 pouring boiling water into something isn't cooking. it could possibly be argued that you have made the incorrect choice of food. even boiling water, and all the variables, does it matter if it takes 3 mins or 7 mins. making camp should be keeping you busy. it's cold. first thing to do is get the water on whilst you sort everything else out. what prompted this was the recent jet boil thread. this stove, to my mind, is excellent at boiling water and if that is all you want to do then fine. from reports it doesn't seem to any good at anything else or at least, any better than the many more versatile options that are available. i like something hot to eat/drink when its's cold even on days out where i'll just get the stove on and put the tarp up for weather protection and some comfort. by the time i've faffed with that it's grub up time. there are also many comments about hot spots and burnt patches, which are caused by too much heat and/or impatience. this is not about meths stoves either. i use my gas stove on about 25% - 30% flame usually. on at full blast for water for the cuppa soup and on low whilst i'm drinking the soup.
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| Edited: 23/07/08 19:11 |
 Thanks there guys!  No this very tanned and weatherd big old fifty to sixty year old bugger started menacing me outside while I was on the way to shop for food just now you see. He was full of venom and hatred, accusing me of, 'Every day being outside in the local area taking down car numbers and writing down people's tax disc expiry dates to report them for prosecution.' All most odd indeed! The chap seems to have mistaken me for someone else. I was dressed in green trousers and a green zip up jacket though. So maybe the guy thought I was in a uniform like a parking warden or something perhaps. He obviously did not stop to think, or to ask himself even, why such a person doing that job would be wearing training shoes or a camo baseball cap, and carrying a brown shoulder shopping bag. I told the Poilce about it as the guy was really nasty indeed, threatening and insulting me; and advancing on me like he was going to hit me or try to deck me and that. He really seemed to be extremely aggressive, and worked up into a great anger at me, I don't know why! The guy here running the local chippie says though that a couple of weeks back here, there were DVLA all over the place around the area, checking tax discs with PCSO's in support. That might have somehing or other to do with this mystery of today I reckon. Maybe this guy got done by them then for having a dodgy vehicle tax disc or something? Nothing to do with me at all though.
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| Edited: 23/07/08 19:16 |
 Trev Maybe he had his car lifted for no tax. I've worked with the DVLA (ghastly) but in my profession and its satisfying when some little obnoxious t--t who has no licence or insurance or tax comes round the corner. First I hit (not literally) them for my offences then I pass it to the DVLA for impounding because he can never pay on the spot as the car would be towed. Sorry, I know this doesn't help in your situation. If you see him again maybe see whether any local shops have CCTV so that the police may identify him and any further cases maybe deemed as harassment. Let me suggest a quick and short remedy. Bottle of wine and internet and lock all doors and enjoy. Regards.
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 Alright, in average UK conditions... 5 degrees above zero, gas wont suffer that much. Pocket Rocket will take 3 minutes to boil (maybe 4 or 5 if breezy and the canister is on its way out), meths will take 10-15mins. Having used a Trangia, other meths stoves, a Pocket Rocket, and other gas stoves, I must say I think those times are both being pushed out towards the extremes - the difference imo isn't that great. But even if it was, so what? There's always something else you can be doing while you wait and 5 minutes isn't going to kill you. I'd consider ease of use, controlability, fuel efficiency, performance across a range of climatic conditions, size and weight, fuel availability, all ahead of speed of boiling, when choosing a stove for a trip.
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Thanks Simon. I'm staying in now today for sure, while this rather odd guy's on the warpath for me. You are all very right of course, I shall try to forget the unpleasantness of it all, for now at least.
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| Edited: 23/07/08 19:45 |
 Just meditate while you wait, impatience is not part of outdoor life or at least, it shouldn't be. 
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 Trev, he's a nutter. He probably has enough trouble remembering his name, let alone every person he's ranted at in a day. And you can be sure he's ranted at everyone he's seen today... > Pocket Rocket will take 3 minutes to boil (maybe 4 or 5 if breezy and the canister is on its way out), meths will take 10-15mins. How much water are you boiling there, Ben? My meths burners will boil 500ml in under 7 minutes, which is more than enough for most of the things I cook (about 250ml per dehydrated meal).
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 My Caldera Cone boils 500ml a lot quicker than 10-15 mins. I haven't timed it (because i don't care  ) but it isn't a lot slower than my Optimus Crux.
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 Well my pocket rocket takes about 3 minutes to heat enough water to cook cous cous for 2 people whereas my Trangia takes all evening to heat up enough water for me to have a bath...
I use and love both stoves. I initially bought the PR just for the odd coffee in the morning as it seemed faster and easier than pouring meths everywhere. Now I use the PR for all backpacking as it's lighter (rather than faster) than the Trangia. I wouldn't want to carry anything heavier than the PR now but would like something more stable like the Trangia.
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A half brick is lighter than a Trangia. A Caldera Cone is very stable. Best meths stove system on the go IMO. The newest model, the Caldera Fissure, has a 2 part cone that fits into the pot for ease of carrying.
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| Edited: 23/07/08 20:10 |
 "......... and you go to attach the gas cylinder to the stove and get it cross threaded, while your mate has his meths stove up and running" I'm fairly confident I can attach a cannister to a stove without crossthreading well before my/your/his mate has his meths stove up and running. meths? gas? each to their own maybe?
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| Edited: 23/07/08 20:31 |
A half brick is lighter than a Trangia. - Wrote Mike. I feel then that you too would love the mini Trangia, as it is compact, light, small and perfectly formed!
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anywhere. The only thing i'm interested in with a stove, is weight and volume. And the noise the stove makes (or is that what you meant by "volume" ?).
Oh come on Frum, anything to bolster the doubtful value of your home made spirit stoves. We're not talking about No 2 field stoves here you know!
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I'll never part with my Caldera Cone Trevor. Not until the latest one comes out anyway. 
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 Hey Mike, can I go first on the list to buy your 1-piece cone when you get the 2-piece ?
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Hey Mike, can I go first on the list to buy your 1-piece cone when you get the 2-piece ? It will be a while Frum. They haven't made a 2-part to fit my MSR Titan kettle yet.  I never seem to sell kit. It just takes over the house!
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but the point is who cares how long it takes to boil (cue discussion to define "boil"). does it heat your food up in more or less the same time? if the food takes 5mins say to heat through/cook properly it doesn't matter a hoot if your stove boils 500ml of water in three seconds or five minutes. stick a tin of beans on a 2 min stove and you've got to pay it constant attention for 5 mins to stop it burning. stick it on a 10 min stove and you can ignore it mostly with just a quick stir here and there. so the 10min stove only takes 5mins of your time. for a boil in the bag in a 2min stove you have to turn the stove off and, depending upon the stove, cosy it for at least three minutes. on a 10 min stove, stick it in the water and let it get on with it - go sort your mat, sleeping bag out and all the other general chores that you have to do anyway. thinks: would a gas stove for fast water boiling and a "slow" very light meths (for example) stove be the way to go. just as you have small and large rings on the cooker at home.
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How about one 'fast-boiling' stove - with height-adjustable pan supports?
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I just boil water.
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"thinks: would a gas stove for fast water boiling and a "slow" very light meths (for example) stove be the way to go. just as you have small and large rings on the cooker at home." Actually that's the way I go on a leisurely overnighter. I use a Pepsi can stove for the "slow" stove. >gulps and swallows humble pie offered by Frum<
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