crusader cup vs zebra billy

[jonnie drake]

im looking for a good solid cooking vessel that is small and compact but versatile- good enough to use on/over a fire and over a meths burner/hobo stove. These two seem to fit the bill, both evenly priced (crusader cup with the lid).

could those that use these tell me the pro's and con's, thanks

[soulstar1963]

whichever you choose id still take a plastic cup of some description to save you burning your mouth when you have a drink.......the billy would be my choice for use over a fire as i understand the crusader cup lid is plastic........unless you make yourself an aluminium one of course

[jonnie drake]

I know all too well what you mean I have one of these;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Folding-Cup-Mu...item53e1d8999e

[lab72]

The crusader set up is faultless imo but i allso like using a billy can i use both depending on how i feel

[Nat]

Depends on how much you want to cook or boil. The 12cm billy takes more water than the crusader, but the crusader doubles as a cup/bowl/washing bowl and the issue waterbottle fits inside it. You can store a small brew kit in it aswell.
Zebra billy's store more inside, but you end up replacing the arm with wire taking out the bowl and it takes up more room and is heavier.
I use both depending on how far i'm going or how long i'm going to be away.
However, green snot is horrible but you can use a meths burner in the crusader stove with a couple of tent pegs or sling it on a gas stove.

Horses for courses

[drewdunnrespect]

i use both mate depending on what i want to cook or drink or boil

[defendor]

I like the simple design of the cooker but I would like to be able to use a small zebra billy with it sometimes. also how useful is the cup as a pot does it have room for a package of noodle soup or a can of chili?

[Nat]

I like the simple design of the cooker but I would like to be able to use a small zebra billy with it sometimes. also how useful is the cup as a pot does it have room for a package of noodle soup or a can of chili?

The crusader cooker on green snot only lasts about 10 minutes, so to heat and cook in a billy on it would take a few satchets. I've cooked a rat pack main meal in a crusader cup easily enough

[jonnie drake]

cheers guys. If you had to choose just one out of the two wich would it be? I can see the billy just edging infront... If I was to get the crusader I wouldnt see myself buying the cooker for it.

[Nat]

cheers guys. If you had to choose just one out of the two wich would it be? I can see the billy just edging infront... If I was to get the crusader I wouldnt see myself buying the cooker for it.

On ex i use the crusader, on camps and hikes the zebra

[rik_uk3]

The Crusader is fine for a brew or some noodles/heating a ratpack but a billy can is better for cooking IMHO. For one thing, if you use the Crusader on a stove like a gas cooker, the shape means a very uneven distribution of heat which in turn can slow down boil times or cause localised 'burning' of food; you won't get this with a billy can.

2,4 and 6 pint billy cans here, all three for £15 delivered
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NESTING-BILLY-...item255202148d perfect for stove or open fire.

[apj1974]

Just a side thought - I sometimes use one of these:


http://www.gelert.com/Products/Ascent_I_Cookset.aspx

its the perfect size for a nalgene type bottle and comes with a lid

I've also got a crusader (or two) which I pretty much only use for boiling water, the little cooker thing is ok I just don't think it nests well enough.
For anything bigger I'd probably take a billy or a trangia.

[Radix lecti]

I dont own a Zebra billy can and never will so i opt for the crusader mug or other steel mugs option with metal lids. Otherwise its the swedish Trangia
Darren

[jonnie drake]

thanks for the comments guys, are cheaper billies worth the money? I've seen some like rik has posted but sold seperately for £8 posted.

darren, why would you never use a billy if you dont mind me asking? thanks.

[rik_uk3]

thanks for the comments guys, are cheaper billies worth the money? I've seen some like rik has posted but sold seperately for £8 posted.

darren, why would you never use a billy if you dont mind me asking? thanks.

I've been using a similar set for over 40 years so I think they are worth the money.

[apj1974]

thanks for the comments guys, are cheaper billies worth the money? I've seen some like rik has posted but sold seperately for £8 posted.

I depends what you are using to cook on, a lot of people prefer stainless steel as it handles high and uneven temperatures better than aluminium, so if you are putting them directly on a fire you might want steel, but if on a stove or hanging above a fire (especially full of water) aluminium works ok and is often lighter.

[Radix lecti]

Hello jonnie, i have never used a billy can mainly because i had never been in one place long enough to use one over a fire,only ever used hexi,sometimes mixed with some greensnot for the mugs and burners. I get along fine with what i have got,so have never got around to buying one.Perhaps one day.
Darren

[Limaed]

Ive used both, the crusader is good but really needs a lid although some members make and sell these here. Its a bit small really although ok for a brew set up.

The zebra billys are good but arn't the best IMO, the bail really needs changing, and the inner bowl is of limited use (although its ok for Bannock) and the lid is loose.

Ive been using the Swedish Army Trangia lately, for me it covers all bases.

