Stove guidance / recomendation please

[Krolus]

Hi guys

Id like to start building a day / weekender kit up and would like some feedback on stoves.

I have used a hexamine stove when in the cadets and found them quite messy and smelly. The good side is they are quite cheap and small

During my fishing trips I used a canister type cooker and although they got the job done I never have felt comfortable with half used cannisters hanging around. If I went down this route I would probally go with a jetboil

I am drawn towards a cooking system rather than a stove and have looked closely at both the Swedish trangia cookset and the Crusader system.

The Swedish set does look bomb proof and looks ideal for a fixed camp but its rather bulky and not the kind of thing for a quick brew up on the trail

The Crusader cup on the other hand does seem ideal for a quick brew but doesnt look big enough to actually cook alot on, what size is the cup 500ml? If you are reheating an MRE packet it looks kind of tight.

What I would like is some feedback from people who have actually used these cookers.

I am quite clumsy and I think I would break a jetboil or be caught out in crap weather with an empty canister, at least with a trangia or a crusader I will be able to tell how much meths / fire snot / hexy I have, I have never been any good at gauging canister levels.

I am of a mind that neither are 100% perfect for my needs so some guidance would be great before I waste money on the wrong product

Thanks fellas

 

[Crafty]

I have been on many gruelling expeditions with a jetboil and it has been very reliable, the only problem is the ignitor which doesn't work if soaking wet and you need to always make sure you store the burner inside the jetboil can or the ignitor will break.
Though if you always rememeber to store the burner inside the can, and if you are able to light a trangia in the rain and storm - then you can light a jetboil in the rain without the ignitor and it will stay alight whilst cooking it faster than any other cooker.

So, I'll say - if you want "luxury" with the risk of carrying methylated spirits; stay with a Trangia but if you want reliability and significantly reduced cooking time - go with the Jetboil.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

HThe Swedish set does look bomb proof and looks ideal for a fixed camp but its rather bulky and not the kind of thing for a quick brew up on the trail

The swedish military trangia can cook almost any meal as it has two pots, which can be cooking at the same time. It also works in any weather, unlike gas. I like to cook food whilst the lid is on top for a cuppa. You can also put it directly on a fire.

I use it out of summer season for this reason.

Nick

 

[sapper1]

Trangia every time.Yes they are slower than any pressure stove but how much of a rush are you in?
Yes meths can be a fire hazard so can gas and petrol.
You get two pots and a fying pan and a kettle if you want,compare this to any other stove and then add in your pots and pan and kettle.

 

[BIG_emu]

If you go down the jetboil route it is a fantastic stove, it boils really fast packinto it's self without rattling fits perfectly into a green exped drybag. however the pot stand and stabaliser is a must or else its a wobbly top heavy contraption that you will stuggle to cook much else than boil in the bags and anything that just need boiling water. with the add ons you can cook pretty much anything but you will need an extra mess tin and you will loose efficency.

also a good mod is to tye the lid to the neoprene case using 2 alpkit tiny carabiner (or similar) and a small piece of paracord (not too long or it will melt or get in the way) that way you won't loose it and it's still easy to detach to use with the cup.

another thing that really gets on my nerves is why don't they make it nonstick (then you could cook in it without pasta/rice/etc burning and stucking to thre bottom as much)

Ben

oh and carve yourself a long handled spoon or cheat and get a lhoon (from alpkit again) for eating out of it.

I'm not in connection with alpkit or jetboil or anything else I have mentioned in this post it's just what I use or have based ideas on.

Ben

 

[gsfgaz]

the crusader set up is the same, u can put the cup rite on the fire , and u can cook alot of food on the the burner aswell.. good peice of kit m8..

 

[Sniper]

Another vote for the Trangia, but I would opt for the Army version rather than the civvy one, completely bombproof and 100% reliable, 100% of the time no quibbles.
Just my tuppence worth.

 

[big_swede]

I would choose the civvy trangia over the military version any day. If I plan to cook over open fire I would use some kind of billy can and a steel frying pan. Cooking should be fun and enjoyable, which it really isn't with a military trangia.

 

[johnboy]

I am quite clumsy and I think I would break a jetboil or be caught out in crap weather with an empty canister, at least with a trangia or a crusader I will be able to tell how much meths / fire snot / hexy I have, I have never been any good at gauging canister levels.

Hi,

What are you going to be using the stove for and where are you going to be using it?

If you want to cook a variety of differing foods in differing manners then a Jetboil PCS is not going to do that. Likewise if you're going to be out in the field for weeks on end then you probably need to think beyond Meths or Gas Canisters.

I use a Jet Boil PCS a lot and it's great for boiling water for noodles or dehydrated food / hot drinks. Or warming up food in retort pouches ( boil in the bag) It cannot fry bacon etc.

It doesn't need to be particularly molly coddled its pretty tough and you can get a service kit to replace the Piezo if it breaks or use a lighter or good old match. The answer to the gas canister issue is to carry a spare. I use the older style 230 gram canisters which last for ages you could easily carry a 100 gram as a back up. The Jet Boil PCS is pretty fuel efficent with the heat exhanger on the bottom of the cup and if you keep it out of the wind and only boil the water you need rather than filling the cup it's very quick to Boil and miserly on gas.

I would think it's a good choice for UK style bushcraft. Ie in a low level woodland, not miles from civilization, trip duration typically 2-3 days.

I have several meths stoves and I like them a lot however you do have to carry a lot of fuel for a given heat output so I don't use them on extended trips ( 3 days and over) but I used to use a regular Trangia in the UK a lot it's a very good stove and a lot more versatile than a Jet Boil in what and how you can cook.


