Old 04-26-13, 12:57 AM
  #48  
Western Flyer 
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Location: Portland, Oregon
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Bikes: Cannondale Topstone gravel bike Dahon MU folder w/2x8 speed internal drive train

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Originally Posted by Niles H.
[The alcohol performance times are usually switched to 2-cup boil times
I think alcohol stoves are at their best cooking for the solo or perhaps a pair of campers. My biggest pot filled to the brim is 0.75 liters the other is 0.5 L, so the 2 cup boils time is meaningful for my touring comparisons. Comparing the time to boil 2 cups of water starting from pulling the stove out of my pannier and setting it up until I have a cup of hot tea in my hand the results are the canister stove is the fastest, followed by my alcohol stove and maybe a minute more time for the Coleman burning Coleman fuel. Comparing times from match (ignition) to boil the canister is twice as fast with my Trangia and Coleman in a dead heat. If your interest is from time of putting a pot of water on a flame in full bloom, my canister burner is still faster, followed by the Coleman with the Trangia trailing off my several minutes. I personally don't see the need for speed.

Despite the fact I have been cooking primarily with alcohol for over forty years, I think the little canister burners like the Snow Peak are the most practical for most solo touring cyclists in the developed world, and that's what I see most folks using. The one big drawback to all the lightweight canister burners I've seen in action is they are terrible in windy conditions. The heavier ones like the Jet Boil do fine in high winds, of course you can't cook much more than water with them.
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