lighter options for Kelly Kettle?

[Gotte]

I really like the look of the kelly kettles, and am looking at putting in a Christmas request from family for one as a Chrissy present.
I'm a bit unsure about the weight/size for wild camping/cycle camping.
What are the alternatives for something that boils water in the same kind of time, but is perhaps smaller and easier to pack?

 

[Shewie]

The KKs are pretty light considering their bulk, my little 1pt hardly weighs anything but it's not the easiest thing to pack.

The MKettle is one alternative, it's had some good and poor reviews so maybe a little research is required.

Plenty of other stoves out there to choose from though, do you want a wood burner ?

 

[Gotte]

I'd ideally like a woodburner. That's the thing about the kelly kettle I really like - the fact you can just burn wood you find and don;t have to carry meths or gas. i already have a trangia, but find it too cumbersome, with all it's pans and kettles and bottle of meths.
I did look at the honey stove for it's ease and flexibility, and the fact you can cook food as well as boil water. I seem to remember you can cook on a kelly, though it needs an adaptor, which obvioulsy adds to the weight/bulk. And to me it looks a bit top heavy for cooking. I imagine my dinner would end up in the grass a lot of the time. the trouble with the Honey stove is that it doesn't look any different, in practice, than a small hobo stove. As I understand it, the benefit of a kelly kettle is the unique flask like design inside, which heat water quickly, whereas a Honey stove just boils water in the old fashioned way - that is, flame under cup/pan.

 

[Shewie]

I have the european version of this ...

http://www.bushbuddy.ca/

They come up on the forum from time to time but you have to be quick.

 

[Sniper]

If bulk and weight is a problem you could also consider a hobo set up, burns wood and is virtually bombproof and cooks as well. Another alternative suggestion is the Swedish Army kit, with it you can use the meths burner that comes with it but you can also burn twigs and wood, again compact and all fits neatly together plus you can use the billys to cook over an open fire. Just a couple of alternatives for you to consider along with the KK.

 

[Barn Owl]

If bulk and weight is a problem you could also consider a hobo set up, burns wood and is virtually bombproof and cooks as well. Another alternative suggestion is the Swedish Army kit, with it you can use the meths burner that comes with it but you can also burn twigs and wood, again compact and all fits neatly together plus you can use the billys to cook over an open fire. Just a couple of alternatives for you to consider along with the KK.

And you can utilise a meths burner or esbit blocks and greenheat gel in a hobo stove.

Kellys' are really for when you're using a car or cycle going to a particular spot and not walking far thereafter.
Sniper and I have had water boil on very little twig fuel in a hobo.

 

[badgeringtim]

variation on a theme but gillie kettles (same thing but a whistle instead of a cork) are pritty good;

From what i understand the kelly/gilly kettles are essentially the most efficient - certainly they boil very fast on vervually no fuel. However cooking on them is a bit of a myth because they boil and get so hot so quick so you either want to replace the water to prevent it over heating or cook somethign that only takes as long as the water to boil - which is a bit impractical.
However they are a little bulky and not the most resiliant thing, so walking cycling i think you would have to be careful.

Hobo's are much hardier, but in my experience so take significantly longer to boil (if you care about that - i actually dont) and can still be made very efficient.

As for cooking - for day trips just take cous cous with herb mix/fruit/driet meat mixed in and a little boiling water and 1min and you are done. very easy!

 

[treadlightly]

Backpacking light are selling a lighter version of the kelly kettle, the MK Kettle (which is the one Shewie refers to I think). It works on the same principle but only holds a pint of water and is a good deal lighter than the better-known versions. No connections with the company and I have no experience of how well it works (although I do own a larger KK)

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product526.asp?PageID=1

 

[Shewie]

Backpacking light are selling a lighter version of the kelly kettle, the MK Kettle (which is the one Shewie refers to I think). It works on the same principle but only holds a pint of water and is a good deal lighter than the better-known versions. No connections with the company and I have no experience of how well it works (although I do own a larger KK)

I think the jury is still out on the MKettle, on the grounds of not being very easy to use (tippy/crap fire pan/rubbish at pouring). Although bulkier my 1pt KK is much better IMHO.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63598&highlight=mkettle

 

[MickG]

Why not cook with the fire bowl of the KK ? after you have boiled water and enjoying a brew.
Make a raised pot rest out of wire mesh to allow room for the flame to suround the pot
only a few grams in weight and safer than perched on the top of the KK
Mick

 

[Gotte]

I didn;t actually realise you could remove the base until I had a look at one on youtube. That does seem a much better way of doing it. I wonder whether the kettle acts in the same way as a wood gas stone (don't know) - but that might make it more efficient.
I'm leaning more towards the Swiss army volcano kettle, or the Swedish trangia (though the benefits are marginal with the trangia). Or I might even have a go at making a wood gas stove. The paint tin version seems doable, and pretty much what I'm after.

 

[ged]

The Kelly/Ghillie kettles are efficient because they expose a large surface area of water to the large surface of metal which is heated by the flames. They don't burn the fuel particularly efficiently, certainly no blue flames like you should get with a decent wood gas stove. They get pretty grotty inside with soot and other gunk. Having said that, if you want to boil a lot of water quickly they're hard to beat. I take my Ghillie everywhere. Frequently I have so much boiling water that I'm trying to give it away.

 

[spiritwalker]

swiss volcano stove is a good option for solo use i reckon for the price its an amazing bit of kit im tempted to buy a second one so i can have 2 cups one for grub use and one for water

 

[Whittler Kev]

Got several stoves but still prefer my 1 pint Kelly (would prefer the bigger 2 1/2 pint one though). Boils water in the time it takes to get a decent fire going (seems like seconds) and often use it while we're getting the main camp fire set up