You can save several hundred grams (5-10 oz) or more, depending on the type of heat source you choose for your cooking. For most solutions however, the difference in weight is slight but a simple and functional solution need not be heavy.
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You can take out the burner (about 100 grams, 0.2 lbs) from the Optimus and rig a lighter support from an old can. This trip taught me that a windscreen is necessary for saving fuel. You can build a similar burner from soda cans, that weighs around 10-30 grams. In my opinion a very small weight-saving that is pretty useless when you have your big ones under control (see 3 for 3 chapter). Lots of fun making stuff yourself though.
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| The advantage of wood burning stoves is that you do not have to carry fuel. The stoves themselves do weigh a bit though, which means that you usually have to make quite a long trip before this in reality lightens your load. Joe Newton contemplating the relationship between smoke and flames in the drizzle. |
Low in weight but heavy in skill; using a fire for all cooking. It takes a lot of practice to be able to build a fire at any time, in any weather and with what is available. Yukon River, Alaska.
Comments and findings: There is weight to be saved when choosing between different ways to heat your food. White gas, compressed gas, alcohol, fuel tablets, wood burning stoves. Not easy to choose, but in this chapter of the book you will find more on that. Like, why my current favourite is the gas canister stove. Current means that it might change.