The Warrior Mug is lighter than the issue item at approx 200gm as opposed to 270gm, while still holding just over a pint (600ml), has a black non-stick cooking surface and is straight sided – which seems to make it a little more stable.

There are no “measuring marks” on the Warrior Mug, but then I hardly ever have a problem measuring half a mugful by eye, so this is really no great handicap.

As ever, the danger with metal mugs is the metal can burn your lips if you are careless, but a couple of layers of electrician’s tape on the rim of the mug where you drink from it will solve this quite well, and the metal does not seem to get so hot, or the flames reach so high as to melt this tape when you cook on the burner unit.

In the tests of this handy cooking unit I used “Esbit” brand fuel tablets – up to 3 will fit in the “well” of the burner, and filling the well with an unbranded fire gel.

In still conditions the cooking unit boiled a measured pint of water in 10 minutes using a full 2 fuel tabs, though with the tabs broken up and/or using 3 tabs the time was reduced.  Five minutes using 3 broken up tabs was the best time, but fuel was left over and wasted.

Using fuel gel the best time achieved was 18 minutes and this was using a full well of gel!  Other gels may be better but I never have really rated this type of fuel…

A home made lid for the mug should improve boiling times, and the one I made for my issue mug fits OK.

Small, home made “pop can” meths stoves may fit the well, but I do not have one to try and commercial meths burners are too big to fit.

The burner stand also acts as a windshield,which incorporates air vents.  In a mild breeze with the holes facing into the wind I found that a forced draught effect was achieved, sending flames up around the sides of the mug, but with the holes away from the wind the “burn” was slower and more controlled, showing that the windshield is effective in its role!

The folding handles on the mug stay out of the heat from the burner and are comfortable to grip, the non-stick finish is very effective (though it needs appropriate care to avoid scratching or rubbing, i.e. use wooden spoons, not metal, and gentle cleaning, not gravel), and the mug can take 2 rat pack sized pouch meals at a time (main course and those fruit dumplings in custard – yum!(?)) and still have enough water for a small brew.

All in all the Warrior Cooking Unit has proved a useful and effective lightweight cooking option, is made to the best of Web-Tex’s quality, weighs approx 370gm, is easy to clean and costs around £18.95, which is somewhat less than you can pay for the issue mug version of this type of cooking unit.  On a well-known website I have seen the issue mug alone costing £18.50 and elsewhere the two-piece unit for £22.50.

The Warrior Cooking unit comes boxed and with full instructions.

For more information visit www.web-tex.co.uk