Hay Ernie; great video as always. Just wanted to share with you my findings after using Esbit Tablets for Years. I've seen yourself as many other people using a torch of some kind or another too get the Esbit tab lit. Mostly out of convenience I'm sure as I once had done. I have found threw out the years that; if you use your knife too slowly shave off slightly a dusting into the natural channels the Tablet has..you can easily lite your tab with a Bic in 2 seconds or Farro Rod with two or three strikes depending on skill levels. I've been using the Gram cracker with my caldera cone boil times 2 cups is around 5min depending on the terrain & Altitude. Enjoy your comparison video..
Let's not forget also that those little solid fuel tablets are EXCELLENT Fire starters if the conditions are foul. Even if you don't use this type of stove, it's always good to keep a few in your pack for just such occasions.
you probably dont care at all but does any of you know of a tool to get back into an instagram account? I stupidly forgot my password. I appreciate any tricks you can offer me!
@Otto Barrett Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm trying it out now. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
A lightweight wind blocker can be homemade as well. Just take a few of those aluminum bakeware, cut the sides off, tape them together with heat resistant tape to the circumference and height needed, and there you have a lightweight cheap wind blocker.
Hi there .. I use an Esbit Original Military-Issue Folder that has 50+ summers under the belt. It has served me well and will in all probability continue to do so for the forseeable future. For fuel, I use Gel and Alcohol .. reason that here in Switzerland, they are cheaper and easier to source than the Esbit Tabs. That said, I keep a backup box of Esbits in the Stove for just in case. What's nice about the Esbit Tabs / Gel Fuel Options is that they can be used practically anywhere .. even in public urban areas without attracting much attention .. and, used with common sense, are extremely safe. My Esbit gets at least weekly use in rotation with my other camping stoves. The only day that I don't have a Camping Stove Breakfast is Sunday. Take care ..
Trangia burner snaps right in the Esbit stove. Bring your Trangia, your Esbit cubes and your wind screen of choice. Out in the wilds a little longer than expected and used up your alky, use your Esbit cubes.
There is an Esbit stand offered by Traildesigns for Esbit use in the cone. It's called the Gram Cracker. The GC sctually slows the burn down to greatly increase the efficiency. With the GC you can very nearly get TWO two cup boils with ONE Esbit tab.
You mentioned that you can put them on a plane. Have you done so? Carry-on or checked? I can't find info on the TSA site. Going to Colorado in July and would like to bring my tabs with me.
For an emergency grab and go emergency "get home" or "bugout" type bag or something where you just want to pack it and not have to worry much about it would you say that a solid fuel tab stove like this would be optimal or would you use something like a sterno, or gel fuel, or something else? I don't want to keep something like HEET or some other type of alcohol in a long term storage especially in the car or some place else where it may get hot. A folding stick burner like the firebox nano is also an option.
carmen martinez I have two of their 5 inch stoves one in stainless steel and one in titanium, also have several of their firebox nano stoves in both stainless steel and titanium! Along with the ability to use an alcohol fuel, Wood, charcoal, solid fuel and a propane/butane fuel burner!
I don't know an answer to your question but, they won't spill alcohol all over everywhere if they happen to tilt over especially if there are children around.
Very "solid" test Ernie.... Heh heh... Great video, thanks for sharing, and my apologies for the cheesey joke.... I like that you can also use the esbit stove as a stand for a trangia burner. Thanks again!
Wow Ernie , That was quick, I know the cone ,is the way to go, Another great review, and a simple item, that makes a huge difference. Thank you. Sincerely your freind from Mo Rick and God bless you and your family
Did you measure the height of the pot over the hexamine in the Expedition Research triangle? A common mistake is to leave too much space above, which badly reduces efficiency.
My biggest problem with solid fuel is how toxic the fumes are. Solid fuels give off hydrogen cyanide which is one of the reasons England replaced them with gel fuel.
Just a thought and I'm not sure it would work or safe to do. But why can't you use a little alcohol to get the soiled fuel lit and started if they are hard to lite. Just enough to start it on fire.
@Katie Rae NO I DIDNT. BUT I'M NOT THAT PAUL BEGLEY I'M A DIFFERENT ONE (THE LAST I HEARD WAS THAT THERE ARE 3 OR 4 OF US) BUT I'M SURE THAT THE ONE THAT YOU DID SEND IT TO GOT IT . AFTER ALL HE IS A PASTER .AND I'M NOT. BUT I am A CHRISTIAN. AND ANY CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. LOL JUST KIDDING, ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT IS.
@@paulbegley1464 I'Ve been doing that for years. Carry alcohol in a large Visine bottle and two drops does the job. Any solid fuel cube will light right up.
