The stamped Strap loops on modern UL trangia bases don't look as good as the old riveted on ones and can snag fabrics: what about just ditching them and instead of supplying a strap as standard (and bag optional extra): just supply a (top loading?) close fitting bag which holds / straps the packed items together as tightly as the current strap? The base could then have nice ascetically pleaseing non-snaggy smooth sides Or Instead of rivets supply bolted on ones and let them be removed if desired?
Trangia has supplied a strap with their kits since the beginning, so what is that, 70+ years? I doubt this will change anytime soon. They even started remanufacturing leather straps, so I think Trangia is fairly entrenched in their strap philosophy and methodology. The stamped loops have been the method production for at least 22 years, so not so "modern" of a change. You could take a hammer and dolly to flatten them. The strap loops, riveted or stamped, have never, ever been any consideration of mine, cosmetically or functionally. I like the look of the riveted ones, but it's a non-issue for me either way. Bolted on / removable strap loops would be cosmetically unappealing, leaving holes in the sides when the loops were not installed. The securing hardware could cause pot storage/side clearance issues. And then what happens when the hardware or the loops become lost, loose, falls out during a trip, etc. This all seems a little bit of useless overkill. Trangia recently started producing a top loading, close fitting, non-saggy bottom carrying case, the EVA. That style of container has zero interest to me. Then there's the leather cases, geez, no thanks. The orange stuff sacks work just fine for me.
I have a Trangia with both the stamped out strap eyes and and an old 1980s one with the riveted eyes. I like both equally as much but personally I prefer the riveted eyes because when you're a bit cold its easier to thread the strap! Getting rid of the strap and replacing with a close fitting bag would be counter-productive I think because if you're out on the trail and that bag rips/breaks and becomes serviceable, you would end up stuck with a load of loose pans.At least if the strap breaks you can still secure some string around them easily. You could always make a close fitting bag your Trangia and either hammer the pressed out eyes flat or drill the rivets out if you have an older one if its what you think would work best for you? All the best, Lloyd
Hi, All, I have both kinds and like the riveted versions better, aesthetically. But, the stamped ones work just fine, too. I also like the bag, and strap, just like it is. No need to change a single thing, IMHO. Doc
Well I don't like the stamped ones sharp edges and I don't need the riveted ones cause I don't carry the frypan. That would look even worse if done by me, plus why should I have too if there is a possible better way that suits all (and might be lighter/cheaper) ... The stamped loops make bag holing more likely, though I would expect a bag to develop holes but remain functional rather than rip apart (and in that case I don;t see that any temporary fix is going to be worse than string on a standard full set. One idea for a bag would be to have been to have the strap (sewn) on the bag rather than rely on perfect fit. Also, won't campers have spare other bags (I do) that ingenuity can limp home with?
I don't understand this negativity. Have you actually handled one, let alone used it? The leather cases are very nice. They are attractive and do a fine job of securing/protecting the stoves. The only criticism I would make is that, at about 8 ounces, they do add significant weight to a cooking system that some people already suggest is too heavy. I too find it a bit difficult - and mildly annoying - having to thread the strap through the stamped strap eyes. If it was possible to return to the riveted design without a large cost increase, I would support that; however, the 'defect' is certainly not something I lose sleep over.
I think it's a simple matter of weight and production cost. The stamped version weigh less than the riveted one, with its double material. And 'everyone' is hunting minute grammes to shed from the Trangia kit nowadays! Plus the simple stamping out of the aluminium material is probably much cheaper productionvise compared to all the extra work, and material +tools, involved in the riveted version... Personally I think the old riveted version looks more the part (I'm an old fart!) but I've learnt to live with the stamped version! I have lots of varying versions and ages of Trangia stoves. My nowadays favourite 25 (which replaced my KAP Arctic) is a mix'n'match version that isn't in the Trangia production line up - not even close to: Windshields: HA (with stamped strap holders) Pots and frying pan: Old DuoSSAL Mk1 All season MF burner: Optimus Polaris (permanently affixed in a X2 holder cup) 'Summer burner': Trangia GB74 butane/propane -burner Coffee pot: A 'slightly' lowered 1.4L kettle 245 (it happened to pass by an edge-roller machine at work - and ended up both wider and lower, so to fit inside the 25-set). The aluminium plate from the winter attachement kit The Multidisc 25 The pan stand The aluminium snow isolation plate from the KAP Arctic Everything, bar the burners, fits snugly strapped together inside the orange F25 pack cover bag... The burners are stored in their respective black pack bags, and only one is used at a time...
