The 'I hate Trangia cookers' thread, a thread for Trangia haters.

[Thoth]

Easy to light with a match, or 'jet-flame' type lighters, I use a spark-stick mostly though. I admit it is easier when the meths is warmish on a sunny day, or keep the sealed burner in a pocket or sleeping bag over night in winter. I like the stability and find them pretty fuel efficient compared to other stoves I've used over 30 years or so. The boil time is a turn off for some but I don't mind the wait and am usually happy to slow-down when camping, and I like the quiet burn. They are not particually light, but many bushcrafters I know are not lightweight backpackers. I would't choose to take my Trangia out on a day-walk (I'd take a Honey Stove or light weight gas stove) but like the Trangia for longer trips of 1 or 2 weeks. Horses-for-courses say I. Trangias do seem to polarise opinion though . . .

 

[Melonfish]

I'm a big fan of the trangia set, even in the freezing cold i've got it going and had a hot brew, i was still learning so it took me some time to figure why the meths wasn't lighting when its -1 but it was soon cooking porridge etc, pre heating by stuffing it in your sleeper overnight does seem to be the way forward with it.

i love the military set, and more recently tho i've switched to a honey stove the trangia burner still goes with it, this way i can continue to practice my firecraft but know i have a reliable backup should it be pouring with rain and my feeble skills can't get a fire lit, i do rely on it for my cooking and i'm confident in its ability to perform.

 

[John Fenna]

There is really only one bad mistake one can make with them is to refill while burning. I tell people to take the burner out with a bare hand before refilling, which eliminates that risk.

On expeds we had a policy of storing the fuel bottles about 10 meters away from the cooking area - the burners were carried to the fuel dump for refilling
I used this method with the Scouts as well....

 

[bikething]

Richard, Trangia fan.

Hey Rik, how come your "order of the Trangia" medal shows a bloke with a Primus stove?

 

[pauljm116]

It would appear there arent many trangia haters out there.

 

[Andy BB]

Love my Trangias - civvy, military (my value favourite), 27 with gas converter, even got a 28 (which is my least favourite one).

The most common complaint is that they don't work at low temps. Actually, they do, but need a bit more care - either keep the burner/fuel warm in your pocket, or use a pre-heater (my trick is to roll a bit of tissue paper into a tube, and place around the "ledge" on the trangia burner. Few drops of meths on it and it'll light for long enough to get the burner going properly. Once going, the windshield will keep it burning merrily from reflected heat. Works down to -20c in my experience, although I'm sure our Scandinavian friends can tell us of much lower temps!

 

[The Big Lebowski]

One small winter tip that works very well is to keep the burner and meths near to reach in a small dry-bag at bedtime...
When you start 'coming around' in the morning, chuck the bag in with you/sleeping bag to pre warm the lot. Half hour and jobs a good 'un

 

[Chiseller]

Just made a roadside brew. 3minutes for a boil. Then cooked a can of chilli ;-) from unpacking to putting away. 18 minutes, good health, I can spend that time in a que. How do you get it to simmer ?

 

[sapper1]

The trangia is the perfect stove,it comes as a complete cooking set up,has no moving parts,requires no pressure , has an easily controlled flame,is easy to clean and cannot be broken .They are fool proof but not idiot proof.Do I like them?As a piece of equipment yes,as a stove for my self ? No,it's just to big for one person.

 

[Andy BB]

Just made a roadside brew. 3minutes for a boil. Then cooked a can of chilli ;-) from unpacking to putting away. 18 minutes, good health, I can spend that time in a que. How do you get it to simmer ?

Simmer ring? The tatonka simmer ring fits the military "trangia" burner, as does the civvy simmer ring - albeit not perfectly. Or you can just cover half the burner (more or less depending on flame required ) with a tin lid/stone/piece of slate etc.

 

[rik_uk3]

Hey Rik, how come your "order of the Trangia" medal shows a bloke with a Primus stove?

Its the logo of the camp stove forum bikething. One of the forum members knocked up the 'medal'

 

[Chiseller]

Cheers mucka ,ill cobble one ;-)j

 

[dave53]

so there you are then the hotly debated trangia set don't leave home without it you've been warned lol regards dave
ps bob give it a second chance?:theyareon

 

[drewdunnrespect]

I've never owned a Trangia but I have plenty of meths stoves, I can't really see the attraction myself. There are much more efficient, lighter weight and smaller alternatives.

well said that man

 

[demographic]

Never had the big Trangias but managed just fine (apart from the time I diluted the meths too much) with my Mini Trangia (I made a wind shield that fits into the pot) in some pretty cold camping trips.
Got an Svea/Optimus 123R now but still like my Mini Trangia.
If I'm camping I can't say I'm too fussed about boil times anyway, never been one to stand over the pot with a stopwatch giving it a Fred Gassit/Paddington Stare till it boils.

 

[21st century pict]

The Mini Trangia with the wind shield rocks man. I for one would never go back to a gas Job. I love the smell of meths in the morning. ignore me iam just rambling on now.

 

[Realbark]

If I'm camping I can't say I'm too fussed about boil times anyway, never been one to stand over the pot with a stopwatch giving it a Fred Gassit/Paddington Stare till it boils.

Yup! Not bothered even its just an afternoon walk or whatever - a watched pot never boils...........

 

[demographic]

The Mini Trangia with the wind shield rocks man. I for one would never go back to a gas Job. I love the smell of meths in the morning. ignore me iam just rambling on now.

I like it, small enough to fit into a rucksack top pocket and works. Admittedly making the extra windshield helped a fair bit and I made a foil bubblewrap insulation cosy for it to keep the liquid warmer longer after its off the stove.
Then my lovely wife bought me the Svea 123R and that's all brass and makes a nice noise.
In fact sod it, I like all sorts of stoves. Apart from gas ones, can't get on with them and for some reason it feels not quite pukka to use em.

 

[Harvestman]

Never used one, never wanted one.

So, not exactly a hater, but certainly not a fanboy.

Curious. If this was an "I love Trangias" thread, those expressing negative opinions would be politely asked to keep their opinions to themselves, and post in some other thread, but it seems that if you start an "I hate Trangias" thread then it is ok to post "No, no, they're brilliant"

Not criticising, just observing.

 

[gsfgaz]

it does what it says on the tin , cant knock it ...