Hi Ernie. Do you ever worry about the toxicity of most solid and alcohol fuels? Bio-ethanol is supposedly safer but it is usually denatured with ethanol (as least in Canada).
I wish ER would have made this stove dual fuel (solid and trangia type alcohol) like the esbit - or even tri-fuel (add the ability to use dragon cubes or gel).
The chemically manufactured solid fuel tabs give me a splitting headache. Tried them one time and that was the 1st and last time. I still use a solid fuel at times but it is natural and burned in a Titanium wood burning stove , if you haven't guessed it ... it's dead , dried , wood found around the campsite or trail.
I've figured you out! You're trying to replace Hiram Walker as the official boiler of water! LOL! Just kidding as always another great video. When I use solid fuel I use a GAK folding stove with a USGI canteen cup and a small wind shield... www.amazon.com/dp/B07582JY5T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lNqvFb7Z0ZTPY As many stoves as you have you probably have one already, if not you should get one. They are not amazing or light weight, but considering you can nest a canteen, cup, stove into a molle pouch and using a match case to carry the Coghlan fuel (just because they are round and fit inside the match case), you can carry two match cases of fuel in the two little pockets designed to hold water treatment pills.
Except for wind considerations, since each stove requires one tablet regardless of boil times speed of boil is really irrelevant. Unless you need to catch a train 😊. A piece of aluminum foil will work as a wind break for the first two stoves . It really comes down to personal preferences. I did enjoy seeing the comparisons. Thanks.
Hay Ernie; great video as always. Just wanted to share with you my findings after using Esbit Tablets for Years. I've seen yourself as many other people using a torch of some kind or another too get the Esbit tab lit. Mostly out of convenience I'm sure as I once had done.
I have found threw out the years that; if you use your knife too slowly shave off slightly a dusting into the natural channels the Tablet has..you can easily lite your tab with a Bic in 2 seconds or Farro Rod with two or three strikes depending on skill levels. I've been using the Gram cracker with my caldera cone boil times 2 cups is around 5min depending on the terrain & Altitude. Enjoy your comparison video..
Let's not forget also that those little solid fuel tablets are EXCELLENT Fire starters if the conditions are foul.
Even if you don't use this type of stove, it's always good to keep a few in your pack for just such occasions.
you probably dont care at all but does any of you know of a tool to get back into an instagram account?
I stupidly forgot my password. I appreciate any tricks you can offer me!
@Marcelo Enrique instablaster ;)
@Otto Barrett Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm trying it out now.
Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Otto Barrett it worked and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy:D
Thanks so much you really help me out :D
@Marcelo Enrique Glad I could help =)
A lightweight wind blocker can be homemade as well. Just take a few of those aluminum bakeware, cut the sides off, tape them together with heat resistant tape to the circumference and height needed, and there you have a lightweight cheap wind blocker.
Hi there ..
I use an Esbit Original Military-Issue Folder that has 50+ summers under the belt. It has served me well and will in all probability continue to do so for the forseeable future.
For fuel, I use Gel and Alcohol .. reason that here in Switzerland, they are cheaper and easier to source than the Esbit Tabs. That said, I keep a backup box of Esbits in the Stove for just in case. What's nice about the Esbit Tabs / Gel Fuel Options is that they can be used practically anywhere .. even in public urban areas without attracting much attention .. and, used with common sense, are extremely safe.
My Esbit gets at least weekly use in rotation with my other camping stoves. The only day that I don't have a Camping Stove Breakfast is Sunday.
Take care ..
Trangia burner snaps right in the Esbit stove. Bring your Trangia, your Esbit cubes and your wind screen of choice. Out in the wilds a little longer than expected and used up your alky, use your Esbit cubes.
There is an Esbit stand offered by Traildesigns for Esbit use in the cone. It's called the Gram
Cracker. The GC sctually slows the burn down to greatly increase the efficiency. With the GC
you can very nearly get TWO two cup boils with ONE Esbit tab.
Do not like this because you cannot control the burn. However, your video was great. Thanks for sharing.
Always feel Ernie is in the room with me , with that tight zoom! Great Reviews
You mentioned that you can put them on a plane. Have you done so? Carry-on or checked? I can't find info on the TSA site. Going to Colorado in July and would like to bring my tabs with me.
For an emergency grab and go emergency "get home" or "bugout" type bag or something where you just want to pack it and not have to worry much about it would you say that a solid fuel tab stove like this would be optimal or would you use something like a sterno, or gel fuel, or something else? I don't want to keep something like HEET or some other type of alcohol in a long term storage especially in the car or some place else where it may get hot. A folding stick burner like the firebox nano is also an option.
