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Stove or no stove?

Laina Rose

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2016
I'm planning a winter hike on the El Camino and was wondering if I should plan on bring my camp stove? It's an ultra light pocket rocket so weight isn't a concern, but I'm not sure if I'll use it. If I do want to bring it will I even be able to buy fuel for it in Spain?
 
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What route are you walking?
 
About 5 or 6 years ago we went camping in northern Spain, in the Cantabrians and around el Bierzo. We had a pocket rocket which we were unable to use as we found no appropriate fuel. All that was available was CampingGaz which has a different incompatible attachment system.
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I brought my jet boil with me that has a coffee press unit that fits on it. There is lots of fuel available and it was even cheaper by a bit than in the states in bigger towns. With fuel the total weight was just over a pound plus the coffee. We used it to make the coffee of course, but also to boil eggs to have for breakfast and lunch. That way a bit of meat or cheese and the wonderful bread available was so much better than the breakfast available on the route. Also since there were two of us and we could make coffee during breaks we saved some versus purchasing. Was it absolutely necessary? No, of course not. Was our camino better for having it? I thought so and so did my wife and the people that enjoyed a cup along the trail with us.
 
I have carried an ultra light gas stove and pan on past caminos and wouldn't travel without it.
Perfect for a brew on the go and nice to share a hot drink with others.
Also the pan is handy in all those albergues with a kitchen 'sin utensiles' if you want to cook food or boil water.
Gas canisters are available in the Camino shop in St Jean.
Places to get them on the way are ironmongers (ferreteria),plumbers,camping stores etc.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

Not likely, you just might find it in Madrid or another really big city with a bit of luck but I doubt you will find it on the camino. Buen Camino, SY
 


On the CF I found two sporting goods stores as well as some department stores (like El Corte Inglés) that may have had fuel, but you really don't need it. If you just want it for coffee, tea, or soup there is the much discussed "electric coil". However, if you are looking to actually cook I think you'd be better served looking for alburgues with kitchen facilities. What I would bring instead of a stove is a sharp knife. The ones you will find in the alburgue kitchens are dull beyond hope.

I bought something similar to this at a ferretería, but a bit larger. The one I bought is put away in my backpack, but this one should make it clear. Just a cheap knife with a plastic cover. Just be prepared, once people find out you have a sharp knife you will become very popular in the kitchen.

 
For both my 2001 and 2003 Caminos Frances I took a home-made Scott Henderson Pepsi Can stove
( http://tinyurl.com/nkmehmf )
essentially a home made Trangia burner that sat inside a pierced tin can as a stand and was topped off with a blue enamalled mug from Poland. You can buy the fuel (alcohol) in the cleaning section of supermarkets in small plastic bottles (100ml) - weighs next to nothing.

I'd cheerfully sit by the side of the road making a brew (tea) and also a lot of friends (mainly Brits and Irish) who'd stop by for a cuppa.

Then I discovered grandes cafes con leche . . .
 
Camino Ready, Backpacks, Boots etc
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
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