I've cooked a lot of meals in the outdoors, and every meal has come about the same way - with a bit of heat. Make a stove out of an empty can and an ounce of alcohol for a light, compact system that will keep you cooking well in the wild. One of the main downsides of hiking is the weight. Lugging a massive pack down the trail is just a pain, and it really takes the joy out of the views with about 50lbs strapped to your torso. Along with some other weight-saving ideas, the can-stove is a great way to strip off the weight and make it a trip worth taking. It's also just a good skill to know how to turn a soda (or beer) can into a portable stove with just a few simple tools.

The article over at bikepacker details how to make 5 different types of can stoves, with various pros and cons of the construction and use. Take a look and find one to make just for the fun of it, and also as preparation for that pending zombie apocalypse.

Here's a quick glimpse at the process for making a simple can stove:

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