Reflector oven and dutch…
Is the way I prefer. I enjoy cooking on the fire. I too enjoy the act of camping. For me tripping is the entire process…paddling to camping. The smell of a fire, the warmth, and associated challenges.
I usually have a gas stove in the pack, but more for emergency situations. I know/practice survival skills too, but don’t rely on them daily (see bow-drill blisters).
Obviously I would plan my camping method based on the location. Lack of wood, fire-hazards, ecosystem, or weather.
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yup
which is the reason I carry a stove.
You cannot cook over a fire, even a twig stove in Manitoba or Ontario during fire bans.
You cannot cook over a fire in Maine in some campsites without obtaining a fire permit from the local warden. You cannot cook over a fire above high tide line on a Maine island. You may find yourself standing in water…
You cannot cook over a fire where there is no fuel. Believe me Yukon willows suck and the driftwood is too big.
ok - sure
but - what if you are on a trip where there is plenty of wood and there are no fire bans etc. etc. Do you still cook on a stove? Or do you leave it in the pack?
Stoves are useful
I always bring a tiny stove that is $10 on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Ultralight-Portable-Backpacking-Compatible/dp/B00B4FY8YO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441216677&sr=8-1&keywords=etekcity+stove). It is smaller than a pack of cigarettes and comes with a plastic case.
It screws onto different fuel canisters (I use isobutane like the JetBoil canisters), many of which come in very small options. I bring a pot as well that doubles as a bowl.
Honestly, I could do without the stove since I usually pre-make pot roast in foil packets and cook them in the embers of my campfire. However, I do enjoy a good cup of coffee in the morning and this stove will boil water in 2-3 minutes and the total weight for all the gear is negligible, especially since it’s packed into your kayak…
…most of the time the stove is the #1 dependable tool, especially when the weather turns on you, which happens a lot in Maine.
you are back
of course a fire is not always appropriate. We don’t need you to tell us that through yet another Google link…
right on!
that post made too much sense
many nicknames for the regulators- Bastard State Park, North Maine Hoods, American Money Club, Green Money Club, Dumb Old Club (Dartmouth) All-a-Gash (to your wallet)
heck I avoid most of the permitted stuff out west- lots to paddle out there that is wide open
wv just keeps lookin’ better and better, just hopin’ the NPS doesn’t mess it up
If you go on a “Paddle Florida, Inc.” trip you don’t need a stove. They cater each night stop.
This is an old revived thread, but since I wasn’t here the first time around I’ll add my take.
Eating cold food for a week sucks. So does leaving fire scars everywhere, or worse yet starting a forest fire. I’ve seen enough of the latter two for a couple lifetimes. The best technology we have right now to mitigate this is the portable camping stove.
I currently use a propane/butane canister stove but have also used a portable wood burning stove in the past. One always has to be mindful and aware of where they are traveling. Lots of areas are sensitive and need to be avoided or only very lightly trod upon.
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I recently bought a Solo Stove (Titan) and it saved my solo trip. I forgot my water filter, and was confronted with boiling to get enough water to sustain me for five days. Of course, I brought only enough fuel to cook my dehydrated meals, so boiling 48 oz of water each day would not work. The Solo Stove shined at boiling, 48 oz went from cold to boiling in 15 minutes. 16 oz only took 6 minutes. The stove is remarkable at boiling, but also allows a wider range of cooking techniques because it simmers. Fuel was easy, took a few minutes to gather multiple cooking sessions worth of ground liter and break it into 3-4" pieces. The only negative I have is the sooty pots.
For me it’s all about redundancy. I take a gas cannister stove with a lightweight metal pot, home made firelighters, lighters and matches.
If I am going solo I never have a fire, I just snuggle up when it gets dark.
Plus it’s a kayak! Most of my overnight adventures are on foot with a 40 litre pack.
A kayak is huge storage wise, why not bring a stove?
In the Northwoods people have traditionally cooked on fires. In the West, we have deserts, open country and lots of place with little fuel. Often there are restrictions on fires. I always bring a stove.
I did one week in the Boundary Waters where we flew in and rented our whole outfit. I don’t think we had a stove, but that was in 1985 when they still rented aluminum canoes.
I carry a Jetboil and a small, folding stainless steel stove similar to an EmberLit as a back up.
The only time I build a fire is if I have enough garbage to burn. I never cook over a fire and have no interest in doing so. For me the process around building, tending, quenching and removing all signs of a fire adds unneeded complexity to my day and doesn’t add to my appreciation of nature.
I am retired forester. People are always talking about how a stove is more “responsible” than a fire. A stove is made of metal and plastic which means mining, the use of oil and manufacturing. Then there is a need for transportation. Then the fuel must be acquired and more transportation. Then the fuel canisters must be disposed of.
A fire when it is allowed under fire regs, is carbon neutral. It releases the same amount of carbon it accumulated during the lifetime of the growing of the fuel. Dead wood contributes to forest fires. It adds little in the way of nutrients. I like fires on many levels, and they are environmentally responsible, assuming you are following local regs. When I see a fire ring, I usually dismantle it.
This is the way I see it too. Also, there is a life challenge aspect to traveling without a stove. Am I dependent on this man made contraption? Or, can I make it with natural materials, laid out for me by nature?
Of course, I am the kind of guy who sometimes forgets important stuff. One time I forgot my sleeping bag. Ugh!
I survived. It was a great trip actually.
Hi rpg. I rarely make lists. If you forget something then it is an opportunity to figure out a new solution. You make it, use a substitute or do without. I usually remember a sleeping bag.
When I was new to tripping and younger I made lists. Now? I generally crash around the house throwing stuff into my pack and my wanigan the night before. No list - except in my brain. If its a big trip - meaning arctic circle type stuff - I’ll take more care. I fear I may have have been in the arctic for the last time. We shall see.
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rpg,
I never made it to the Arctic. It seemed far, expensive, and difficult. I never could put the right crew together that I would trust out there. I worked in SE Alaska and got sick of the cold rain all the time. I like to hear about northern rivers. The closest I have come is the Boundary Waters, MT and ID.