What is your favorite field stove?

2018-01-15T13:44:56-05:00

Okay those of us who spent any amount of time in the outdoors have used a field stove. My all time favorite is the simple German Esbit stove. There are numerous copies out there, and they sell for about $10-15 dollars. Fuel is fairly safe and easy to use, solid little blocks of fuel stuff you don't have to worry about making a mess or accidently leaking all over everything. Advantages over the MRE heater: You can boil water, which means you can cook a can of something in a canteen cup or any other metal bowl/cup. When done it folds up and can be stowed in a MOLLE Pouch or some side pocket. Lets here what the rest of you liked.

My simple morning breakfast consisted of popping the top on a can of chili or soup, placing it in the cop of water, fire up the stove, add a pre opened packet of cheese spread, break up the crackers, and feast on Chili cheese cracker combo, bonus if I added some hot sauce to the mix. If I was really adventurous I would pour the concoction over some ramen noodles minus the spice kit they come with.

I also found the cinnamon flavored spice drink mix went well with a hot cup of tea.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jan 15 at 2018 1:49 PM

2018-01-15T13:49:18-05:00

My favorite is a little Stereno stove I've had for 40 some years.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jan 15 at 2018 1:52 PM

2018-01-15T13:52:42-05:00

I've find rocket stoves interesting. Now, if only I can find one that breaks down into a portable package...
http://www.lastminutesurvival.com/tag/improvised-rocket-stoves/

improvised rocket stoves | Last Minute Survival

For anyone that has traveled extensively in the developing world, they are all too familiar with the fact over a billion people on this planet still prepare their meals over an open fire. Most of these fires are inefficient, waste precious wood, release large amounts of Carbon Dioxide and smoke, and can behazardous to health when used indoors. To address these problems, many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and aid organizations such as...

Response by SSG Diane R. made Jan 15 at 2018 2:04 PM

2018-01-15T14:04:32-05:00

I still use a German espit cooker, foldable stove.

Response by SGT Patrick Reno made Jan 15 at 2018 2:23 PM

2018-01-15T14:23:21-05:00

Lots of different stoves on the market. For years when boys were younger and we did a lot of backpacking I had a little single burner coleman stove. Great stove but heavy and had to carry white gas for it in a special container. Got a Jet Boil about 12 years ago and it is awesome for backpacking. Light compact and really heats up quick. Starting to see some copies of it on the market. I have used mine a lot and never had any problems with it. Fuel tank last's really well.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Jan 15 at 2018 3:38 PM

2018-01-15T15:38:09-05:00

I switched over to alcohol stoves for my light weight gear. I had two when I was still a grunt or a Combat Engineer. The first on was like this one. Decent stove and durable. It walked off one day and I replaced it with Trangia Mini. I also switched to using HEET instead of trying to run down fuel grade alcohol.
https://www.pricefalls.com/product/stainless-steel-spirit-burner-alcohol-stove-camping-stove-furnace-with-stand-us/274227199?source=Bing&medium=cpc&term=&content=PLA&campaign=278176239&ad= [login to see] 8087

274227199

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Jan 15 at 2018 5:50 PM

2018-01-15T17:50:16-05:00

Not that is was my favorite ,far from it but the simple stoves we made from "C" ration cans (the smaller versions peaches,white bread .ham slices worked best) punched out with a can opener and fueled with heat tabs or C4 ,probably the last stove I'll use since my days in the woods will never ever happen again ,but it did work fine all those years ago.

Response by Maj John Bell made Jan 15 at 2018 6:07 PM

2018-01-15T18:07:33-05:00

My entire time in the field in the FMF I never had time in the field to heat a meal.

Response by SGT Mark Halmrast made Jan 15 at 2018 7:33 PM

2018-01-15T19:33:45-05:00

While in: British army hex, solid fuel (brilliant, as they would say)
Camping: MSR pocket rocket...fits in pocket, plus small fuel cannister.
Then there is always a fire with meat on the end of a stick.

