Stuck between going light on gear or bringing a real stove on the PCT

I was planning a 5 day stretch on the Pacific Crest Trail near Stevens Pass and had to decide between my little alcohol stove setup or just carrying a full canister stove. The alcohol one is super light and quiet, but boiling water takes forever and you can't really simmer anything. I went with the canister stove because I knew I'd want hot coffee fast in the morning and maybe some instant meals at night. Biggest mistake was not checking the weight difference more carefully my pack was 3 pounds heavier just from the fuel and burner. Plus the canister ran out on day 4 and I had to cold soak my last dinner which was gross. Has anyone else made a similar call and regretted going for comfort over weight?

2 comments

2 Comments

flores.emma7d ago

Funny you mention that, I had the same debate on a section near the Sierras a few years back. What worked for me was going with a lightweight canister setup but only bringing one small fuel can and planning my meals to use less boiled water. The weight difference was minimal and I never ran out of fuel by just boiling what I needed instead of filling the pot to the brim.

harper_smith7d ago

Boiling just what you need instead of filling the pot is a game changer, I feel your pain on trying to shave off every little bit of weight.