British Forces Hexamine Cooker

[11b inf]

as the guys said above its a sturdy reliable item of kit..when ever i use my hexy/esbit cooker around my buddys i get those looks from the stove snobs and they ask "hey vince do'nt you have money to buy a real stove" i just smile at them with my hot cup of tea and ask them how much they paid for thier high speed stove and then tell them how much i paid for mine...hexy/esbit not an end all do all stove but for the price you can't beat it.. vince g. 11b inf...

 

[Sniper]

Dirty, smelly, inefficient, garbage things whose only use is lighting a fire. I loathe them with a vengence, even in my serving days I found them worse than useless and would only use it when I had no alternative. Get yourself a proper cooking system that works, something like the Swedish army trangia.

(as he ducks and shout "incoming")

 

[Big Geordie]

Stop sitting on the fence John, and tell us what you really feel

I always have some spare hexi about. Cheap and reliable. Not fast & sexy however and not shiny enough to be fashionable.

G

 

[He' s left the building]

Some good info here: http://zenstoves.net/SolidFuelBurner.htm

 

[korvin karbon]

i reckon sniper doesnt like hexi as he picked a block of hexi up thinking it was mint cake and bit into it, not that i have ever nearly done that, no sir not me, honest

 

[w00dsmoke]

I reckon hexi is mana from the gods! I've used it for the last 25 years and as long as you keep it dry it always lights, always works a treat and has saved the day many a time when I have needed a quick brew. I still use it now and again.

This was on Loch Marree on my honeymoon when we stopped for a brew on one of the islands.We usually just use the hexi and improvise a stove like here.

 

[sandbag47]

I have a contact and get mine free

funny that, so do i

 

[trail2]

I used them a lot. You got one in every 24hr Compo rat box. Just the mention of it and I can still recall the smell and acrid taste of the fumes.
I keep one in my truck just in case all through the winter.
Jon R.

 

[Mang]

Is there two types in use? I have a flimsy gold coloured one which I take as the throwaway armed forces issue one, but I brought a black one (same design) in a huge army surplus store in Pembrokshire and it's miles more robust.

We have some hobo stoves that we use with the Cubs and the burner fits inside just nicely.

 

[Nat]

B****y love em!
Yes they smell, but don't use them in an enclosed space!
Light and very portable cooker. Keep away from the black Gelert ones they're just cak.
You don't get them in 24 rat packs anymore, they come seperate which is a shame.
I've got one in the car, my responce bag and a couple spare for short hikes.

Fantastic bits of kit and nothing like firing one up after being bugged out at 3am and smelling that first brew.

 

[andybysea]

Yep another user here, like most are saying great for a quick brew,been using them for years, easy to carry.

 

[MancsMan]

I’d never seen it as a cooker with the hexi-blocks more heat and eat/brew kit, then I discovered the wonders of the red bull stove (same as the Pepsi, only smaller).

 

[ex Member swampy99]

I have one that is a back up in my bergan if I use all the meths for my SA trangia. also have Trangia burner and tatonka stove in belt kit as lighter than the hexi stove. But in the long run you cant go wrong with a hexi as it is " Squaddie proof " but once it is burning you cant put it out unless you stamp it into the mud. They do leave a sticky black mess on your mug or tins that you need a green scratchy to get off.

I am 50/50 over them even after years of using in the firm if something better or cleaner around I will use that if not then the hexi will do.

 

[stevesteve]

I love my hobo stove as there is something comforting about the sight and smell of pinecones and twigs under your billy. On the other hand they do make a fair amount of smoke.

The last time I took my son and his friend to the local woods we used the hexy stove as I don't have permission for fires (and you can argue amongst yourselves whether a stove counts as a 'fire'). Hexy is much more discrete and was plenty hot enough for beans and bacon grills all round.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[MartinK9]

I love my hobo stove as there is something comforting about the sight and smell of pinecones and twigs under your billy. On the other hand they do make a fair amount of smoke.

The last time I took my son and his friend to the local woods we used the hexy stove as I don't have permission for fires (and you can argue amongst yourselves whether a stove counts as a 'fire'). Hexy is much more discrete and was plenty hot enough for beans and bacon grills all round.

Cheers,
Steve

mmmmmmm Bacon Grill

 

[Graham_S]

I'm not a fan of them personally.
When I was in the mob we didn't use them on exercise unless forced. we used peak 1 multifuel stoves (that we could run on waste jet fuel) whenever we could as it got the brews going faster and you could get 4 rations in the tin/case/pot at the same time.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

love em there brill for what they are and use hexi to get fire going in kelly kettle when i cant be bothered to get a fire going properly drew

 

[jimford]

I love my hobo stove as there is something comforting about the sight and smell of pinecones and twigs under your billy. On the other hand they do make a fair amount of smoke.

They don't smoke if you arrange that they burn from the top downwards. See my explanation in this thread:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=523979&postcount=144

Jim

 

[jimford]

Dirty, smelly, inefficient, garbage things whose only use is lighting a fire.

Yup, I agree. I've stated on another hexamine thread that they smell like smouldering meths drinker's underpants!

Jim

 

[rancid badger]

Yup, I agree. I've stated on another hexamine thread that they smell like smouldering meths drinker's underpants!

Jim

Hmmm?.....yerrrs.....well.

You know what comes next Jim?

I've used hexi for more than 35 years,when not trying to put out my underpants

Nat: Don't tell me they've taken the BV's again?

R.B.