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29 votes
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Suffocation while cooking under an umbrella?

The answer to this is a resounding: No. The main problem with suffocation and cookers is in enclosed spaces where there is no airflow. Suffocation when using a cooker can happen when either the O2 ...
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27 votes
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Cookware: Why not Copper instead of Titanium, Aluminium or Stainless Steel?

Copper is about the same density as stainless. It is relatively toxic so is always coated for cooking. Copper and copper compounds are used for sea water boat hulls because it kills or repels ...
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24 votes
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How much does a full/empty jetboil canister weigh?

This information is available under the Specs on Jetboil's website. 100g canister: 100g fuel; gross weight 194g; empty weight 94g (51.5% fuel by weight) 230g canister: 230g fuel; gross weight 356g; ...
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19 votes
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Eating ash in Soviet Union

This is not a survival technique. The way to determine how many calories is in a particular food item is to measure the amount of heat energy emitted when an item is burned. Anything burned to ash ...
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18 votes
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Diet for Long-Term Camping

Stews based on fresh vegetables and pulses (dried or tinned) are as healthy as you like and can be made from only shelf-stable ingredients. With the addition of potatoes or pearl barley you can cook a ...
  • 24.5k
18 votes

Cookware: Why not Copper instead of Titanium, Aluminium or Stainless Steel?

Copper cookware IS used for cooking (at least, in the mediterranean culture I am native to). For people familiar with this, it is considered obvious that: It is not lightweight at any rate. The ...
  • 407
17 votes

How much does a full/empty jetboil canister weigh?

If you don't have a scale, you can still figure out roughly how much fuel is in each canister with a simple bowl of water. Drop a full canister in bowl of water and mark the water line. Then, drop an ...
17 votes
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Can you get burned by boiling water on everest?

Yes boiling water at 70oC will burn you. The above chart is for hot water heater settings and burn/scalding. As you can see from the graph being exposed to 70o C water for about half a second is ...
  • 9,628
15 votes
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How to cook meat with no equipment?

You can cook meat on a wooden skewer, piecing it like a kebab, and turning it frequently to prevent burning and to allow it to cook evenly. Similarly you can do this with two sticks and have the meat ...
  • 15.4k
15 votes

Stoveless/fireless hiking food suggestions

Here is the list of stuff I would consider taking on longer hikes: trail mix chocolate muesli bars more expensive energy bars are great for really demanding stuff, where energy to weight ratio really ...
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14 votes
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How can you tell if roadkill is safe to eat?

For most people to even start considering eating roadkill would mean getting over our personal demon of squeamishness. This thought would not appeal to most. Here are eight (8) important rules to ...
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13 votes
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Where is the optimal place to do dishes in the backcountry?

I think you have the right idea. Leave No Trace principles (and wilderness permit regulations in many areas) dictate that washing be done at least 100 feet from camp, trail, or stream. If there's ...
  • 8,670
13 votes
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What are the Pros and Cons of No-Cook Backpacking?

I usually don't carry any kind of stove with me when I go hunting - this could be anytime from September to November or in May and early June. The weather can vary wildly during these times and I've ...
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12 votes
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The re-hydration time for deydrated foods

When I cook home-dehydrated food, I often rehydrate for a day - but not on the stove. In the morning, I boil water for coffee, pour some over dehydrated meat in a Nalgene, leave the lid on loosely ...
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12 votes
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Stove/fuel setup for harsh conditions

The standard expedition stove for extreme conditions would be an MSR XGK. You will likely want to bring a pair of them, along with a repair kit, on the assumption that due to the cold or poor quality ...
  • 8,398
11 votes

How to clean cookware?

I like using a soap and sponge, but it's not the only solution. It is possible to cut the weight of a soap and sponge setup pretty significantly. Using a small scrubby like the one shown below works ...
  • 8,670
11 votes

Stoveless/fireless hiking food suggestions

One option, if you still want hot food with no real possibility for starting a fire, would be MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). These include a Flameless Ration Heater that rely on a contained chemical ...
  • 1,658
11 votes
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What kind of stones should not be used to grind food?

Granite, marble and jade are all common stones used for mortar/pestle combinations. There are probably many other stones that are safe, but you want to avoid the following: anything that is porous ...
  • 6,271
10 votes

What is the easiest way to remove creosote from pots and pans?

Heat up the creosote covered pan. This softens it. Then pour some denatured alcohol on it and scrub it off. I used a scotch bright pad to scrub with the alcohol, and then wiped the now liquid creosote ...
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10 votes
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Why do some prefer methane to cook food

This may be a contrary position, but I think methane has actually gone out of favour in many parts of the world (definitely in Europe) as propane and butane have become popular. In fact propane or ...
  • 24.7k
10 votes

Diet for Long-Term Camping

Can you keep a cooler in your vehicle? If so then you are set. If you have access to groceries you are not limited to camping (prepared backpacking packs) food. Most fresh fruits and vegetables ...
  • 7,148
10 votes

Diet for Long-Term Camping

Consider also jarred foods like sun dried tomato, olives etc. Combined with pasta (and maybe a tin of fish) these add flavour and last reasonably well. Cous cous is another grain to consider; it's ...
9 votes

How to cook meat with no equipment?

If you have clay, you can form it into a sheet and wrap the meat with it. You cover the thing with hot coals and wait. When it is ready you break the shell and retrieve the goods inside. Baking Meat ...
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9 votes

How to cook meat with no equipment?

Fire pit is always a good one. Dig a hole. Build a nice fire and put stones in it until they heat up ( don't use stones from a river as they will burst). Drop the stones into the hole, add meat ...
  • 91
9 votes

Why do some prefer methane to cook food

I've never heard of a methane stove for camping but I can give some justification as to why you would not want to use it. Since methane has a much higher vapor pressure at room temperature than e.g. ...
9 votes
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Preparing rice and mashed potatoes with warm instead of cooking water

Keep in mind that any water you are cooking with is still liquids you are intaking. A pantry full of dehydrated food is an awesome weightsaver in places were you always have water available but in a ...
9 votes

Easiest way to preserve a fishing catch - with cooking or pickling

SALT Before refrigeration salt was the primary means of preserving fish. As you mention in your question filleting them is a a good first step, they should also be dried to reduce the amount of salt ...
9 votes
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How to manage the risks of sleeping and cooking in a camper van?

The three risks that are relevant here are the risk of fire, suffocation and carbon monoxide poisoning I'll take suffocation first. A gas leak can exclude oxygen to the point that you can no longer ...
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