View Full Version : Stoves
Hi folks,
Despite having had a very successful weekend cooking on a real fire with Womble in the New Forest, what do people reckon is the best stove to carry?
And why?
cheers,
Jakunen.
<keeps stumn, and looks on with interest>
I use an MSR whisperlite 600 for camping with the family. Or hexy for just myself.
Great Pebble
28-04-2004, 13:51
Trangia 27 generally, hexy for short/light trips, burner no.2 Mk.2 if the wagon is handy.
SquirrelBoy
28-04-2004, 13:57
I use a MSR Rapidfire - very similar to the Whisperlite but is only able to burn gas :-(
Would really like to get the Primus Omnifuel as it can burn any fuel, its quick and easy to judge how much fuel to take - bit pricey though.
One thing I dont like about gas is its hard to tell how much you have left - I normally end up carrying a few cans of it, just in case :roll:
trangia stove or home made halcon stove's.
been on a low budget its a colemans sportser stove. very fast at cooking but a little heavy. hexy for little day trips
C_Claycomb
28-04-2004, 16:19
Pepsi Cans Rule!!!
Sorry, just had to say it :wink:
Being new to the idea of a stove, I too am interested in what people use.
Wouldn't have thought a drinks can wuld be much good.
The embers that Womble and I were cooking on would have melted so thin a metal.
i use a whisperlite internatoinale for myself or a coleman alpine if there is more than just me a mini bbq :-D
C_Claycomb
28-04-2004, 16:53
You don't cook IN the Pepsi can, you cook ON it :-D
Take three cans and make a meths stove.
I use a hexi for day walks, coleman duel fuel for longer stays, coleman double burner petrol stove if using a base camp and can get the vehical there, and I just got hold of a Swedish army meths cook set that I shall be trying out this weekend as well as using the alter fires.
As you can guess I like my food.
the swedish army trangia set is probably the ultimate bushcrafty stove. especially if you find a s/steel version. ideal for open fires and a pot crane, but still conventionl enough for those lowland commercial campsites when you come down out of the hills for a shower 8-) having said that, i usually use a homemade trangia/multifuel kit which offsets the cost of my Ti mug! 8-)
cheers, and.
Womble /Jakunen.
Where did you guys camp in the New Forest? i fancy an outing there myself this weekend. Might bit alittle crowded being a bank holiday weekend though.
Oh i use kelly kettle with the accessories , or MSR Whisperlite. i generally carry titanium markill gas stove for quick brews inside my mug when i don't fancy the bulk of the kelly
Treebeard
28-04-2004, 20:20
I used a Swedish Army Stove for the first time over the weekend. Great bit of kit!
I also tend to switch between hex, trangia and a coleman butane catridge jobby.
Has any one tried the variation on the stick tin can stove shown in Ray Mears' Bushcraft book, the one pictured with the wok, using charcoal as fuel?
My one attempt last year failed miserably; seemed to take for ever to get charcoal lit :roll:
Trangia is bombproof but very heavy and meths has less than 60% of the energy per unit weight than gas - so for a longer trip, meths is too heavy compared to petrol or gas - it's stable so the kids can learn on it though.
Coleman Peak 1 is v heavy but powerful and uses easy to get petrol - it has been good when travelling abroad (I don't have any reliability problems with the peak1).
Latest acquisitions are all gas : MSR pocket rocket and optimus crux are both tiny, effective, light (100gram stove plus 100gram gas cartridge for a day trip) they don't work well in the cold though.
The primus himalaya gas stove with preheater has phenomenal output and a preheat coil which means in the cold, you can just hold the cartridge upside down and let liguid gas flow to the burner where it vaporises and gives full output. It's heavier than the other two but very effective.
Cheers
I pick and choose according to the job - if four of us are out together, we'll usually take 2 stoves so people don't have so long to wait.
ps - on managing gas
One small 100g cartridge is more than enough for two people for a day, so there's rarely a need to carry more than one of these as backup in case a big 225g cartridge runs out.
