Kit you wouldn't recommend
- Thread starter Qwerty
- Start date
I've used trangias from 2 degrees north to 74 degrees north, in everything from 44 degrees centigrade to -42 degrees centigrade (not so good in the last temps), from no wind to real gale. Never had a problem. You trangia-negative guys must suck at cooking or handling stoves.
It might not be the 'optimal' stove in all conditions, it may not be very efficient in really cold weather, but if you know how to handle it, it will always deliver (in the end). Meth doesn't stink, it's the additives, get proper alcohol and there will not be any problems with odours either.
And talking of optimal stoves, if I want to have the optimal, comfortable stuff, what the heck am I doing on this board? Get on a RV forum or something. Most people here would probably prefer a fire to a stove anyday (or I at least I hope so), and resort to using a stove when a fire isn't allowed or possible. That's my mindset at least. I see this bushcraft thing as a craft you do out there in the bush, not optimising kit. If you're worried that you cant fit cooking into a tight schedeule, you're doing it wrong...
It might not be the 'optimal' stove in all conditions, it may not be very efficient in really cold weather, but if you know how to handle it, it will always deliver (in the end). Meth doesn't stink, it's the additives, get proper alcohol and there will not be any problems with odours either.
And talking of optimal stoves, if I want to have the optimal, comfortable stuff, what the heck am I doing on this board? Get on a RV forum or something. Most people here would probably prefer a fire to a stove anyday (or I at least I hope so), and resort to using a stove when a fire isn't allowed or possible. That's my mindset at least. I see this bushcraft thing as a craft you do out there in the bush, not optimising kit. If you're worried that you cant fit cooking into a tight schedeule, you're doing it wrong...
Big Swede - I know how to use a lot of varieties of stove from gas, wood, meths to mulit fuels. I've used other meths stoves successfully for years just never had a good experience of trangias in the cold. Used can type meths stoves quite happily in the cold. Use a primer plate for them and it works nicely but never enjoyed getting the trangia to light in cold and to bloom properly. Like I said before I probably just don't know how to get the best out of that make but for me I really can't be bothered with it anyway. Too heavy and bulky. For me the optimal stove needs to be light, low in bulk, efficient and easy to use all the time, every time. Some modern style systems such as caldera cone matches this. As for the RV comment I have to say I can't fit one in my backpack. It is only 45 litres you know. Although I do think you probably do need a larger sack for trangias which is part of the way to getting an RV, certainly closer than my current small and light system that sits inside my plastic mug with the fuel bottle for an overnighter inside the burner. I do of course use a small Ti pot which is packed with a load of other kit in it so is not empty. Actually if I took the handles off the plastic mug I reckon I could fit itin the pot/mug saving some space perhaps.
Anyway, taking aside the performance I got in the cold (for UK) conditions you still have a huge block of a stove to fit into your pack that weighs a lotmore than modern alternatives even in the meths arena alone. If you are about enjoying the outdoors by moving through it with a light load like I am then it is not something that I would or could in all honesty recommend to anyone. However that is my style of being in the outdoors for my multiday trips or even overnighters and it is my opinion. If you can find any argument as to why a 50g caldera cone with at most a 20g buddy (homemade or bought with the stove) and my choice of pot which is about 90g (measured) is worse than an 1.1kg or 1.3kg or heavier trangia then pleae pursuade me. 160g compared to at the lightest 1100g!! Then the pack size comes into play. Anyone know the volume of the packed trangia??
Of course my current meths preference is the WBS packed as described above. Very light. Just need to sort out a cold weather primer system to it and it is good to go in the cold too.
Anyway, taking aside the performance I got in the cold (for UK) conditions you still have a huge block of a stove to fit into your pack that weighs a lotmore than modern alternatives even in the meths arena alone. If you are about enjoying the outdoors by moving through it with a light load like I am then it is not something that I would or could in all honesty recommend to anyone. However that is my style of being in the outdoors for my multiday trips or even overnighters and it is my opinion. If you can find any argument as to why a 50g caldera cone with at most a 20g buddy (homemade or bought with the stove) and my choice of pot which is about 90g (measured) is worse than an 1.1kg or 1.3kg or heavier trangia then pleae pursuade me. 160g compared to at the lightest 1100g!! Then the pack size comes into play. Anyone know the volume of the packed trangia??
Of course my current meths preference is the WBS packed as described above. Very light. Just need to sort out a cold weather primer system to it and it is good to go in the cold too.
Let's have it, I'll sort it for you. They can get tight, A bit of silicone grease on the O ring is good. Obviously you don't want to use a lubricant that dissolves easily in the fuel.
Those fuel bottles seem like overkill to me. Why not just use a PET drinks bottle - cheap, lightweight, available in a range of sizes, easy to open, and you get a free fizzy beverage with each purchase.
Unfortunately Ged I managed to snap a bit of it trying in vain to open it. I do however have a nice UL meths bottle that came with my AGG cookset. Nice light green transparent bottle body and a flip top screw on lid. That one hasn't leaked so far and whilst it isnt as bombproof as the trangia one it is pretty good. The flip open/closed pour spout is pretty good to get accurate fuel measures too. BTW I am not so bad as to use a syringe to measure out my meths for the stove but I do like to measure it a bit.
