**WHOOPS** I stand corrected! I completely got things backwards. Water will boil FASTER at higher elevation. Sorry y’all 🤦🏼‍♀️

Dixie doing her own stuntwork with the water spill

Pot cleaning Old British army trick Boil water with a black tea bag It cuts the grease and you get hot tea after your meal Works a treat (for the past 50 years!)

As a retired combat medic, I can tell you that in the middle of nowhere is NOT were you want to scald your legs. If you want to use the table top, stand off to the side and give yourself a chance at dodging the scald. Thank you again for your awesome videos!

The thing that really changed up my cook game backpacking was being honest with myself about how I eat. For example, I am not a breakfast guy. Too often I would pack a breakfast to cook and never eat it as I don't like getting my cook gear out in the morning only to pack it back up. So, I don't pack cook meals for breakfast, but rather snack as I hike in the morning. Additionally, after a hard day of hiking, I found that I don't always have the energy to cook a dinner at the campsite. So, I started cooking meals during my lunch break and eating my cold lunches for dinner. This one change has made things so much better for me.

Dixie, just one more tip, that second lighter, cut a finger off of a latex glove and put over the lighter top end and it can't get wet. That has saved me a couple times when everything got soaked.

Wee tip: for meals in a bag requiring just boiling water, add a bit more water to the pot. You might even measure out a good half cup extra. When it boils, pour it into your meal bag or pouch, but keep that half cup in the pot (eyeball it) and put the lid back on the pot while you eat your meal-in-a-bag. You might even keep the flame on, maybe for just another minute at least, while you eat--and just barely, if your stove will go down to a whisper. When done, use the bit of hot or warm water (depending on whether you left the flame on) to wash your spoon. You will use a truly negligible amount of fuel doing this and have a possibly disinfected or at least cleaner spoon at the end than if you had used cold water . 😊

I copied your exact cooking set up, BSR3000t, Stanco grease pot and reflectix pot cozy back in 2021. Now 2023 I've used it for over 3000 trail miles. Colorado Trail, Grand Canyon and Appalachian Trail thruhikes. I wouldn't change a thing!!! I recently retired my original pot cozy and make a new one. One thing I learned was it's ok to cook on a picnic table if you stand, never sit under a boiling pot of water. Your channel has helped me become the successful thru-hiker that I am. The PCT and CDT are in my near future. I will be a triple crowner in this life! ❤😊

As someone who had second degree burns on my thighs, and down the inner sides of my calves from where the water ran, I can tell you that 1000% percent sure, you don't want a mug/pot of just boiled water in your lap. The only lucky thing is I was only 11y.old so my 'young skin' healed faster than an adult. I was at home, so it was cooled immediately in a tepid shower and I was taken to the emergency room. 40 years ago, in a rural hospital, they decided to put ointment on it. It made it MUCH worse. I had giant bleeding blisters that were also caked in oily stuff. I cried every time I moved but I had to move so that the skin didn't seize up. It took months to heal. Even now the nerve endings underneath are damaged and when I get overheated, those areas itch like crazy, though there is no visible scar tissue on the skin itself. Please believe me, one mistake because you are tired, or lazy, will cost you for the rest of your life.

I've found a few easy to pack ingredients that can bring a lot of life to all kinds of very simple pack foods. 1. Salt and Pepper (duh, but not many bring it) 2. Olive oil packets 3. Tube of tomato paste 4. Powdered cream (much more flavor and calories than powdered milk) All of those weigh only about 6-7 ounces for enough to to last a week+. All of them but the S+P add calories, and you can turn even the cheapest pasta and rice sides at the grocery store into pretty good eating without adding any extra effort.