One to one and a half 225 g cartridges of isobutane fuel is said to be enough for two people for a week. By getting an idea of how many pints of water your stove will give from each size of cartridge, and even weighing part / empty cans, you can make better estimates and minimise the number of cartridges you carry.
the primus website has some info on this www.primus.se I think.
Cheers
i carry a msr pocket rocket on day trips, got a coleman alpine, better for windy days, also got a msr whisperlite 600 int. never had reason to use that so far. pocket rocket does me fine most of the time. its less weight to carry my small pot, stove and 100 canister of gas than my thermos. gives me more flexibility as well.
I would recommend the Swedish army mess set - as an all in one kit its excellent - no breakable parts, good in the cold and the fuels cheap. Plus if your using a camp fire as well you can use the pots here too.
For longer base camp operations go for a coleman stove that will burn unleaded fuel (the same as your vehicle) that way you never run out of fuel. Plus with a stove like that you can cook faster and excercise more control.
Gas stoves are light and quick but it depends on where your operating - in cold climates gas suffers alot. In remote areas if the gas runs out can you replace it?
To my mind cost of fuel and availability is more important than anything else the finest, lightest stove in the world is no good it the fuel costs a fortune and can only be bought from Millets.
Very pertinent!
I knew someone who baught a gas stove, went to France, ran out of fuel and had to buy a new stove as he couldn't get the right gas cartridge.
At the time I laughed until I thought, 'Hmm I was going to buy one of those...'
Womble /Jakunen.
Where did you guys camp in the New Forest? i fancy an outing there myself this weekend. Might bit alittle crowded being a bank holiday weekend though.
I'm afraid I cheated, and got us some space at the Scout campsite in FearnyCrofts - near Beaulieu Road Station. It's got a fair proportion of woodland onsite, and we pitched our stuff in a nice clearing in the woods, just off the main field.
For longer base camp operations go for a coleman stove that will burn unleaded fuel (the same as your vehicle) that way you never run out of fuel. Plus with a stove like that you can cook faster and excercise more control.
Coleman stoves are great ... until something goes wrong with 'em! I've got a 440 Duel Fuel that I now don't trust because it packed up on me once. There's too many parts in my opinion to field-strip and parts are hard to come by.
It ran great on Coleman fuel but packed up quick when I put unleaded through it ... but you need to be a pop star to run it on Coleman fuel (it makes petrol seem as chep as water!).
Just as a matter of interest, does anyone know how long a swedish army trangia stove will run on a litre of fuel?
If not I'll find the time to do some experiments and post the results
SquirrelBoy
29-04-2004, 11:40
I couldnt resist, have just bought (online) a new Primus Omnifuel from Field & Trek :-D
It can use any fuel inc aviation ! so I shouldnt get stuck for something to use in it...
As I mentioned it is a bit pricey but I bought it with a 20% off voucher that F&T sent me in an email flyer, oh and I ordered a Petzl Tikka Plus... came to £108 so nearly got the Petzl for free :wink:
Roving Rich
29-04-2004, 12:39
Yup. I use the Peak 1 multifuel principly.It fits in my billy can, and is ready to go.I use parafin or petrol on the whole. I also have an MSR whisperlite (also runs on petrol or parafin) but its too unpredictable for my liking and fiddley to set up.
I like having the petrol option, as its easily obtained. But generally run parafin as its far safer and doesn't stink quite so badly.
I'm looking at a gas converted trangia for my next stove. Gas is so easy and reliable. No hassle. As i have said before when your dangerously cold
and need a brew quickly its the best option IMO. A standard trangia is just too slow.
Cheers
Rich
Hi Boaty,
By coincidence, I've just been reading a chapter on stoves in Chris Townsend's book, Backpackers Handbook. He reckons the 60ml burner of a Trangia lasts for about 30 minutes which extrapolates to around 8 to 8 1/2 hours per litre (according to my maths), depending on conditions.
Thanks Leon! So it looks like a litre of fuel will last me a weekend then!!
Great Pebble
30-04-2004, 13:18
I can usually manage the best part of a week on a litre when on my own.
