# What is your survival/cooking gear?



## Juggernaut (Feb 15, 2013)

Taxes just came in! Filling the holes in my bug out bag. Any recommendations on a good survival stove? Where to buy? Looking at an emergency folding stove but not sure if maybe there is something better I have not come across yet. And also what do you cook in? (Survival pots/pans etc) Thank you guys!!!! ::saber::


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## CourtSwagger (Jan 3, 2013)

I personally have a paint can stove that I built myself. I am always looking to re-purpose things lying around my house or garage. There are lots of videos on YouTube if you are interested in building one. I am not educated enough about commercial equipment to give you any recommendations.


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## bennettvm (Jan 5, 2013)

I have a few small pots/pans in my bag. Otherwise Im cooking over a fire. Not into the portable stoves, etc.


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## joec (Nov 12, 2012)

Juggernaut said:


> Taxes just came in! Filling the holes in my bug out bag. Any recommendations on a good survival stove? Where to buy? Looking at an emergency folding stove but not sure if maybe there is something better I have not come across yet. And also what do you cook in? (Survival pots/pans etc) Thank you guys!!!! ::saber::


Well there are a number of home built that are cheap and I've tried a few. I've also tried a couple of the commercial ones but the best I've found for my needs cooking for two people only is the BioLite camp stove. You can check them out at BioLite - BioLite Stove and I liked it so much I also bought the grille attachment that just came out for it. There are also a number of videos on youtube with reviews of it.


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## wesley762 (Oct 23, 2012)

In my bag I have the GSI Halulite MicroDualist Cooking System, and in the wifes she has the GSI Halulite Ketalist Cookset. I also picked one of the below, it works. still kinda on the fence with it. The nice thing is they are really light but the sporks that come with them are crap.

Mini Portable Ultra Light Outdoor Butane Propane Canister 3" Camp Stove Burner | eBay

I have also made a few of the pop can stoves but I just don't think they burn log enough to make worth while.


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## AvengersAssembled (Dec 13, 2012)

I have a simple mess kit, a space saving camp cup, and another pot with a lock on lid. I also have a little folding pocket stove, with those white fuel cubes. It works pretty well, boils a cup of water in about 8 minutes, but the cube only burns for about 10.


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## mikes69baja (Nov 2, 2012)

MSR makes great little stoves for packing. One tank will burn for about 1.5 hours. Which is alot when it will boil water in just a few minutes... This is more for boiling water for Mountain house freeze dried meals. Its light and very small.... Its not for living on but is awesome for a 72hr bag.


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## Verteidiger (Nov 16, 2012)

In my BOB, I carry a Coleman 1-burner propane Perfectflow stove. Runs for nine hours on low, 2.2 hours on high, off of one 16 oz. propane mini-cylinder.

I just use a regular small teflon saucepan (also use for tea and coffee) and a medium teflon frying pan.

When I camp, etc,, I use a two-burner Coleman stove, and a matching griddle to cook on.

Coleman - Coleman ? PerfectFlow? 1-Burner Portable Camping Stove for Backpacking - PerfectFlow? 1-Burner Stove

Coleman - Classic 2-Burner Stove

Coleman - Triton? Series Griddle


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## Juggernaut (Feb 15, 2013)

Thank you all! Awesome useful information again!


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## Fuzzee (Nov 20, 2012)

I use a usgi canteen cup, my knives and steel fork and spoon. It's light weight and together with the usgi canteen and pouch pack up compactly and neatly. Camouflaged too which is important. I've used them a long time and found I don't need much more for myself. Drop dead lizard in the cup, some wild rice, a little seasoning salt and water and there you go, instant soup. :mrgreen:

Amazon.com: canteen cup


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## EvisRaptor (Jan 20, 2013)

Well im goin for a Primus multi-fuel stove with 2 or 3 1000ml bottles so I can scrounge fuel by getting under vehicles and punching a hole in the lowest part of the tank as the fuel pickup in the tank NEVER gets all of it so I should be able to get some out.

IF I do ever need to GTFO in a 'midden meets the mill' situation.


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## LunaticFringeInc (Nov 20, 2012)

While my primary source of cooking will be the good ol camp fire or fire in the fire place...I am using a couple of options at the moment as back up or alternatives.

The first is the Coleman dual fuel stove 533. I think I paid a whopping 29.00 fun dollars for it. Its a single burner stove that holds about a pint of Gasoline or white gas. It will burn for several hours on a fill and I have used it extensively out camping and even for providing emergency heat during the winter in a power outage! It worked very well.

