Changed my mind about lightweight backpacking stoves after talking to a ranger at Shenandoah

I was dead set on replacing my canister stove with an alcohol setup to save weight. Then I talked to a park ranger at the Loft Mountain campground who said they've had three rescues this year from people who couldn't boil water fast enough in cold weather. He showed me the burn times on alcohol vs canister at 30 degrees and it was like double the wait. I stuck with my $40 BRS canister stove for now. Anyone else run into a similar situation where a pro changed your gear philosophy?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_baker9914d ago

Did you stick with the BRS after all that?

keithharris13d ago

Kept it actually. Sold my old BRS to a buddy who only does car camping and never looked back. That ranger's story about seeing a guy try to boil water in a gale with a BRS totally freaked me out. Ended up grabbing a Soto Windmaster and man that thing is a beast in comparison. Still have the BRS as a backup in my car kit but for real backpacking trips it's the Soto every time now. Funny how one random conversation can make you completely rethink your whole setup.

-2

beth87814d ago

Isn't it funny how one conversation can just flip everything you thought you knew? I totally feel you on this. I had a similar moment when a guide in the Smokies told me my super light tarp setup was basically a disaster waiting to happen in a sudden storm. He didn't even try to sell me anything, just told me about his own hypothermia scare. That's the thing about talking to people who actually live in the backcountry, their stories stick with you way more than any gear review video. Your ranger probably saved you from a really cold, really slow dinner.