I have heard that the baby bio liquid plant feed bottles make a good meths carrier too.
I got a MBD wick type remote reservoir feed stove too (won it on a website) that came with a bottle. Two caops, one for storage and transport and another that takes the feed hose. All in the reservoir probably has enough capacity for an hours burn and you can get bigger bottles for it too. American UL stove. The same company or perhaps another makes an UL bush oven or whatever its called so you can actually bake too that is quite light. The Yanks like to cook properly as well as carrying less.
I have heard that the baby bio liquid plant feed bottles make a good meths carrier too.
I got a MBD wick type remote reservoir feed stove too (won it on a website) that came with a bottle. Two caops, one for storage and transport and another that takes the feed hose. All in the reservoir probably has enough capacity for an hours burn and you can get bigger bottles for it too. American UL stove. The same company or perhaps another makes an UL bush oven or whatever its called so you can actually bake too that is quite light. The Yanks like to cook properly as well as carrying less.
Land Rover...
You can shoot me now, I am a great fan of Landies, and to be honest I have not spent a lot less on maintaining on my vintage Mitsu than I did on my even more vintage Landie, however the engine in my Mitsu has never let me down. Yeah ok I always got home in the Landie but limping nonetheless.
Ok apart from that what I would not recommend is anything that claims to be waterproof, it rarely is
You can shoot me now, I am a great fan of Landies, and to be honest I have not spent a lot less on maintaining on my vintage Mitsu than I did on my even more vintage Landie, however the engine in my Mitsu has never let me down. Yeah ok I always got home in the Landie but limping nonetheless.
Ok apart from that what I would not recommend is anything that claims to be waterproof, it rarely is
Land Rover...
You can shoot me now, I am a great fan of Landies, and to be honest I have not spent a lot less on maintaining on my vintage Mitsu than I did on my even more vintage Landie, however the engine in my Mitsu has never let me down. Yeah ok I always got home in the Landie but limping nonetheless.
Ok apart from that what I would not recommend is anything that claims to be waterproof, it rarely is
I to love a nice tricked up Land rover. But for the price of a new 110 compared to a Jeep cherokee I went with the Jeep. Lot better ride on road and still has the grunt for off road and out here with some of the distances you have to drive the Jeep won hands down. Plus the new 110's aren't even made in UK anymore so they are pants. Plus I don't get my fillings shaken out of my head with the Jeep.
Now taking cover.
Nope, Trangias are for people who like to make life difficult for themselves on purpose.
What do I recommend? For altitude climbing, MSR XGK. For every other occasion when I don't have access to a real fire, either a Jetboil or a mini-gas cartridge burner.
Anyway, there's only one way to settle this (cue Harry Hill): FFFIIIGGGHHHTTTTTT!
What do I recommend? For altitude climbing, MSR XGK. For every other occasion when I don't have access to a real fire, either a Jetboil or a mini-gas cartridge burner.
Anyway, there's only one way to settle this (cue Harry Hill): FFFIIIGGGHHHTTTTTT!
I'd have to agree with you on that. I've had 4 and still have one - love 'em to bits but they've got nine tenths of sfa to recommend 'em.
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You have it wrong; Trangias are for people who like to cook.
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Civvy Trangias are the dogs wotsits. Pots, pans, burner and windshield all in one neat package, never had a problem with mine and is my stove of choice.
Swedish Army 'Trangias', on the other hand, would get my vote for this thread. Although I think I must have got a 'duff' one! No matter what I have tried, I just cannot get it to boil a pan of water on one fill of meths. However, I do know of, and have witnessed others cooking away quite merrily on theirs.
Swedish Army 'Trangias', on the other hand, would get my vote for this thread. Although I think I must have got a 'duff' one! No matter what I have tried, I just cannot get it to boil a pan of water on one fill of meths. However, I do know of, and have witnessed others cooking away quite merrily on theirs.
I don't know the answer to your "why" question but I do know how to make the trangia work well in the woods.
I have cooked with it and many other alcohol stoves many many times, in nasty cold windy weather with great results. There was a time a bunch of years back when I first started using them that made me wonder, but once you know it's all about the wind and ventilation, it's easy peasy from there. 
I love my meths stoves. Liquid fed gas or white gas type stoves my be faster but I still choose meths. With gas stoves I dislike the waste of the empty cartridges, it seems insane to me to have to scrap that much metal for the sake of hot drinks in the woods. White gas/petrol stoves are noisy, and the fuel stinks. I love the simplicity and silence of a meths stove. Besides, as far as I know it's the least polluting of all stoves. It doesn't use fossil fuels. You don't have to throw away empty cartridges. Meths is cheap and easily available. Call me an old hippy if you like but it seems odd to swear by using old fashioned canvas and so on, only to use wasteful stoves that generate scrap or rely on the polluting oil companies. Besides, with the price of fossil fuels I prefer to use fuel that can be extracted from natural materials.
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