Compact cooking (water boiling) system for bumbag

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 elliot.baker 08 Nov 2022

Wasn't sure if to put this in Hilltalk or gear.... apologies if wrong place.

What kind of super-compact "cooking" system do people use? I want something to put in the lumbar pack I just bought (Sierra Designs 7-10, from the bumbag camping article on here)

In the article the chap uses a tiny alcohol stove but I've never used one of those before so it might be a bit of a learning process for me, though it does look tiny. Would I need to carry much fuel to make a couple of coffees on a walk? I suppose you have the added benefit that you only need to carry what you intend to use, unlike a gas cannister you are carrying potentially many days worth of gas.

I've got a pocket rocket style burner already so also considering just getting the smallest gas cannister but then it wouldn't fit in one of those small 300-450ml titanium cups.... 

decisions... what do other people use? This is really just for the novelty of having a hot coffee in the hill sometimes.

 LastBoyScout 08 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

Think you're on the right track with the burner and mini-gas canister - there was a thread recently about refilling them from a bigger canister.

Plenty of tiny burners around, e.g. https://alpkit.com/products/kraku, which seems a re-badged Robens Fire Midge at 25% less!

Also, consider something like this, if you're only after hot water - flatter than a Ti mug (admittedly heavier, though):

https://www.seatosummit.co.uk/products/camp-kitchen/camping-pots-pans/x-set...

 Wainers44 08 Nov 2022
In reply to LastBoyScout:

> Think you're on the right track with the burner and mini-gas canister - there was a thread recently about refilling them from a bigger canister.

> Plenty of tiny burners around, e.g. https://alpkit.com/products/kraku, which seems a re-badged Robens Fire Midge at 25% less!

> Also, consider something like this, if you're only after hot water - flatter than a Ti mug (admittedly heavier, though):

Used this set up on the OMM with a small titanium MSR pan. Folded sheet of ali foil doubled as lid or windshield as needed. Worked really well and was very compact. 

 LastBoyScout 08 Nov 2022
In reply to Wainers44:

> Used this set up on the OMM with a small titanium MSR pan. Folded sheet of ali foil doubled as lid or windshield as needed. Worked really well and was very compact. 

I've got one of these: https://alpkit.com/products/concertina

Bought on a whim in the shop in Ilkley - I've since seen much cheaper versions on eBay and the like.

 Wainers44 08 Nov 2022
In reply to LastBoyScout:

> Bought on a whim in the shop in Ilkley - I've since seen much cheaper versions on eBay and the like.

Got one too. They are great 😁. Really robust and now used on dozens of Dartmoor Ten Tors winter nights!

I use the foil option only when playing the weight save game. 

 LastBoyScout 08 Nov 2022
In reply to Wainers44:

> Got one too. They are great 😁. Really robust and now used on dozens of Dartmoor Ten Tors winter nights!

That was a concern - a lot of the ones in the shop were pretty bent! Some of the other online ones come with a plastic case, rather than the stuff bag.

 JimbotheScot 08 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

Toaks Siphon alcohol stove, nests inside toaks 650ml titanium cup with windshield, weighs nothing

 Toerag 08 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

Hexamine burner?

 Run_Ross_Run 08 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

Get on to the speedster stoves website

https://speedsterstoves.co.uk/alcohol/meths-burners.html

I've got a small burner married to a toaks 550ml cup. Perfect size for a quick brew and/or dehydrated meal.

Pot stand, windshield, pot, burner, fuel bottle, fork /spoon, lighter, cup etc. Whole cook system is under 300 gms. 

OP elliot.baker 08 Nov 2022
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

hi - the chap from the bumbag camping article used this Speedster stuff.

I've never used an alcohol stove before - is it easy enough? Roughly how much fuel do you pour in to boil water for a "quick brew"? I do love the idea of everything fitting inside the cup.

 magma 09 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

still using meths. have updated old trangia system with the alpkit bruler which also fits nicely in a cup. i'm guessing a tablespoon would get you a quick brew under optimal conditions.

 Hutson 09 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

I've just bought an alcohol stove (Xboil, similar to that linked above) after years of only using a Jetboil or Soto windmaster. Incredibly light.

Me being me I was unable to wait to give it a try so for my brew this afternoon I went out to the backyard and brewed up. It's a bit windy today but managed to boil a mugful of water using around 15ml of meths; my back yard is relatively sheltered.

