Components
Purpose of this Article
The purpose of this article is to determine how much fuel one should take while going on backpacking excursions. One should take into account the number of days spent in the backcountry, the types of cooking the fuel is needed for (and other uses), and the number of people in the party. We'll cover some of these in the article. This information is merely to help the logistical planning of trips.
Testing components:
Stove: MSR Whisperlite Internationale
Fuel type: white gas
Fuel amount: 12oz
Bottle: MSR 11oz fuel bottle
Starting water temp: approximately 68*F
Environmental factors:
Altitude: 500ft
Miscellaneous:
The included aluminum heat shields were placed under and around the stove, helping to conserve and reflect heat, and serve as a wind barrier.
The bottle was continually pressured to maintain maximum fuel flow.
The throttle was wide open at 1/2 a turn.
Fuel Consumption & Cooking Facts
Fuel Consumption at ~500 ft:
It takes 8 minutes to boil 3 qt of water, and
It takes 2 minutes 40 seconds to boil 1 qt of water
The stove burned for a total of 30 minutes, and consumed 3.0 oz in that time.
Cooking Facts:
A traditional dehydrated meal for 2 people needs 20 oz (2.5 cups) of water to cook.
A mug of coffee needs, we'll assume, 10 oz of water per person.
A bowl of oatmeal needs 2 oz of water per person.
Total water needed for cooking each day per person is 32 oz.
NOTE: Please come up with your own daily needed boiled water amount, and calculate accordingly, as this will change based on the cooking needs of your the group.
Conclusion
At 500 feet:
It takes 8 minutes to boil 3 qt (96 oz) of water, burning 0.833 oz fuel.
For every 4 quarts (128 oz) of water boiled the stove burns 1.11 oz of fuel.
For every 30 minutes of use the stoves burns 3.0 oz fuel, boiling approximately 11.25 qt (360 oz) water.
At 10,000 feet:
It takes approximately 7 minutes 20 seconds to boil 3 qt (96 oz) of water, burning 0.763 fuel.
For every 4 quarters (128 oz) of water boiled the stove burns 1.02 oz fuel.
For every 30 minutes of use the stove burns 3.0 oz fuel, boiling approximately 12.27 qt (392 oz) water.
One person having oatmeal and coffee for breakfast and splitting one dehydrated meal between lunch and dinner would consume 32 oz per day.
the Assumption
Scenario >500ft:
Let's assume we're hiking with a group of 4, and we are all sharing the Whisperlite stove.
Our altitude is below 500ft.
We cook 3 times a day, boiling 128 oz each day between all 4 members.
We do not use a fire to cook with, and use the stove for every meal.
The group would use approximately 1.11 oz fuel per day.
This would get us to 9 days using a standard 11 oz bottle, or 18 days using the 20 oz.
Scenario 10,000ft:
Same scenario as above, but at 10,000 ft.
We cook 3 times a day, boiling 128 oz each day between all 4 members.
The group would use approximately 1.02 oz of fuel per day.
This would get us to 10 days using a standard 11 oz bottle, or 20 days using the 20 oz.
Conclusion
The difference between fuel consumption at elevation between sea level and 10,000 feet is negligible. Boiling water at 10,000 feet is approximately 7-9% more efficient than boiling at sea level. However, it is important to note that food cooks much, much slower at elevation, because of the lower temperature of boiling water. This test/article assumes that you do need a continual heating surface for cooking, but rather that you use the boiled water to cook food in a separate thermos-like container (such as the aluminum packaging that store-bought dehydrated meals are packaged in).
Although one should take environmental factors into concern, such as elevation, outside temperature and water temperature, and the fact that you can't squeeze every last ounce of fuel from the bottle, we can conclude that just one small 11oz bottle will last a small group a little over a week in the wilderness.
I will test more in the future using different fuels (diesel and gasoline) and using different stoves (MSR Pocket Rocket), and I will also take elevation into account, to give you a more detailed picture of how much fuel you need to take on your next excursion.
Sources
Boiling water at ElevationMeasurement Conversation
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