Stoves - talk to me.

[Boopop]

So I've got two tours planned for this year, both about a week long. Now I've got front and rear pannier bags, I figure I've got plenty of room for a stove.

I was going to get the Primus Primetech 2.3L, then I started considering a Trangia, then I contemplated a Soto Amicus. I'm a bit lost here!

I don't drink hot drinks, so this'll be purely for cooking meals, probably evening meals.

Also if anyone has any good recipes for solo touring it'd be much apperciated. Thanks

 

[MichaelW2]

Trangia is nice for real cooking at a leisurely pace. I have rustled up gourmet three course meals on mine. They work well for rice, pasta, one pot recepies. I am not overly concerned with min boil time. When I make camp I put the kettle on, pitch my tent, dort my gear, just in time for a mug of tea.
Modern gas stoves are better for a swiftly rehydrated bag of energy replacement medium.

 

[classic33]

Have you considered the gas conversion kit for the Trangia. Give yourself a wider range of fuel sources.

 

[raleighnut]

I've used an Epigas 'Alpine' stove for 30+ years long gone* but Coleman make a clone of it.

* Epigas that is.

 

[Crackle]

I have a Trangia used for many years. Recently I tried out a Vango folding stove (DofE recommended) and a Sea to Summit folding pan set. Weight is about the same but some advantages to pack size and cleaning over the Trangia and the gas is relatively easy to get compared to finding meths.

 

[Smudge]

Tried most stoves in all the years i was doing motorcycle camping. The petrol stoves can be a faff and be temperamental and Trangia types too slow for me.
For small packsize with performance i used the MSR Pocket Rocket types, although mine is a Gelert Intensity MSR copy. They take the screw in Coleman type gas canisters, which you can buy generic ones cheaply of different sizes. I then use pots of the size this stove will fit into, thus reducing packsize.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I have a Trangia, Primus multi fuel and some tiny thing that pierces gas canisters.

They all have their uses, but the one that cooks PROPER FOOD the best is the Trangia. If you are going down the boil in the bag stuff or the ‘just add water’ dehydrated stuff, anything will do.

There’s talking to you @Boopop

 

[numbnuts]

Coleman petrol for me with a backup small camping gaz stove

 

[Ice2911]

I use the Alpkit Brewkit. £39. Really fast boil. Uses gas canisters though,so not sure if that is what you are looking for.
https://www.alpkit.com/products/brukit

 

[Gravity Aided]

I use both Trangia and Primus, but usually the Trangia goes more places, as it is easier to carry, can take a windscreen, and the fuel is ubiquitous in the States as a fuel additive called Heet.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I use the Alpkit Brewkit. £39. Really fast boil. Uses gas canisters though,so not sure if that is what you are looking for.
https://www.alpkit.com/products/brukit

Also looks pretty good, more so by current pound-to-dollar exchange rate.

 

[Boopop]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, I'm warming (aha) to the idea of a Trangia again. Currently on Amazon the Trangia 25 is actually cheaper than the 27! Weighs a bit more than the 25 but it's nice to be able to cook for others I think, so I'll go for that. I'm definitely not planning on re-hydrating prepackaged meals so if it's better for cooking it seems like the best option. Now I just need a bowl, cutlery, knife, chopping board.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

So I've got two tours planned for this year, both about a week long. Now I've got front and rear pannier bags, I figure I've got plenty of room for a stove.

I was going to get the Primus Primetech 2.3L, then I started considering a Trangia, then I contemplated a Soto Amicus. I'm a bit lost here!

I don't drink hot drinks, so this'll be purely for cooking meals, probably evening meals.

Also if anyone has any good recipes for solo touring it'd be much apperciated. Thanks

Well, first of all some inspiration.... https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/camping-food-recipes.240595/

If you're not into hot drinks then I reckon speed is less of an issue for you?
As has been said above it very much depends on what you want to cook.
Rehydrating dried food just requires hot water. "Proper" cooking will require an ability to control temperature/flame.

I use a Trangia and am very happy with it. It's simple and it works..... every time. I use it for "proper" cooking and coffee.
The disadvantages are that if cooking a big meal, or a complicated meal you may need to refuel it. That necessitates letting the burner cool down. A bit of experience and that gets better. Another is the inconsistency of the fuel. I've seen fuel from about 70% to 95% pure. Obviously there's a difference in performance.

As a first step, I'd suggest you have a good think about what you will be cooking. I'd even go so far as to suggest trying it at home to get an idea of what is needed. If you want "proper" food you'll need decent equipment (other than just the stove), condiments/herbs etc as well as the ingredients themselves. Depending on your needs you'll need to consider the pot(s), pan, cup(s) too. It all adds up to weight and bulk.

Bear in mind too where you will be camping. In a campsite there's unlimited water, but off-grid camping requires a bit of forward planning for water for cooking..... and cleaning! Also off-grid might require a lower profile/quicker cooking experience. If I'm planning on wild camping, I'll often stop somewhere and cook (& eat) before finding my camping spot.

There's something incredibly satisfying about cooking up a tasty, filling meal at the end of a long day on the bike!

Enjoy!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Now I just need a bowl, cutlery, knife, chopping board.

If you get the Trangia "set" there are 2 bowls included.
They do an accessory lid/chopping board which I find very handy as a chopping board and for straining the likes of pasta and noodles without burning myself.

Also check out Ebay as well as Amazon. There can be some good deals to be found. I like the security of Amazon's (almost) no quibble returns, but Trangia gear is simple - not a lot can go wrong.

 

[Boopop]

If you get the Trangia "set" there are 2 bowls included.
They do an accessory lid/chopping board which I find very handy as a chopping board and for straining the likes of pasta and noodles without burning myself.

Also check out Ebay as well as Amazon. There can be some good deals to be found. I like the security of Amazon's (almost) no quibble returns, but Trangia gear is simple - not a lot can go wrong.

I guess they can double as bowls, I hadn't considered that