# What stoves do you campers use?



## Gotte (10 Dec 2010)

I'm looking to get a lightweight, reliable stove for cycle touring/camping. It needs to be lightweight, pack well, and durable. I've got a trangia 25, which is about 800g, but a bit bulky. I'm looking at a Swedish army version, which is actually about 900g, but easier to pack, though not sure about whether to go for a wood burner, as it cuts down on weight and doesn;t need the added weight of fuel, but is more work (having to feed the fire all the time).
I'm not into gas, as I'm looking at being as self sufficient as possible, or rather, if I have to go with with fuel, wood or meths is what I'm after as they are both easily available on the continent.
what do you guys use?


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## snorri (11 Dec 2010)

Gotte said:


> what do you guys use?


I use a Whisperlite and find it fits my needs. You will find quite a lot of stove info. if you use the forum Search facility. 
Here is one thread from a few months ago.
https://www.cyclechat.net/


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## Kirstie (11 Dec 2010)

MSR pocket rocket - highly recommended for heating things quickly but it isn't multifuel so not that versatile for expedition touring etc. I am constantly on the lookout for a decent multifuel stove...


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## bikepacker (11 Dec 2010)

I use and love my Primus Gravity prefering the gas model but there is a multifuel version.


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## ComedyPilot (11 Dec 2010)

I have a Trangia, and a Swedish Army Trangia. I am on the look out for an MSR Whisperlite which is multifuel-ish.

I have toured a few times with the Trangia, and have no complaints. It is a little bulky, but no more than I am willing to carry. I might leave the kettle behind next time (to save weight, boil water in pans). 

A Trangia runs on meths, and might not be as quick as an MSR, but I tend to put the water on to boil, put the tent up/take the tent down, and seem to time a cup of coffee/tea perfectly.


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## andym (11 Dec 2010)

A lot depends on where you are going and how much you cook.

gas: convenient(-ish). Some gas stoves are more controllable than others - so spend a bit more if you want something that will simmer instead of just act like a mini-flamethrowere (the pocket rocket isn't called that for nothing!). There are different standards for gas stoves. In some parts of Europe (France, Spain and Italy) CampingGaz canisters are more easily obtainable but you can get converters. be aware that you can't take gas cylinders on planes or Eurostar.;{edit: missed the bit where you said that you weren't interested in gas)

- meths/alcohol. Fuel is easily available - although you may only find it in litre bottles. 900g sounds like a lot - that must be including at least one pot surely? There are lighter alternatives (eg Caldera Cone) which will team up with a lightweight titanium pot;

- multi-fuel. Most flexible alternative, but probably unnecessarily heavy/expensive/compex unless you are planning to go somewhere remote;

- wood-gas. I found this a very feasible option - although probably best in tandem with another fuel. I had (until it went AWOL) a Bushcooker. I did a little review of it here:&

https://www.cyclechat.net/

Backpackinglight.co.uk used to sell them and may still supply them, but you can order direct over the interweb - you could also order the BushBuddy from canada, although this is a wee bit more expensive (the Buschcooker is a European-licensed version of the BushBuddy). Or of course you could build one yourself depending on how much time you have on your hands, although the ready-built ones are well worth the money when you consider the work that goes into them. they would team up with a small meths stove (have a look at the backpackinglight.co.uk for possibilities although you'd also need some sort of stand and windshield. There are other models available although most of the others I've seen involve a battery-powered fan which didn't appeal to me as i poreferred the simpler ethic of the Bushcooker.


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## samid (11 Dec 2010)

FWIW - I am using a mini-Trangia and have found it to be more than adequate for my needs so far. But I don't really do any fancy cooking - just make scrambled eggs and boil water for tea.

(Edit: have you checked out the Which Trangia thread?)


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## HelenD123 (11 Dec 2010)

Whisperlite Internationale for me. I don't like that it doesn't simmer, but love that it will run on so many fuels. For a short tour though where I'd only use one or two gas canisters I'd be tempted to take just my camping gaz stove as it's clean, controllable and easy to use.


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## Yellow7 (11 Dec 2010)

I use the MSR multifuel version. 3 months of no hassle (using petrol).

