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velonomad
12-14-06, 05:29 PM
I have been seeing these on Ebay and in the surplus stores lately. at 18x17x13 cm packed and almost a kilo in weight they are a bit larger and heavier than what I carry, but at prices ranging from $10-$20( including the Trangia stove) they might make a good functional cook set for someone touring on the cheap.
Anyone have experience using them?
http://west.loadup.com/images/items/1999.jpg
Old Hammer Boy
12-14-06, 08:49 PM
Yes, I have some experience with this kit. I actually picked up 2 of these, one for me, and one to give to a friend (brand new and only $10 each). They work pretty well if you're just boiling water, or heating up soup, etc. Not good or frying, etc. Yes, the whole kit is a bit heavy, but not too bad when you consider that you get the stove, wind screen, two pots, fuel bottle, etc. I also like the idea of using alcohol for the fuel. I use the gasoline dryer product, Heet. You can get Heet for about $1 for a nice plastic 12 oz. container. I don't use the included fuel bottle because the Heet bottle packs just fine.
This unit wouldn't be great for real cold weather cooking, but anything above about 50F or so and it will boil water in about 7-10 minutes, depending upon quanity. The kit is really well made with the Trangia stove, aluminum pots, and wind screen, and the hardware is stainless steel. It all fits together in the one container and packs okay. For my needs it seems to work just fine.
For $10, the Trangia stove is worth it alone.
My Trangia alcohol burners are forty years old now and work just like the new ones. I have adapted them to work with more light weight homemade pan supports and windscreens.
Trangia stoves will work in cold weather if you preheat the stove and fuel sufficiently. This helps the fuel to vaporize/boil off fast enough to be self sustaining. The cooking is slow, silent and uses a renewable non-oil resource for fuel. While I am setting up my campsite the stove is cooking dinner.
Trangia makes a 12 oz cookset with stove, pot support, pan, lid/frypan and pan lifting handle. Last one I saw cost about $33. The Mini-Trangia model 28 is very compact and useful for one person. http://www.prolitegear.com/pl_327508.html