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Article: BCB: Dragon Cooking System
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I've done a lot of experimenting with firedragon fuel tabs and I've got mixed feelings about them. They are clean fuel which is great and they are incredibly easy to light.
But I've found that one tab will not bring 0.5 L to the boil, it almost gets there but not quite. This is fine when using a clean water source, I can still make a cup of tea with the red hot water. But obviously this isn't enough if collecting water in the field. The problem is, using a second tab would be a waste as the water would come to a boil fairly quickly if getting it on straight away. So cutting a third/half off a second tab is an option (the left over tabs have kept fine for a few days for me).
But one tab definitely has the calories to bring 0.5 L to the boil, it's just that it burns quite fiercely and a lot of the energy is wasted round the sides of the pan (1 L Tatonka kettle).
So my solution: I've been using a tealight candle holder (the candles slip right out of the foil outer) to focus the flame.....but a whole tab, or even a half tab will not fit in. So I've been cutting my tabs into quarters and have burned two quarters separately to consistently bring 0.5 L to a rolling boil. So I've been getting one tab to boil a total of 1L, which is really good. Using a half tab in a mince pie type foil outer hasn't managed to bring 0.5 L to a rolling boil.
Downside: It takes a significant amount of time to burn 2 quarter tabs in a small candle holder! Around 12-15mins I've found. But the efficiency of the fuel is greatly increased as it is more focused on the pan bottom.
In conclusion: If you're patient like me, you can bring two separate 0.5 L pots of water to a boil using 1 tablet, which is incredibly economical (I buy a pack of 6 for £2.50 so that's about 21p per 0.5 L.
Just a tip from a new member!
But I've found that one tab will not bring 0.5 L to the boil, it almost gets there but not quite. This is fine when using a clean water source, I can still make a cup of tea with the red hot water. But obviously this isn't enough if collecting water in the field. The problem is, using a second tab would be a waste as the water would come to a boil fairly quickly if getting it on straight away. So cutting a third/half off a second tab is an option (the left over tabs have kept fine for a few days for me).
But one tab definitely has the calories to bring 0.5 L to the boil, it's just that it burns quite fiercely and a lot of the energy is wasted round the sides of the pan (1 L Tatonka kettle).
So my solution: I've been using a tealight candle holder (the candles slip right out of the foil outer) to focus the flame.....but a whole tab, or even a half tab will not fit in. So I've been cutting my tabs into quarters and have burned two quarters separately to consistently bring 0.5 L to a rolling boil. So I've been getting one tab to boil a total of 1L, which is really good. Using a half tab in a mince pie type foil outer hasn't managed to bring 0.5 L to a rolling boil.
Downside: It takes a significant amount of time to burn 2 quarter tabs in a small candle holder! Around 12-15mins I've found. But the efficiency of the fuel is greatly increased as it is more focused on the pan bottom.
In conclusion: If you're patient like me, you can bring two separate 0.5 L pots of water to a boil using 1 tablet, which is incredibly economical (I buy a pack of 6 for £2.50 so that's about 21p per 0.5 L.
Just a tip from a new member!
Aye Up Bivvy Bagger 86 and those interested,
You just beat me to a post about the new (Hexe style) BCB cooker and Fire Dragon fuel earlier today so I've paired my review down and submitted it as a reply post to yours instead of a separate post.
Back in Feb I was involved in a few over night pickets on some privately owned woodland with pubic access in response to a KH who thought that it was a good idea to shoot a cross bow at deer in such a place. We had to cover the plot continuously and so stayed out 24/7.
Hot beverages and BIB food were the order of the day (and night) but a low cooking signature was necessary. Hexe was out on both counts. We did try out the BCB cooker and the Fire Dragon fuel and like yourself discovered that one full gel tab wouldn't bring 500 ml to the boil (anywhere near it in fact at air temps down to 5C and using locally drawn H20). Two tabs (thereby filling the BCB stove's fuel receptacle and increasing the burn area) did boil up at about 12 mins and then burned on to 16 mins but what a waste of fuel and its not an option to carry a part used tab around if you start chopping them up.
I'm ex mil and have always rated Hexe except for where the burn signature is an issue and as my offspring will be issued with the new BCB system was a bit concerned at its performance. After the picket event I purchased some of the bottled gel fuel in the hope that filling the fuel receptacle completely with it would solve both probs - no way, it actually burned out quicker than the tabs and failed to boil the H20! - how come? It is the same fuel. Theory is that the polymer stiffener in the tabs adds some calorific value. I even made a heat block mat to see if I could improve the situation but without much effect.
I have it on good authority that the fuel wasn't tested on the new cooker but on the old MK1 BCB version designed to fit under a mug and not the one to be issued.
The smell and flame signature of the Fire Dragon beats Hexe hands down but it isn't totally odourless (alcohol - think 1970s speedway bikes!) it is low odour.
Unlike Hexe it can't be easily tipped out of a stove once burning and readily snuffed out (in case yer mum or the sergeant major calls you in for yer tea) and unlike Hexe there is residue left over after a burn AND rubbish from the gel tab containers - sergeant majors are going to just love that!
