Just remember that Hexi will leave a sticky horrible residue on the base of your pans and it stinks..!
Greenheat and BCB crusader stove
- Thread starter Paulm
- Start date
If you look back in my reviews I actually had better results with Greenheat than with FireDragon.... in a Crusader cooking system at least.
Yes, saw that John, and it was what encouraged me to try the greenheat. Curious how you could get a successful boil from one sachet so quickly and in the same gear and same volume of water, whereas my attempt fizzled out after a longer time and the water was barely warmed up. Don't understand it, there was no breeze noticable. I'll give it another go today.
Cheers, Paul
Bit of an update.
Gooutdoors had some trangia burners this week and price was much the same as elsewhere at £10.80 I think, so picked that and a meths container up
Left the hexi blocks as nobody seems to like them much with the smell, smoke, residue and not being easiest to light, at least that's the impression I've picked up.
Just been having a play and used another greenheat sachet, did it indoors as there was a breeze outside and I wanted to see how it does in good conditions before worrying about windshields. It lit first time, no hassle, no warming up the sachet first, brilliant, looked good Unfortunately it burnt itself out after only eight and a half minutes and the water had some very small bubbles and a bit of steam, but still a fair way off a rolling boil (500ml again).
Based on yesterday and today I can only conclude that greenheat is rubbish, and not cheap rubbish either. I reckon it would take two sachets, at 50p each, to get a 500ml boil going and then it wouldn't last long after that. Maybe if you used a smaller mug of water for a smaller cup of coffee it would be okay, but seems a waste of money and space to me so far !
Set the trangia up in the crusader stove base, can't easily use the simmer plate while it's in there so left that off. Lit first time and left it to warm up for a minute or so (don't know if it needs that or not) and then put the crusader cup on top of the fold over crusader stove support as usual. It put the flame out Tried a few times to be sure, and the burner just sits too high in the stove and the cup base pretty much covers the top of the burner, or near enough so.
So is the crusader stove only really suited to hexi blocks after all, or am I just a muppet and doing something wrong?
Looks like I may have to investigate a honey stove or woodgas stove after all !
Cheers, Paul
Gooutdoors had some trangia burners this week and price was much the same as elsewhere at £10.80 I think, so picked that and a meths container up
Left the hexi blocks as nobody seems to like them much with the smell, smoke, residue and not being easiest to light, at least that's the impression I've picked up.
Just been having a play and used another greenheat sachet, did it indoors as there was a breeze outside and I wanted to see how it does in good conditions before worrying about windshields. It lit first time, no hassle, no warming up the sachet first, brilliant, looked good
Unfortunately it burnt itself out after only eight and a half minutes and the water had some very small bubbles and a bit of steam, but still a fair way off a rolling boil (500ml again).Based on yesterday and today I can only conclude that greenheat is rubbish, and not cheap rubbish either. I reckon it would take two sachets, at 50p each, to get a 500ml boil going and then it wouldn't last long after that. Maybe if you used a smaller mug of water for a smaller cup of coffee it would be okay, but seems a waste of money and space to me so far !
Set the trangia up in the crusader stove base, can't easily use the simmer plate while it's in there so left that off. Lit first time and left it to warm up for a minute or so (don't know if it needs that or not) and then put the crusader cup on top of the fold over crusader stove support as usual. It put the flame out
Tried a few times to be sure, and the burner just sits too high in the stove and the cup base pretty much covers the top of the burner, or near enough so.So is the crusader stove only really suited to hexi blocks after all, or am I just a muppet and doing something wrong?
Looks like I may have to investigate a honey stove or woodgas stove after all !
Cheers, Paul
So is the crusader stove only really suited to hexi blocks after all, or am I just a muppet and doing something wrong?
Cheers, Paul
That's what I find for certain -and I quite like Hexy - works well, doesn't spill, you can take as much as you need - bit sooty on the bottom of the mug - but I don't lick the bottom of my mug (or toads
). I use my Crusader stove with hexy (or a hexy stove with a crusader fitting) for brews when out and about - works great.
5 Crusader and lid on Stove by British Red, on Flickr
You can make a mini meths burner as shown above for the stove - its the only viable alternative to hexy.
widu13
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Just make your own little version of the white box stove using the new miniature sure/dove deodorant bottles, or a Monkey Boy stove (not as efficient). They're fun to make too.
I've never understood the bad press about Hexi. I used it for 8 years in the Infantry. Some of the guys bought Bluies but I just used the supplied Hexi as it was free and I found it fit for purpose. It's waterproof and lights easily. That said I'm a smoker and can light a fag in any weather so Hexi was never a problem. I still carry some as a back up to my wood burning stove.
