Lately, my family has been using the Sierra zip (titanium version) and a 2.4 L pot. This stove is wood burning and uses a AA battery to drive a small fan. We almost always use pine cones, but it also does well with small sticks (pencil width). We've never spent more than a few minutes gathering fuel in the areas where we tour. We use a small piece of paper as a starter, again readily available to bike tourers. We have no trouble boiling water, and maintaining a boil for 10 minutes, for pasta in our 2.4 L pot. It does take some attention, because the fan creates a blast-furnace effect which goes through fuel FAST while burning very hot. You can also turn down the fan for more moderate heat to try other more controlled cooking techniques, but we only boil water, heat soups, etc. There is really no limit to how much water you can boil, given the ready availability of fuel in most campgrounds. Best of all, we do not need to search for or carry fuel.

We have never had the opportunity to test it after several days of rain on tour. Before we used it, I did take it out in the yard and gathered wood and tested it after 2 days of quite heavy rain. With 2 8-1/2x11 pieces of paper as a starter, I had no trouble starting the stove or boiling our 2.4 L pot. The turbo-charging from the fan makes a big difference.

I will eventually run through my AA battery, but it lasts a while. I already carry spares for my bike lights already, and I might need to buy 1-2 AAs on a long trip.

These Zip stoves have a long and well established history in the backpacking community. They are not some fly-by-night product.

The biggest disadvantage is the open fire aspect. I have read that they are considered contained stoves and can be used in locations with no campfires. That I would certainly agree with. However, in areas with extreme fire risk I would not use a zip stove. Not an issue here in New England.