 Having a look my kit status I'm pretty much sorted with everything which is good as I put down a deposit on a new camcorder on Thursday which means I'm completely skint for at least a year. Anyway the only thing that I feel that I'd like to at least look at is my stoves.
Basically I use a Pocket Rocket for quick stuff i.e. boiling water at lunch time or heating some soup etc. I then use an XGK/Reactor as my 'in-camp' cooking stoves.
Rightly or wrongly I don't choose to eat 'super noodles' or Pot noodles or any other 'food like substances' I am though quite partial to LWWF with Cous Cous for something quick and easy. For me depending on the exact circumstances I prefer to cook proper meals from proper ingredients. As we're closer to the start of winter than summer that would be things like stews. My standard pot is an MSR 2.4ltr Alpinist.
If I were to ask for advice on a suitable stove that could be used for long cooking times i.e. up to an hour. Would anybody have any reasonable suggestions in light that I already have an XGK? Would probably have to be liquid fuel and would mostly/always be used in the UK. Worst weather probably Dartmoor winter conditions.
I'm still pretty taken with all I've seen and read about the Soto Muka! Has a number of advantages over the XGK for my intended use but isn't radically different.
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| Edited: 14/08/11 13:57 |
 We also like to take our time over food and eat something more like a 'proper meal'. (These days that often means something based around a home-cooked stew that's been home-dehydrated). Anyway, we're often looking at long cooking times as you said, the ability to simmer (which you didn't explicitly mention), and performance year round. I think stability is also a good feature since you're more likely to be swapping pans, adding things, stirring etc. if you're 'cooking' rather than purely boiling water. So my thinking goes something like this... I managed for years with a Trangia, but using meths I did have to get organised around being able to refill and relight the burner, ideally at stages in the meal prep, but sometimes inconveniently. I reckon most (all?) meths burners hit that problem. We sometimes use a remote-canister gas stove, even into winter (one with a preheat tube so we can invert the canister for liquid feed if necessary). Simmering and stability are good. Cooking for an hour is no bother with a full canister, and if it runs out it's quick and easy to change. But if you're going for more than a night or two you'll get through a lot of gas, so that means weight and bulk to carry and it's also probably the most expensive option fuel-wise. Which brings me to my dependable year-round choice which is a multifuel stove. Mine is the Optimus Nova and it's very easy to work with - simple enough priming, simmers well, good stability, good switch-off facility. I reckon it scores over the XGK for being able to simmer. I've run it on Coleman Fuel or Optimus's equivalent, but prefer Aspen 4T when I have that available (a lot cheaper). I've only very rarely used unleaded and never tried it with diesel yet. If I could only keep one stove for the use you describe, the Nova would be it. Edit: I've been curious about that Soto multifuel that reckons not to need priming, but tbh I don't like the look of its smooth, rounded pot supports.
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| Edited: 14/08/11 14:11 |
 Since the MSR you already have will burn most liquid petroleum fuels I don't see much obvious point in buying another. If you want long cooking times I'd not look too hard at spirit stoves, which burn quite a bit of fuel and will need refuelling over longer cooks. Which leaves you with saving your money or going with gas. Get something with remote can and a low, stable design so you can leave it to itself, make sure it has a windshield (though you can roll your own or use a 3rd party one) for more efficiency, get a heat-exchanger type thing and that will make your fuel go even further, like the Primus Eta EF. If you've set your heart on the Soto then that's what to get, but you say yourself it doesn't do much your existing solution doesn't and you also say you'll be a short of readies. In which case I'd personally want something that fills holes I don't already have covered, or to save my money. Pete.
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On the persumption you are unhappy with your existing setup...whats wrong with your existing setup? Is it the stove? Replace stove - but with what? Is it the transfer of heat energy between stove and pot...then change pot? something like this maybe? I am currently playing with using second hand computer heat fins and thermal glue on the bottom of a pot (I can get the fins for free, the pot is an oldie but goldie...all I need do is source the correct glue)
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 Use lots of fuel or put your pot into a double layer pot cosy. No brainer choice.
