The 'I hate Trangia cookers' thread, a thread for Trangia haters.
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I quite enjoy sitting quietly without the roar of some turbo jet powered cooker 
. I'm not really into this ultralight, uber quick, route march style of getting out and about. I like a gentle stroll through the world enjoying the things around me.
. I'm not really into this ultralight, uber quick, route march style of getting out and about. I like a gentle stroll through the world enjoying the things around me.
I hear what you are all saying ... but I have never had an issue with Trangias.
I have used them over several decades, personal use, group use, expedition use in snow, in deserts, trekking, canoeing, family camping and still use a Trangia Triangle and burner as my Bushcraft back-up stove.
I find them solid, reliable and pretty much fool-proof.
The only "incident" I had with them in any real way was when one of a group I was herding tried to drink the fuel....
I have used them over several decades, personal use, group use, expedition use in snow, in deserts, trekking, canoeing, family camping and still use a Trangia Triangle and burner as my Bushcraft back-up stove.
I find them solid, reliable and pretty much fool-proof.
The only "incident" I had with them in any real way was when one of a group I was herding tried to drink the fuel....
I quite enjoy sitting quietly without the roar of some turbo jet powered cooker
Made me think of the episode of Frasier when they were talking about trips out with Dad and Niles remarked that he "was 14 yrs old before he realised cows aren't blurred"
At brew time when out the chance to kick back and enjoy what is around or the chatter with like minded folk takes precedence over speed of brew and most times slow cooked food is far tastier than its fast version, which is why we often cook on a fire box when away in the camper that has an oven and three gas rings.
The Trangia cookset in it's various types (or copies) have withstood the test of time because it is a practical solution, worldwide, to getting some hot scoff or a brew.
Rob
I love em, quiet, simple, failproof, light, windshield, environmental, one thing wrong is that they do not do small pots well, the flames too big and the burner if your not cooking a lot, when you put em out the fuel has a terrible tendancy to evapourate. I think a smaller one is needed.
I've given up on alcohol stoves in general. I am a complete convert to a gasifer stove, using almost exclusively my solo stove. With a handful of sticks, I can boil water. No worries about fuel. The only other stove I possess is a Svea 123R, which is used canoe tripping and car camping. It is heavy, but idiot proof.
I have used my solo stove in all kinds of weather, and never had an issue with wet sticks. I use a fire stick (coughlins) to start it, then add small twigs, followed by larger twigs, feathered if they are wet. Once it gets going though, it will burn wet sticks without issues. I've even used wet pinecones. Come to think of it, I may go out this week and demo using it, as its supposed to pour. I have no idea what the boil time is, other than its a handful of sticks. I really enjoy using fire to boil with-its a bit more primitive, it feels.
I guess I have a project now, and will video my use in the rain this week!
I have used my solo stove in all kinds of weather, and never had an issue with wet sticks. I use a fire stick (coughlins) to start it, then add small twigs, followed by larger twigs, feathered if they are wet. Once it gets going though, it will burn wet sticks without issues. I've even used wet pinecones. Come to think of it, I may go out this week and demo using it, as its supposed to pour. I have no idea what the boil time is, other than its a handful of sticks. I really enjoy using fire to boil with-its a bit more primitive, it feels.
I guess I have a project now, and will video my use in the rain this week!
I am more of a "swedish army" than "trangias" but there is not a huge difference. Never gone hungry using one!! Waiting 5 mins for a cup of tea is quality chilling time. Sorry gents but they just work, first time every time
Another non-hater.
It's clumsy, slow, uses too much fuel, the smell of which I strongly dislike. It's a pain to light with a lighter, and I accidentally put the lid on to extinguish it, in the dark, instead of the baffle. Boy did that stink when the rubber seal caught fire....
If not packed up properly, it rattles in the pack, and that really annoys me.
It's indestructible, it always works, even if it needs a rock on top, to stop the wind blowing it away, and the burners are cheap, and last well.
Mine cost £30, over 20 years ago.
The same one now is over £60. I think I would hesitate at that price.
I love the thing. Never get rid of it.
It's clumsy, slow, uses too much fuel, the smell of which I strongly dislike. It's a pain to light with a lighter, and I accidentally put the lid on to extinguish it, in the dark, instead of the baffle. Boy did that stink when the rubber seal caught fire....
If not packed up properly, it rattles in the pack, and that really annoys me.
It's indestructible, it always works, even if it needs a rock on top, to stop the wind blowing it away, and the burners are cheap, and last well.
