Primus / Stove Appreciation

The trangia mess tin might open up some options for you. Have seen some nice setups that used it as a pan/container.

I had an Optimus 199
for years, travelled all over with it. Absolutely loved it. Then one day the pressure release valve let go in a mountain refuge, and a jet of ignited petrol sprayed about 10 feet across the room. It happened a few times since, but I always used it out of doors just in case.
I still have it, but I've stuck to Trangias for more reliable cooking.
I recently got a Ghillie Kettle for my birthday. Great for brewing tea but massive and impractical for hiking or cycle camping.

Fond memories of setting meths soaked hands on fire at scout camp.

I grew up going camping with my dad who had Primus stoves. I always thought they were really easy and could get it all working from when I was about 8yrs old. I always thought the biggest problem was the small diameter of the stove area and base.

Resurrecting this thread.

Not Primus, but general stove-ness.

Bought the Fire Maple copy of a Jetboil from PX recently. Tested it in the garden and it fried an egg as quick as indoors.

But it’s bulky, so I reverted to searching for ultralight options. Got a Coghlans version of the army stove on order, as I remember mixed-positive results wild camping with one many years ago.

Trying to find the ‘right’ miniature meths stove from the million options on ebay.

In the mean time this super small credit-card-size emergency stove arrived. So I grabbed some Zip firelighters and broke off a block to test it against a tin of soup.

Needless to say, well... I got 10 minutes burn time out the fuel anyway.

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Best possible outcome for that flavour soup?

Re: mini-Meths is Barebones not the go to still?

Couldn’t sacrifice anything better.

I was thinking of the one like @edmundro posted on the previous page.

Ah yeah, I'd meant to get one of those back then to play with too, a useful reminder.

£4.30 from China for the little thing plus the pot stand on top... will see if it’s worth chucking at a wall in a few weeks. Amazon wants triple that for the convenience of quick delivery.

Barebones would certainly be a fancier option.

FireMaple are the supplier for for AlpKit as far as I'm aware. So they do decent stoves.

Also, take the paper wrapping off the can of soup before putting in on an open flame.

Also, take the paper wrapping off the can of soup before putting in on an open flame.

Yep for sure. Not sure why I left it on to test the stove, some backwards logic.

The tests continue. Between the cheapo Go Outdoors Festival Kit and a genuine Coghlans, the Coghlans is better build and nicer to fold, but smaller. Zip fire starters work better as solid fuel than solid fuel.

The Lixada mini stove in aluminium is insanely light, and burns quite hot, the vintage adjustable stove off ebay burns hotter/taller. Used the B&Q La Hacienda bioethanol and it burns hot and fast, and no noticeable smell or residue so for under £8 for 2L is a fair option.

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bioethanol and it burns hot and fast

Good to know, I just got 6l of this after panicking about not being able to find methylated spirits

Great thread, Ive got a family sized trangia for most of my camping needs, it works perfectly every time and is the easiest and most reliably stove Ive ever used. However the kettle has gone missing so will need to be replaced once I pin down who actually lost it....

At the top of the thread the Primus stoves are amazing to look at but death traps compared to most other options. My dad has a couple he keeps nicely polished, but we have never used them in my life time. My Uncle got his out on a trip a few years ago to get an additional burner for tea while dinner was being cooked on the trangia. Luckily the fireball only set one (wet) tree on fire, which was easy to put out with the help of the rain.

Also enjoy the jet boil for coffee, as we have the cafetiere plunger add on thing. Its great for a pre walk drink however because its gas it only comes on a trip if Im driving/posh camping out the boot.

Been experimenting trying to make beer can stove to this design:

https://tomsbiketrip.com/how-to-turn-a-beer-can-into-the-only-camping-stove-youll-ever-need-video/

A pretty simple design and today I managed to make a moka pot coffee with the smaller one (made from one of those mini mixer cans) in my garden! very satisfying. Recommend the project to anyone.

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Where do people store their fuel bottles for a MSR Whisperlite?

My current thinking is to have a bigger bottle with a screw cap (for extra fuel) in the under BB bottle cage but I don't know where the 600ml bottle with the fuel pump should go.

Do people leave the pump attached to the bottle? Is this too fragile to have in a bottle cage? I'm worried that the pump will get damaged if it's exposed.

Having the fuel bottle and pump inside a bag seems risky, having a fuel leak inside a bag would be fairly catastrophic.

I always take the pump off and put the screwcap back on. The bottle will withstand a bashing, the fuel pump will not.

Good to know the pump easy to remove and store separately, does any residual fuel evaporate off before you pack it away?

I've never had a liquid fuel stove before and have visions of everything in my bag smelling of fuel.

Liquid fuel will always smell a bit to be honest. If you really don't want a smelly bag go for gas.

I'm assuming you are off to somewhere where camping gas is tricky to find?

I’m currently looking at the Whisperlite Universal which can use gas cans when available and liquid fuel when it’s not.

Planning on going to a few places where gas definitely won’t be available.

I love my trangia so much.

On the hunt for a smaller fuel bottle that fits my bottle cage nicely, and a replacement strap. Lost it on South Downs last summer. And the strap.

Trangia do a 500ml option that might work. They also do a 300ml option - dimensions are available on the trangia site. Straps are easily found or (random idea) you could chain together a couple of toe straps if you have any of the nylon ones.

Yeah I saw the various sizes, thanks mate. Toestraps is agrand idea.

Ive found that the old fashioned sig bottle fits with a bit of tinkering. Its not the best fuel bottle, but they were used for years before modern safety fuel bottles came along.

I’m currently looking at the Whisperlite Universal

Nice. I've looked at that as well but I have too many other stoves to justify buying one.

I suppose I could sell some of the others...