Talking as an engineer _and f_rom what i've seen of the whisperlight i'd say the design is a bit poor, i've just paired up with another tourer from Holland for the Western Sahara and Mauritania part of Africa and he uses one, only used about 15 times and the other night one of the feet pivot- points came off from the base from where it was spot welded...only had four teeny spot-welded points. Lluckily in Africa your never far from a welder / brazer, so we soon was fixed back in place, but just means the foot can't turned inward when packed as the welder (as expected) had a gas torch, not spot welder.

Mark.

www.wallisonwheels.com


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## willem (11 Dec 2010)

For solo trips I use a Trangia 27 UL HA, without kettle. It is quite a bit smaller than the 25. The good thing is of course that you can keep stuff inside, so the volume is actually used for more than the stove. If you want something smaller and lighter, there is the Clikstand, but it is not as convenient for real cooking as the Trangia, since the windscreen cannot be used with frying. I am pretty fanatical about low pack volume and weight, but I still believe anything smaller and lighter than the Trangia 27 compromises your ability to cook real food.
Willem


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## Percy (11 Dec 2010)

Kirstie said:


> MSR pocket rocket - highly recommended for heating things quickly but it isn't multifuel so not that versatile for expedition touring etc. I am constantly on the lookout for a decent multifuel stove...



+1

Have a multi fuel also but it's bulky and faffy to use so redundant unless gas really is going to be a problem to get. A canister of gas, cooking once a day, lasts me ages.


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## andrew_s (11 Dec 2010)

I use an Edelrid Opilio remote gas stove. Remote gas (with preheat loop) maintains full performance to the end of the canister, unlike can top stoves.
I also have a multifuel stove (bought for USA trip), but rarely use it.

Meths stoves have a relatively low heat output. That's OK if you have a good wind shield and don't loose any heat to the breeze, but if there is a breeze and your wind shield is less than good you can't just turn up the power like you would with gas or multifuel, so you may struggle to boil a brew. Trangia 25 & 27 and Caldera Cones are good, but I wouldn't trust a mini trangia or similar.

I'm not convinced of woodburners for cycling. Unlike walking, it's harder to spot and stop for bits of dry wood en route, so it's quite likely that you would have to stop and spend time specifically searching an area. On a wet day you could loose quite a bit of time.

Anyway, a random suggestion that I've not tried:
Ti-tri Caldera with woodburner add on


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## andym (11 Dec 2010)

andrew_s said:


> I'm not convinced of woodburners for cycling. Unlike walking, it's harder to spot and stop for bits of dry wood en route, so it's quite likely that you would have to stop and spend time specifically searching an area. On a wet day you could loose quite a bit of time.<br /><br />Anyway, a random suggestion that I've not tried:<br /><a href='http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co...nsert_and_baseplate_for_msr_titan_kettle.html' target='_blank' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Ti-tri Caldera with woodburner add on</a><br />



Finding would is easy: stop for a pee by a roadside tree, there will almost certainly be enough twigs kicking around to cook dinner for the night. I tended to carry a stockpile to last me a day or two, but I found that unless it gets really wet you should be able to find reasonably dry twigs below trees.

The Caldera Tri-tri is basically a titanium version of a Caldera Cone. So it doesn't burn the wood as efficiently as a wood-gas stove and it leaves a burnt circle. I'd get an aluminium Caldera cone and use it in confunction with a Bushcooker/BushBuddy (works well as a windshiled for the wood-gas stove.


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## Fab Foodie (11 Dec 2010)

Gotte said:


> *what do you guys use?
> *



I don't know, I'll have to ask the Butler...


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## Renard (11 Dec 2010)

A wee primus gas burner that screws onto the top of a gas container. You can get the gas in pretty small containers so not that hard to pack.


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## pshore (11 Dec 2010)

Gotte said:


> I'm looking to get a lightweight, reliable stove for cycle touring/camping



I went through a fairly similar thought process myself. My guess was that a wood burner of some sort would raise eyebrows, especially in very dry/hot places where I wanted to tour. Has anyone had trouble with that ?

