Touring Equipment

It's kept me dry in rain before. Not lots of rain, mind. In my head my holiday is going to be baking sunshine and I'll have to sleep in the porch of my tent as I'll be too hot. I should probably keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Oh, I'm not talking about water on the outside, it's the condensation on the interior of those things that drove me away from the idea.

They're made by a guy in his garage - email him, pay via paypal, and he'll post it to you.

The Tatonka seems to get some poor reviews there... most of them say that it's slow and it leaks. By comparison, my Trangia doesn't leak and has a simmer ring. The RUCAS doesn't have a screw-top but in reality this doesn't bother me - it doesn't have a simmer ring either but I only use it for rehydrating food and boiling water. It's not the most stable stove on uneven ground, but I sit it on a wooden coaster which helps. The RUCAS also burns quite a bit hotter than the Trangia, but not quite as fast as the MSR canister stove. The RUCAS is by far the lightest.

Aye, he's in the states tho so will take at least a week or two to get here and was hoping to get it for this weekend, though the weather is stinking so maybe that's just wishful thinking : /

This looks pretty decent for the cash: http://www.outdooraction.co.uk/trek-and-travel-stoves-trekking/gelert/gelert-phoenix-5pc-cookset-pd-5570.php?gclid=CLmTnaq07b4CFa3LtAodM20AeQ

My main worry is how to make decent coffee though. I need my coffee.

I made a plate out of stainless that sits nicely on the pot holders of my Trangia set that supports my Bialetti Kona perfectly. That and my Zassenhaus Turkish grinder follow me and the beans whenever I go camping these days.

Oh, I'm not talking about water on the outside, it's the condensation on the interior of those things that drove me away from the idea.

Free steam room, what's not to love? When I get back I can pretend to my colleagues that I spent my holiday at a spa.

I'm going camping in Italy/Austria in a couple of weeks and am taking my cheapo single-skinned tent. I'd like to reproof my tent before I go - does anyone have any recommendations for reproofing products?

Some sort of spray on nikwax type thing normally does the trick. I think there are different ones for old ripstop and new silnylon.

My main worry is how to make decent coffee though. I need my coffee.

If all you need is coffee, have a go at making a beer-can stove yourself. It's not difficult and it'll boil a few cups of water tolerably well.

What's your preferred outdoor coffee? I go for the cheapest instant coffee I can find, pre-mixed with brown sugar and full-fat dehydrated milk, in a film canister. Water in mug, empty contents into mug, boil off the giardia = tastes like shit, but it's hot and sweet and convinces me to do a shit before we get moving - nothing worse than turtleheading on an exposed ridgeline.

I made a plate out of stainless that sits nicely on the pot holders of my Trangia set that supports my Bialetti Kona perfectly. That and my Zassenhaus Turkish grinder follow me and the beans whenever I go camping these days.

That does sound wonderful, but how far from the car do you venture I wonder?

I have wondered about making a cafetiere that sits on my stove.

Some sort of spray on nikwax type thing normally does the trick. I think there are different ones for old ripstop and new silnylon.

Yip, or you can get the wash-in stuff. Nikwax techwash is pretty good.

I've not toured much by bike the last few years, only did two short ones after I started drinking coffee. It worked fine, but on a longer trip I would have done without or compromised somehow.

My main worry is how to make decent coffee though. I need my coffee.

Handpresso:
http://www.handpresso.com/espresso-machines/manual-espresso-machines/handpresso-wild-hybrid/

My main worry is how to make decent coffee though. I need my coffee.

I always put coffee with cold water in a little pan on my stove. Wait until it starts to boil then turn it of. Wait till the coffee sinks and gently pour it in a cup.

Something like this http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Cowboy-Coffee

Handpresso:
http://www.handpresso.com/espresso-machines/manual-espresso-machines/handpresso-wild-hybrid/

Greek/Turkish coffee. Pot doubles as a useful little pan for this and that.

Next!

I don't cherish good coffee enough to bother.

Nestle Azera in an old film canister* is as posh as I go.

*anyone else miss the usefulness of film canisters for camping?

Yeah! The Original Stash Holder^.

Last month tidying up my desk I had 4 or 5 in an office draw that I was about to put in the recycling, an office 'colleague' grabbed them as he would find them useful. Apparently put them on ebay and made a few quid, didn't even buy me a donut!!

CSB

F*ck coffee.

Especially for spices.

Do they not come in plastic cup nowadays?

What, spices? No they still come in glass pots.

Handpresso:
http://www.handpresso.com/espresso-machines/manual-espresso-machines/handpresso-wild-hybrid/

many shades of awesome but quite pricey!

Cowboy coffee it is then...

Water in mug, empty contents into mug, boil off the giardia = tastes like shit, but it's hot and sweet and convinces me to do a shit before we get moving - nothing worse than turtleheading on an exposed ridgeline.

Instant coffee; doesn't really taste like coffee and instantly gives me a migraine, but yes, turtleheading on an exposed ridgeline, especially if in the saddle is a deeply unfortunate occurrence.

Like I said, try Turkish. You add coffee when water's cold, sugar or some honey is good too. Stir as it heats. Never letting it boil, you take it off as the top goes all creamy with foam. Grinds sink to the bottom of your cup as they're so fine.

^ Thats how my parents used to make coffe when we went camping. Works a treat.

Just for another method:
Norwegian Egg Coffee | Thirsty For... - YouTube

^ Thats how my parents used to make coffe when we went camping. Works a treat.

I infer from this that you need a special grind of coffee?

I've just been discussing 'Greek coffee', which sounds similar to the above, with a colleague and we've come to the conclusion that it should work as long as it's a fine grind and cheap coffee is gross.

Contemplating a test-brew on the Jetboil tonight rather than grinding a bunch of beans and hoping for the best this weekend...