In order to take a step back from the daily task of life I decided to fine tune my get home bag; thought I'd beat the mosquitoes and gnats and take advantage of our beautiful weather...two out of three isn't bad. Ever had a gnat build a nest inside your nose...
Anyhow...last week I found a stash of Vietnam era Hexamine fuel tabs, several bundles of the tubes to be exact, and a few Trioxane tabs. The Trioxane I'd dumped in a closet after a long ago camp trip and had flat forgotten the bag of hot stuff. Both these fuel tabs work well with the little stamped tin Esbit stoves.
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| Esbit stove, Germany. |
I'd hate to depend on fuel tabs and Esbit stoves for all my on the road meals, but hey, it beats cold MRE's and coffee. The wee tabs will heat a cup of water for a nice mug of tea or hot chocolate. I've owned several Esbit stoves in my life. Most I lose. One I left on the banks of river when I packed in a hurry during a bad flood. They're cheap, buy two. In my humble opinion they fall under the category of a back-up to your main heat source.
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| A very old tube of Hexamine fuel tabs. |
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Ragnar Benson had some very useful purposes for Hexamine tabs. The government ceased production probably for that very reason. I'll let you do the homework. I only have a few left, so no, I will not share.
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| Trioxane, package of, hot stuff. |
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Both fuel tabs burn clean and will burn the dickens out of your fingers if you hold the tab when you set a match to it...light the fuel tablets on the ground or stove. I've even used my boot heel to slap out a slight trench and placed the tabs inside with cup atop.
Esbit stoves are sold on Ebay and arrive with a package of German brand fuel tabs, cheap.
Check those get home bags...if you lack an Esbit and fuel tabs they make a great addition and take very little space. The little Esbit is made of stamped metal and weights next to nothing. Just picture a cold wet night as you hunker down under the tarp...all those zombie democritters hot on your trail and the comfort a single fuel tab will provide.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Stephen
You can never have too many little esbit stoves, fuel tabs or I even like those German (I think) rocket stoves with the bottles that will take any type fuel. I am sure in a grid down situation they would be worth a ton in barter as well.
ReplyDeleteThat's a fact. Barter is key.
DeleteAnother great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rob.
DeleteHadn't thought of those stoves in years... Need to order! And love the Power Wagon in the header pic, that's what I learned to drive in! And it WOULD climb a tree in granny low (I proved it, by accident)...
ReplyDeleteWish Power Wagon was mine....ah, dreams.
DeleteIf you had a little C4 that burns good in tin can stoves.
ReplyDeleteC4 indeed burns well...as will dynamite, just peel the paper and crumble the core. It burns hot as hell.
Delete