I'll vouch for keeping your stove below you when cooking. I was once using a soda can stove on a picnic table and accidentally knocked it off into my lap while it was still on fire. Yes, I lit my crotch on fire! Obviously, I put it out VERY quickly and except for some burned pants and a singed shirt (which I saved as a souvenir), no harm done. The other thru-hiker who witnessed the event wanted to change my trailname to Hot Dog or Great Balls of Fire or something similar, but fortunately it happened about a thousand miles into the hike so the name change attempt didn't stick. Dodged a bullet there. If it happened at the beginning of the trail, I'd probably still be known as Hot Dog. =)

Those are some great tips you mentioned and worthwhile to remember. A few things I have learned in 60 + years of camping using alcohol stoves mainly when camping solo. The Trangia brass alcohol stove has a cap to extinguish the flame when closed (saving on fuel ) and it also can be opened different degrees to act as a simmering ring. I make pizza using my alcohol stove and a non stick titanium Evernew pan. Using the alcohol stove I get it going with a ferro rod , the sparks from it will light it every time. Now my cooking is simple , I use the Freezer Bag style. Make the meals and pack them at home. In the field add near boiling water and let them sit for the desired amount of time. Have the meal and after the 1st one it becomes the trash bag for the rest when emptied. I like titanium since it cools quick and cooks really well with a low flame. A Pocket Rocket ( Blow Torch ) will burn the food every time. Your long handled titanium spoon , mark the different depths ( cup sizes ,1/4 , 1/3 , 1/2 , 3/4 and full ) on the handle of the spoon and use that same pot ( the measurements were taken from ) all the time.

Great tips Dixie. Some additional thoughts: 1) I use a stove with a remote canister because its more stable and I can use a cheap wind screen, 2) do something with that long hair when putting your head over your stove; hoodie strings might be a problem also for the same reason, 3) when I cook at a picnic table I always place the stove on one end and stand, 4) if using a liquid fuel stove keep your head away from the stove during start-up to avoid flare-ups in your face, 4) remove combustible material from beneath your stove to the best extent possible to avoid setting the wilderness on fire in the event the stove is upset during use.

Love my Toaks titanium long-handled spoon! I painted the middle of it yellow so I never lose it. Also I scratched marks on the end of the handle by the hole. I used a measuring cup to careful measure 1 cup of water and added it to my pot. I then placed my spoon handle vertical in the pot with the handle touching the bottom. I used a Sharpie to mark the 1 cup water line on the handle. Next I added another cup and Sharpie marked the 2 cup water line. I used a nail to scratch marks at each of the Sharpie marks to made them permanent. To use the spoon handle I fill the pot with filtered water while holding the spoon handle vertically and can accurately measure water in my pot. I always have spoon with me. No other measuring stick needed.

Trangia alcohol stoves have a "simmer ring" that allows some crude flame adjustment. Instead of a popsicle stick stadia rod, make depth marks on your Ti long-handled spoon.

Great video and insight! I have two comments. 1.) Concerning stove/pot instability 1:36 and risking a tip-over and potential scalding. Most isobutane stoves have three prongs on which to set your pot. Many pots have a foldout handle. I always align the pot handle with one of the stove prongs. The handle adds weight and the pot is better supported if you align the handle over one of the stove prongs. Also, once you've set the pot in this orientation, have the pot handle pointed directly at you. I understand this goes against everything we learned in home economics class about turning the handle away from you. But, this way, if the pot does tip, the trajectory of it's contents will likely spill at a 60 degree angle to your right or left; not on you. 2.) Tips for cleaning 7:29. I'm 100% on-board with your recommendations. I'll add one thing. Once my pot is clean, I always re-ignite my stove and heat my pot to where all moisture is evaporated and bacteria is presumably killed. Then I let it cool down before stowing back into my gear. Cool down happens really quickly, especially with titanium cookware, and I'm confident my pot is clean, dry, and disinfected. If you're super fuel conscience for your particular stretch of trail, definitely not necessary. But, it's something I do regularly that gives me peace of mind and a nice clean kit to start with for the next cook. OK, take care!!!!

Thanks Dixie. Lots of good advice. I was a bit surprised at the burner among the autumn leaves as it would be a fire hazard, I would be inclined to clear the area around the burner first.

The backpacker meals are lined with plastic too, so if you're worried about freezer bags, i think it's sort of the same deal.

