UKC

Has anyone used a Mini Trangier before? Love the large one but if I want to go out on my own it would be unsuitable. Is it possible to do any cooking with it, for example, is it big enough to boil up a pack of noodles in it or is it only good for a brew?

Cheers
James

EDIT - Is there anything inbetween which may be more suitable as looking at it there may be problems with wind as its fairly exposed?

In reply to James Malloch:

If it's not man enough to cope with a bag of noodles it has no right to call itself a stove.

In reply to James Malloch: I'm sure it would cope, I was more concerned about if it could cope all at once, or if I would need lots of mini portions haha! Or was that what you meant...

In reply to James Malloch:

It comes with a 0.8L pot. You will be to commit all.sorts of culinary crimes in that.

Can't see past gas for UK trips myself. MSR Windpro does the job well.

In reply to James Malloch:

I really like mine. Not had any problems with the size regarding cooking for myself. Noodles would be fine, as was a (very) large tin of beans and sausages last time i used it.

Many thanks, going to have to get one, I like the look of the MSR one but quite like the way the trangia is self contained within the pan.

Getting all my kit sorted now for my birthday, decent bag, tent, rucksack etc. looking at Some 125cc bikes tomorrow to replace my 50cc moped, thinking if I can get all my gear in a rucksack, I can get it on a motorbike (done many times fishing) so I can get up into the lakes easily from my house instead of having to nick my mums car!

Means I can get out on the fells alot more, even just evening walks as I want to do as many sumits as I can before I go to Uni next October!

In reply to James Malloch: I too was thinking of getting a mini trangia but have now settled on an MSR pocket rocket combined with an MSR titan kettle, it is a similar size to the mini trangia pan but the combined weight of fuel + pan + stove should be much less

Will

In reply to James Malloch:

I have been thinking about a slight variation on the trangia. I reckon that with a small gas canister and a very light and small burner i could take out the meths holder and pan support and use gas instead. Still self contained but eliminates the need for carrying a bottle of meths around and also faster and more efficient than the meths burner.
Just need to see if it fits in...

In reply to James Malloch:

The meths burns better with a bit of wind as more oxygen is being pushed into the burner.

In reply to James Malloch:

I've got a Trangia 27.

It has cooked a meal of noodles with chicken & veg & stuff for 2 in it's 1l pot on more than one occasion, so the 0.8l pot should be more than adequate for 1.

That said, last time my stove was used for 2 people we both licked our lips after a perfectly reasonable meal & commented how we could eat the same again - fortunately we had enough ingredients to do exactly that! But that was down to gluttony, not inadequacy of the pot.

In reply to James Malloch:

just invested in the gas convertor too... looks promising though yet to be tested on the hill...

In reply to James Malloch:
Having grown up on Trangias, used a Mini Trangia for several years, and now using a Pocket Rocket, it is my firm belief that the Pocket Rocket is much better. It's not as stable, but is lighter and much much better for boiling water fast. It can also simmer just as well as the Mini Trangia, and is lighter. The fuel is also lighter and less bulky, not to mention being safer. The Pocket Rocket is also naturally more wind-resistant.

In reply to James Malloch: I've used my Mini Trangier quite a lot and had no problems with it. One thing I did add to it though was a MSR wind/heat sheild which is basically like heavy duty tin foil for use in exposed areas. The only problem I've had with it was when I was snow holing and forgot to put the pot stand on something and it started to sink into the snow from the heat radiated off the burner.

One tip that you might not be aware of though with a meths burner is to add a small drop of water to the meths before you light it. This makes the pans much easier to clean as the soot just wipes off. Unfortuantely it's a while since I was last camping so I can't remember exactly how much water you need to add but it's easy enough to experiment with.

In reply to Dave80:

I would second that about getting/making a wind sheild - the one time I've used my mini trangia the wind was a problem. My friend had one (which she liked a lot) and improvised a shield with a bit of the bottom of a disposable barbeque - I've done the same but haven't had a chance to see how it works yet. (I got myself all kitted out with lightweight solo backpacking kit and promptly aquired a boyfriend...)

In reply to James Malloch:
I love my trangia, but for one person camping I got a primus micron which fits snugly into the alpkit titanium kettle, which I think holds 750ml. It is very light, takes up very little room and is fine for cooking up noodles.
I am still tempted by the mini trangia, though.... so cheap and simple!

In reply to practicalcat:

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product104.asp

cheap, simply and light and fairly effective if used with a wind shield.
Rob

In reply to boulderingmatt:


May be true of the 27/25, but the mini Trangia really needs a windshield. Foil tray or chopped up beercans will do just fine.

The little pan is excellent. The burner is relatively heavy (88g). You could easily replace it with a home-made burner that works just as well, and weighs about 8g. Like this, for instance...

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article.asp?sp=&v=1&uan=6227



Plenty of home-made things around, such as my Caldera Clone or SqueezeBox Stove.

Meths systems can prove lighter for 2-3 day trips but, beyond that, the weight of fuel starts to kick in (it's only half as energy dense as gas or petroleum fuels). All fuels have safety issues, and it's debatable whether 'gas is safer'; leaking cylinder in a tent is a lot of fun, as are stove flares when knocked over.

Thanks again for all the replies, the Trangia may not be the way to go then, really like the look of, and weight, of the pocket rocket too! WOuld need to look at fuel and if I can pick up a small pan or kettle and see the overall weight.

Definately going to have to have a go at making one of those little meths burners from a beer can!!! It looks awsome and would be stupidly light, give me something to do too!

James