Sharing my latest cooking set-up
 

Thought I would share my latest cooking set-up with the group. The whole set-up centers itself around a stove I found surfing ultra lite backpacking stuff. It's called the Cheetah stove and is a simple, cheap, fast, alcohol stove with an integral pot base. Really does need a wind screen, but this also speeds cook times by holding in the heat.

http://site283.webhost4life.com/afms...-3oz-stove.htm

I then added in the rest of my cooking kit so that it would all fit into the cook pot for travel. This stove does not simmer, but with a pot cozy it is unnecessary to simmer. I know my kit could be lighter with a spork and get rid of the double-wall stainless steel mug, but those are my compromises. There have been a couple stove posts lately so this might spark some other ideas.

You could get rid of the fork entirely. I have never needed a fork, spork or foon, ever. Just a spoon.

Thanks for the pics. I'm still playing with our cooking gear, but the ultra-light backpacking sites are great places for ideas. Bike tourists probably don't need to be as gram conscious as backpackers, but it is still nice to reduce weight and bulk wherever possible. I've used several recipes from the freezer bag cooking site which really lets you reduce your cooking gear and still eat well.

I use a cat can stove and 1.3L titanium pot for touring and camping.

In my experience, sporks are the worst utensil one can bring. They don't stab as well as a fork or scoop as well as a spoon. Plus, you can't scrape the bottom of the pot for cleaning because any small debris goes between the stupid tines. I hate sporks. A simple plastic spoon used from a deli or ice cream parlor works the best.

I've never tried making a pot cozy but it looks like it could come in handy.

A pot cozy allows you to cook things that require extended simmering times. (20-30 min.) Rice and paste are some of my staples and they work great in a pot cozy.

:eek: Either you have a stronger stomach than me, or maybe you meant pasta? (or tomato paste?)

I agree about dropping the fork and just using a spoon. I'd also replace the metal mug with a plastic, insulated mug of about 16 oz (2 cups).

No, I spelled it right, I love that old school paste but it does require a long simmer time.:D;)

I've been looking for that exact mug, but have not found one that I like as well as my good old metal mug.
Do you have a suggestion?

I saw one at Academy Sports & Outdoors (if you live in the south). I'd also check Gander Mountain and REI, though they'll charge more. Here's a good looking one similar in size to one I picked up locally.
http://www.getgeargooutside.com/73230.html
And here's a link for one by Alladin, though mine is wider and shorter like the one above, making it easier to eat from.
http://familyonboard.com/insulated_t..._tumblers.html

"Thanks for the pics. I'm still playing with our cooking gear, but the ultra-light backpacking sites are great places for ideas. Bike tourists probably don't need to be as gram conscious as backpackers, but it is still nice to reduce weight and bulk wherever possible."

It used to be that the really light gear was for cycling. For myself I don't bother cooking stuff unless it would otherwise be frozen. That lightens stuff up considerably.

Heck, I've got your basic coffee travel mug like the Alladin, but it's too tall for my cook-pot, so you better just sent me yours, I'll sit by the mail box and wait.

Do you bring the pot to a boil then let sit in the cozy? Have never used a cozy and sounds like it may work well...

You got it, works great and saves on fuel at the same time.

You spork haters need to broaden your minds. Experience spork nirvana with the Light My Fire spork: http://www.rei.com/product/737339. I wouldn't trade mine for any other utensil out there. :)

bravo on the diy stove. I met several cross country tourists that built similar stoves and claimed to have used them with great success. I still swear by my MSR dragonfly when I want to cook on the road, but in recent years I've been touring so light that I haven't even carried a stove or a cooking kit.

+1 - I've got a Ti spork and love it....:D

Nice setup.

I've made cozies in the past out of the aluminized housing insulation you buy by the roll. It's kind of expensive if you don't need to insulate stuff around the house.

I just found some car window sun shades (big ones, cover the front window) at a dollar store which might work as well. Not sure yet, but worth playing with for 1$.

I have a whole collection of plastic insulated mugs that have either come from grocery stores or as gifts. They all work well. My requirements are that the lid fit tight (to keep my coffee warm and to not dribble coffee down my chin) and that they are light. That's about it.

QUESTION: What is a pot cozy and how do you use it? (I have a 15-year-old Coleman 442 stove that still works fine. It simmers, although it hiccups and smokes when it simmers. It's quite heavy. I'm thinking of replacing it soon - like in the next 5 years. ;))

QUESTION: What is a pot cozy and how do you use it? (I have a 15-year-old Coleman 442 stove that still works fine. It simmers, although it hiccups and smokes when it simmers. It's quite heavy. I'm thinking of replacing it soon - like in the next 5 years. ;))[/QUOTE]

A pot cozy is an insulated container that fits your covered cooking pot. You just bring your meal up to the boiling point (many things do not even need to get that hot) slide the whole pot in the cozy and let it continue to cook inside. A non-instant rice dish takes about 25 minutes, so instead of trying to simmer your pot for 25 min. using all that fuel, you just bring it to a boil and put it in the cozy, 25 min. later it's done.
Mine is made of aluminized bubble-wrap sold in hardware stores for insulating water heaters, cut and taped together with "Real" duct tape, reinforced aluminum tape. I've got a little Velcro closure to keep it shut.

Ultra-lite hikers started using these with the Pepsi can stoves that don't simmer well, or like mine, not at all. They also save a lot of fuel, less to carry. Example; 1 cup rice, 2 cups water, veggies, meat or fish, seasoning. It takes about 1.5 tablespoons of denatured alcohol to bring that to a boil, 25 min. later dinner is on.

If you have .5L Nalgene bottles make a cozy for one. Worked great for me, but I also carried a small insulated mug. I'd make my coffee/cocoa whatever in the Nalgene, then drink from the mug as the Nalgene sometimes kept the coffee too hot.