Those dehydrated meal bags... I usually trim off the top few inches of the bag when I'm ready to eat so the proportions are more like a bowl than a bottomless pouch.

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) did not allow us to use soap for cleaning pots and dishes. They claim soap residue can cause sickness unless it is rinsed many times with HOT water. We scrubbed the pot with a pine branch, still connected to the tree then before each meal we boiled water for sterilization. Also I noticed lots of leaves under your stove. Scrape down to soil before getting leaves close to a flame. Glad you mentioned about cooling down a burn. People seem to want to put on an ointment , but that can hold in heat. For a sunburn use a thin cloth cooled with water, when it warms up, shake it out and apply the cooling cloth over and over.

Some great advice there! I recommend you try out a Trangia alcohol stove/cookset though. I switched from gas after I had a leaking gas stove blow up on me around 30 years ago. The simmer ring enables you to adjust the flame between full boil and a slow simmer. I love mine because it's completely silent when I'm cooking in the evening. No empty gas cylinders to dispose of either, just recycle the empty plastic bottles.

Actually, water boils quicker at higher altitude. This is because there is less atmospheric pressure and so the water will boil before it reaches 212 F. But, you do have to let food cook longer or soak longer because of the lower temp of the boiling water. When I'm camped at higher altitudes I do the boil/soak, boil/soak, boil/soak method to get food properly rehydrated. Nothing worse than chewy chicken unless it's crunchy beans. Great tips, though!

On the titanium spoon look for one with a shiny bowl. Nicer eating experience

You've already revolutionized my breakfasts with drinking my morning hot drink and breakfast under my quilt. And You've done it again.

Yup. It was about 30 years ago I took a trip to an ER after spilling boiling water all over myself. Lucky for me it was not in the backcountry so help was just a ranger and a truck ride away. To this day, I carry silver sulfadiazine packets in my first aid kit - it's a very effective burn ointment and helps keep bandages from sticking to the burned skin. Highly recommend.

A Titanium long handle spoon was one of the best purchases I've ever made. It's great for a lot of eating situations - like eating yogurt out of the tub. Just get one with the polished end... I have one with a matte finished end and it doesn't feel as good in the mouth.

I use an alcohol stove. It’s a Trangia Triangle that I use in an aluminium deep plate. This stove has an adjustable cover that regulates the air intake. When you want to shut it down you just put the lid on it. The nicest thing is that if you don’t burn all the alcohol, just close the “o” ringed screw cover and keep what’s left of the combustible for a next meal. Simply silent. I hate the noise of those burners that you use…😊 Almost forgot, I also use a USB electric arc lighter with a retractable gooseneck, pretty sweet!

Mylar is plastic as well, it's a trademarked product made of of BoPET which is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, the same plastic used in water bottles. Ziploc bags are low density polyethylene (LSPE). The Mylar bag Dixie is using, and used for pre-packed retail freeze dried meals, includes a layer of aluminum laminated between layers of PET plastic. Neither of these options are more or less safe than the other for pouring boiling water into, as long as they're both BPA free.

I cook on the picnic table, but at the edge where you can stand next to it (not sit). But I also use a stove that sits directly on the surface and not on top of a canister (connected to the fuel with a line). Much more stable that way. Yes, they are heavier and bulkier.

I do use the picnic table top, but I'm typically not sitting at the picnic table while I'm boiling water I'm usually standing at the end of it. The last thing I want to do is hunch over a stove again lol. Thanks!❤👍😊 p.s. I carry one of those little packets of burn gel, you know the type that you get out of those work first aid dispensers. You are going to burn yourself with your stove, lighting it, with your pot and hot water. Carry a little packet of burn gel, you'll be glad you did.

A few things I'd mention. 1st if using a picnic table, stand when cooking. 2nd use a ferro rod over a lighter. 3rd its far more fuel efficient to boil with a lid on your pot with something like a Ti 750m pot, also that on a brs300t will also be more stable as its a narrower base.