Tea lights are good for keeping things hot too
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Use lots of fuel or put your pot into a double layer pot cosy... At what stage in the cooking process, Parky? We use a pot cosy while the dehydrated stuff does most of its rehydrating off the stove, but not everything can be cooked that way. You're not suggesting a cosy while the pot is on the stove, are you?
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I take it you like your pocket rocket B. Then perhaps you also like the brand MSR in light of you already hav ing two of their stoves. Well I heard they have two new stoves. The first is a smaller pack size and lighter version of the Pocket Rocket (saves 10gt and packs up smaller because the supports fold differently. Same burner performance though. The second, and perhaps of more interest, is a liquid fuel stove that comes with attachement for gas. Apparently if the MSR blurb says it is still reasonably efficient as a gas but is a typical effriciency as a liquid. Basically it sounds like it performs like most other petrol, COlemans Fuel and Kerosene stoves but has the gas option without the loss of performance that these gaas/liquid fuel mutli stoves usually have. Think I read it on this site but could be wrong. Anyway if you are unhappy with your stove choices, which seem totally adequate for your needs IMHO, then these might be of interest. Or if you just want something new and shiny with all the excitement of getting it out of the box for its first test burn...
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 I, for long trips use the Optimus MF. with Trangia pots and lid, lid makes for good simmering, or a fry pan. Also keeps the like of Cous Cous, rice, pasta, warm whilst you cook something else in other pot, like dehyrated sauce with salamai, pepperami, cured meat, fish etc. Dried noodles are an other good option, (not Pot Noodles, take up to much space), quick, easy to cook, just add cured meat, etc. And if you use more water than you need can also have a 'soup' as well. If needed is relativly easy to get more fuel from Petrol Stations.
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Well, you could sell your XGK and buy lighter, like MSR's newest version of the hisperlite International, the Universal. It does have an adjustable flame, unlike the XGK. I have the MSR Dragon fly, MSR's heaviest muli fuel stove, and it simmers lower than any other liquid fuel stove. But I use it only in winter camping, when I need a totally reilable stove with lots of heat for melting snow and low simmer for baking with a Backer's Pantry oven kit. (yes, baking, as in jelly-filled biscuits and blueberry muffins and chocolate cakes)
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| Edited: 14/08/11 21:56 |
Bedders wants long cooking i.e. Slow. Put the pan in decent pot cosy after it's boiled and wait. You can cook things in a thermos flask if you want. It just takes time.
Easy enough to try out at home to see if it works for you compared to constant heat from a stove compared to constant lower heat say from a tea light. And considerably cheaper than a new stove.
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 Bump on Parky - there's quite a lot that you can cook this way though it can be hard to know how long it's going to take (and it works best with dense carbs like pasta / potatoes / rice and so on).
OT - I don't use a pot cosy though, I use my sleeping bag instead - most of my cooking is of the dehydrated variety and ends up in a ziplock bag so reasonably safe to do as long as one exercises a bit of caution.
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another bonus of insulation cooking is that it is in the cosy it's unattended and inside your tent if wanted. whilst that is simmering away in the cosy you can prepare another pot of something - i like Real Food (tm) too) - or a cuppa soup. pot cosies are cheap and easy to make. they must be easy if i can do it with my technical tool skills - being limited to and adjustable spanner, a screwdriver and a hammer. i think it's worth exploring the simple method before attempting to throw technoloy and cash at a problem that may not be a problem. (have i mentioned tea lights?)
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spanner/screwdriver and a hammer...thats heavy DIY. I made mine with a pair of scissors and some gaffa tape.