Mine cost £30, over 20 years ago.
The same one now is over £60. I think I would hesitate at that price.
I love the thing. Never get rid of it.
Trangias were an integral part of my early outdoor experiences. Having the whole pan and cooker + windshield idea in one, relatively compact and relatively light package made trips to the wilds doable and worthwhile.
There are, of course, pros and cons to every cooking system, Trangias included, but I maintain a great fondness for the idea, if not the full kit: I now use a burner, an Evernew, with the minimalistic Trangia ring and three sheets of malleable steel (I've forgotten the name) and a separate pot. It works well and is light, quiet and flexible. It is not the only system I use as there are times when pressure stoves and gas cartage ones are just that bit easier to use and the fuel easier to come by.
Trangias - they're good with nothing really to dislike.
There are, of course, pros and cons to every cooking system, Trangias included, but I maintain a great fondness for the idea, if not the full kit: I now use a burner, an Evernew, with the minimalistic Trangia ring and three sheets of malleable steel (I've forgotten the name) and a separate pot. It works well and is light, quiet and flexible. It is not the only system I use as there are times when pressure stoves and gas cartage ones are just that bit easier to use and the fuel easier to come by.
Trangias - they're good with nothing really to dislike.
I've had a Coleman stove - which I generally ran on unleaded - which killed it - the only stove which ever let me down when I was an a multi-day trip!
I've also got an MSR Whisperlite Internationale - which I also ran on unleaded with zero problems. It now runs on Aspen, which I recommend - you can prime with it without making a sooty mess of the stove, and if it does get spilled it doesn't leave that incredibly tenacious lingering odour that unleaded does. The thing will burn water! Seriously hard to get a decent simmer from it, although it can be done. Noisy to use, and faffy to light, especially in a strong wind, even with the windshield. Far from idiot proof, and it's always amusing to watch people who are unfamiliar with them trying to light them.
I've also got both the 25 and 27 Trangias - which I used on meths for years. One is 40 years old now. I converted both to gas a couple of years ago and the 25 is my "go to" stove set for virtually everything I do these days. Much of that is kayaking, so space and weight is less of a problem than it would be were I into lightweight backpacking I guess. The gas is efficient, controllable and the only downside for me is that with the MSR I can start every trip with a full fuel bottle whereas with the Trangia I have to sometimes take a spare cylinder.
Lighting a meths burner is dead easy if you fill the recess on the outside of the burner ring with some fuel and light that with a lighter or a match. No need to be dropping dead matches into the thing. For me, I do find meths is slow - I had one occasion where everyone else had finished the lunch stop and I still hadn't got the kettle boiled! A meths burner is also sooty.
A friend uses a JetBoil which is very good indeed - however, I take a flask and I had my Cup-a-Soup before she had even got the JB set up. And of course she still has to have another cooker anyway. Those instant / add hot water meals just don't do it for me. I like to do some "cooking" even it it's sometimes just really simple cooking.
So, definitely a Trangia fan - hassle free, totally reliable and easy to use and control.
I've also got an MSR Whisperlite Internationale - which I also ran on unleaded with zero problems. It now runs on Aspen, which I recommend - you can prime with it without making a sooty mess of the stove, and if it does get spilled it doesn't leave that incredibly tenacious lingering odour that unleaded does. The thing will burn water! Seriously hard to get a decent simmer from it, although it can be done. Noisy to use, and faffy to light, especially in a strong wind, even with the windshield. Far from idiot proof, and it's always amusing to watch people who are unfamiliar with them trying to light them.
I've also got both the 25 and 27 Trangias - which I used on meths for years. One is 40 years old now. I converted both to gas a couple of years ago and the 25 is my "go to" stove set for virtually everything I do these days. Much of that is kayaking, so space and weight is less of a problem than it would be were I into lightweight backpacking I guess. The gas is efficient, controllable and the only downside for me is that with the MSR I can start every trip with a full fuel bottle whereas with the Trangia I have to sometimes take a spare cylinder.
Lighting a meths burner is dead easy if you fill the recess on the outside of the burner ring with some fuel and light that with a lighter or a match. No need to be dropping dead matches into the thing. For me, I do find meths is slow - I had one occasion where everyone else had finished the lunch stop and I still hadn't got the kettle boiled! A meths burner is also sooty.