Can we agree Dixie looks amazing here. Shes glowing. 😚

I share your concern about adding boiling water to ordinary zip lock plastic bags. I thought, though, that silicone Stasher bags were the logical alternative. Silicone is food safe and heat resistant. They even make one that’s kind of bowl-shaped. They aren’t cheap, so you could carry your prepared, dehydrated meals from home in cheaper storage bags bags, and then dump the dry ingredients into the Stasher bag for dinner before adding your boiling water.

“That’s just cáncer waiting to happen”. I just died!!!😂😂😂😂 that’s EXACTLY what I think!! Thanks for such a great video on burn safety!!!

Pro tip: paint the bottom of your cookpot with black stove paint and then sand it with fine sandpaper to rough it up. That works better than just sanding the unpainted cookpot.

I went ahead and sprung for the Jetboil Minimo a few years ago at the REI annual sale. I was really glad I did because it’s so “dummy proof” that it’s worth the bit of extra weight to me. It has the stand, the cozy, the measurements…all the things she mentioned. Also has handles, which help a ton. FWIW, a great tool if you don’t mind carrying a bit more. Cheers!

Long handled spoons: Go to a thrift store and go through the random silverware for an ice tea spoon. Cheap. Just make sure it’s smooth on the edges so you don’t dig your food pouches. If you dispose of your waste water and it has food with it, make sure you are not going to attract bears and go a long, long, long way away from your camp. Bears don’t know it’s waste; it’s FOOD and smells delicious.

You have given me some of the BEST advice over the years. I am so so so so so very grateful for you 🥰

Great warning about cooking on a picnic table. 🇨🇦

Dixie, as always: not stagily, to the point, helpful and very likeable. Love your style😊! Regards from Germany.

Just seeing that thumbnail of you bending over to cook made my back hurt. I really appreciate your content; informative without being pretentious.

Last hike I did, I completely forgot my eating utensils! Then I realized I could carve something functional out of a small branch. Which I did - and it worked great! Also it was pretty light too - I’ll probably pack it as a backup in the future.

I've bought things because you suggested them, such as the Sea -to-Summit collapsible cup, (which is great, BTW) but I get some amusement from all the measuring. With things like Pancake mix, Instant Oatmeal and other stuff I just add water and stir until it feels and looks right. Not long ago, my mom was visiting and I made some Instant Oatmeal and she said, "You're supposed to measure the water." I told her there' was no need to and she said she always does. I said, "Mom, you've been making Instant Oatmeal for about fifty years. Do you not know, by now, how much water to put in?" I'm just messing with you Dix. Glad to see a new video from you.

I dehydrate my own meals. I cold soak my meal in my pot while I am setting up my tent. Then I put the pot on the stove and heat it up to boil, put it in the cozy and in 5 minutes it's done! Happy Trails! 🏕️🌈🌞

My chef mentality is exactly why I am watching this thanks Daisy the picnic table got me with pancake batter when I was young

Great tips Dixie. I have the same stove. I think it was 15 bucks on amazon about 6 years ago. It's great. The only thing thing that I would caution is your videos have you eating your food (and cooking) in/near your tent. I never cross those streams. Anything smelly (food, soaps, toothpaste etc.) never come near my tent. Deodorants etc never come on the trail (that's why it's not on the list). Obviously you are super experienced....but I am worried that new hikers are thinking that eating food in your tent is a good idea (terrible idea in Canada).

The best pot scrubber I have ever used is one of those red net bags that onions come in, they rinse completely clean and weigh nothing.

A while back my wife and I spotted Optimus Cozies for freeze dry pouches. Made out of wet suit material, they fold flat and weigh next to nothing. Game changer. Never a cold meal after the wait time. And remember to carry a LONG handled spoon. If you've tried to eat freeze dried meals with a short spoon, you know why.

I agree 100% with your keep it simple comments. I see so many people who take so many condiments, etc, that they must double the weight in their pack, plus I like to enjoy the food in its basic form.