If you are worried about bulk, its always easy to cut down on kit if you have not been through that process. Eg, my trangia saucepan is my plate, breakfast bowl, kettle and chopping board. 


I use the 27UL by the way. I leave the fuel in the plastic bottle it came in but pack carefully.


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## psmiffy (11 Dec 2010)

I use a freestanding gas stove with a remote line - also have a multifuel that will work off canister gas - never used it in anger with a liquid fuel as I have never been anywhere that I could not get gas.


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## jazzkat (12 Dec 2010)

MSR pocket rocket here too (the boil up times are impressive and its tiny, but you need the gas canister)- although I am considering getting another trangia. 
A bottle of meths is a pretty insignificant amount of weight and as you say available everywhere.
A friend had a multi fuel that he used to run on petrol from his motorbike. It was messy smelly and he was forever cleaning the jet.


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## andym (12 Dec 2010)

Person who asked about wood-burning stoves and fires. Most campsites these days ban open fires, but most permit barbecues - I've never had to argue the point but if I did I'd argue that a stove should be regarded in the same way as a barbecue. But as with everything, use discretion and common sense. So don't use it in a tinder-dry forest in mid-august (but I'd be cautious about using any kind of stove in these conditions).



jazzkat said:


> A bottle of meths is a pretty insignificant amount of weight and as you say available everywhere.



Erm a litre, or even a half litre of meths, isn't exactly insignificant. Meths is great for short trips where you can measure out the amount you need. For longer trips the greater efficiency of gas is a factor to consider (especially if you use cooking system with a heat exchanger).


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## Beardie (12 Dec 2010)

I use a Kelly Kettle, which is basically a water jacket around a chimney. There are various accessories available, to enable it to be used as a stove, and I have successfully cooked a two-course meal on it, interspersed with several cups of tea.


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## jazzkat (12 Dec 2010)

andym said:


> Erm a litre, or even a half litre of meths, isn't exactly insignificant.



Sorry, it was a bit off the cuff, but it is relatively insignificant when you consider the rest of your camping kit/clothing. Also if you consider its only the similar weight to a bottle of water its not such a biggy imho.


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## JackE (12 Dec 2010)

Andy M,
According to a recent review in TGO magazine, the new Ti Tri Caldera Inferno is a huge improvement on the original system. It introduces "secondary combustion" to the mix which means less smoke and cleaner burning. 
Last year a poster on here used a Bushbuddy for a 6 week tour of France and Spain. He had no problem finding fuel.


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## andrew_s (12 Dec 2010)

andym said:


> Person who asked about wood-burning stoves and fires. Most campsites these days ban open fires, but most permit barbecues - I've never had to argue the point but if I did I'd argue that a stove should be regarded in the same way as a barbecue. But as with everything, use discretion and common sense. So don't use it in a tinder-dry forest in mid-august (but I'd be cautious about using any kind of stove in these conditions).


On stoves/barbecues in camp sites:
The point is going to be whether the grass gets damaged or not. Previous visitors may have left patches of dead grass despite making assurances that their stove was OK, so arguing the point may not work. Barbeques generally means proper ones, and doesn't include disposable ones that may be used on the ground or just a couple of bricks.


On wild camping:
When I was in the US, fire risk meant everything except gas was banned over large areas (on a national forest area basis), and is a couple of cases whole areas including minor roads were closed off. In between bans not starting until just after we left or ending just after we got left we only had a couple of no stove days.
Having watched UK TV fire coverage, and ridden through burned off areas in France & Spain, I think you would have to work on the basis that campfires, woodburning stoves, and possibly other stoves could get banned in any mediterranean area during the July/August/September period. As a foreign visitor you would be unlikely to know about the bans in advance, and possibly not after arrival either, and that the likely reaction to being caught breaching a ban would be confiscation.


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## andym (13 Dec 2010)

If you are going to an area that is prone to forest fires (and these really account for only a relatively part of Europe) then you definitely should find out what the restrictions are. For instance in parts of Corsica (IIRC) you can only cook/bivouac in the areas set aside for this (this applies to all forms of stove). The fire warnings are pretty visible. But the issues are pretty much the same whatever type of stove you are using.  I've also seen the damage done by forest fires so I take them seriously too.