The main downside to it is the toxic fumes meaning it's unsuitable for use in closed areas. I know from my brother the Marines didn't use it in Norway for that reason. Other than that and personal preference, it works fine.
I must confess I've only ever used Army issue Hexi so I have no experience with civilian equivalents.
The main downside to it is the toxic fumes meaning it's unsuitable for use in closed areas. I know from my brother the Marines didn't use it in Norway for that reason. Other than that and personal preference, it works fine.
I must confess I've only ever used Army issue Hexi so I have no experience with civilian equivalents.
Think I'll go back to gooutdoors (again!) tomorrow and get some hexi to try before I decide whether to keep the crusader stove or look for something else. Should have got some this morning really but thought the trangia burner was going to be the answer so didn't bother !
Cheers, Paul
Cheers, Paul
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TF-Gear-N...tingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item35bb38fb98
Remote fed gas stove with pre heater tube over the burner so you can invert the gas can in cold weather to boost performance.
Remote fed gas stove with pre heater tube over the burner so you can invert the gas can in cold weather to boost performance.
If you're heading back to GO have a look at the Hi Gear Inferno if you fancy trying a remote feed. It doesn't have a pre-heat though.
Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I think, although I don't really know why (!), that the alternative for me would be a wood burning stove with the option of meths when needed if dry material wasn't available or I couldn't be bothered.
Want to move away from gas really for the times when I'm not tent/car camping. No particular rationale, just feels like the direction I want to go.
I went for the crusader stove on cost grounds really, thinking it would do the job and be easy to pack without taking up much space, and didn't really want to spent forty odd quid on the honey stove or fifty odd quid on the wood gas stove, plus trangia backup, but I've now already got the trangia although it doesn't work with the crusader, d'oh !
I'll try the hexi with the crusader and see if it works well enough for the trip this month, which I suspect it will do, and then I may think about an alternative later that is more fun and can take natural fuel when available
Thanks again, will let you know how I get on tomorrow with the hexi !
Cheers, Paul
Want to move away from gas really for the times when I'm not tent/car camping. No particular rationale, just feels like the direction I want to go.
I went for the crusader stove on cost grounds really, thinking it would do the job and be easy to pack without taking up much space, and didn't really want to spent forty odd quid on the honey stove or fifty odd quid on the wood gas stove, plus trangia backup, but I've now already got the trangia although it doesn't work with the crusader, d'oh !
I'll try the hexi with the crusader and see if it works well enough for the trip this month, which I suspect it will do, and then I may think about an alternative later that is more fun and can take natural fuel when available
Thanks again, will let you know how I get on tomorrow with the hexi !
Cheers, Paul
In that case I highly recommend a Bushbuddy Ultra paired with one of Zelphs Fancee Feest stoves
99% of my cooking has been done using hexi for the last 30 years and since I never use a tent never have a problem. In fact its always my first choice.
widu13
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I wish I had seen about the trangia before you got it. I knew that a trangia doesn't fit, I think the mention of a meths burner was a bit misleading for those not in the know, as most people would automatically assume that meths burner= Trangia (or clone) when in fact there are 100s of designs and at least dozens that WILL fit the crusader stove.
I really like my crusader kit but it's heavy, so I've gone to a Ti mug and meths burner (and an anodised cookset for larger meals) as I tend to one pot cook. The crusader is good for that as a compact unit but only when using meths or hexi IMO.
I really like my crusader kit but it's heavy, so I've gone to a Ti mug and meths burner (and an anodised cookset for larger meals) as I tend to one pot cook. The crusader is good for that as a compact unit but only when using meths or hexi IMO.
Paul, I could send you a version of a Monkey Boys stove if you want? I have loads of surplus bit's and bobs to make one up but would need the size of the Crusader hole?
Steve.
Steve.
The trangia can be used in the Crusader base very effectively if one of these are added http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/bushcraft/RE104.html
The Monkeyboy stoves are very effective too. Small vaseline lip balm tins size fits really well - or any other similar sized tin.
Solo Trekka stove ( see thread on here and also http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5bev2C4xM) works very well wit the Crusader mug without using the base
The Monkeyboy stoves are very effective too. Small vaseline lip balm tins size fits really well - or any other similar sized tin.
Solo Trekka stove ( see thread on here and also http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5bev2C4xM) works very well wit the Crusader mug without using the base
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Monkey-Boy-Meths-Burner-For-The-Crusader-Cooker
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83703 have a look at this first as it's free to make and perfect for the Bcb, very clean to use and will perform better the more you use it.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83703 have a look at this first as it's free to make and perfect for the Bcb, very clean to use and will perform better the more you use it.
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