A friend uses a JetBoil which is very good indeed - however, I take a flask and I had my Cup-a-Soup before she had even got the JB set up. And of course she still has to have another cooker anyway. Those instant / add hot water meals just don't do it for me. I like to do some "cooking" even it it's sometimes just really simple cooking.
So, definitely a Trangia fan - hassle free, totally reliable and easy to use and control.
What's all this trangia love? Bloody typical! someone starts a thread about how bad trangias are and how much they hate them only for it to be hijacked into a trangia love in!! Well I am about to put my boot into trangia for a while to get it back on track.
First real experience of a trangia was on a uni trip where i used a trangia 27 kit from the uni outdoors group. It was a cold -7C but that's not beyond a trangia right? Well i burned meths load after meths load, filling it up many times (after allowing it to cool a bit) without getting beyond a couple of bubbles appearing on th bottom of the pan. I gave up after 1 hour 45 minutes into the repeated meths burn session. It just did not get the water hot enough for any possible use let alone to cook some pasta.
Then it is always heavy, bulky and overpriced. I once looked into getting the mini trangia. Saw the price and went for a £10 clone from tresspass or higear or similar. A mate compared it to his mini trangia and actually said it was better made! So not just is it expensive and heavy and bulky but it is not even the best trangia out there!!!! Then after many years, in which I had learnt to love meths again through my caldera cone, white box stove and vargo Ti burner triad, I got involved with my current partner. She has a trangia 25 which got used in many countries around Europe (east and west) and South America. Of course she has switched to gas which she prefers so much more because it is so much easier to use. Plus her trangia is so badly made the rolled edge is not fully rolled leaving a very sharp edge that cuts flesh so easily that I would have taken it back myself.
Now don't get me wrong I do not have a problem with meths as a fuel source, I own and use many different meths stoves over the years quite happily. My problem is that trangia has several flaws from poor quality, bulk, weight right the way through to the fact the burner is too heavy with a thermal mass (think that is the term) that means it soaks heat away from the burning meths at a higher rate than lighter burners say homemade can burners or even evernew Ti version of the sort of trangia burner shape. I think that was something to do with why I got nowhere at about -7C after well over an hour of burning meths.
Now put a gas conversion kit in and it might be ok for certain uses. I believe a cheap go-gas remote can stove with the legs taken off it is actually similar to the official trangia conversion kit and costs a hell of a lot less. Little tip to those who like trangia idea but prefer gas.
First real experience of a trangia was on a uni trip where i used a trangia 27 kit from the uni outdoors group. It was a cold -7C but that's not beyond a trangia right? Well i burned meths load after meths load, filling it up many times (after allowing it to cool a bit) without getting beyond a couple of bubbles appearing on th bottom of the pan. I gave up after 1 hour 45 minutes into the repeated meths burn session. It just did not get the water hot enough for any possible use let alone to cook some pasta.
Then it is always heavy, bulky and overpriced. I once looked into getting the mini trangia. Saw the price and went for a £10 clone from tresspass or higear or similar. A mate compared it to his mini trangia and actually said it was better made! So not just is it expensive and heavy and bulky but it is not even the best trangia out there!!!! Then after many years, in which I had learnt to love meths again through my caldera cone, white box stove and vargo Ti burner triad, I got involved with my current partner. She has a trangia 25 which got used in many countries around Europe (east and west) and South America. Of course she has switched to gas which she prefers so much more because it is so much easier to use. Plus her trangia is so badly made the rolled edge is not fully rolled leaving a very sharp edge that cuts flesh so easily that I would have taken it back myself.
Now don't get me wrong I do not have a problem with meths as a fuel source, I own and use many different meths stoves over the years quite happily. My problem is that trangia has several flaws from poor quality, bulk, weight right the way through to the fact the burner is too heavy with a thermal mass (think that is the term) that means it soaks heat away from the burning meths at a higher rate than lighter burners say homemade can burners or even evernew Ti version of the sort of trangia burner shape. I think that was something to do with why I got nowhere at about -7C after well over an hour of burning meths.
Now put a gas conversion kit in and it might be ok for certain uses. I believe a cheap go-gas remote can stove with the legs taken off it is actually similar to the official trangia conversion kit and costs a hell of a lot less. Little tip to those who like trangia idea but prefer gas.
I can't understand why people think trangias are hard to light and take a long time to bloom. I use a piece of 8mm fibreglass wick, dip it into the meths, light it and then use it to light the stove. The wick will carry on burning for a while and i put this under the stove to act as a preheater and i don't have any problems.
+ 1 for trangias.
+ 1 for trangias.
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