Response by PFC Sandra Wade made Jan 15 at 2018 10:26 PM

2018-01-15T22:26:54-05:00

ONLY ONE I KNOW, MY FIELD RADIO GENERATOR.

Response by PFC Sandra Wade made Jan 15 at 2018 10:33 PM

2018-01-15T22:33:40-05:00

i LIKE THIS ONE.

Response by SFC Greg Bruorton made Jan 15 at 2018 10:34 PM

2018-01-15T22:34:28-05:00

Mine was the old Sterno can when I was camping out with the SF boys.

Response by PVT Raymond Lopez made Jan 16 at 2018 4:58 AM

2018-01-16T04:58:08-05:00

When my wife was working at Fort Belvoir at PEO Soldier said at meeting that I always used big C-Ration cans and C-4. It was too simple for the Army.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Jan 16 at 2018 9:48 AM

2018-01-16T09:48:28-05:00

I've had my Esbit stove since I was a boy scout. Very compact and works well.

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made Jan 16 at 2018 1:04 PM

2018-01-16T13:04:36-05:00

I haven't diverted from what I was issued so I'm still partial to the aluminum stove that goes with our issued canteen cups.

Response by SFC Douglas Duckett made Jan 17 at 2018 2:33 PM

2018-01-17T14:33:30-05:00

Who needed a stove? Some small rocks/ sticks and some Hexamine, Trioxane Fuel Tablets or even C-4, and WHAMOO, you have hot something. If need be, I would use my E-Tool and fold it appropriately.

Response by 1LT Peter Duston made Jan 19 at 2018 3:58 PM

2018-01-19T15:58:58-05:00

My first experience with an army field stove was with the US Army Mountain stove developed for the 10th mountain division in World War II. My Explorer scout post in the 50s had WWII surplus Mountain tents, mountain rucksacks, sleeping bags and the stoves. It was cool stuff for our backpacking trips in the mountains of New Hampshire. Here's a photo of the slightly improved M1951 Korean War version.

Response by GySgt Joe Strong made Jan 24 at 2018 4:38 PM

2018-01-24T16:38:22-05:00

If I'm going to be able to forage for stuff to burn (wood, paper etc.) there's little better than the ultra-lightweight(remember not carrying fuel) Nimblewill Nomad pattern stoves. https://nimblewillnomad.com/little-dandy-stove/ If I'm reliant on fuel I like a multi-fuel or something I'm going to be able to get the Fuel for like the Coleman Multi-fuel stoves.(Best used if you've got transport, it and the fuel get heavy) In-between I like the Jetboil Family - I own one but have used several different variants and could be convinced to carry the smaller one.

Little Dandy Stove

Instructions Materials needed – One 8 x 16 piece of sheet metal. Two standard aluminum tent stakes. One bread wrapper or Ziploc for storage sack. Tools needed – Ruler (Straightedge), …

Response by SPC Lorrita Morgan made Feb 3 at 2018 11:48 PM

2018-02-03T23:48:38-05:00

When I was in we would rig holders for cans on the exhaust manifolds of our trucks. Being in a maintenance unit we had idiots brewing coffee over acetylene torches and other interesting bits of jury-rigging. My NCOIC had a Mr. Coffee in the back of my M-109 van.

For civilian camping, we've usually gone when and where we could have an open fire from foraged fuel.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 7:44 AM

2018-02-07T07:44:13-05:00

Jet boil or solo stove

Response by LTC Edward Ledford made Feb 10 at 2018 8:05 AM

2018-02-10T08:05:04-05:00

Coleman backpacking stove. Simple. Durable. Lightweight fuel. Lasts.
https://www.coleman.com/micro-backpack-stove/ [login to see] .html

Backpacking Stove

Backpackers who want hot meals on the trail will flip for this Micro Backpacking Stove. It doesn't add heavy bulk to your pack – even with a full butane/propane cartridge it weighs just over a pound. This small stove provides the opportunity to have hot chocolate and a steaming meal while camping out. A generated fuel system minimizes flare-ups, and the burner heats on high or simmers. To pack up, simply detach the fuel cartridge and fold up...

