What Hikers Should Know About Toxic Algae Blooms

Aug 11, 2022

You may or may not have heard of toxic algae blooms. If you have, it may have been something related to local beaches, including warnings not to swim or harvest any shellfish. But these potentially deadly occurrences affect inland fresh water as well, including sources used by hikers for drinking. In 2022, Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers may have been sickened by toxic cyanobacterial blooms. So how can you tell if a water source has been rendered dangerous by algae? And if it has, what, if anything, can you do about it? What are Toxic Algae Blooms? Also called blue-green algae, cyanobacteria are found in salt, fresh and brackish water. These simple, plantlike organisms aren’t always toxic, but under certain conditions, including abnormally warm weather or pollution, they can grow out…

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The LowDown Remote Stove Adapter: Get More from Your Canister Stove

Jun 9, 2022

Let’s face it, as much as we love the simplicity and efficiency of our canister-mounted stoves and stove systems, if they have an Achilles’ heel, it’s stability­­—a function of their tall height and using a canister as their base. If you’re a frequent user, you’ve likely run into situations that had you gathering or excavating some rocks or bits of organic matter to even out the canister or simply wished you could just put that large pot of water on a lower, less-tippy stove while making coffee on a casual car camping weekend with family or friends. If any of that sounds familiar to you, the LowDown™ Remote Stove Adapter might just be the upgrade you’ve been looking for. What Is the LowDown Remote Stove Adapter? “The ‘remote stove adapter’…

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How to Clean Your Backpacking Stove

May 19, 2022

We’ve all been there: the moment of horror when you realize your oatmeal (of course it’s oatmeal) is boiling over onto your stove. (We’ll blame it on not having finished that first cup of coffee yet.) And even though you snatched the pot away as quickly as you could, some of that nice, thick oaty sludge managed to splat right onto the burner head. Now what? Whether you have an ultralight canister stove, an uber-efficient system stove or a burly liquid-fuel stove, we’ve pulled together the do’s and don’ts of cleaning your cook setup, courtesy of our expert MSR repairs team. They’ve seen it all, and now they’re passing their knowledge to you. Read on to learn how to clean your backpacking stove. How to Clean Canister Stoves These popular…

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