I can see a use for the EVA carry case which has benefited me many times with a similar product, the Optimus Terra cookset which comes in a EVA case. That is finishing stuff that needs to be boiled for 15-20-30 minutes while you finish the rest of the meal. Just boil your potatoes, rice, pasta or what have you for 5-10 minutes, take the pot and put it in the case till done or ready to eat. But since I already have a cookset with such a case I rather continue to use the orange pack bag, almost as undestroyable as the yellow plastic bag for the burner
Another thought, why bother stamping out the strap loop, which is more awkward (than riveted) for threading thru (especially if dented in a bit): in place of each stamped out loops just have a pairs of horizontal slots cutouts above each other, and thread the strap thru and around base before packing the rest of the stove up and closing up strap: Cheaper than stamped loops, more ascetic IMHO, and perhaps less prone to dents affecting function
Simple slots would make it difficult to move the strap into a desired position once it had been "threaded" through them, as the strap would "tighten" in position. Loops allow for the strap to be moved easily (and yes, Trangia specifies a proper place to secure the strap and clasp). You can install the strap in the base before packing the rest of the kit into it (I prefer this method). The strap does not need to be installed at the very end of packing things up. Heck, I've even used my Trangias without removing the strap all the way after unpacking the kit. I do agree that the "older" style strap, with the straight edge, can be troublesome when trying to run it through the stamped loops. However, it seems that Trangia addressed that a while ago by angling the end of the strap, and I don't have anywhere near the same "difficulty" (read: pretty much zero difficulty) running the angled strap end through the stamped loops. TRA_A, I'm curious to know what kind of torture you inflict on your kits, because I cannot recall ever seeing a kit where the loop straps (riveted or stamped) were so damaged that they ripped storage bags, or got so dented to render them in need of repair or making them unusable (and I've owned, seen in person, and looked at a lot pics of kits over the years). I'd like to see some pics of your Trangia kit(s). Please post some. Phantom: no outward negativity meant about the leather case. That's why I said it was of no interest to me. It's a personal gripe, and to me seems more like a $200 "lifestyle" item, rather than something actually useful when out and about. For a genteel Sunday afternoon picnic in the park, handled by kid gloves, perhaps it would be something handy. However, for the ways I use my Trangias, especially when camping with my kids, it would serve no practical purpose. Besides, for $200 I could buy numerous 'orange bags' and several cool Trangia kits to add to the pile.
+1 to what @Hazet wrote above. I see no reason for any of the changes that you've suggested, so far, and am quite happy with all of my Trangia kits, just exactly as they were originally designed and manufactured! Seems "much ado about nothing". Just my 'tuppence........ Doc
The 25 has only ever lived in the bottom of my cycling pannier where the stamped loops wore a hole in the cotton bag and the nylon pannier.That would seem a fairly easy life to me. NB i never said rip, WingeWheel but he was not necessarily suggesting ripped by the Trangia itself I think....
My Trangias live a hard life following me with my motorbikes so things get ripped/damaged as they're moved about and shaken at 70mph I might this weekend sew up a tight fitting bag to test your idea @TRA_A seeing as I have such an exciting life! All the best, Lloyd
Thanks for the insights. I, personally, would not have thought about repeated vibrations from cycling or motorcycles. Glad to get a different perspective on how things get used in different realities. Do you have any pics of said wearing through of bags/panniers? TRA_A, I've enjoyed reading, and contemplating the thinking-out-of-the-box suggestions you've been posting. I'm all for stove discussion that may, or may not lead to improvements or changes to an existing product, even if it's on an individual scale. I mean, it is a stove discussion forum, go figure. So this "wearing through material" discussion got me thinking about a way to come up with some options to protect the material, that would be less damaging than hammering the windscreen base, easy to make, pretty durable, and doesn't need to be changed at the manufacturing level. One thing that popped into my head was a simple layer of material that could be over the strap loops, and held securely by the strap itself. I made a crude example out of some scrap cloth (fake leather), but they could easily be made out of a thin strip of real leather (perhaps 2mm thick?), or maybe even a piece of sheet rubber. The strap passes through them (added about 10 seconds to strap installation overall), and are held firm by the strap tension as the piece wraps around the curvature of the base. Dimension A is the width of the strap loop in the base. The section of the part that covers the loops, Dimension B, could be made fairly wide to allow for maximum coverage of the sharp edges. One made of cloth, and depending on the thickness of leather or rubber (if that's the material to be used) would add minimal weight, and could be stored on the strap or in the stuff sack when the kit is in use, so they wouldn't get lost. And if they do get lost, they would be easy to replicate.
NB When I mentioned dents above I thought others complained about UL tramgias denting easier, as I don 't use the strap loops, although looking at them today, they are but I think that may be from when I drilled extra air holes in the base (to avoid the offically instructed 'need' to turn the base as wind changes direction ). I don't think it would increase their hole making ability though....
Thanks for the interesting idea: (I had been going to use some thermowrap(pot-cosy) foiled-bubble wrap as a pad). NB the pannier has been patched, the bag I was leaving as is for now (its a small hole), so could photo.
Upon further thought the simplest most consistent improvement for all would just to further improve the roundness of the edges of the stamped/other/hydroformed/etc strap loops ....
