Here are a few things I've run across recently I never knew I needed or really good deals for backpacking equipment and thought they were worth mentioning. Elastic nylon webbing keeper These awesome little loops keep your 1" nylon webbing under control. I never knew I needed these until I saw how well the ones on my ILBE kept the excess strap under control. These come in black, a color assortment pack and the link below is for coyote mil spec replacements. SET OF 6 Duraflex 1" Tri glide Sliplock Strap Adjust COYOTE Military Sling | eBay Foliage Green self inflating Therm-A-Rest Pad Self inflating sleeping pads are far more comfortable than closed cell foam and provide more insulation as well. The downsides are that they are expensive and usually in flashy colors. New surplus ACU pads are foliage green versions of the original Therm-A-Rest and run about $40 shipped so they are less than half the price of their civilian counterparts. Size is 21" by 72" x 1". I know from experience that the open cell foam can break down making them useless. I'm a bit hesitant to buy these surplus, even new for that reason. This seller opens and checks them to make sure they are in good condition before they ship. Repair kit included. EDIT: Seller only opens so they can be jammed into a flat rate USPS box. EDIT: Link removed. Pad was 1) not Therm-A-Rest 2) does not self inflate 3) is a shiny spring green color. Have contacted seller to send back, but ad now states that "self inflating feature may not work". What great pack mods or gear would you like to share?
I was really surprised at how much I use this folding stove. It's very compact and terrific for boiling water. Last year when we had a power outage, I pulled it out and made dinner. I was skeptical because it seems a bit gadgety for my taste, but the fuel tablets are actually easy to light and cheap to keep around. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C1UGVO/?tag=survivalmonke-20
I've been meaning to check those out. I have a MSR Firefly that boils water quickly, even at high altitude, but it uses white gas. It would still be my choice for backpacking, but the Esbit stove might be a better solution for a GHB or BOB. I do know several Monkeys recommend them, and they are cheap enough to keep one in each vehicle.
I have one, but right now I cannot tell you where it is. At one point, it was in the tool box in back of the pickup, but probably got misplaced at the vehicle changeover a couple years ago. That points up one of the downsides of Esbit, they might actually be too small. Another consideration is that you have to have the "right size" and material cup to heat your coffee or soup, AND the fuel tabs don't last too awful long. That all said, I'm going to find the one I have AND get another, one for the BOB and one for the GHB, and lay in some extra fuel tabs.
Is there anything that can be done to extend the life of the fuel tabs? Sounds like in the trunk of a hot car wouldn't be ideal.
I don't think there's a practical way to throttle them back, but to be truthful, I don't know. Nor do I know offhand what the storage requirements are, that bit of knowledge went when the stove pulled up its stakes and went into hiding. Good question. Being as small as they are, I dare say that the Esbit will not serve to keep you warm, even in a summer rain storm. Coffee, soup and maybe pre-prepared stew are the limits I see with them, and uv cuss, feeding a mob will take either lots of time or lots of stoves. (Just HAD to say that last the devil is on my shoulder today.)
I use and swear by the MSR Wisperlite International, Spendy, but in more then 20 years of HARD use, it's that good! Pro Tip: get a spare bottle from MSR with cap and extra seals! Use Colman White Gas as fuel, and keep the bottle pressures low, just enough to get a good flame, keep pumping as you go, the fuel will last much longer! I can get 3 months of use out of mine, 3 meals a day per fuel bottle! a gallon of fuel will last me a full year! ( This is boiling 2 qts water at a time) BTW, Colman also has a Really good stove, while not as compact, it's actually just as efficient! AND, the bottles interchange, so you have the advantages of options! Also, the Colman is easier to service and rebuild, and you can find parts every where, the only reason I don't run the Colman, is it isn't able to run the other fuels! I know some folks that have done a conversion and there are Youtube videos showing how to convert, but I haven't bothered! Use the Wisperlite ( Colman won't fit inside) with a JetBoil Flash 2 quart convertable, and yo have a damn near perfect set up! Fast, easy and it's easy to store your stove and cooking utensils and basic spices like salt and pepper and powered's! Another Pro tip, use the Colman fold able flame wind guard and you really gain efficiency!
That wisperlite looks almost exactly like my 80's vintage Firefly. Still looks and works like new. MSR makes outstanding products.
My memory appears somewhat malleable.... This is a MSR Firefly Looks like they use the same burner in the DragonFly
I've got one of the MSR stoves, nice but the Esbit stoves are much lighter. I don't have the folding one, but the compact one that comes with a stainless cup all in one small package - have a bunch of those in various packs. If you light one of the esbit tablets and are wearing a poncho, sit down with the tablet between your legs and the poncho draped over you and touching the ground. It will warm you, just don't breathe the fumes or it will kill you
The fumes are toxic, and they can compromise one's position if in E&E mode ...the fumes have a very distinctive signature. I have used 'Hexi' stoves whilst in the 'green machine'...with 8 square or circular tablets to a waxed carton that fitted into the void of a folded Hexamine stove. Temperature / heating duration was only adjustable by breaking the tablets in half. It would heat a kidney cup of water for coffee, or the contents of ration can or retort pouch in about 6-8 minutes depending on ambient temperature. Cooking food was best for soups and stews...food with low liquid content would usually burn at the bottom and lower sides of a steel kidney cup.
A useful accessory for a backpack is a water resistant pack cover....it will help keep a pack dry if caught in a downpour, or dew, if camping out at night. They can be of different colours, materials, and configurations. Hi viz, and camouflaged pack covers are available commercially. Having an elasticated draw string is a good feature to keep the cover secured to the pack...the water resistance of the material used in the cover can be improved by using a fabric spray sealant. Tested: Five Water Repellant Coating Treatments | Gear Institute For those who can sew...making your own pack cover is doable... Durability for DIY backpack rain covers? YMMV, depending on materials, skill, and methods of crafting.