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 Parky, you are replying to a Gas Man and mostly they are not clever enough or patient enough to cope with meths 
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nothing to do with with meths but Real Food (tm). if i can make pot cosies from different materials then even the most hairiest of knuckled gas thug who likes burning their cash can stretch their feeble imaginations to a world that doesn't involve welding equipment and HSE safety circles around a tent. i am of an an age to have benefited from blue peter projects... i can't afford such luxuries. i have a jacket fetish to feed... (only from watching certain unsavoury fillums about foot balls hooligans (leeds fans) have i learnt that stamley knives have another use) however, how to cook Real Food (tm) with any enthusiasm, using the gas abomination for its sole purpose of warming water up, can be an interesting debate. (runs away again)
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I agree with a cosy but if you are doing a proper cook from totally raw ingredients surely you are adding stuff (cold to stuff already hot to make up the meal. I mean if I'm cooking proper food not everything takes the same time to cook and you dont just bung it all in one pan, heat to a temperature that you can just leave in a cosy to continiue cooking. The cosy way I know is for things like pasta where the water is boiling and pasta is left to cook in the cosy while you use another pot to cook the rest of the food (meat, veg, sauce, etc.). Unless you know of any other way to make proper food? You have to supply heat to the food and keeping the lid off a cosy to add more ingredients allows heat out and the adding of colder food also cools it which equals less energy in the pot in the cosy which probably means longer lead times and quite possibly some raw ingredients. Of course I'm just a gas man, a meths man an esbit man, wood burner man and if I had the money for a proper multi-fuel I'd be a multi-fuel man too (got free Kerosene too) so obviously being obtuse.
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Erm...
Try it at home. Takes away all the perhaps theory.
It works or it doesn 't.
Or learn to cook properly...or it's blx
Only you know if it works. Learn to distinguish reality from theory. Anyone who can't cook in a camp situation can't cook. No excuses. Learn to cook. Don't make excuses for your owm ignorance. Cokking is so piss easy it's embarassing to even pretend you can't.
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If I had free kerosene...I'd save up for a multifuel stove... (actaully, I have one of these - I like it...now all I have to do is source the free kero..)
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apologies for the delay... family commitments. Anyway, I've always when buying kit sought the best item for the job in hand. One of the downsides to this is that I've ended up with say 2 items when others would make do with one. Whereas the XGK has been excellent for I've been using it for I'm now not sure if its the best stove for me going forward. I'm going to spending more time in the UK at least until the exchange rate improves and or (if ever) flights become more affordable* Right, I've spent a long weekend on Dartmoor (Yes Tor) with heavy rain/sleet and strong winds. Almost all the cooking had to be done in the tent porch. Anyone with an XGK will know that its temperamental when it comes to lighting. Having cold hands or using gloves CAN lead to serious flare-ups which in a tent porch are not recommended. The 'switching-off' procedure is also a bit of a faff as well Agreed, there are ways around all this BUT I'm wondering if theres a more suitable stove for UK conditions. Looking at the Muka it seems to address these issues well but as has been pointed out above the pot rests are a concern. There a YouTube review where a pot of boiling water falls/slips off the stove  I'm sure that with the number of people on this forum that most if not all stoves are represented so wanted to get an idea of what was available. As for fuel I see no reason to stop using my usual Primus Powerfuel which is cheap compared to Coleman fuel and readily available. A number of people have mentioned the 'Pot Cosy'. One of the best things I do is when boiling water in the morning I do a bit extra and put it in a thermos with some bouillon and uncooked rice. By lunch its cooked and gives a lovely hot meal in the cold with no fuss. In that sense the 'cosy' idea is great BUT I'm not at all convinced that it would be suitable for a full on stew for people that have need for a good hearty calorie dense meal. I'm fully open to peoples views on this but my main issues are meat i.e. chicken portions (less so beef) also one of the best ways I find of getting calories in is (herb) dumplings which I don't think are suitable for this cooking method (my slow cookers says not to do them) Eric, my XGK is well used and quite old so probably worth very little if anything. As a point of interest I see VERY little well used kit for sale is that because its worth so little? * Spent long weekend in Palermo (Sicily) inc. flights for less than £100 which was cheaper than going to either Dartmoor or the Lakes. NOW would be closer £300 eeeek!
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