[rik_uk3]

I depends what you are using to cook on, a lot of people prefer stainless steel as it handles high and uneven temperatures better than aluminium, so if you are putting them directly on a fire you might want steel, but if on a stove or hanging above a fire (especially full of water) aluminium works ok and is often lighter.

Aluminium is a far better conductor of heat than Stainless steel and these pans will go on a fire so long as they are not empty of course.

[apj1974]

TeeDee sent me a PM asking about the size of the Ascent 1 cookset I posted about. But your inbox is full mate so I'll post the answer here for everyone.

The larger billy internal diameter is 98mm, internal height is 110mm. It holds 800mm of liquid and fits comfortably around a 1 lit wide mouth naglene type bottle. The larger billy nests inside the smaller cup, the lid fits both and the whole thing with a bottle fits very easily inside a PLCE waterbottle or utility pouch (and actually leaves more space than the issue canteen with a crusader.)

[TeeDee]

Oops!! PM's cleared now , Many thanks for doing that so promptly.

[jonnie drake]

thanks very much guys... I think I have decided that the crusader is out of the runnings... but it has now been replaced by the cheaper alu billy! Think im gonna try a single alu billy and see how I get on. Cheers all

[Graham_S]

Just to throw another contender into the ring, how about the Alpkit MyTi mug

I use one, it replaced my crusader, and holds the same as a 10cm billy.

[drewdunnrespect]

graham why has the my ti mug replaced the crusader mug cos personally the crusaders are brilliant

[Radix lecti]

Hello jonnie,i went back on what i said i would never own and bought a shiny new Zebra billy today,thought i would have a go at making a hobo stove for it.Regards
Darren

[Bush_Man]

I was not quite sure what one to get and thanks to this thread I decided to buy a 10cm billy for the hobo kit that i'm making.

[TeeDee]

Just a side thought - I sometimes use one of these:


http://www.gelert.com/Products/Ascent_I_Cookset.aspx

its the perfect size for a nalgene type bottle and comes with a lid

I've also got a crusader (or two) which I pretty much only use for boiling water, the little cooker thing is ok I just don't think it nests well enough.
For anything bigger I'd probably take a billy or a trangia.

Just wanted to confirm that this http://www.gelert.com/Products/Ascent_I_Cookset.aspx

fits these very nicely http://www.guyotdesigns.com/Product-...4Pa38Ta38Rc3b0

Available from ;- http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/sh...ed-546318.html

and Halfords http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165650

[iano]

I have the Crusader mug and it's good kit. I'd never leave home without it for either civ or mil stuff (what else are you going to drink out of) - get the plain metal version and not the non-stick one though as the non-stick coating soon flakes off after being bashed around a bit. I love it because it fits inside the 58 bottle, but I don't see the point of getting a lid or a hanger for it, from what I can see they aren't going to fit inside an issue waterbottle pouch very handily and you can't stow the mug with lid attached if it's wrapped around the bottom half of a 58 bottle now can you? Don't worry about a separate plastic mug or burning your chops, just get some tape on the brim and perhaps the handle to avoid that.

I was just going with the Crusader and hexi (often augmented with a Jetboil for easy fast cooking, Crusader was then for drinking only and hexi was a back-up fuel source in case of running out of gas) as I was used to eating boil-in-the-bag rations, MoD supplied. After a trip to the north of Iceland where, (although we weren't out hiking per se for 2 weeks we certainly lived remotely and rurally for that time), our group caught and cooked fish to augment our diet, I realised that any overly-specialised cooking system is not a panacea. I then remembered how in Ecuador we had done the same. Can't really sort out cod or berries in a pint mug or a jetboil very practically can you? Can't really put a jetboil over an open fire to save your gas either.

Now I still take the mug and jetboil/other stove set up (they are great for when you have got ready-to-go, easy-to-prep food like ORP or similar), but also made sure to pack an old West German mess kit (pail and skillet style, like the German ones in WWII war films but from the 1960s instead) in a sidepocket of my bergen. Takes up no room in real terms as you just fill it with other stuff you were going to carry anyway, and it was cheap as chips brand new, no stove needed to be bought either. And while it's not that likely to get used day-in-day-out like the mug and jetboil will be, whenever we get a bit of locally-sourced kill-catch-or-pick-it-yourself scoff next time it's going to come in a lot handier than all that 'hi-speed lo-drag' stuff!

I'm actually in the market for a billycan now too, as an equivalent to the pail & skillet for my civvy kit (trying to keep mil and civ kit separate as much as possible so's I don't look like a squaddie doing civvy stuff and so my kit is ready to go with no fuss for mil stuff) - where's the best place to get a 'Zebra', does the little dish inset come in handy, and are they recommended?

[mortalmerlin]

I like both and have both in my bag for my week away week after next. If I was trying to cut down on weight I'd ditch the Zebra first though. It's an excellent bit of kit and I love it but the mug is smaller (fit's under my water bottle), lighter and more versatile.