The Esbit stoves are pretty cool.  The thing I like about my MSR and the Primus is that they can run on diesel in a pinch.  That said, I have a soft spot for the simplicity of the Esbit stoves.  The Foster's model in particular.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/ultralight_outfitters_beer_can_esbit_stove.html

This one is also cool.

http://www.kzpg.com/Backpacking/Stove/Howard's_Esbit_Stove_3.0.html

I've got two of these - the neato factor is very high it worked pretty good around 20 degrees on a clear, windless day. I think with any kind of breeze and it'd be difficult to keep the heat on the pan. the little stove you linked to seems alot better.



i think it might have been $5 for the used stove down at Federal Surplus in downtown.

edit:  i meant to add that one of these little foldup stoves, a cup, and a mountainhouse are permenant gear in my jeep bags now.   I figure it'll come in handy some day.

that's cool i guess ... if you happen to have diesel around?   wouldn't do me a lick of good.   

yeah - I hear ya.  If i were planning a trip to the Andes or something, this would be an obvious choice.  For the wilds of washington, however, I just think a big ol' can of propane is very satisfiying   

I'm here in Sherwood.  I'm just taking a while to dig my way out of everything.  You guys are very prolific posters.

Nevak sound cooler, so there!  And he can stop a bullet too!!!  (if he has a bunch of titanium stoves tied to him)

Rick

This is my first reply to a post on this site, so please forgive any errors along the way.

If you are just doing a 1-3 day trip, backpacking stoves work very well.  I use a dual fuel Butterfly and it has served me well for years. I always leave it in the Taco for emergency use.   On the other hand, if you are driving into a remote site and plan on setting up a base camp for a week or so, i would recommend a larger stove that runs on tanks of propane.  A company named Camp Chef used to make a neat two burner aluminum stove that has attachable/extendable legs.  The burners are stainless steel and combined will put out 50,000 BTUs.  That's some serious cooking!  Originally these stoves were designed for river rafting where size and weight were critical concerns.  They sold for around $200, which is a bit more than a hiking stove now-a-days.  On occasion, they can be found on Ebay for around $100 used.  they are worth every penny. I believe the model number is CK-50.  I use mine with a 2-1/2 gallon propane tank.  this system lasts me a minimum of one week of hard use in the field.  It pays to eat healthy and well if you plan to do a lot of day hikes exploring an area.  You can put together a gourmet meal in minutes with a stove like this.

One last thing; Zodi makes a field shower unit that looks for all the world like a fire extinquisher.  It is made of ultrathin stainless steel, so you have to be careful not be dent it too much.  To use it, you unscrew the pump/hose system from it's top, fill it with (3 gal.) water, set it on your 50 K BTU stove, and in 3 minutes or less, you and the mizzuz can take a refreshing shower.  It comes with a thermometer strip on the side, so just watch not to exceed 100-104 deg. F., take it off the stover, reinstall the pump until, give it a dozen strokes, and ahhhhh..dirt, grime, and fatigue disappear.

Dale