For an alternative method of joining the cans, take a look atthis and this.

I use a Coleman F1 Lite. It's never given me any trouble. It has good power and is really light and compact.

HI All

Am I correct in thinking that using a tin windshield around a GAS stove would cause the canister to overheat? and then BANG!!!

Its more of a bulge then a bang. Same for a can of beans on a camp fire!

It's not the windshield that makes the bang, its massively overheating a canister in the presence of a naked flame that makes it bang. A windshield, used incorrectly, can make overheating more likely, but its by no means a given.

I've used a windshield on a canister stove for years with no problems - it just requires you either a) to use the stove on low power (where its _much_ more efficient anyway) or b) to regularly check the canister temp.

Cheers chaps, will use one with my pocket rocket :-)

When using a windshield with a canister stove I leave a small gap on the side away from the wind to allow some airflow and if the stove is run for more than a few minutes I touch the canister occasionally to check it's cool. I've never had one feel more than slightly warm. They get much hotter in my car! And on sunny camp sites!

The thing not to do is to wrap a close-fitting windshield right round the canister.

If you really don't want to put a windshield round a canister there's an interesting homemade one that sits above the canister described here:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00041.html

If youre out on your own then the Trangia Mini Kit is an awesome little stove; it may be slower than gas but it is reliable and shields itself from the wind pretty well. It comes with a bowl/saucepan and a little one man frying pan which I reckon is just right for one. I do take a decent pot handle and not the silly thing that comes with the kit though.
As for fuel- its a Trangia and you get loads of meals out of one 500 ml bottle of meths, and its a very safe non exploding fuel.
On top of all that the Trangia Mini kit only costs £20!!!It negates the need to carry bowls or plates and the burner itself is tiny compared to anything else on the market.

A thermarest makes a good wind shield and theres no danger of it getting too close as to prevent airflow to the canister - if it gets that close you will loose the mat.

rr

Thermarests are actually surprisingly flame resistant. We tried setting fire to a knackered prolite 3 with lighters. It made holes where the flame was directly, but wouldn't ignite.


But yeah, holes in a thermarest could be a problem I guess...

I guess the holes brought the weight down!

I see everyone's gone all ultralight. My Primus Gravity is a big heavy hose-connected stove that ensures my canister never overheats, ensures my food never falls off, and has a pre-heating coil so the gas is hot before it starts burning. Because it's only about 3cm off the ground, it's that much safer to use inside the tent. Weighs 200 grams though...

Yep, the Primus Gravity does look like an infinitely better design than any of the bottle-top burners and it's probably worth the extra weight if you're cooking as a pair or three.

I currently use a whisperlite (in group of 2, 3 or even 4) with a Scout group because the petrol fuel is so cheap(comparatively) and readily available. I have a Trangia too but haven't carried it for a while because the Whisperlite is faster for boiling water. Im thinking of getting a Pocket Rocket gas stove as a spare incase I do any backpacking in small groups at uni next year, and because they are so cheap.

if i were to buy a new stove for cooking for 2-4 people id look at the optimus stella

I like the look of the Optimus Stella and the Primus Gravity but they are just a bit more than I want to spend at the moment. I'll have to see what kinda stuff I actually get to do at uni, and even then I might not need to buy a stove. I just fancy a Pocket Rocket because I should be able to get one for £15, and can then take it everywhere.

How unstable are they? Will they hold a 1L pan ok? Anything larger at all?

I used to use the old Epi gas backpacking stove, which I used for about ten years.
Last year I switched to the Primus gravity and I haven't looked back.
Ok its not as light as the MSR pocket rocket, but for a remote canister stove the weight is remarkably low.It actually came with a windshield which works very well.
Plus being low to the ground, there is no chance of your mate kicking your brew water everywhere.
I use that with the smallest pan out of the MSR Blacklite set, I only take the larger pan when car camping with the Mrs.
The stove and a plastic spoon fit in to the pan perfectly.

I really dislike canister top stoves, after an episode with a pierceable canister almost exploding near me, heheh, their instability doesnt help either :P.

I got a Rekri8 thermotec recently, but im starting to regret it, and wishing i spent the extra few quid on the gravity.

ben, the coleman f1 might be a better stove for you or you could import a titanium kovea camp3 stove, like me for £22.

anyway, a 1 litre pan will be fine on these tiny stoves, make sure its not too windy, on level ground and ALWAYS steady the pan when stirring etc.

owe, i forgot.
make your own stove from 2 coke cans. easy to build, free, and weigh 10g... and they work.... 500ml to boil in about 4 minutes.

From the Kovea website on the Camp 3

Super Light and compact by titanium.

Handle can be freely angled and control the fire fully and softly.

Hard and compact case.

No one can imitate the luxurious and tidy figure by laser-marking.

When using, equal fire on the head by a trapezoid type design and suitable for an expert.

I think I just about get what they mean.