Mam, I’m a long time fan. Been following your videos since the AT. You’ve inspired me and my son-in-law, two old retired vets, to hike the AT, come Spring of ‘24. Been thinking about a few ideas for videos that only a real hiker (you) could make. Would you, could you convince your video editor to, put together a video showing the most miserable, maybe dangerous times spent hiking…kinda like your “critters” video? So many viewers see how beautiful and pleasant your hikes were. You’ve probably already thought about this. It’s a lot, maybe too much to ask. You created a video on “Why you hate hiking”. Just thought I’d ask. Love your videos, your emotions, some of the difficulties you’ve shared…thank you.

Love the frog legs at the end! Shows real wilderness tenacity to go frog gigging when you've dumped your camp meal on the ground!

You’re so so helpful, Dixie! Thank you!

I liked your popsicle stick measuring idea so I just went out and dremeled marks on my long handled spoon. Score! I tried doing it on the inside of my pot a while ago but I kept screwing it up.

Picnic tables do sometimes have wasp nest under them

👍👍👍 Good tips. My contribution from up here in the Peanut Gallery .. * An Aluminium Pot Grip is for me, more than well worth the extra (minimal) weight and space. Watching people stirring / adding ingredients / etc to a pot on the burn without additional support to the pot makes my toes curl. It has other uses too .. inter alia, preventing your bandanna going up in flames and more. * Put the water / whatever into the pot before placing such pot onto the gas burner. Adding afterwards increases, amongst other, the risk of a tip-over. Then light the gas .. saves fuel too. * Gas Canister Tripod Base Stands are a no-brainer. Going without one to 'save weight' .. ok .. * Alcohol Burners without or with limited 'simmer' capability. Watch your pot .. stir, stir, stir and then stir some more (the pot grip comes in very handy) and / or remove the pot away or further from the heat for suitable periods .. again, the pot grip earns it's place. I have an Alcohol Burner setup that includes two smaller stackable burners that give me more flexibility in heat output. One, a mini burner made from two T-lite Candle Holders and the smaller, a Whiskey Bottle Cap. All three (the main burner included) filled with Ceramic / Glass Wool. This greatly reduces the risk of burning fuel spillage in case of an accidental knock over whilst not appreciably affecting burn performance. Thanks for sharing .. take care ..

Also something to consider is the material the pot is made of. Titanium pots such as the Toaks brand are great for boiling water, but not so great for cooking in. Titanium does not spread heat as well as aluminum pots do. More apt to burn food on the bottom of a titanium pot.

I do mostly day hiking. I carry the basics - titanium cup/pot, spork, collapsible mug, fuel and stove - in my pack for when I want to eat at the end of the trail before we turn around BUT I also carry another fuel canister, seasonings, more food and a folding fry pan in my truck for more substantial cooking at the end of the day, or on regular camping trips or if I've been successful fishing. Great tips. I'm camping tonight and I'll cook on the ground!

I applaud the simplicity of your methods - it's a great way to operate on trail. Energy and motivation are precious so fewer supplies and moving parts to daily cooking is awesome. And I love the suggestion to have two lighters 👌🏼

In the process of making up meals for next section. I can vouch for how great those mylar bags are. Not too bad a price if you buy in lots of 50. Will probably last me a number of years, but as I retire and can do longer sections or even try to do a full through hike they will go fast. Figured out AT I would probably do about 6 maybe 7 resupply boxes. One of which would be right before 100 mile wilderness so that's ~34 out of the 50 right there. I generally agree with the concept of a second lighter, but I usually pack about 6-10 emergency waterproof matches with my first-aide/sewing/emergency kit. Pretty sure they weigh less than a lighter and provide something that will work better in the cold. Anytime seriously cold weather is a potential, a backup firestarter is a must whichever you choose.

Ozark camping stove from Walmart $13 comes with a fuel stability stand, and for low cost it does work, and we can always up grade later

Thanks for the Mylar bag tip, great idea!