Great video, thanks. I keep cubes in my dayhike bag and like that I can travel with them too. Buying a cone now:)
Have you check the variety of multi fuel stoves from fireboxstove.com ?
James Brownmiller love them. So versatile.
carmen martinez I have two of their 5 inch stoves one in stainless steel and one in titanium, also have several of their firebox nano stoves in both stainless steel and titanium! Along with the ability to use an alcohol fuel, Wood, charcoal, solid fuel and a propane/butane fuel burner!
James Brownmiller have of each, nano and 5” no titanium, and Trangia. I tent/car camp so weight is not an issue. Best combo ever. Great videos too.
Great video. So i guess the question is are these good enough for you to swap from a cat can stove to a solid fuel stove?
I don't know an answer to your question but, they won't spill alcohol all over everywhere if they happen to tilt over especially if there are children around.
Very "solid" test Ernie.... Heh heh... Great video, thanks for sharing, and my apologies for the cheesey joke.... I like that you can also use the esbit stove as a stand for a trangia burner. Thanks again!
Hexamine
Used it in the British Army for years
Cooked a million meals on them
The standard metal fold out box
Wow Ernie , That was quick, I know the cone ,is the way to go, Another great review, and a simple item, that makes a huge difference. Thank you. Sincerely your freind from Mo Rick and God bless you and your family
Did you measure the height of the pot over the hexamine in the Expedition Research triangle? A common mistake is to leave too much space above, which badly reduces efficiency.
I was thinking didn't he use to camp? And then you mentioned it. Do it again!
what's the price difference, the Expedition Research is slightly less than 25$ and it's titanium also
My biggest problem with solid fuel is how toxic the fumes are. Solid fuels give off hydrogen cyanide which is one of the reasons England replaced them with gel fuel.
Just a thought and I'm not sure it would work or safe to do. But why can't you use a little alcohol to get the soiled fuel lit and started if they are hard to lite. Just enough to start it on fire.
You can, but gel alcohol is easier! Just a small pearl sized drop to get things going.
@Katie Rae NO I DIDNT. BUT I'M NOT THAT PAUL BEGLEY I'M A DIFFERENT ONE (THE LAST I HEARD WAS THAT THERE ARE 3 OR 4 OF US) BUT I'M SURE THAT THE ONE THAT YOU DID SEND IT TO GOT IT . AFTER ALL HE IS A PASTER .AND I'M NOT. BUT I am A CHRISTIAN. AND ANY CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. LOL JUST KIDDING, ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT IS.
@@paulbegley1464 I'Ve been doing that for years. Carry alcohol in a large Visine bottle and two drops does the job. Any solid fuel cube will light right up.
I never knew I’d be so excited to watch video after video of you boiling water 😂
I do that to people lol
Hi Ernie. Do you ever worry about the toxicity of most solid and alcohol fuels? Bio-ethanol is supposedly safer but it is usually denatured with ethanol (as least in Canada).
I thought that "Solid Fuel Showdown" was going to involve a comparison of solid fuels. Ah well.
Ernie, I like the Esbit stove, but not for $68.42.
The expedition research stove is half that price. and titanium.
I wish ER would have made this stove dual fuel (solid and trangia type alcohol) like the esbit - or even tri-fuel (add the ability to use dragon cubes or gel).
you can
They should rename Esbit and similar solid fuel tablets to “Too Much Soot”.
T.M.S.
The chemically manufactured solid fuel tabs give me a splitting headache. Tried them one time and that was the 1st and last time. I still use a solid fuel at times but it is natural and burned in a Titanium wood burning stove , if you haven't guessed it ... it's dead , dried , wood found around the campsite or trail.
I've figured you out! You're trying to replace Hiram Walker as the official boiler of water! LOL!
Just kidding as always another great video. When I use solid fuel I use a GAK folding stove with a USGI canteen cup and a small wind shield...
www.amazon.com/dp/B07582JY5T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lNqvFb7Z0ZTPY
As many stoves as you have you probably have one already, if not you should get one.
They are not amazing or light weight, but considering you can nest a canteen, cup, stove into a molle pouch and using a match case to carry the Coghlan fuel (just because they are round and fit inside the match case), you can carry two match cases of fuel in the two little pockets designed to hold water treatment pills.
Except for wind considerations, since each stove requires one tablet regardless of boil times speed of boil is really irrelevant. Unless you need to catch a train 😊. A piece of aluminum foil will work as a wind break for the first two stoves . It really comes down to personal preferences.
I did enjoy seeing the comparisons. Thanks.