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.