can you give me an idea of what i will need for a 5 week cycle tour? i want it to be pretty light, and not take up too much space in my panniers btw!
i was thinking a plate, saucepan with lid/frying pan, mug, knife and fork and spatula. i'd also like to be able to have a hot drink while i eat though.
i'm going solo on this trip, but the next is with a mate, so if i can use for both it would be a bonus!
cheers

jetboil for cooking with,
one of those folding plates (backpackinglight.co.uk sell them)
titanium cutlery set (which backpackinglight.co.uk sell as well, they did have an offer on those which included the folding plate, but I think that has run out now)
would cover you

whats a jetboil? sorry!

£15?!?! maybe a bit cheaper! (sorry, skint gap year thingy) the folding plates and bowls look good, may invest...

Jetboil
I'd buy from the us via ebay, works out cheaper, the UK company selling them over here are over charging for them.

£15 ain't bad when the plate is free.

oh plus you save money not having to buy loads of other bits with the Jetboil, so could get the cutlery set. ;-)

Hi there,

Based on my backpacking experience I'd suggest:

- a light gas stove (eg the Primus Micron, or the little one available half price at www.backpackinglight.co.uk at the moment)

- a light pot. I take MSR titanium kettley thing but I think that might be outside your budget. Go for a light aluminium one. You only need one pot to cook in.

- I also take a titanium mug, so I can have a drink while I cook. The advantage of titanium for the mug is it can be used on the stove. However, you can get a cheap plastic one and just use that.

- I take Lexan spoons - large and small - available very cheaply from Black's. They're a sort of green plasticky stuff, but robust, hard wearning and no sort of taste to them. I don't bother with knife or fork (though I have a small penknife in my bag in case I need to cut anything).

If you're trying to save weight and money then you don't need a spatula, and to be honest you don't need a folding plate either (although it's good for cutting things up and doesn't cost much - see www.backpackinglight.co.uk again).

Good luck, and have fun :)

ah, i already have a stove. looks good though.

i was thinking of a kettle - more efficient that an open pan, and you can also cook pasta/rice in it i suppose! but i don't fancy cooking porrige in it! if i just had a pan, i could eat out of that i suppose. the lexan spoons/knife sounds a good idea, will have a look. i can stir with a spoon can't i.

thing is, i don't want to take too much, but also i don't want to find i don't have enough.

also, do you think those volume reducer bags are any good? i tend to carry far too much stuff (mainly food!) and i don't have a massive capacity (esp as i need bike tools/spares etc too)?

A kettle isn't any more efficient than a pan with a lid.

Solo I'd eat out of my pan. With 2 people I'd add a plate/bowl but it doesn't have to be anything fancy (I use an old Vitalite tub! It nests on the bottom of my pan for packing).
I like to be able to boil water for a drink regardless of the state of my main pan so I'd either take a second small pan (I know a lot of people don't) or else make sure I had a titanium or stainless steel mug rather than plastic. If I take a second pan then one lid does for either.

The lexan spoons are great and a pocket knife does if I have any fruit or bread to cut or spread. Add a small scourer and that's pretty much been my setup for years.

Oh, and don't forget a small pot-grab unless your pans have folding handles.

I agree with Matt, Marv. A kettle isn't any better than a pan with a lid, and in fact it's less easy to use because of the narrow top.

Yes, you can certainly eat out of your little pan/pot, and you can stir with the Lexan spoons.

I think you'll find pot with lid, 2 spoons and a mug plenty - I certainly did on a couple of 2/3 week backpacks.

Matt's right on the pot-grab thingy too: you'll need that unless your pot has insulated handles (and some of them do).

In fact, Marv, here's a picture of my cooking kit :)

(Piglet not included.)

I always use meths trangia type stoves. I have quite a collection now, both genuine trangia's and imitations. The Mini trangia can be had for £20 or so.It includes a pan, lid/frypan, handle, burner and windshield. Add a spork, or a tablespoon and fork,and thats all you should need for a solo trip. you can use the frypan/lid as a plate. If you want a mug a cheap steel one are worth the £4-5 you'll pay, but watch you dont burn your lips.

If, as you say, you already have a stove, why not invest in a decent set of pans that work with it. Buy a set. You can then decide what to take, and what to leave based on each trip. To save space you can use a spoon and fork made from soft alloy (cheap market stall stuff) and bend the handles to fit inside the pans with the stoves. I've done this with cutlery and I'm still using the same set as 4 years ago (Before the cries of "the handles will break with all the bending and unbending" start)

**IMPORTANT**
I feel I must warn you that cookwarekit can be very addictive. I'm sure that the members here would have enough cookware between them to outfit the catering corp of a small South American Army.

Peewiglet, I hope thats not pea soup with ham youve got cooking there!

< fx: shudder! >

Certainly not, David!

:-)

I've not tried the volume reducer bags, Marv, but I think they can probably only squish down things that have a fairly high air content. Food isn't likely to be very compressable, I'd have thought.

A second for the Trangia mini. Cheap all-in-one easy to use unbreakable kit. Cheap lexan spoon and you're all set.

< fx: shudder! >

Certainly not, David!

:-)

Peewiglet who's the little guy on your pic? Does he go everywhere with you?