FREE
- Thread starter walker
- Start date
Let’s see 
I’m putting together a collection of twig stoves. I know it’s for gel but let’s take a look at everything that it might be capable of. I don’t have a crusader cup and I’m not getting one but hey - it’s flexible yeah?
One of its issues might be the way it breathes (or doesn’t). I’m working with another stove that seems congested right now. I’m learning a lot.
I’m looking forward to playing with it.
I’m putting together a collection of twig stoves. I know it’s for gel but let’s take a look at everything that it might be capable of. I don’t have a crusader cup and I’m not getting one but hey - it’s flexible yeah?
One of its issues might be the way it breathes (or doesn’t). I’m working with another stove that seems congested right now. I’m learning a lot.
I’m looking forward to playing with it.
It's like a really thick tin foil stitched together, you open it out then place what your burning eg hexi block in the bottom and your tin mug in the top
Cheers, might be a good windshield for the Swiss M71 stove. I’ve never seen one though so maybe as you said it wasn’t a winner.
I like it! But I still end up carrying my crusader as well, bcause it fits in the WB pouch and I still need the WB and the cup!
Not a Flexistove review.
The Flexistove is made to work with a fuel block or fuel gel and I don’t use those.
It is specifically designed to work with the Crusader cup and I don’t have one.
This stove was gifted to me by @walker who had modified it - see below.
IT WILL PROBABLY WORK DIFFERENTLY IF THE CORRECT FUEL AND THE DESIGNATED CUP ARE USED.
The stove is made of a black non-woven fabric backed on the inside by a thick reflective aluminium foil. It folds flat and it’s flexible enough to tuck away anywhere in your kit. If you use sticks for fuel then you’ll also need a bag/wrapper as it will get sooty.
Sorry, can’t get the pictures where I want them. Don’t ask about the numbering!!!
So:
I have experimented with it using a very limited range of options.
1. A military (125cc) Trangia alcohol burner and a Kelly Kettle (round) 500cc mug.
This worked. It took about six minutes to boil 300cc on a very yellow flame - it’s an old burner. The round cup allows for hot flu gases to flow around the cup in a way that they couldn’t do with the tailored fit of the Crusader cup
2. Using bush candles.
This worked slowly, but it did work using two candles at the same time. It was noticeable that the candles burned up brighter when the cup was removed suggesting that the stove needed more air.
3. The fastest option was just the lid of a Trangia burner, O ring removed, filled with meths and ignited.
I don’t recommend this as I now have cracks in the brass lid but any shallow tin lid such as a polish tin would do the job.
4. Sticks.
Now we had a problem and it is exactly what @walker found when he tried sticks - the stove doesn’t breathe properly. While I was working on another hobo stove I discovered that sticks need a massively greater air flow than hydrocarbon fuels in order to maintain combustion. @walker was absolutely right in his decision to cut out the bottom of the stove but it still wasn’t enough. At least a third of the stove ABOVE the fire needs to be open. Half is optimal.
Also I have learned to use the Svea M40/M44 (“Swedish Army Trangia“) windshield/support, upside down when burning sticks. Wood typically produces a long flame that needs distance to propagate heat. The Flexistove choked when used the right way up but just about worked upside down. I found it best to burn twigs rather than bits of wood to keep a bright flame.
A fried egg is hardly a test of anything as it will cook in sunlight on a warm day. 500cc of water took just over ten minutes which is OK by me. I’m never in a hurry when I’m out in the woods. I was impressed that the fabric tube would support the pan with a litre of water in it.
Is the Flexistove going to be part of my kit? No. I have a better options with more general application.
I think that this stove could work for a day tripper who just wants a brew or a pot noodle along the way. There aren’t many stoves that you can fold up and shove into your back pocket.
The Flexistove is made to work with a fuel block or fuel gel and I don’t use those.
It is specifically designed to work with the Crusader cup and I don’t have one.
This stove was gifted to me by @walker who had modified it - see below.
IT WILL PROBABLY WORK DIFFERENTLY IF THE CORRECT FUEL AND THE DESIGNATED CUP ARE USED.
The stove is made of a black non-woven fabric backed on the inside by a thick reflective aluminium foil. It folds flat and it’s flexible enough to tuck away anywhere in your kit. If you use sticks for fuel then you’ll also need a bag/wrapper as it will get sooty.
Sorry, can’t get the pictures where I want them. Don’t ask about the numbering!!!
So:
I have experimented with it using a very limited range of options.
1. A military (125cc) Trangia alcohol burner and a Kelly Kettle (round) 500cc mug.
This worked. It took about six minutes to boil 300cc on a very yellow flame - it’s an old burner. The round cup allows for hot flu gases to flow around the cup in a way that they couldn’t do with the tailored fit of the Crusader cup
2. Using bush candles.
This worked slowly, but it did work using two candles at the same time. It was noticeable that the candles burned up brighter when the cup was removed suggesting that the stove needed more air.
3. The fastest option was just the lid of a Trangia burner, O ring removed, filled with meths and ignited.
I don’t recommend this as I now have cracks in the brass lid but any shallow tin lid such as a polish tin would do the job.
4. Sticks.
Now we had a problem and it is exactly what @walker found when he tried sticks - the stove doesn’t breathe properly. While I was working on another hobo stove I discovered that sticks need a massively greater air flow than hydrocarbon fuels in order to maintain combustion. @walker was absolutely right in his decision to cut out the bottom of the stove but it still wasn’t enough. At least a third of the stove ABOVE the fire needs to be open. Half is optimal.
Also I have learned to use the Svea M40/M44 (“Swedish Army Trangia“) windshield/support, upside down when burning sticks. Wood typically produces a long flame that needs distance to propagate heat. The Flexistove choked when used the right way up but just about worked upside down. I found it best to burn twigs rather than bits of wood to keep a bright flame.
A fried egg is hardly a test of anything as it will cook in sunlight on a warm day. 500cc of water took just over ten minutes which is OK by me. I’m never in a hurry when I’m out in the woods. I was impressed that the fabric tube would support the pan with a litre of water in it.
Is the Flexistove going to be part of my kit? No. I have a better options with more general application.
I think that this stove could work for a day tripper who just wants a brew or a pot noodle along the way. There aren’t many stoves that you can fold up and shove into your back pocket.
Attachments
Last edited:
Final report.
I have not been using this stove in the manner intended.
I have not been using the fuels intended.
The stove has been modified since manufacture.
I thought it might work as an emergency stove and I was impressed that it would support a pan containing two litres of water. This is way beyond its design function.
But
I’ve only been using it since the beginning of April, probably eight times. The silver foil on the inside is beginning to flake away from the fabric.
I won’t be keeping this one.
It’s highly innovative, I wish it had worked.
I have not been using this stove in the manner intended.
I have not been using the fuels intended.
The stove has been modified since manufacture.
I thought it might work as an emergency stove and I was impressed that it would support a pan containing two litres of water. This is way beyond its design function.
But
I’ve only been using it since the beginning of April, probably eight times. The silver foil on the inside is beginning to flake away from the fabric.
I won’t be keeping this one.
It’s highly innovative, I wish it had worked.
Similar threads