I didn't have any problem using in campsites in northern France - which of course, like most of Europe, doesn't have problems with forest fires. Wood-gas stoves produce little heat and and most of the heat goes up rather than into the casing and very little goes downward - so they are very safe to use with no damage. And you can safely use on a picnic bench, or in the facilities that are provided for barbecues at many campsites. If you saw one in action they are very clearly and demonstrably a different proposition to an open fire. OK you might be unlucky and get grief at the occasional campsite but in most places they'll neither know nor care. If the campsite has expressly prohibited barbecues then I'd also take that as applying to a woodburning stove). As ever, the watchwords are discretion and common sense.

It's obvious that for some reason you really hate the idea of wood-gas stoves but, speaking from experience rather than prejudice,  they are a perfectly feasible alternative - for most places at least, if you are planning to go o an area at a time when there are likely to be particular fire restrictions well do your reasearch (in any event I would carry a gas or meths stove as a backup).


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## hubbike (13 Dec 2010)

andym said:


> A lot depends on where you are going and how much you cook.
> 
> gas: convenient(-ish). Some gas stoves are more controllable than others - so spend a bit more if you want something that will simmer instead of just act like a mini-flamethrowere (the pocket rocket isn't called that for nothing!). There are different standards for gas stoves. In some parts of Europe (France, Spain and Italy) CampingGaz canisters are more easily obtainable but you can get converters. be aware that you can't take gas cylinders on planes or Eurostar.;{edit: missed the bit where you said that you weren't interested in gas)
> 
> ...



good post andym! I use a trangia alcohol stove and think it is the best option if you are outside of europe. where you can find gas canisters readily this is great. What's the problem of 1 litre of alcohol. for cycle touring this is a very convenient amount. in pharmacies across south america you can buy 1ltr or 500ml I always bought 1ltr. sometimes industrial alcohol was available in supermarkets and hardware shops. this is generally cheaper and stronger than medical alcohol. sometimes in a TWO litre bottle. 

multi-fuel. why is that any good for somewhere "really remote"? I assume when the problems of a stove that clogs up, has many parts that wear out, and is fiddley to fix (so you have to take lots of little fiddly spares and tools). Is irritating, noisy, unpredicatble and smelly to use. Oh and dangerous (must be used far away from tent/flamable things). always too hot so you burn all your food....no thanks. I would feel far safer if I can have my trangia back now please! seeing as every pharmacy the world over sells alcohol.

bush cooker (or a simpler hobo stove) are an interesting option I would like to try. wood is very often easy to come by and free!!


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## willem (13 Dec 2010)

Alcohol is not as easily available in every country, and if you need to cook in really cold weather a petrol stove is preferable. But for most of Europe, yes please a Trangia is great.
Willem.


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## Amheirchion (13 Dec 2010)

I found this a little while back, it's a list of some countries and their names for meths and a rough guide on where to find it.
Might be useful for some?
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=RrzKj&doc_id=7119&v=a


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## hubbike (14 Dec 2010)

willem said:


> Alcohol is not as easily available in every country, and if you need to cook in really cold weather a petrol stove is preferable. But for most of Europe, yes please a Trangia is great.
> Willem.




Where can't you find it? look here

I would say a considerable number of places outside of europe too! cold is not a problem if you warm up the burner in your gloves for 40 seconds. even down to -15 it worked superbly for me. and I used a trangia above 4500m with no problems.

you'll have to do a lot better than that to persuade me to use petrol...


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## Amheirchion (14 Dec 2010)

I'm a bit worried by their comments on how it tastes. Can they not afford vodka?


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## elduderino (14 Dec 2010)

I'm in the market for a new stove and the honey stove has caught my eye. It's primarily a wood burning stove but can also be used with a trangia burner too.

Anyone got any opinions on it?

http://www.raymears....he-Honey-Stove/


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## Russell Allen (14 Dec 2010)

I just picked up a trangia 27-2 UL (plain alloy with kettle) from Field and Trek for £40.00 which was a bit of a bargain. It seems to work just fine even when there is a frost outside, just tested it and worked a treat. I wouldnt fancy a wood stove, trying to find some dry wood in scotland/wales when the heavens open might be a bit of a problem and I need a cup of tea when out. The only exception to this would maybe be a kelly kettle which I find very appealing.