Response by CW3 Jeff Held made Feb 11 at 2018 4:13 PM

2018-02-11T16:13:10-05:00

Favorite field stove? I used to burn the C-rat box down with a can inside. The heat warmed up the meal. NEVER ate a warmed up MRE.

Response by SFC Richard Baerlocher made Feb 15 at 2018 6:24 PM

2018-02-15T18:24:46-05:00

As a cook, I prefered to use a 25 man field kitchen to cook for small groups. As a camper I prefer a one burner camp stove like some have posted. For many years before the military I kept metal cooking equipment and used an open fire and cooked on the hot coals. Using a metal grate over hot coals gives a great place to cook, and leave a coffee pot on for hot coffee.

Response by PO3 Jonathan Monson made Feb 23 at 2018 3:14 AM

2018-02-23T03:14:01-05:00

Ammo box wood stove I made years ago in scout for a survival badge works better then any gas stove

Response by MSgt Eric Petersen made Mar 3 at 2018 8:20 PM

2018-03-03T20:20:03-05:00

I still use an old M1950 stove. Parts are getting a little tough to get anymore but works like a charm.

Response by MSG James Bates made Mar 4 at 2018 9:16 AM

2018-03-04T09:16:45-05:00

You should never go hungry. You seem to be very inovated, and open to take a risk on new recipe.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Mar 4 at 2018 10:46 AM

2018-03-04T10:46:11-05:00

Had the same- used liquid Coleman in Artic conditions- tho it was a rare thing to be abe t have a fire in the field.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jun 15 at 2018 8:24 AM

2018-06-15T08:24:21-04:00

I’ve been using the BRS for about a year now and it’s worked great. Less than one oz and about the size of a mini Bic

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Jul 23 at 2018 9:21 AM

2018-07-23T09:21:20-04:00

M59 Field Unit. Does it for me. Have used some of the older units... the M59 is on top !

Response by SPC Lyle Montgomery made Apr 17 at 2022 7:11 PM

2022-04-17T19:11:07-04:00

All that I remember in 1970 in Nam was a C ration can,usually peaches or sphegetti and mud balls, A tall can, punched holes with a can opener on the bottom sode with an old fashioned can opener, not a P38. We refered to these can openers as a B52. Put a pinch of C4 about a golf ball size chunk. Light the C4 and you have a perfect stove. Put your canteen cup over it with whatever you concoted with one of the 12 delicious C ration meals. We never had LLRP or MRE meals.

Response by LTC Tom Jones made Apr 17 at 2022 7:44 PM

2022-04-17T19:44:29-04:00

Thumb-sized piece of C-4 and a match.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 18 at 2022 8:48 AM

2022-04-18T08:48:14-04:00

I had a Coleman strapped on top of the battery box that I made coffee with every morning, well most every morning. :)

Response by SSG Bill McCoy made Apr 18 at 2022 11:37 AM

2022-04-18T11:37:05-04:00

Totally "makeshift," but my favorite was a chunk of C4. Not having that baack in the world, just a small, folding metal on ... or better still, the small Coleman stoves.

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Apr 18 at 2022 4:21 PM

2022-04-18T16:21:55-04:00

Favorite? A tank end connector and about an ounce of C4.
But I'll settle for an Esbit stove

Response by SP5 Charles Gould made Sep 21 at 2022 9:29 PM

2022-09-21T21:29:00-04:00

Two 1/4” pieces of C4 in a Dakota Fire Hole and three balance stones with a canteen cup. Works great, almost no smoke, great stealth stove.

Response by SPC Joel Carter Sr made Nov 18 at 2023 4:40 AM

2023-11-18T04:40:09-05:00

YOU CAN MAKE THEM WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF METAL. OR,GET A COLEMAN CAMPING STOVE