IMHO as a bushcraft/camping stove its a reasonable system, tactically/mil use the gel tabs would be better if enlarged.
If you have a look at the Army Rumour Service web-site you will get a real flavour of what the military think of it.
Just goes to show what 'real world testing' will turn up eh?
By the way I have seen some using the gel in Trangia/SVEA burners - might not be a good idea considering the residue and the potential for clogging the burner up?
In the end a modified SAT eventually proved to be the best option for us.
PS well done on your endeavours and your post.
You just beat me to a post about the new (Hexe style) BCB cooker and Fire Dragon fuel earlier today so I've paired my review down and submitted it as a reply post to yours instead of a separate post.
Back in Feb I was involved in a few over night pickets on some privately owned woodland with pubic access in response to a KH who thought that it was a good idea to shoot a cross bow at deer in such a place. We had to cover the plot continuously and so stayed out 24/7.
Hot beverages and BIB food were the order of the day (and night) but a low cooking signature was necessary. Hexe was out on both counts. We did try out the BCB cooker and the Fire Dragon fuel and like yourself discovered that one full gel tab wouldn't bring 500 ml to the boil (anywhere near it in fact at air temps down to 5C and using locally drawn H20). Two tabs (thereby filling the BCB stove's fuel receptacle and increasing the burn area) did boil up at about 12 mins and then burned on to 16 mins but what a waste of fuel and its not an option to carry a part used tab around if you start chopping them up.
I'm ex mil and have always rated Hexe except for where the burn signature is an issue and as my offspring will be issued with the new BCB system was a bit concerned at its performance. After the picket event I purchased some of the bottled gel fuel in the hope that filling the fuel receptacle completely with it would solve both probs - no way, it actually burned out quicker than the tabs and failed to boil the H20! - how come? It is the same fuel. Theory is that the polymer stiffener in the tabs adds some calorific value. I even made a heat block mat to see if I could improve the situation but without much effect.
I have it on good authority that the fuel wasn't tested on the new cooker but on the old MK1 BCB version designed to fit under a mug and not the one to be issued.
The smell and flame signature of the Fire Dragon beats Hexe hands down but it isn't totally odourless (alcohol - think 1970s speedway bikes!) it is low odour.
Unlike Hexe it can't be easily tipped out of a stove once burning and readily snuffed out (in case yer mum or the sergeant major calls you in for yer tea) and unlike Hexe there is residue left over after a burn AND rubbish from the gel tab containers - sergeant majors are going to just love that!
IMHO as a bushcraft/camping stove its a reasonable system, tactically/mil use the gel tabs would be better if enlarged.
If you have a look at the Army Rumour Service web-site you will get a real flavour of what the military think of it.
Just goes to show what 'real world testing' will turn up eh?
By the way I have seen some using the gel in Trangia/SVEA burners - might not be a good idea considering the residue and the potential for clogging the burner up?
In the end a modified SAT eventually proved to be the best option for us.
PS well done on your endeavours and your post.
Jaeger, what is the Army's problem with using liquid alcohol in burners as in trangia type kit? are they worried that the squaddies will just drink it?
Its just extra weight to carry. With hexy and the new fire dragon stuff you can chuck a couple of blocks in your webbing and use the metal mug for a quick brew. With the trangia you need to carry the burner, the meths, a wind shield & the pans. Quite heavy when all you need to do is heat rat packs.
Tonyuk
Aye Up mrcharly,
Re why the British Army don't use alcohol stoves:
First of all its not (all) about squaddies drinking the (neat) alcohol, (In my day!) Brit squaddies drank beer - lots of it! (We left recovering neat alcohol from aircraft anti-freeze and boot polish to the Warsaw Pact personnel!)
Tonyuk has identified most of the issues (fight-light) but they go deeper than that.
To begin with liquid alcohol is a potentially more volatile fuel:
It can be (more) dangerous to transport in bulk (the RAF refused to transport Fire Dragon in the liquid gel form hence the (solid) gel tablet creation).
You can hold a naked flame next to a Hexe block all day and it won't ignite - try it with liquid alcohol!
Hexe blocks don't leak, 'run' downhill into you kit or rot synthetic material.
Think also of the bullet and frag issues, bulk and/or individual carriage - Hexe can ignite and will burn, liquid alcohol can explode/fireball - which would you rather have in your webbing?!
If these weren't a consideration the military would have been using butane gas/canisters for its simplicity and efficiency for decades.
There is also the tactical aspect - going back to the days of '58 pattern web equipment the PLASTIC bottle and mug plus the old Hexe cooker meant less racket in use (ally mess tins aside!). By comparison you don't need to stand too far away from a group (of Germans or Scandys - or Bushcrafters!) using SATs and Feldkochers to detect them via 'a symphony of bells'! (they would have argued that the smell of Hexe had the same effect!)
IMHO the SAT is by far the most versatile set (even when compared with the Crusader and Pathfinder sets) - especially should (logistics supplied) fuel run out, but militarily such an attribute comes at the bottom of the pile when compared to the other aspects.
