Hi
Looking to buy a new stove. I don't see me going much beyond boiling water for coffee or pouring into dehydrated food, so no complex cooking sets needed. I doubt I would use this beyond Europe so I'm mainly thinking of gas cylinder set ups, not multi fuel. At the moment I like the look of the MSR pocket Rocket kit, but I notice a lot of people using jet boil systems. The Highlander Blade Fastboil seems a good price. As ever, I'm looking for something small and light.
I would be very grateful for any suggestions or observations on what makes a good stove set up.
Thanks

Jetboil is an excellent water boiler, its very quick and very easy. But I don't use mine for bikepacking as it's relatively bulky. I prefer meths to gas as it's a lot smaller and I'm usually not in rush, it's also quiet. There are situations when gas is easier and quicker but then I have to deal with part empty canisters

I also prefer to use a windshield with I'm using a canister as I find they're very impact by wind, but then it's another thing to carry (I use the primus clip on one or a concertina stand alone one)

I use a MSR jetboil type setup as my goto for backpacking. For lighter weight and size I go with an Alpkit Ti mug and Kraku burner. Super light and fits a decent gas bottle inside the mug. You could opt for the smaller gas bottle to.

Jetboil type - insanely fast to boil very heavy not that suitable to bikepacking IMHO - have taken it when its me and the kids as its the easiest way to boil enough water for three quickly but never when just me
TBh i cannot see a scenario where i want to take the weight penalty, just so i can boil water and save about 3 minutes time, on the trail.


Meths- insanely light weight bit of a faff to use but the lightest option


Gas - easiest and most practical but heavier as you have a gas cartriddge- will fit inside various sized mugs easily


tend to use meths in summer gas in winter - as the thought of no hot water/food/brew terrifies me

i uses a £5 china special that weighs 44 g and then wind shield etc from my meths stove - not massively efficient to be fair
I then refill 100g gas bottles from a 500g one - I dont do much in winter though as a general rule

Essentyially decide what your priority is and pick a stove for that

I quite like using this when conditions allow (i.e. I can put it somewhere suitable for LNT)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOMSHOO-Camp ... 3834452910

It's very much a balancing act - if all you want to do is boil water and carry the lightest, most minimal kit to do it and aren't in a great rush, then meths will take some beating. No reason why your entire 'cook kit' excluding fuel can't be sub 100g.



If you want to boil water a bit faster, then a simple gas stove will readily do the job. It'll be heavier and you might end up with a cupboard full of half empty (or half full) cylinders but it will be quicker than meths.

I've got a pre-production Alpkit 'jet boil' thing and it's very fast but it's massive*. I'm never in that much of a rush, so it's confined to the occasional family camping trip.

*when compared to other stuff.

Stu (Mr Bearbones) offers many meth stove variants:

https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/shop ... t=cooking

Or you could make your own.

I like gas for the one off's but it's usually a kraku or similar light weight burner plus a small cylinder in a Ti mug. Watch out for compatibility between the Kraku (Alpkit) and canister types, some do not work well.

If weight and size are your defining factors then a meths stove is usually winner.

Jetboils belong with Trangias IMO. Great kit in themselves but little use for BP or travelling *light*.

As above - meths summer(ish), gas winter(ish).

It's taken me a while to get used to meths. It's definitely more faff, potential leakage worries me and at low temperatures I find I need to pre-heat the meths bottle in an armpit or the likes or it just won't light.

Gas is, inevitably, heavier and there's the partially full container thing (possibly circumventable by "dodgy" refilling). Cleaner though and more reliable when it's cold. I've no figures but I'm convinced that a pot with a Heat Exchanger bottom actually is quicker to heat up and uses less fuel. That's n obvious weight penalty but less so on a multi-day trip where gas savings will counter it.

I also have one of the wooden stoves but not tried it yet - its 80 ish g iirc so probably the lightest overall as you find your own fuel. i intend to use this to make camping more of an adventure with the kids

its probably the lowest overall weight as it is all you need

Nah, this the lightest method I've found.

https://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.c ... ooker.html

Homemade pop can meths stove for me. (Actually beer can) weighs all of 10g. Have used it at around-6C, you just have to preheat everything first.