Russell


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## Headgardener (15 Dec 2010)

I have an Epigas Alpine propane/butane stove which folds flat and fits into a bag six x four inches by about an inch thick. The gas container is screwed onto a unit which contains the control valve and sits about twenty inches from the actual stove to which it connected by a length of hose. Boils water very quickly and is very stable in both pan size settings.


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## hubbike (16 Dec 2010)

elduderino said:


> I'm in the market for a new stove and the honey stove has caught my eye. It's primarily a wood burning stove but can also be used with a trangia burner too.
> 
> Anyone got any opinions on it?



I can express an opinion from the look of it. It is pretty. 


Not much of a windshield for the alcohol burner or pan so less efficient than trangia I assume.
Also just a bunch of burning twigs in a tray (rather than a down-draft woodgas burner like bushcooker etc...) so wont be a very hot fire and will need lots of fuel. So IMO fairly useless for making a cup of tea. A possibility for slow-cooking (rice or stew say), but very messy.

I like the look of the square set up, but perhaps a trangia mini (or a homemade bodge) would be better. it is cheap and cheerful though so maybe worth a punt.


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## Kirstie (21 Dec 2010)

A note on using petrol: if you're planning on going outside of Europe just beware of the octane ratings on any petrol you by for your stove. If the octane rating is below that in Europe, your stove won't burn properly. A friend of mine discovered this on a recent tour in Kurgistan (sp) and had to go out of his way to find fuel which worked in his stove.


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## mark (21 Dec 2010)

Kirstie said:


> A note on using petrol: if you're planning on going outside of Europe just beware of the octane ratings on any petrol you by for your stove. If the octane rating is below that in Europe, your stove won't burn properly. A friend of mine discovered this on a recent tour in Kurgistan (sp) and had to go out of his way to find fuel which worked in his stove.



Are you sure your friend didn't just get stuck with some dirty fuel? That would clog the jet and keep the stove from burning properly. That seems like a much more likely occurrence than any issues with octane ratings. 

Most petrol stoves are intended to run on white gas, which has no octane boosting additives whatsoever, so I'm not sure why anyone would would need to worry about octane ratings when buying fuel for a stove.

FWIW, a higher octane fuel is intended to ignite at higher pressures and temperatures, as in a high performance car engine. I can see no benefit to using high octane fuel in a campstove, which do not develop anywhere near the pressures or temperatures that occur in an internal combustion engine.


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## Ticktockmy (21 Dec 2010)

Kirstie said:


> A note on using petrol: if you're planning on going outside of Europe just beware of the octane ratings on any petrol you by for your stove. If the octane rating is below that in Europe, your stove won't burn properly. A friend of mine discovered this on a recent tour in Kurgistan (sp) and had to go out of his way to find fuel which worked in his stove.



I use a MSR XGKII, that runs great on white spirit, it also runs well any old crap I put into it, But with automotive petrol, because of the additives in the fuel, it does tend to clog up after many hours, just need a quick strip down to clean out the clag then it up and runniing again.


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## mark (21 Dec 2010)

The literature that came with my MSR Whisperlite Internationale said it would run on automobile fuel, but it would clog faster. The literature for my MSR Dragonfly said that it would run on auto fuel (and other stuff), but this would shorten the life of the stove. Basically, all the additives that go into auto fuel seem designed to burn cleanly at some pretty high pressures and temperatures, not in a stove that burns fuel in the open air.


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## elduderino (21 Dec 2010)

*


hubbike said:



I can express an opinion from the look of it. It is pretty. 


Not much of a windshield for the alcohol burner or pan so less efficient than trangia I assume.
Also just a bunch of burning twigs in a tray (rather than a down-draft woodgas burner like bushcooker etc...) so wont be a very hot fire and will need lots of fuel. So IMO fairly useless for making a cup of tea. A possibility for slow-cooking (rice or stew say), but very messy.