Hi guys, I almost seem to have been collecting stoves over the years just trying to sort out this issue.
As a list I have a Trangia27, Peak 1 Apex, Whisperlite international, Epigas Alpine, the new Coleman Micro, the old Epigas Micro and a number of Hexi type burners.
On top of that lot I have used, No2. burners, Peak1, Peak1 multifuel, MSR XGKII and of course the disgracefull bluet stove by Camping GaZ.
When I am out and about I carry two stoves (coleman micro and whisperlite international currently). I like the coleman because if i want to stop for a quick brew, it's quick and easy and I find the whisperlie to be excellent when in a small camp, but I would prefer to have the best of both worlds and cheap at that.
So digging around on the net I found this link http://mywebpages.comcast.net/photonstove/stove/HighPerfAlcoholStove.html I haven't tried it yet ,but if the performance is what they say it is it may be worth doing.
RAPPLEBY2000
02-05-2004, 23:21
I'm a recent convert to MSR whisperlite 600, :super: really hot, really fast the metal frame glows red hot!(you don't get that with Trangia) easy to use, low fuel consumption, cheap and easy to get fuel!
oh yeah, mine was only £3 from a surplus shop bag, bottle, and repair kit included :naughty: !
the trangia/pepsi stove will be my light weight option.
and a Hexi for more "Wild" camping in woodland ect...
Primus Multifuel for carrying, great stove but fairly heavy or if Im feeling really retro 1950's Primus parrafin stove. For anyone else buying Primus multifuel stoves its worth investing in an MSR type windshield to go with it, mine will boil a pint in 3 mins with the windshield.
Never much liked Trangias, slow, dirty, smelly and heavy and Im not keen on alu pans.
If Im camping near the car I take a Primus propane triple burner hob, with a dumpy propane bottle and a big Primus 150W lantern attached.
Jason
I've got an optimus stove that my dad had when he was younger than me, its about 30plus years old and still works fine. I usually run it on petrol but it will burn pretty much any liquid fuel at a pinch. Its very hot and very efficient. Half a litre of unleaded lasts me over a week of solid use. It also uses the heat of the burner to pressurise the fuel (you need to sort of set fire to it to light it-great fun) so there are no pumps or anything to break and its really light.
Sounds cool Chris, Im very fond of the old Swedish stoves, have you got a pic or a model number? They made a few without pumps.
Jason
Thanx for all your input guys.
A LOT of good advice there...
Baught a Trangia clone for now. Was only £23 and seems to work quite well if you use the old 'add a little watre to the fuel' trick.
I'll look at getting something abit better when I can afford it.
I'll look at getting something abit better when I can afford it.
I dunno about this - I've gone from a Coleman Duel fuel stove to an MSR Whisperlite to mostly using a Trangia, kelly kettle and hexy stove. The MSR is fast but not as reliable and easy to use as the other, lower-tech options.
Don't be lulled into thinking that more expensive is better!
NickBristol
10-05-2004, 12:24
I use a combination of stoves - a Coleman F1 with a Coleman 100 gas tank as it's really tiny, really light and burns very powerfully. It's best for getting a brew going without any fuss but not so good for cooking so I use a trangia 23 or 27 (until I get a Swedish Army set) and just swap the stove for the spirit burner. The windshield for the trangia fits really well over the Coleman F1 for windy conditions and helps with stability too.
jakunen wrote:
I'll look at getting something abit better when I can afford it.
I dunno about this - I've gone from a Coleman Duel fuel stove to an MSR Whisperlite to mostly using a Trangia, kelly kettle and hexy stove. The MSR is fast but not as reliable and easy to use as the other, lower-tech options.
Don't be lulled into thinking that more expensive is better!
I didn't say that more expensive was necesarily better (I used to wok in an outdoor shop and my kit was cheap as I was still at school, but I got the best I could afford. Quality/functionality ALWAYS wins out over cost as far as I'm concerned).
If I could I'd only cook over/in a real fire. You get light and heat as well as a good meal.