The second option I have that I have worked with considerably is the Sterno Folding stove that uses the little 2 hour gelled alcohol fuel cans. This isnt the most economic stove if you buy your fuel in the 2 pack cans for 4.88 at wally world like most do, but if you buy the 72 pack from wally world and have it shipped to the local store you pay no shipping and you can get them for about a buck a 2 hour can. That is pretty economical and pretty convienent as well. I think I paid less than 5 bucks for the stove. Its compact and stores well in a back pack. Throw in about 4 fuel cans and you should be set for the week end out in the woods.

As for cooking gear...I carry in my pack a small mess kit and I also carry a small wok that will easily make a meal for two. I think I paid all of about 19.00 dollars for it, packed correctly in your pack it doesnt take as much room up as one might think. The advantage I find in a wok is that I can cook damn near anything in it from soups to stirfry and everything between. That covers a lot of territory. It sucks for pancakes and no you cant bake a cobbler in it like you could a dutch oven but for just about everything else its hard to beat. Now if I can find a small steamer basket to fit it...Ill be eating like a king in a 5 star restruant!


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## Space (Mar 14, 2013)

I use a titanium cup to cook in and I made a Super Cat stove made out of a cat food can. It burns alcohol (I use 190 proof grain alcohol but you can also use denatured alcohol or rubbing alcohol). The flame burns pretty blue and I use a bit of aluminum foil as a windscreen so pretty stealth.


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## joec (Nov 12, 2012)

Mines really pretty simple and goes into one pot for storage except the stove.

BioLite wood burning stove and grill














Alpine 1.1 liter stowaway pot that is large enough the hold the whole set of Stansport 360 camp set.














Silver ware etc is what I have on hand which is a pair of forks, knives and spoons, short tongs and a spatula as well as measuring cups and spoons that fit in one tight little section inside the cook set.


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## GlockGirl (Mar 18, 2013)

I imagine we will be cooking over an open fire. We also have a wood burning stove with two burners on the top. There again, cooking with wood fire.


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

I carry an MSR Pocket Rocket and a can of fuel in my pack... good for a quick water boil.
my wife carries a BioLite system in her pack... amazing product that burns hot with virtually no smoke.
Between the two options we're in pretty good shape. If we're camped somewhere for a while and don't require stealth we can use the tried and true campfire.

Cookware is an MSR set that's been on the road with us for years... nothing special.


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## Renec (Dec 21, 2012)

Cool Little Miniature Stove!
cool little pop can stove


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## Juggernaut (Feb 15, 2013)

survival stove I picked up at wally's. Easy to store. Can't beat the price


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

I have in my mess kit, one small lidded pot, and and optional frying pan. as for stoves, I have built a "woodgas" can stove, the alcohol can stove, have a few hobo candles I havent lit yet, and was thinking about getting or making a small folder style, but so far, hands down, the woodgas stove is the option for me, i sat on the back porch and burned a handfull of twigs from the yard, and was veri impressed with the heat output and the slow consumption. I have lost a coleman bottletop grill, need to dig into a few last boxes before I buy another. And like someone said, almost evry stove listed has been reviewed on good old youtube...


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## sbasacco (Sep 10, 2012)

cast iron pans, a dutch oven and some random pots for cooking over a fire and a hobo stove if need be. Coleman stove with the 20lb tank adapter is the way to go in my opinion.


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## JPARIZ (Feb 25, 2013)

I have my trusty Orgreenic frying pan. They really do what they claim on TV. Really! Make sure you follow the instructions the first time.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I use an "Esbit" stove with "Esbit" fuel (non toxic so it can be used in an enclosed area) for by 3 day BOB. I use "Coleman" dual fuel and propane stoves in my retreats.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I have a few options for cooking. I have a ton (literally) of cast iron cookware frying pans, pots and pans and two dutch ovens. I also have stainless cookware that is a lot lighter and they all have bonded aluminum bottoms so they heat evenly. For stoves I have a multi-fuel (if it is liquid and it burns the stove can use it) single burner, a two burner gas stove that can run well on unleaded, a single burner "jet" stove that burns wood, coal or charcoal and you can adjust it from a simmer to temps that will melt lead and aluminum and I have a "portable" forge that will melt silver but doesn't quite get hot enough to melt iron. None of them require electricity and we use them all from time to time just to keep them working well.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

JPARIZ said:


> I have my trusty Orgreenic frying pan. They really do what they claim on TV. Really! Make sure you follow the instructions the first time.


does it really pass the "egg test". I was thinking of trying one of these.


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## pharmer14 (Oct 27, 2012)

I have a pretty simple mess kit in my bag. Cooking options depend on context. In my bag currently, I have a soda can stove and the half a bottle of HEET left after trying it out a few weeks ago. I need to stock up on some more of that. 