Hey Dixie, great as always. I have two things to stress out and one to add: 1. I used my spare lighter last weekend. Just have one, a mini BIC is light and small, just have one somewhere or opt for a small firesteel. Those are also great. 2. I am a huge supporter of these canister stands. They weigh and cost practically nothing and add a substantial amount of stability to the whole system. One small addition: Eat fresh green food or fruit as often as you can. Pack a few apples in town, make sure to buy some greens while in town or whatever. Your body does need some vitamins etc. Additionally after a week of pasta sides, fruit tastes amazing.

Long time ago I made the mistake of boiling water for brew on a picnic table and somehow managed to knock it over, I was lucky and I didn’t get badly burnt. I always set a stove up on the ground now. Probably not for the super light hikers but having some cling film is good for covering burns but cool the burn first. Advantage it doesn’t stick to skin and EMS can see the burn without taking the dressing off.

Just a tip, on a long day hiking i get dinner started and then set up camp that way you give your food time to rest while you are still doing chores.

As always, thanks for taking the time to share!

Thanks for the Beck reference! Go crazy with the Cheesewiz made my evening.

Some alcohol stoves can in fact be adjusted--at least crudely. Trangia, for example, has a sliding cap that allows you to cut off part of the flame as-desired.

"Yaking on the ground" 😂 I'm so glad you showed a method to get rid of the pot gravy. Drinking that is just disgusting to me. Thanks for a great video!

As a newbie backpacker, love these tips thanks so much 🙌

Quick cleaning: wipe the pot with paper tissue or with grass/leaves. If you have river or lake nearby - use some river sand as abrasive if needed. Cast iron skillet can be burned on the fire to burn all remains to ashes

I use a plastic canister stand for the extra stability and use a striker rather than a lighter - it doesn't run out of fuel! I must try those Myler bags, if I can find them... Otherwise all great tips. I'd never thought about the spill safety issue using a picnic table, that was a new one for me.

Nice video.. So what I do is take my used dehydrated food containers home and clean them out to use them again instead of plastic bags. It works great...

Cleaning tip. When I bring my Optimus stove, wich I eat directly from, either the pot and/or the lid (wich is also a fryingpan)..... I use a GSI Compact Scraper. To scoop out everything. Then it''s just clean in the water. If not beside a water, or at the sea/fjord. I use a little antibac (wich I always bring i case of... ).. and clean it after I have scraped out)

That was some grade A infomercial acting with the picnic table spill, Dixie!

Thank you so much for your wonderful tips, hints, and recommendations for cooking on a backpacking trip! You are quite knowledgeable and helpful!

I just got my mylar bags last week. Another great video!

😊great timing as it’s camping and grilling out season!

Always start your lighter first, get the flame near the stove burner then introduce the fuel, it will save you from the poof and saves fuel.🤗😎

2 lighters for sure! One in my cook kit and one in my ditty bag. (Litesmith’s dyneema zip bag, specifically.) Hands down one of my favorite pieces of gear. So much that I’m trying to justify a reason to get another one. I’m close :) 3 or 4 years old and still like new. And not that expensive. 👍 And I don’t mind an alcohol stove - still not COMPLETELY sold on them, but using my diy fancy feast exclusively this year to give it a fair chance. I mostly rehydrate homemade meals with the same diy cozy…while I dirty the pot because I feel the same way about eating out of plastic that had boiling water in it 🫠🤢 Unstuffed peppers and such rehydrate that way perfectly ;)

Ur the best, Dixie. So helpful.

Six minutes ago-holy crap, I almost caught you in the act! Good stuff (as always) and fun. Thanks for your work. Take care.

Great advice. I only spilled my food once during my thru hike and it taught me to be very careful with my setup as I ended up eating that meal after picking it off the ground. Not appetizing but hiker hunger won.

Ali Express sells Sealing Machines (simple strip types) and Mylar and other types of re sealable bags cheap. Make and store your own meals. I survived in the Military for years with Two steel canteen cups, one for shaving one for eating and brew making.

I tried to think of reasons not to put the stove on the table, but couldn't think of any. Then you showed exactly why. I am an instant convert on that subject!