The clone takes up a fair amount of room, so for solo trips I'd like something that takes up less space. When I can afford it.
Without going into all the painful details (ok, I'll give just one - my ex!), lets just say money is not as available as I'd like, so I'm getting what I can afford that does what I need now.
For me Bushcraft always means practicality. If something costs 10p and is better than something for £100, I'll take the VFM, not the brand name. :wink:
I love my Tangia, and while this site was down posted this (http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3944) on the other place
Nice one mate! :super:
Just wish I had a sweetie to melt chocolate for...BCUK singles forum??? :wink:
tran-ger 27 brill piece of kit
Just added a Camping Gaz CV270 Twister (with pots) to my kit. Small, easy to use, pretty cheap and fits in the pocket of an Alice pack with gas cylinder. :-D
tran-ger 27 brill piece of kit
A bit bulky for my tastes now, but I have to agree. I took one with me when I lived in asia. In india they have a local 'hootch' called arak, which is sold in sealed plastic bags!!! you put a straw in and drink..... Made brilliant trangia fuel though ..... and dirt cheap.... about 16p a litre.....
:-)
Ed
ARAK!!! :yikes:
Didn't yer stove melt!!!!
You've tried it then ;-) It did corrode.... I wasn't sure if was the arak or if it was the 100% humidity during the monsoon.....
Ed
Tried it as in couldn't breathe for 5 minutes yes!!!!
Would NOT want to paly around with it around ANY source of ignition!!!
Tried it as in couldn't breathe for 5 minutes yes!!!!
I wasn't that brave (or silly depending on how you look at it).... I saw what it did to paint ..... the family I stayed with used it as an all-purpose cleaner .... and karen found it an excellent nail varnish remover..... good fuel aswell...
:-)
Ed
Think it was more of a case of naive gullability to be honest...
:rolmao: I hoped you learned your lesson!!!
Ed
i quite liked it. still I had a VERY small amount. I once left some greek stuff in a plasic cup waterd down for a weekend. it went a funny colour
Yes I did learn my lesson.
When a mate says 'would you like a proper coffee?' I refuse!
And the water reacts with some of the flavonoids which make it cloudy. If I can remember it correctly. Been a while since I was a scientist...
Here's what I use most of the time.
http://www.hunt101.com/img/172618.JPG
Easy, simple, quick, cost less than $20 USD. No priming, pumping, or fuel filters. I've used it in all sorts of enviornments including in the snow at elevation. The Primus Iso/Pro fuel worked just fine even if it did sputter a little in the mornings after staying on the ice all night.
Whatever I try, I just can't seem to warm up to the HEET stoves. :cry:
ChrisKavanaugh
08-06-2004, 18:34
Has anyone translated your kits into urban emergency gear? During the Northridge earthquake My Coleman 2 burner campstove did yoeman duty at my grandmother's damaged home. I avoid cartridge fuel systems because of the recycling issue. My normal carry starts with a pocket Esbit for quick brew ups. You can improve the draft by snipping additional screens from a soda can. I've owned many of the units allready mentioned. They all have some drawback, but when it's pouring rain I DON'T CARE if that magical blue-yellow dancer does her choreography. Has anyone used cast iron ware? I have several 'Dutch Ovens' which were first imported from England to the so called Pennsylvania Dutch ( really german immigrants.) This troublesome rebel metalsmith named Paul Revere added a lip to the lid to hold the coals and the tripod legs. Not excactly rucksack candidates, but ironware offers a fascinating alternative in base camps with slow even cook times and expanded menues.
never had Arak, but whilst in Ecuador I subjected myself to Aqua-Diente...fire water. Made from fermented sugar cane, its got this sickly sweet smell, however all I could taste was burning. It was at the last supper after our expedition up and around Cotopaxi had been completed, and we asked our guides what the local brews were and we were directed to the afore mentioned. When we asked for some at the bar(in poor Spanish) we were laughed at and given what turned out to be straight scotch. Two stotches later, we went to the bar with a guide and eventually got the real macoy... the barman reached under the sink and held aloft an old plastic milk carton-you know thats quality-from which we were served. Its given as 'courage' ( more like some sort of aenesthetic!) to the bullfighters before a show, and it is violent stuff. The guy then proceeded to challenge us to drink as many as we could, pouring more out as soon as we had finished the previous shot - It was free!! :roll: I dont remember much of that night except for breaking the hotel lift and apparently asking for a wake-up call to my room 6 or 7 times :-? - It was a celebratory occasion..and we celebrated alot :wink:
Back on topic... I really like the look of the MSR pocket rocket, how would anyone compare it to the micron stove by primus??
