Melting snow for water.

weaver

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
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What's the best way to melt snow for water? This year I used my jetboil pot on a Kifaru stove but I've heard its not good for the pot.
 
Add water if you can. It will speed up the process. Snow is a pretty good insulator because it can trap a lot of air. I have a Ti pot with some nice blueing on the bottom from melting snow. 1st post
 
I've ruined my jetboil pot melting snow. You have to be careful not to pack it full of snow and do a little at a time. However on top of a stove and not using the jetboil burner is probably the safer route just don't pack it full.
 
Fill the pot 1/3rd of the way with water, then add snow as it boils until full. Pour 2/3rd into a larger container and continue to repeat until you have all the water you need. This can be a bit tedious but is the fastest way to make water from snow. Use your Jetboil the way it was meant to be used and ONLY the way it was intended to be used.
 
When I take a wood stove I leave the jet boil at home. I have a 3 cup titanium pot ( not sure of the brand ) that weighs nothing that I use. If you put the snow in the pot cold then put it on the stove and keep adding snow as it melts you'll have no warping problems. As stated above it takes a lot of snow to make a cup of water. If you can find it, ice is a lot more efficient.
 
Doesn't jetboil say no melting snow with their stoves? I thought I read that somewhere, but I don't own a jetboil.

Good ol Titan kettle and the msr dragonfly for my snow melting needs.
 
We filled a plastic gallon bag and filled a kuiu black roll top bag and set them in the sun. Takes awhile but it gets the job done.
 
Jet boil may say that. But for us spring bear hunting, we're usually high on a ridge with no water so its melt snow out of the snow bank or no water. We've done this several times a week at a time and never damaged our jet boils.
 
You can melt snow in a Jetboil as long as you put water in also. Don't run it with only snow in it or you'll burn it up.

I have had pretty good luck putting a Ziplock bag full of snow near the fire and melting that way.
 
I've found bottom surface area helps melt it faster as well. I can melt snow a lot faster in my Jetboil Group Cooking pot than my Person cooking pot.
 
And damn it takes alot of fluffy snow to make one pot of water!

10% by volume.

Melting snow with heat and fuel is very inefficient. Yeah, sometimes you have to do it, but if I know I'm going to be above the snow line for a while and will need to refill, I carry a small Nalgene bottle or bladder between clothing layers and let body heat melt it. It's good for a couple good swigs at a time, and refill.
 
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