For The Backpacker A Better Grill

It is simple to make. I have used mine many times and it is light and easy to pack. I developed it about 10 years ago. All you need to purchase is a Amco Collapsible Steamer, Stainless Steel and a few bolts and nuts.

See complete instructions for making it at

http://www.woodlandstar.net/WSblog/?p=722

 

That's a great idea. Thanks for sharing. I'll keep an eye open for a second hand steamer basket at a garage sale or thrift store and make one to try out.

 

Bad fire year this year, and I'm told that Rangers will be enforcing bans on open flame-type stoves. I use the super-cat (and all freezer bag cooking): http://zenstoves.net/LowPressure.htm - surely the simplest, cheapest, lightest, and most elegant stove.

But this year, because of the dry conditions I finally broke down and got a JetBoil on sale.

 

Clever! :2thumbsup:

 

Not bad, but I wouldn't take it backpacking..... it forces you to build an actual fire on the ground.

I'm a fan of beer can style alcohol stoves, but it takes forever to burn off the toxic chemicals..... I'd like to design and make one out of something uncoated.

 

once I make one I plan on trying it on a coffee can stove. Should work well on that when you can't or shouldn't have an open fire.

 

You don't really want to cook directly on the flame from most food cans, it does have those toxic plastic coatings, that you won't want to burn onto your food, even if eating off them normally would be okay.

And it would take a LOT of burning to remove it all, I've used one of those stoves for several collective hours, still smelled of it, and it would also be in the smoke and some would get in my coffee.

Just a word of caution.

Don't get me wrong, that looks like a great idea that OP has, but it seems to be more for short or slow, but still sort of lightweight trips. On a full on backpacking trip, you don't want to spend time on lighting and putting out safe fires and all that jazz-and it could surely be lighter.

I mean, if you have what it takes to light a fire, all you need to do is skewer things to grill them, or put rocks from your fire ring at the corners of your pot. A full-on fire is already a big time sink

 

when I have made coffee can stoves in the past I usually toss them in a good hot fire before to burn off all that stuff in them and on them. Old cleaned out paint cans (dried latex paint is easy to clean out) have worked well for me to.