I have the pocket rocket and it is very good i have used it extensivly abroad hooked up to blowtorch canisters (same thread as cooking canisters :wink: )
I have not used the primus one but having looked at it i would buy the primus one if i had to choose
same weight but slightly more compact and has an igniter
I must say whenever possible I cook on an open fire- and even use the folding woodstove if necessary (about 15 quid from survival school) but recently had to buy some pots and pans for my new flat (after checking round various kitchenware departments went to blacks and bought MSR Titanium pots (you know when youre obsessed with bushcraft when....) and threw in a MSR Windpro which though expensive is tiny and boils 1 litre in about 4 minutes! Fantastic so far, but I will still rely on a backup hexy stove of course.
Blue Sky, Jim. :-D
Yeah, you can't beat cooking on a REAL fire...
Only carry the trangia or the twister for fast brew-ups or those places that won't allow fires (miserable ****). :lol:
rocket v micron
I don't think there's much in it. I bought the rocket - it's simple and very well machined. I think the micron was more expensive at the time and the price difference didn't seem worth it. Try them if possible. The rocket definately concentrates the heat in one place so if the micro has a a diffuser this would be useful.
On stuff this small, the quality of the pan supports are important for usability. Rocket pan supports need to be sharpened to help them bite the bottom of the pan.
I also got the crux cheap by mail order from the usa - it's very good - tiny but with a big burnerhead that suits large pans for it's small size. I did bend a pan support by crushing it hard in the pack one time - the metal is very soft because of the heating it receives. Easily bent back but made me wary of anything too fragile in these ultralight designs.
Sorry to raise the dead.
For those of you who have a Trangia 27, how do you find the pot sizes for cooking? 1l pots look really tiny, can you still cook pasta, rice and other things in them, or can you only really do food that doesn't need water?
And is Duossal worth the extra weight and cost? (Non-stick would be the other option, fragile but not a problem if you use plastic cutlery)
Put me in the Trangia-Esbit crowd. Esbit is ultralightweight and what I use exclusively for backpacking now. The Trangia comes in a close second. If you plan on boiling LARGE amounts of water with a stove, then I would go with one of the gas stoves.
The key to getting good efficiency out of the Trangia and Esbit, is to have a really well-made windscreen. The screen should extend up around your pot with only about a 1/4" gap all the way around. Without a good windscreen, Trangias and Esbit stoves can be pretty miserable.
This is my current esbit stove. The base is the bottom half of a round candy tin, turned over. It has a slight depression in it so when the esbit becomes liquified from heating, it doesn't roll off. The base for the candy tin is made from the lid of another tin can, slightly larger in diameter than the candy tin. I cut the lid off from the side, not from the top, so there are no sharp edges. The pot stand is made from hardware cloth. The windscreen is made from aluminum flashing used on roofs. A paper punch was used on the base to punch holes for ventilation. I have used this setup extensively and it never fails although I have not tried it in winter.
http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images6/esbitstove1.jpg
rapidboy
27-06-2004, 17:24
I've used a Trangia 25 for about 7 years and have just changed to a 27 to reduce the weight and bulk in my pack.
I use the clear mineralised methylated spirit's and it burns much cleaner than the purple stuff.
Anyone used the trangia pots/kettle on an open fire ? ,i haven't tried it in case they get damaged.
