Still My Favorite Cook Kit

I have played with Esbit Tabs on day trips, and have had results similar to those expressed in the previous comments. I also carry the Lite Trail stove, a homemade foil windscreen, and a small cup/pot in my day pack as an emergency means of boiling water if forced into an unplanned overnight stay (read survival kit). It will not only purify questionable water, but serve to keep one's core temperature up by drinking any hot liquid (plain water/coffee or tea/cup 'o soup/ pine needle tea/etc.).

There are two things which came to mind when reading the article. The first has to do with fire restrictions. I typically hike in the Sierra's, and when fire restrictions are if effect, "ONLY a portable stove with gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel…" are permitted outside of developed recreation areas. I spoke with the Fire Management Officer at the closest U.S.F.S. office about this (specifically asking about both Esbit and alcohol stoves), and he confirmed the above statement from the California Campfire Permit. As such, one needs to be certain that open flames are permitted in the specific location of your hike. In a survival situation, I'd rather be alive and pay a possible fine, so I'd be willing to disregard the open flame restriction if necessary.

The second thing has to do with an odor emitted from some sealed Esbit Tab packages. I may have had an rare occurrence, however, I've read of other people experiencing the same thing. The odor is hard to describe, but it's an unpleasant chemical odor, and it clung to the nylon fabric of the pack. It went away by airing the pack out and placing a couple of vehicle "odor eater" containers in the pack. I think I've solved the problem by wrapping each packet first with wax paper (which also makes them easier to light) and then with a couple of layers of aluminum foil.

Hope this helps.

My experience using Esbit for many years is that the residue is water soluble, and comes off easily with a little water and light scrubbing. I do it at camp after each cooking event. Takes 1 minute. Not a big deal.

And John would like to tell us exactly what chemical that is?

Yep, Google is still in business.
What's left after it has burned was what I wondered about.

Formaldehyde, ammonia. These are buzz words that people react to without even knowing what they really mean.
OMG, those are harmful! But, wait…they're both biodegradable, so they can't be all bad, right?
Check the MSDS for denatured alcohol if you want something to scare people around here with.

Exactly!

I so badly want to like esbit. It seems simple, small, light…….

But wow it just stinks. It's like when I backpacked in Alaska with my dad…we stood and gawked at a rare view of Denali! across the ribbons of glacial runoff……and all I could smell was his cigarette. Totally ruined the moment.

"Further, it can't be good for you to breathe that stuff"

Simple solution. Don't breathe it.

If you were stupid, you would breathe the fumes directly above the burning flame.

I have the opposite problem. Where I am cooking, there is often enough breeze to overwhelm my minimal windscreen, so I don't get any fumes at all.

–B.G.–

I wash my pots with dishwashing liquid (dawn) after each trip, it cleans off the esbit gunk easily.