I put up with the extra weight, pack items in the pots and the set within my ruck and use it with consideration re noise and have made mods that allow use in below zero temps and for 'proper' cooking (whenever required) as opposed to only water boiling for brews and BIBs (Nothing wrong with that mind).
Above all, naked flame cooker's days are numbered in the military, (lightweight) chemical heater packs will eventually take over completely for heating both food and water (and you get a nice handle-able heat source after cooking to stick in your jacket or doss bag!). Water filter/purifiers will (have done!) replace the need to heat raw H20 for consumption.
Sadly IMHO the days of Para/kero/meths/petrol/diesel/Hexe etc are numbered. Enjoy whilst you can.
Re why the British Army don't use alcohol stoves:
First of all its not (all) about squaddies drinking the (neat) alcohol, (In my day!) Brit squaddies drank beer - lots of it! (We left recovering neat alcohol from aircraft anti-freeze and boot polish to the Warsaw Pact personnel!)
Tonyuk has identified most of the issues (fight-light) but they go deeper than that.
To begin with liquid alcohol is a potentially more volatile fuel:
It can be (more) dangerous to transport in bulk (the RAF refused to transport Fire Dragon in the liquid gel form hence the (solid) gel tablet creation).
You can hold a naked flame next to a Hexe block all day and it won't ignite - try it with liquid alcohol!
Hexe blocks don't leak, 'run' downhill into you kit or rot synthetic material.
Think also of the bullet and frag issues, bulk and/or individual carriage - Hexe can ignite and will burn, liquid alcohol can explode/fireball - which would you rather have in your webbing?!
If these weren't a consideration the military would have been using butane gas/canisters for its simplicity and efficiency for decades.
There is also the tactical aspect - going back to the days of '58 pattern web equipment the PLASTIC bottle and mug plus the old Hexe cooker meant less racket in use (ally mess tins aside!). By comparison you don't need to stand too far away from a group (of Germans or Scandys - or Bushcrafters!) using SATs and Feldkochers to detect them via 'a symphony of bells'! (they would have argued that the smell of Hexe had the same effect!)
IMHO the SAT is by far the most versatile set (even when compared with the Crusader and Pathfinder sets) - especially should (logistics supplied) fuel run out, but militarily such an attribute comes at the bottom of the pile when compared to the other aspects.
I put up with the extra weight, pack items in the pots and the set within my ruck and use it with consideration re noise and have made mods that allow use in below zero temps and for 'proper' cooking (whenever required) as opposed to only water boiling for brews and BIBs (Nothing wrong with that mind).
Above all, naked flame cooker's days are numbered in the military, (lightweight) chemical heater packs will eventually take over completely for heating both food and water (and you get a nice handle-able heat source after cooking to stick in your jacket or doss bag!). Water filter/purifiers will (have done!) replace the need to heat raw H20 for consumption.
Sadly IMHO the days of Para/kero/meths/petrol/diesel/Hexe etc are numbered. Enjoy whilst you can.
I recently took delivery of the burner section of the set-up, thinking that my all-time favourite stainless steel Crusader cup would nestle snugly inside it. It doesn't. This is slightly annoying as I like the burner, which I use with a pop can meths burning stove, and I love the cup but cannot find a way of making them a viable compact cooking apparatus. Frustrating indeed!
Really?
Mine - all three of mine - are a perfect fit - but only with the cup handles on the hinge side of the burner unit...
For transporting the unit I fill the burner unit with fuel blocks/gel sachets and /or trangia burner and fold the stand down to contain them, then sit the cup/bottle/ cup combi on top. Compact, neat, efficient - in transport and for cooking. If I am not using the bottle then the cup gets packed with my brew items and is still a neatandcompact set up.
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The cup fits with the burner stand down but I was hoping for the cup to sit more deeply in the burner with the stand up - much like the old burner used to. I'm sure that I will get it to work for me; I just need to find a bag of some description that'll house the burner, cup, bottle and Heavy Cover lid - once I know I can keep them together easily, then I'll be happy.
The British patrol rations already have the chemical heaters in them - rumour has it the reason we haven't gone wholly over to them is the British Armies obsession with tea!
I am still a big fan of Hexi
1 carry use it and all disappears
2 fire to heat me heat packs can't do that fully
3 Fire to dry boots kit
4 light kit
1 carry use it and all disappears
2 fire to heat me heat packs can't do that fully
3 Fire to dry boots kit
4 light kit
After reading this and the attached article I dropped a few quid on a box of 12 Fire Dragon fuel packs and a new BCB Fire Dragon cooker. Can't wait to nip out the back and give it a try with the new cooker and my Crusader.
You can make the brews up in the heaters by putting them in the supplied bag for heating. The issue with them is you can only use them once. For a standard 24 hour pack that's 2 hot meals & brews, plus maybe a brew throughout the day. That's 3 heaters, much heavier than a hexy & blocks. No doubt we'll move away from heaxy/bcb one day. My moneys on self heating ration pouches, like the self heating cans but flexible.
Tonyuk
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