RB
i use my trangia kettle on the fire and it seems fine, just make sure you take the rubber on the hanger off, if its got some on.
cheers gb
can't remember if i've posted on this or not. I use a pocket rocket for a swift brew on the hill, but it does have a small burner which renders it not so good for cooking proper meals. for that i either use a coleman alpine, or a whisperlite 600 int.
but its all down to choice. most people dump the red triangular case for the rocket, but i use mine, a mini bic fits in quite well so you always know where a lighter is.
steve
I had a Trangia when I was in the Scouts about 20 years ago - God only knows what happened to that as I can't find it anywhere now.
Currently use a hexi for day hikes and MSR XGK Shakerjet for anything longer. The XGK is the dog's dangleys as it can run on diesel, which is what we fuel most of our wagons with. Bit smelly and dirty but it works. Have found that you do have to strip and clean the stove after heav usage but, hey, you've got to look after your kit, anyway.
The XGK is the dog's dangleys as it can run on diesel, which is what we fuel most of our wagons with. Bit smelly and dirty but it works.
Just remember to change jets before going from diesel to petrol!
Well, was out looking for a new pair of boots today and came back with a trangia 27 duolsol. :lol:
My main gripe with trangia's is the lack of control over the meths burner (as well as lack of power), but this is mainly based on reviews as I havent owned a meths burner before, oh and crappy aluminium pans - I hate aluminium. I think the price of the trangia kits put me off experimenting with one. I guess now I will. I got this one because it was on offer at £45 (shop soiled, but fine). The stainless pans are tons heavier duty than the aluminium ones, and tons heavier - period! I think worth it though. As regards the meths burner - well, I have a little something up my sleave to turn this sedate cook set into the gourmet equivalent of a McLarenF1 - watch this space. :lol: :lol:
As regards the meths burner - well, I have a little something up my sleave to turn this sedate cook set into the gourmet equivalent of a McLarenF1 - watch this space. :lol: :lol:
You've already told us what that is :wink:
Can anybody comment on the size of the Trangia 27's pots? Are they big enough for most cooking needs?
You've already told us what that is :wink:
Yeah, but I've just put it together and taken some pics. going to cook my supper on it (OK, it'll be on the kitchen floor - but it'll have to do).
It'll be a good read. :wink:
Douglas the pots on the Trangia 27 are a very good size for an individual to use. I have still got one, after 15 years it is still going strong and I have no complaints, although I do experiment with other stoves as well.
Trangias are always at their best when the weather is at its worst :-D
my new toy...
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4553
:-D :-D :-D
Nice! Makes me hungry :-P
Do you get a lot of those big yellow flames with the Nova? I get them everytime with my Coleman Peak 1 and would be weary of using it inside a tent or under anything....how's the Nova from that point of vue?
And is the stability gain worth the weight? (rather than just using the normal feet and pots)
Thanks Leon-1 :-D
Nice! Makes me hungry :-P
Do you get a lot of those big yellow flames with the Nova? I get them everytime with my Coleman Peak 1 and would be weary of using it inside a tent or under anything....how's the Nova from that point of vue?
And is the stability gain worth the weight? (rather than just using the normal feet and pots)
Thanks Leon-1 :-D
The only time I see big yellow flames is when I'm priming it - I think everyone gets yellow flames then with any type of petrol stove that needs priming. But aside from the 30 seconds or so it takes to prime, I've never had any kind of flare-up. Once the stove is hot, the flames are always blue. But I wouldn't like to prime it inside a tent - I do have enough confidence in the stove to move it under a fly when primed though.
The trangia conversion is awesome. I can put the ordinary "spider legs" back onto the nova at any time, but I dont think I'll be in a hurry. The converted nova fits nicely inside the trangia as a kit, the trangia provides a brill windshield, very stable cooking platform and a nice, compact unit. I doubt it'll get much use if I have to lug my gear for miles (unless I'm going for a long period, which makes petrol stoves a more efficient option), but if the car is close at hand, it'll be number 1 choice for sure. In fact I think it'll probably be living in the boot of my car from now on. It's basically a very powerful, very controlable, very versatile, very stable, efficient, stormproof, take anywhere, self contained cook set. But, ...a little on the heavy side, not unbearably so, just a bit OTT for overnighters and the like.