Cheers

John

 

[spamel]

Go for a Trangia, upgrade for winter with an Optimus Nova+. I have both, haven't cobbled them together yet but I have been told numerous times by Rik, the resident stove expert, that it is the best winter combination there is. If I was to choose between them though, I'd opt for the Trangia with the Trangia Billy any time, it doesn't get that cold in UK during the winter and there aren't so many mountains around me!

 

[Crafty]

Trangia every time.Yes they are slower than any pressure stove but how much of a rush are you in?
Yes meths can be a fire hazard so can gas and petrol.
You get two pots and a fying pan and a kettle if you want,compare this to any other stove and then add in your pots and pan and kettle.

My most concern was the fact meths is a liquid you have to pour (not so much it's a fire hazard) and therefore having a lid which means it has a very large risk of leaking all over your kit and damaging it.
Gas canisters are obviously sealed and don't generally leak, but as I was saying the Army Trangia is fantastic if your not in any rush or really bad weather but the Jetboil generally doesn't go out in bad weather due to it's unique design in the burner and it cooks faster.
Of course; I'm talking from an expedition/long trip point-of-view as that's what I mainly do but if I wanted to just go down for a short trip and I wasn't too worried about things then I would take a Trangia because of the variety of food you can cook on it. Then again most of the time I just start a fire.

 

[spamel]

The Trangia fuel bottles are the best you can get for carrying and dispensing fuel safely. It's well worth the outlay and if you are after a few bits for your trangia set, I found mapandcompass the cheapest online as they don't charge for UK postage on orders over 12 quid.

 

[big_swede]

My most concern was the fact meths is a liquid you have to pour (not so much it's a fire hazard) and therefore having a lid which means it has a very large risk of leaking all over your kit and damaging it.
Gas canisters are obviously sealed and don't generally leak, but as I was saying the Army Trangia is fantastic if your not in any rush or really bad weather but the Jetboil generally doesn't go out in bad weather due to it's unique design in the burner and it cooks faster.
Of course; I'm talking from an expedition/long trip point-of-view as that's what I mainly do but if I wanted to just go down for a short trip and I wasn't too worried about things then I would take a Trangia because of the variety of food you can cook on it. Then again most of the time I just start a fire.

The trangias have been the standard stove system here in sweden since the early '50s. Very few people have had their trips ruined by leaking meths or bad burns. It does happens though (usually to careless and/or drunk people).

That said, the old forest tv (open fire) has been around for a bit longer..

 

[Crafty]

That said, the old forest tv (open fire) has been around for a bit longer..

Nice way to put it, I have always thought of it a bit like that but never could get it out my mouth - I guess that's why people call me special.

 

[johnboy]

Very few people have had their trips ruined by leaking meths or bad burns. It does happens though (usually to careless and/or drunk people).

I am quite clumsy

Would you still reccomend a Trangia??

 

[smoggy]

you can cook with a kelly kettle, but not the most versitile....and a hobo stove can be as basic or elaborate as you wish......the advantage with these two options is you don't need to take fuel with you, provided you are heading to somewhere that fuel (twiggs,grass,dry leaves etc) is available......which saves a bit of weight if you are walking or cycling..........
I happilly use either or both for a long weekend, and if you're just putting a kit together a quick hobo can be knocked up from a used can....a cheap starter stove.

As has been said, it depends on how, when and where you will be using it.....and personal preference.

Smoggy

 

[Crafty]

you can cook with a kelly kettle, but not the most versitile....and a hobo stove can be as basic or elaborate as you wish......the advantage with these two options is you don't need to take fuel with you, provided you are heading to somewhere that fuel (twiggs,grass,dry leaves etc) is available......which saves a bit of weight if you are walking or cycling..........
I happilly use either or both for a long weekend, and if you're just putting a kit together a quick hobo can be knocked up from a used can....a cheap starter stove.

As has been said, it depends on how, when and where you will be using it.....and personal preference.

Smoggy

Here's a hobo stove I quickly knocked up with a baked bean can, it burns twigs quite well and it may inspire you to go down the wood stove route:
Click here
I have tidied my garden since then btw.

or you may wish to purchase a commercially avalible stove, and experiment with combinations:
Click here

....it's really personal preference at the end of the day, and testing what is best for you - we can only make suggestions.

 

[Prodigal Son]

Primus 71 petrol stove for me.

I know they are heavy (by comparison to trangias), use petrol which is highly volotile, and sounds like a helicopter taking off.

But it's at least 40 odd years old and works as well now as ever, you know how much fuel you have, fuel available just about everywhere, adjustable heat.

Andy

 

[FGYT]

as said earlier it depends what you want to do
a jet boil is really only designed to boil water but you can get away with a little reheating etc (queue the guy who does a full roast in one )

I would consider a multi use system ie a Honey stove which is a Wood burner but can be set up to take a Trangia burner ( i assume you cna pop in a a trangia gas conversion kit as well) home made pop can stove (which is more effecnt than a trangia burner ) or hexi block so covering many fuels it has a good base and top size for stability and pot size even crusader fits.
obviously the honey stove isnt a complete package as you need to get teh extra burners etc and Pots n pans but on wood i can fire up my combat wok for stirfry or even Chips

just need another group buy as i bought one in the last buy but it was for a mate :aargh4:

ATB

Duncan

 

[drewdunnrespect]

kelly kettle all the way and or swedish army trangia it is bomb proof.
the kelly kettle is mint at boiling water the best in fact, and cooking yes its good but there admitedly is better. so i agree with smoggy why not use the kelly and the trangia