I like the look of the square set up, but perhaps a trangia mini (or a homemade bodge) would be better. it is cheap and cheerful though so maybe worth a punt.

Click to expand...

*
It does look pretty indeed. But it looks a bit of a faff to set up for everyday use. I went for a whitebox stove in the end. Its just over 3 months until my tour so I've still time to change my mind yet.

P.S. I've booked a one way ticket to Argentina with the intentions of cycling to Canada hopefully. So when I get some spare time I may bombard you with questions about South America and I'll give your journal a proper read too.


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## bigjim (21 Dec 2010)

I had one of these adapter delivered today to see if it would work with the butane canisters that are half the price of the normal overpriced screw gas canisters. I was dubious but it works fine and is very stable. No good for realy cold weather though and I don't know if the canisters are available in Europe.


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## Andy in Sig (26 Dec 2010)

I've got a Peak II which burns Coleman fuel. It's not the lightest on the market but it burns like the inside of the sun and is built to last. Incidentally, one thing which a lot of people seem to not bother with is covering your cooking vessel with a metal lid: it keeps more heat in and therefore saves fuel and reduces cooking times.


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## lowrider73 (29 Dec 2010)

I have the Trangia 27 UL c/w kettle and gas converter, Trangia Mini, Primus Gravity and MSR Pocket Rocket. 

I've mainly used the Pocket Rocket with the MSR Titan kettle, which is good for one pot meals. 

The Primus Gravity has never been used as yet, but hoping next year, it will be used for some week-end camping. 

The Trangia Mini is another favourite and last used that in November, when I did the Cleveland Way, camping. It was towards to the end of the walk, the snow came and I was sleeping in a hay barn with permission from farmer, that the meths was slow to burn, but soon got going.

The Trangia 27 UL is one I'm taking on my 2011 double Coast to Coast ride, but using the gas converter.


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## yashicamat (24 Jan 2011)

I use an ancient Primus paraffin stove. It's solid brass and packed in a steel tin, so not exactly a lightweight option, but I can completely dismantle it and rebuild it with the tools that are in the tin so it's almost impossible for it to break down on me. Pretty powerful too, I'd say comparable to my MSR Whisperlite that I use when mountaineering. The only real disadvantage is a lack of wind shielding . . . plus smelly paraffin to deal with.

Realistically, trangias are quite good for touring as the meths can be stored in a third bottle cage, plus they're very windproof and very hard to damage (getting water into the burner is probably the only thing that'll stop them).


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## Nigel182 (25 Jan 2011)

I use a Swedish Army Trangia was Dirt cheap on Ebay.....
Good for boiling water so re-heating ready meals easy as well as Super Noodles.....
Have tried Frankfurter Hod Dog Sausages but found that had to keep an eye out for Dog Walkers as their Mutts seemed very attracted to the smell.

Have found that a small amount of water in with the Meths before lighting stops the bottom of the pans from becoming to dirty.


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## bigjim (25 Jan 2011)

Yashicamat.
do you take that twin lens camera with you?


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## Gotte (25 Jan 2011)

Thanks for all the input.
I eventually went for a Clas Ohlson meths stove. It's lighter and smaller (though the frying pan/plate/lid is actually broader than the lid on the Trangia 27. The best bit is the price. £9.99 from the clas Ohlson store (though unfortunately, if you don't live near one, they don;t sell online:

http://www.clasohlson.co.uk/Product/Product.aspx?id=158410255

Here's a rundown on another forum against a trangia:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53709

My Clas Ohlsen boils water quicker than my Trangia 25, but only by about a minute.

I also made a wood gas stove, just for fun, and it works well, and while not bulky itself is perhaps too much to take with the Clas Ohlsen as well.

I did find this though, which is ideal for burning wood with either a Clas Ohlsen or a Trangia. It's the Trangia version of the clickstand and about £20.

http://www.jackson-sports.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8112

Being stainless steel, you could burn wood in it without it deforming.