You do need something heatproof to stand it on to avoid burning what's beneath it. Speedster do a thing to stand it on, some just use foil, others a bit of soldering mat.

 probablylost 09 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

If you want to go properly light (i.e. OMM style) you can boil water using a foil takeaway tray as a pan. Fold it flat carefully for transport, and possibly push the boat out and take a spare.

Post edited at 14:49
 JB 09 Nov 2022
In reply to Hutson:

Another vote for Speedster stoves. Esp like the simmer ring which is brilliant. I use mine with a caldera cone windshield...very effective. About 10ml of meths boils a cup of water (250ml) but can be more in poor conditions...

OP elliot.baker 09 Nov 2022
In reply to JB:

Can I ask which cup (or which size cup) you use with this setup, and where you got the caldera cone windshield? I've looked it up but it appears to be a style of windshield rather than a specific product, from what I can tell?

 Toerag 09 Nov 2022
In reply to probablylost:

> If you want to go properly light (i.e. OMM style) you can boil water using a foil takeaway tray as a pan. Fold it flat carefully for transport, and possibly push the boat out and take a spare.

Or use biodegradeable paper/card which can then be burnt or buried depending which part it is (wet or dry) .

 tlouth7 09 Nov 2022
In reply to Toerag:

Hexamine would be my vote, it's basically a spirit fuel (paraffin) in a more portable form. You could make a custom burner out of a drinks can to hold a titanium mug which would weigh almost nothing, and all fit in the mug.

 Pedro50 09 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

Many of these suggestions although helpful seem a frightful faff. I'm happy to drink water normally, on a wintery day I might consider a 1/2 litre stainless steel flask.

1
 Run_Ross_Run 09 Nov 2022
In reply to Pedro50:

> Many of these suggestions although helpful seem a frightful faff. I'm happy to drink water normally, on a wintery day I might consider a 1/2 litre stainless steel flask.

That's great but the op asked specifically about boiling water on the hill to make a drink. 

1
 Run_Ross_Run 09 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

> I've never used an alcohol stove before - is it easy enough? Roughly how much fuel do you pour in to boil water for a "quick brew"? 

About 20ml depending on how windy it is, decent windshield and foil base helps. 

 JB 09 Nov 2022
In reply to elliot.baker:

Yeah it's basically a 'package' consisting of roll up windshield and meths stove stored in a plastic tube. The windshields are made to fit specific pots/pans...mine fits a (I think) 900ml Evernew but other options are available. The original stove got squashed so now replaced by a Speedster. I've also burned solid fuel in it too. I honestly can't remember where I got it... looking online it sounds like it might be hard to find due to current aluminium shortage. Mine is made by Trail Designs but lots of people make homemade versions. It is very good...good wind protection, feels flimsy but mine has lasted years and pretty stable. A little fiddly sometimes trying to get the pot slid into the cone is one drawback... 

In reply to elliot.baker:

I have various sized Caldera Flissure two-part Clones, which roll up neatly into a Ti mug, or pan, whatever. The smallest is for a 250ml mug. I also have a 450ml mug, 750ml MyTiMug, MSR Titan, Trangia Mini, Trangia 1l pans. All made whilst developing the Clone script design tool*

For burners for the pans, I use a red bull/rexam 250ml trangia-style burner, using a conic inner wall, and burner jets on the inner face of the top, surrounding the central opening. For the smaller mugs, an aluminium bottle top stuffed with glass wool wicking.

You should easily be able to boil 500ml of water with 12ml of meths.

The MyTiMug clone weighs 35g. The Red Bull burner weighs 7g.

* It's quite nice to see how far the use of my script (now hosted with a nice front end at zenstoves) since it evolved more than a decade ago...

https://www.google.com/search?q=caldera+clone+script

https://zenstoves.net/PotStands-Conical.htm#ConeTemplates

Post edited at 23:38
In reply to tlouth7:

> Hexamine would be my vote,

Horrible, nasty dirty, smelly stuff. Assuming you mean genuine hexi stoves, rather than Esbit-style tablets.

In reply to elliot.baker:

Another vote for Speedster stoves, simple to use, quiet, effective, reliable, cheap - what is not to like? I have had many a brew on top of the Lakeland fells in all kinds of weather - the important thing is to use an effective windshield.

I have the 30ml burner, which I use with a 650ml ti mug and homemade windshield/pot stand. For a smaller mug, I would be tempted to use the 20ml burner.


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