That’s why you’re the BEST

Hey Dixie, I love your videos, thank you for sharing. I just wanted to comment on the section of this video on lighters. I recently heard of a hack with depleted lighters that I personally tried out and it works quite well. You will need some fire starter, or really good tinder for this to work, (pine sap works too). If you slowly "flick your bic", not enough to get a spark, but enough to scrape the "flint" inside your lighter, you will get little particles of the lighter flint on your tinder. Those little particles will ignite when you spin the wheel fast enough to make a spark the same way sparks from a ferro rod work, and if you have good tinder you can get a fire going. Like I said, I have tried this and it works.

Two bic minis weigh less than 1 full size bic lighter. Carry 2 minis. A bic mini lighter lasts a long time. Buy the light coloured ones and before you start your trip, hold the lighter up to a light in a darkish area to see how full it is. If you have a micro scale you can also weigh it. Bic mini full is 11.5 grams, empty its 9.3. If you don't like waste and your using an alcohol stove, a small fero rod is a good option.

This is why I use a Trangia burner with its cook kit. Impossible to knock over and impossible for the pot to tip off the stove. I dislike canister stoves because of how unstable they can be. Plus when the canister is empty, you have to carry it out and toss it away, since as far as I know, you cannot refill it. Yes the Trangia is a bit on the heavy side, but its a proven design.

1:49 happened to me two weeks ago! I consider myself an experienced backpacker but there is ALWAYS more to learn. I hope your viewers will soak in your advice and learn from documented mistakes such as mine.

So excited with this video. I am venturing out for the first time and have created all my own meals. Like you I don't like the thought of freezer bags for rehydrating food. The mylar bags sounds like a good alternative

Firstly, great video! Getting crazy with the cheese whiz😅. Lots of goit tips. Now, Major mistake to avoid is putting your cooking set up directly on or near anything flammable, such as dry leaves. Be sure to clear an area of all flammable materials at least 3 feet or 1 meter in diameter before placing or igniting your cooking set up. Only YOU can prevent forest fires, Smokey Bear! 😊

8:30 “If you want to get real crazy with the Cheez Whiz” - this is my new favorite line! Great tips on this vid!

I am a fan of the folding stove supports with the Jet Boil type the least grams. Truck stop beanie for cozy. Well done and concise.

I will cook on a table or usually a downed tree. If on a table, I will never sit and reach up to it. I always stand next to it. When I'm cooking on a log or a downed tree, and I'm sitting, I make sure it's no higher than the bottom of my knee. A way to help leveling out your stove on the ground is to put 3 or 4 sticks on the ground and set it on that. You can use smaller sticks under the bigger ones to level and stabilize them. I completely agree with you on the Ziploc bags! Always go with the Mylar food gags.

I use fuel canister feet to keep the stove stable. I wish everyone would. Seeing you start a fire in dry leaves gave me the shivers. Forest Fire is a lot scarier than boiling water. However, your tips on how to handle burns and the reminder to pay attention to the danger of boiling water are valuable. Thanks for your constant interest and tips.

"It just sounds like cancer." Favorite quote from this one.

I always carry a lighter and a ferro rod in my cook kit and use the lighter as a back up. I also use a alcohol stove so it's easier to light with the ferro rod.

Thanks for another informative video! I saw a guy spill his boiling water onto his feet...while wearing sandals...and nylon sock liners. Melted the nylon liners to his feet and ended his trip immediately. Great tip for cooking away from you and below your lap level to minimize the risk.

A mistake I made was getting enough canisters for the trip, but forgot the spares when I was setting up the packs (I was spreading supplies since it was a small group). I decided to boil the water over a campfire, but the pot had a coating and flaked off since it was not made for that style of cooking. Now I use pots that can cook either way are lighter than what I had before. In fact, my set up now for that trip would be about 15 pounds lighter plus my youngest is old enough and big enough she has her own pack with light gear that is even lighter since it is small child size (so shaved off about another 10 lbs). First time backpacking with smaller kids was a learning experience and first time packing after a few decades off. Amazing how light you can get while still not spending a ton of money.

Thanks for the MANY tips tips that you put in this video. It will help many of us.