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## Brommyboy (28 Jan 2011)

I prefer the Trangia but in the very distant past I used a petrol stove. The Trangia suits me very well but for those occasions when meths is unobtainable, I have just acquired a Honey Stove. This supports the meths burner and acts as a windshield but will easily convert to a wood burner, being so designed.
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product397.asp


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## bigjim (28 Jan 2011)

The adapter I bought off e-bay works well with gas stoves enabling you to use the cheaper, less than £2, cartridges, rather than the £5 screw in ones. Very stable as well as the cartridge also acts as an extra foot. You can buy them with a propane mix for colder weather.


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## peelywally (29 Jan 2011)

cafe or take away .

got a trangia but rarely take it on short trips open fire does the job of brewing a cuppa or heating a tin of curry .


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## bigjim (30 Jan 2011)

For a day out when no cafe or too expensive or just independent-
cost of stove- 0
weight of stove-25grams
time to make- 15mins
time to boil 300ml of water- 4mins
fuel- 2 small esbits
cost of fuel -14pence.


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## Paul Walters (31 Jan 2011)

Vaude Markill with piezo start. Weighs 91 grammes. Can fit the stove, fuel cartridge and teabags, coffee, dried milk, soup sachets, spork, etc into the pan and lid from my trangia. Weighs much less than the Triangia, and gets hotter quicker.

I also have a Swedish Army Trangia but it is a much heavier animal than the civvy version. It can be boiled on a fire though. Incidentally, FYI the only Trangia bit in the ensemble is the burner. Everything else is made by others.

Of all fuel types I've tried, gas is probably the most energy/cost efficient. 

Stoves I have :- Trangia 27UL, Swedish Army Trangia, Coleman Peak One, Vaude Markill, Camping Gaz Bleuet, home-made fire-box, Crusader Cookset, Hexi-burner, Kelly Kettle, and the open fire  ....... gas is best.


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## bigjim (31 Jan 2011)

I agree gas is quicker, cleaner and more efficient. However for a casual brew on a day out it is too heavy. Having to carry a possible full cartridge against a couple of esbit tabs means the homemade can stove is a winner for me.


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## Paul Walters (3 Feb 2011)

bigjim said:


> I agree gas is quicker, cleaner and more efficient. However for a casual brew on a day out it is too heavy. Having to carry a possible full cartridge against a couple of esbit tabs means the homemade can stove is a winner for me.



Ah yes, good call. I'll have to add a couple of hex's to my "fire making kit". I usually carry an enamel mug too, so it can double as a pot for boiling just the right amount of water for a brew ! Crudaser Cookset is good for that too, since it nests really well with my military water bottles. I use these as they have a nice wide mouth on them, so I can guzzle like a demon, and the dog can use the other side !!


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## bigjim (3 Feb 2011)

Paul Walters said:


> Ah yes, good call. I'll have to add a couple of hex's to my "fire making kit". I usually carry an enamel mug too, so it can double as a pot for boiling just the right amount of water for a brew ! Crudaser Cookset is good for that too, since it nests really well with my military water bottles. I use these as they have a nice wide mouth on them, so I can guzzle like a demon, and the dog can use the other side !!


I think you may struggle with the enamel mug. The pot I use is a very thin aluminium pot that I got as part of a 3 pot nest from milletts. As aluminium is a good heat conductor it boils very quckly and does not use the complete 2 tabs. I always have some left. I,ve tried enamel and s/steel mugs but they don't get to a boil before the two tabs burn out. The original hexi cooker is also very good for bringing to the boil in the same time as the can stove and it does have the advantage of being able to throw a few twigs in as well if you wish, but it is a little bit heavier than the can at about 90g.


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## MontyVeda (14 Jun 2011)

Gotte said:


> Thanks for all the input.
> *I eventually went for a Clas Ohlson meths stove*. It's lighter and smaller (though the frying pan/plate/lid is actually broader than the lid on the Trangia 27. The best bit is the price. *£9.99* from the clas Ohlson store (though unfortunately, if you don't live near one, they don;t sell online:
> 
> *http://www.clasohlso...px?id=158410255
> ...



looks like you found a bargain there...


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## Gotte (1 Jul 2011)

I did. It's a great little stove. I took it away camping recently, and it worked flawlessly. A perfect piece of equipment for me. In the world of meths stoves, I simply haven't found anything lighter or as compact, which cooks as well. I highly recommend.


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