The neat thing is I now get to play with the meths burner - I'm actually quite impressed. more than I thought I would be. Obviously in terms of raw power and controlability, it doesnt touch the nova, but I'm surprised at what a very capable little bit of kit it is. I'm having fun at the moment, thinking of how I can get a trangia meths burner, home made windshield, home made pot stand, pot handle, spoon, a small stainless pot and a mug all inside a 12cm Zebra billy can.
RovingArcher
02-07-2004, 20:40
In an effort to keep my gear as lite weight and simple as I can, I went away from the more proficient stoves and went with an Esbit w/solid fuel. Most of my outings I'll take some parched corn/buffalo trail food, oatmeal, soup, seasonings, cocoa, tea and coffee, but for the most part, I eat what I find in the bush, which lessens the load considerably. It's amazing just how proficient a man can become with his food gathering when he's really hungry. :lol:
Martyn as impressed as I am with your handy work I have to ask WHY?
Why fit it when it wasnt broken?
Sorry I'm at a lost here.
I'm with you Roving Archer, I have been testing green heat gel (not the cookers but the sachets - which I give the thumbs up and will soon be stocking) and using these with a US 1 Quart canteen cup and stand, with one sachet of fuel you can easily bring it to the boil - the fuel is also a good emergency tinder but unlike hexi theres no residue and its safe to use indoors.
This set up and a few sachets of soup have formed the bases of some interesting bush snacks just lately.
Martyn as impressed as I am with your handy work I have to ask WHY?
Why fit it when it wasnt broken?
Sorry I'm at a lost here.
That's a good question Gary.
I guess it boils down (no pun intended) to how I use the nova. Or rather, how I dont use it. Let me explain. I dont really do much that needs a high end multifuel stove - virtually nothing in fact. No moutain treks or high altitude stuff, no hymalaian expeditions where fuel is scarce and varied. I even thought of selling it because my cheap little gas stove covers just about everything I do. I bought the nova on impulse aftyer reading a rave review (I must stop doing that, it's getting expensive), but I dont really have a need for it. On the other hand, on the few occasions I've used it, I've loved it. Same thing with the trangia, I dont really need one. My little gas stove is fine. But again, it's how I intend to use it. By that I mean I doubt the trangia will see any service in my occasional overnights, or (more usual) day trips. It's too big and too heavy. But, again, it's one of those stoves that will live in my car and go with me on longer (albeit far more rare) trips. To be honest, If I didnt own the nova, I wouldn't of bought the trangia. I really do like the versatility, power and convenience of the nova as a standalone stove, but it was pretty much relegated to the car anyway. So I thought, why not go the whole hog and make it into an uber-stove, purely for car-camping and the rare longer trips (hoping to do a biggie next year for my 40th - up north ;) ). So really, what I'm trying to say is that the trangia was an extension of the nova, rather than the other way round. I wasnt trying to fix or improve the trangia, but trying to build on the nova - does that make sense?
Besides, this is all about fun right? I actually derive a great deal of pleasure from experimenting & playing with all the stuff. I'm not a total gear junkie, but I do like to try things out - even if I end up going back to basic and simple, It's a journey I like to take for myself rather than rely on a third party.
Perhaps the question should be "why not?"
Besides, this is all about fun right? I actually derive a great deal of pleasure from experimenting & playing with all the stuff. I'm not a total gear junkie, but I do like to try things out - even if I end up going back to basic and simple, It's a journey I like to take for myself rather than rely on a third party.
Perhaps the question should be "why not?"
Absolutely! There a great deal of fun and satisfaction to be had from experimenting and getting things the way you want them! :-D
Fair enough Martyn - whatever makes your stick float.
As I say impressed with your handy work none the less.
Fair enough Martyn - whatever makes your stick float.
As I say impressed with your handy work now the less.
Hopefully I'll be bringing it to wales with me in august - have a play and see what you think. ;)
Just remember to change jets before going from diesel to petrol!
I used to have eyebrows and a fringe, you know.