With meths stoves, particularly side burners, you need to match the stove and pot diameters. The stove should be roughly 2/3 the diameter of the pot

With meths stoves, particularly side burners, you need to match the stove and pot diameters. The stove should be roughly 2/3 the diameter of the pot

It will also depend on the internal volume of the stove (as that effects working pressure) and the size / number of jets.

I have a 450ml ti pot/cup and in it goes the smallest gas cylinder the kraku alpkit stove and a lighter , I use it for making coffee and sometimes dehydrated food , it boils really quickly with no faff.
I've never had a meths stove so many comment on them but I really recommend my set up.
The pot was £15 from Ebay.

I use a Kraku and a small gas canister, which sits inside a 650ml Ti mug, along with a bit of foam to stop it rattling. I'm only a part-time bivvy-er and not too worried about the weight. I also only really use it for boiling water and making porridge etc. and it perfroms really well. It boils quickly and is quick to set up/pack away, and it all packs away nice and small. I'd go for this over a jetboil type for sure.
I'd happily try meths, and I quite fancy experimenting with a solo wood burner thing, but I don't want to spend any more on pots or burners at the moment.

Nah, this the lightest method I've found.

why bother taking the fuel for a fire just light one - even lighter still and you still get to improvise a support

I’m a recent convert to meths for short duration trips where all I need to do is boil water.
I prefer an anti-spill, jet less design. For me they eliminate some of the potential hazards with using open container meths stoves.
I’m really liking my set made by Stormin Stoves. The whole kit - stove, shield and base fits in my 400ml mug. Fuel, lighter spoon and cleaning sponge go with it in a stem mounted feed bag. Very light, portable and easy to use.
For longer trips, more people or more involved cooking I like s pressurised petrol stove. In my eyes these have the advantages of gas but with an easier to obtain fuel source. You also always know how much fuel you have left and aren’t dealing with or disposing of half empty gas cans.
An MSR Simmerlight is small enough to sit in a Titan Kettle and fuel bottles start at 300ml I think.
These are really good for foreign trips where gas cans and meths are hard to get. Try buying alcohol for a stove in the Middle East and see how far you get

If you are thinking about Europe then forget the type of stove until you know what fuel is available.

Alcohol is everywhere. Meths at hardware stores.

Msr pocket rocket - forget it. Screw type canisters are difficult to get in a lot of areas.

Msr Superfly is better as it also fits the French Camping Gaz.

A big fire is the way to go.

I’ve been using a meths burner and windshield from Speedster Stoves for a while now. Very simple and basic but does the job. Weighs not much at all. Costs <£5 for the burner.
I use it for boiling water in a 450ml ti pot. Meths doesn’t work so well at low temps, I sometimes use an MSR pocket rocket if it’s going to be really cold.

As others said, Stu's 8g stove on summer overnight trips.

Gas (firemaple Ti something or other, same as the alpkit kraku) for multi day trips and winter. Reason being on an overnight I'll happily eat rubbish and wait 10 minutes for tea. Over 3 days I want 3 meals a day and lots of tea, and the faff becomes tedious waiting for meths stoves to boil.

Thanks everyone for your ideas. A lot to research now. I've always disliked meths after I set my hand on fire using a Trangia!! Might have to revisit.

Mate...rub two sticks together and swear a lot.....!!!!!
Or, a small gas canister and an MSR cook top.
MasterChef has nothing on a bivvy in the bush.
Best wishes
PeterMac

"set my hand on fire" - I have this image of you looking, in a slightly fascinated but also calmly detached way, at a pretty little flame sitting in the palm of your hand.

If it was just the vapour that's burning and if your hand was completely flat I wonder if one could use one's hand as a burner, as an infinitely-lightweight stove. Guess if one's hand was flat the meths would just slide off. Oh well, maybe someone can give it a try and let us know.

I sometimes dip my finger in meths, light it and then use my flaming finger to light the stove - always goes down well whenever I do a talk or whatever.

Great party trick that Stu.

There we go then! We present the new BBB "Hand-o-Stove" (TM), £0.00, 0g, simply pour and ignite!

Impressive as that is I'm not sure that

a) she'll fit i my frame bag and

b) the wife will believe I'm taking her to cook on.... to keep warm maybe