked to had no idea what I was talking about until I showed them the three empty areas where they normally are kept.”

“Gotta love knowledgeable sales staff.”

“Yea bit, I keep mine in a Wally World bag also. True about the smell too. ;-)

Wolfie - Email me your address and I'll give you a used Esbit Stove I have and no longer use.”

“I've had the same problem at that Galyans, wolfeyes. They looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. And they're generally out of stock on the esbit tabs. Didn't Sass and Birch and Tara and LS get a big pack of esbit tabs sometime?”

“....I'll throw in a few tabs also...
I have plenty.”

“They smell like fish!”

“and not the good fish... ;-)”

“You have mail, StoveStomper!”

“What is a Wally World bag? What else can I store this thing in?”

“LOL
WalMart=Wally World”

“The stove I keep in a small stuff sack, along with the fuel, matches, and a lighter. I keep the pot in a separate WalMart bag. All that cook-kit stuff gets put in another larger stuff sack.”

“They have them at the Cabellas in Dundee if that is convenient. Thats where I got mine.

I missed you and Sass on the MRT this Sunday. I was still making pancakes most likely when you went by.”

“When I use the Esbit I keep the fuel tabs in a zip lock bag. They really stink and can make your entire pack smell.”

“If you dont mind using trioxane instead of esbit they are cheap at www.actiongear.com 12 boxes= 36 bars for $4.92 or 36 boxes= 108 bars for $12.99.
item# TFB12 for the 36 count
item# TFB36 for the 108 count”

“If you don't mind bloody noses use trioxine. ;)”

“Bloody noses?? What the heel you doing Snorting it??!! Sheesh 8oO”