how much fuel to bring?

“hey how many ounces of fuel do you think a person needs for 3 solid days of cooking on a whisperlite international?”

“4 oz per day. breakfast, dinner & maybe a hot beverage at lunch. YMMV.”

“1 gallon”

“crash bang ... 1 gallon is for tiki lamps....”

“and Crash will carry it for you. lol”

“One single ounce. What most people don't know about the Whisperlite, is that it's actually the amount of pumping that you do that determines the duration of the flame created by a certain amount of fuel. That's right, the amount of energy you put in, is in direct relation to the amount of energy that is put out. Most people only put in a small amount of energy (20 to 30 pumps) which results in poor energy output, and low fuel efficiency (2-4oz per day). Now relate that to an increased input of energy, 500-600 pumps of the fuel bottle, and you get a direct relative output of energy from the stove, reducing the need for fuel drastically (.3-.5oz per day).”

“:-)”

“I'd ask Hugo Chavez how much he'll allow you to take for your stovie.”

“Depends on the season, type of food you are cooking, and altitude.

If you are only boiling water in the summer 2 oz. could be plenty.

During winter 4 oz is almost the rule of thumb.

My MFS will go 5 days on 16.8 oz during the summer but only 4 during the winter.”

“Just bring a MSR bottle of fuel.....all this BULL %$#$ is BULL...In the winter period..always bring some extra so bring a bottle full. Those who worry about an ounce or 3 of fuel in the winter time is rediculous. Br prepared and don't worry about what works for others....Backpacking is finding your own way on what works for you.

FullMoon.. since you are new at this , Bring a full bottle and learn what works for you at this altitude and conditions. And about pumping...geezz I never count my pumps...I know how to use all my msr stoves by using them and knowing by experience when I have enough pressure. ROCKET SCIENTIST are for some folks but not me. Every stove will preform different under different conditons so who is to say how many pumps, how manu ounces.....what sticks said about season, is correct and of course conditions. How much cooking you want to do? How much hot liquids you want to drink? How much wind is there? do you have a wind screen? do you keep your stove in top working condition(kep it clean)? Do you know how to use your stove correctly? That being said , who knows how much fuel you need!”

“all this BULL %$#$ is BULL
Refrigerator
2:53:34 AM
2/13/08

I'll keep this in mind with any future responses.

He asked a general question and got a general answer.
last edited: 2/13/08 3:34:53 AM”

“hey simer...

that reminds me of when i watched my mom cook a turkey for thanksgiving decades ago and i asked her how long it took... she said around 7 hours at 300 degrees... i always wondered why she couldnt have cooked it at 600 degrees for only 3 1/2 hours!”

“someone needs to define full in this context - bringing a fuel bottle with no space left for pressurizing the bottle sounds to me to be a questionable practice - as I vaguely recall a "full" fuel bottle should still have a couple of inches of space at the top of the bottle to allow for reasonable operation with the pump.

On the other hand wtf do I know - I have never used a whitegas stove. I have however been entertained a few times by others that do.”

“hey HOI how many more days till you retire??
missed you at the linvile camp out.”

“503 more days

SORUCK was a lot of fun”

“I agree with the bring a little extra group. In fact I always pack one more meal than I think I will need.

Sadly I was held up on the trail an extra day by Snow in Colorado.”

“bring enough to cook all your meals”

“HOI as an exclusive white gas stove user I will tell you that you are correct. The fuel bottles have a "full" line which is a ways below the overflow point. This not only allows the bottle to be pressurized by the pump if you use that style but it also provides room for the natural expansion of the gas as it changes temperature during the day. To overfill a fuel bottle is extremely foolish imo.”

“Is this simer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I-4XS3XtZQ

Pump it simer, pump it!”

“I always bring a full (to the fill line) bottle in winter.”

“As noted above, it depends. Your question does not even get close to defining your fuel needs. Factors include:

melting snow for water?
cooking just hot water based meals?
cold lunch or hot lunch?
frying anything? fish, bacon, eggs, veggetables, steak?
going to use a low flame for baking or keeping water hot?
drinking a lot of hot drinks?
using a wind screen?

After most trips I write down how much fuel I used on the trip, what I cooked, how many people ate off the stove, and thus get an idea of what to take in similar situations. On Shasta my Dragonfly ran full blast for 3 hours non-stop melting snow for water for three people, on one MSR bottle of fuel.

On a 3 day trip in the Sawtooths, I fried eggs and bacon for breakfasts, had a liter of hot water for coffee, and cooked dinners based on hot water, but I did cook a few fish, using a 4 oz snow peak canister. I was cooking for one.

Take more than you think you will use.”

“like i said earlier.


and a full bottle to anyone who has read there instructions knows it is to the full line on the bottle. Yea I know...most backpackers buying a new stove already knows how to use it.”

“3 solid days of cooking is 72 consecutive hours. That's a lot of fuel.”

“Could be Nimblefoot. Sounds like Trail Days cooking.”

“1/6 liter per person per day in summer
1/3 liter per person per day in winter”