I've also seen the suggestion to dig a small pit and place your fire in it and place a large stone over top of it (not in a way to block air flow). This setup keeps the visible flame to a minimum which would help keep a low profile especially at night. 

A buddy of mine told me you can wrap a hot dog in aluminum foil and place it on the engine block of your car under the hood. By the time you get to your destination, the dog is ready to eat... so I guess that takes care of one meal as long as we're not in an EMP situation and road travel is still feasible.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Deebo My wife uses to Orgreenic pan. It took awhile to get it "seasoned" but now she loves it.
pharmer 14 when in service, we would but cans of food on engine block to warm up. Had to be careful. Too hot and the can would burst.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com (Mar 14, 2013)

I have used lots of stoves / cooking systems I highly recommend the Fire Box folding stove. I have the stainless steel one however they are supposed to be introducing a titanium one. This video is kind of long but full of detail.


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## Leon (Jan 30, 2012)

There's mine, I built it out of stuff laying around.


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## roy (May 25, 2013)

I have used about everything but canister stoves. Homebrew alcohol stoves work pretty well and you can't get much lighter. I have made a bunch but I like a couple that started out as homebrew and are easy to buy on ebay. The whitebox and supervenom are my favorites now. Require no pot holder and are very sturdy. Downside is the are a little slow, fuel is more expensive and harder to find and they don't work well below freezing.

My go to is now a MSR Simmerlite, burns Coleman or unleaded gas. Works well in the cold, fuel is cheap and readily available. I substitute a Whisperlite International if I need to burn diesel/kerosene. Cooking kit is 1.3l titanium pot, spoon, plastic cup made from cut down peanutbutter jar. 

Solid fuel can work if you don't need more than a hot cup of coffee occassionally. I have used esbit and heat tabs using the esbit stove, wing stove or the canteen cup stove.


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## Kidzthinkimahoarder (Feb 11, 2013)

I'm an open fire cook, cast iron mainly, but will wrap things up in aluminum foil and cook. Years ago I was given a piece of stretched metal that was welded to a square frame with legs attached. We haul it with us on camping trips or cookouts, and have even used it in the yard to cook. It's about 2 foot high off the ground and I've cooked on it for probably 20 years. 

Also, years ago we had two Wok's that were built out of plow disc's. They welded up the hole in the bottom, attached 3 legs, horseshoes for the handles, and we had a fire poker to drag it off the edge of the fire once done cooking. But they could be seasoned and used to deep fry fish, deer meat and chicken & French fries in. I loved them, and would like to have a couple more built. But someone felt the urge to steal them from us and we haven't bothered to replace them since. You just pulled the coals out from under the fire and put them under the Wok to heat with, and keep the fire going. Hard to regulate, but with practice it was pretty easy to figure out how much fire you need.


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## Wquon (May 9, 2013)

mikes69baja said:


> MSR makes great little stoves for packing.
> they also make models that can use a variety of fuels.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

I'm sure I've said this before but I carry ER food bars 2400 calories in 18 ounces of weight.

2400 Calorie ER Food Bar | Emergency Food Bars | High Calorie Food Bars

OMG you don't have to worry about a freeking fire and you get more calories and nutrition than (challenge) anything you can carry long term in your BOB

People who start fires in SHTF situations are asking for a bullet in the head.


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## roy (May 25, 2013)

Nuts have about the same calories per ounce as those energy bars so cashews or peanuts would do about the same job a taste better.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I like crushed nuts (almonds, walnuts, and peanuts), minced raisins, and fruit leather rolled in chocolate. Its a bit like trail mix in a bar. I make them myself so I can vary the flavor and salt content for the conditions and my tastes at the time.


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

I don't use a stove either. I would make a small smokeless fire and am not asking for a bullet in the head. Once the fire dies down, I open a can of whatever food I have and put it in the coals. If I run out of canned food I would save a can or 2 to cook in. My cooking kit is a fork, a spoon, and a bottle of hot sauce. I dunno what I would do if I ran out of hot sauce.


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## roy (May 25, 2013)

Anyplace it gets cold in the winter hot food is almost essential for long term survival.


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## randy grider (Nov 2, 2012)

cat can stove ,GI canteen , and GI canteen cup. Through in a couple pieces of aluminum foil for a cup lid and wind screen, than a few bottles of gas line antifreeze (the yellow bottles) it will boil 2 cups water in under 5 minutes, weighs very little, and takes up less pack room than anything, plus its dirt cheap.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Not sure I agree with this no smoke deal. If you're in the back country whether smoke or smell will give you away. You eat and if others bring food but have no fire, I'll share.


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