And most important... Don't use the burner lid to snuff out the flame, unless you remove the o ring first... They melt rather easily! New o rings are $2-3 each, when you can find them. It's easier to set a tin cup on top. And use the 'Spondonicle' to move the simmer cap... for some reason, that puppy is HOT!
Hi Ed, When I bought my military trangia many years ago, the feller who owned the surplus shop told me "They're great! I use mine all the time in the camper. The Swedes made these to burn anything; rubbing alcohol, Bacardi 151, white gas, jet fuel, etc...". Yeah, right. Good thing I never used it until I googled it and found this here website. Can't wait to see some action pics! Regards, Ridge
Ed, before you use the simmer ring, open & close it several times to loosen-up the rivet so that if you need to adjust it in situ a gentle prod with a 'spondonicle' or a tent peg or similar thing will suffice.
Mel: I haven't heard from Henrik/Chickenthief in a long time. I hope he's OK. I don't currently have a reliable source for such adapters although I've been talking with one CCS member about just such a thing. I'll keep everyone posted. HJ
"Spondonicle" indeed! That sent me on a merry chase for the definition. Led me to those great guys...couldn't find the specific episode, but this is a good one: [media=youtube]l8xFUMTvHIs[/media]
I've got a couple of those plastic bottles with the reservoir, similar to what Stabil comes in. I got mine from the Brasslite website. You flip up the pour spout, give a bit of a squeeze so the reservoir takes on the fuel, tip and pour. There are marks on the side of the reservoir for 1/4 and 1/2 oz. So far I haven't found any major differences in how much it takes to cook a given amount of water, using a Trangia, Brasslite, or a home-made pressurized-jet-style burner.
If you need them I do them for the Trangia & Swede Milspec - see Trading Post - member services. I use the simmer ring to extinguish the flame - if I happen to be using it at the time I just closer it with a spoon. Sometimes the flame will pop up through the rivet hole but is now easy enough to blow out.
Jumping back to the original posting - I'm amazed that there is so little Trangia coverage in the States. I can walk into York city centre on a lunchtime and look at 2 or 3; in fact I was having a good look at the 27 only yesterday. It's a real shame and surely a challenge that Trangia should be tackling in these times of recession. I wonder that, if a multi-national bought the firm (like happened to Optimus), this would be allowed to happen. I imagine they're all having too good a time in the mountains of Sweden to worry much about marketing and sales!
RetroC, it is interesting. One sees the Trangia referred to in passing in Yank backpacking books, but they don't show up in outdoor stores. On the other hand, I wasn't looking until about 10 years ago. Maybe in the '70s and '80s they were to be found here. When I got on CCS in 2001, Ross was using the Trangia as his main stove on his Nordic ski expeditions. That was my first introduction to this set. I do believe it's always been a much bigger item in Europe than in North America. But the same is at least as true for brass keroburners!
[walking into a sporting goods or outdoor store in my area: "Do you have any Trangia gear?" "Wuh? Whazzat?"] :-)
When I first got on the internet c1997 via the PC's at my night class in how to use Windows I went straight for the backpacking sites & was shocked at the bad press the Trangia got in the USA, albeit it was mainly the Westwind lightweight system which even I will concede is pants. I adopted the handle 'Spiritburner' in those early internet forays on US backpacking forums to defend my beloved Trangia. Ed - I used the Trangia for such activity but just weekend trips. For the long trips which involve hours of snow melting I've used my trusty old MSR GK - although I may be tempted to use my KAP Arctic clone in future.
By the way, having said what I did, I'd hate to see Trangia bought by a multi-national. I love the fact that all their stuff is still made by their factory in Sweden. It makes you feel like you a buying a slice of Scandinavian outdoor life whenever you get something by them.
Not only that RC, they would go down the same route as so many did before them: outsource production to China trying to make max. profit by selling an inferior product. Optimus is having big troubles with their stoves, and it looks like Coleman quality has gone down the loo as well. A few years ago, a new bicycle was offered to the public, based on the high quality Swedish mil.spec. bikes. They looked good, and almost exactly the same as my old Husqvarna military bicycle (which is one of the finest made bicycles I've ever seen). They disapeared quickly from the shops as they were mere rubish made in China. Mind, if one is willing to pay a decent price, and wants to invest in proper quality control there is no problem with having goods made in China. Sadly, greed always raises its ugly head with these big multi-nationals. Best regards, Wim
There's a sort of odd prejudice (traditionally) against alcohol stoves in the outdoors here. Perhaps it's the dominance over the years by the Coleman company and Coleman's rather strong preference for Coleman fuel. When you "know" that Coleman fuel is the best choice, why look elsewhere? Even kerosene was looked somewhat askance at (except by serious mountaineers who knew better). Even to this day, in the US, you'll find very few people who use kero even among those who use liquid fueled stoves (members of this site excepted of course). Note that it was the 111B that was the mainstay of 111 sales here in the US. A kero only stove? Who would want that? With the advent of the ultralight craze, the US backpacking community is making up for lost time and is investigating anything remotely cup shaped that might be used to burn alcohol. Unfortunately, the ultralight craze does very little to help the "traditional" Trangias (the 25 and 27). REI, which is probably the biggest nationwide outdoors retailer in the US, sells only the Trangia 28. With the advent of the internet, the Trangia is now far more available since one is no longer limited to just what the local shops offer. If one were to walk into the local shops here in Los Angeles, one would never even know that alcohol stoves even existed, or at least I've never seen one. REI does at least sell alcohol, but I've never seen any alcohol burner of any kind in any local shop. Everything is canister gas, propane, or petroleum based liquid fuel. HJ
I finally saw some alcohol stoves in REI (Anchorage) Just two of the Vargo models...the Decagon and the Triad but last time I was in they were sold out...no Trangia models though.
Vargos, huh? I'm fairly sure I have yet to hear anyone say something nice about them, other than the Triad (had one briefly) SHOULD have been a groovy piece of kit. Mine leaked madly despite having been slathered with JB Weld at some point. Then it lost a boiling race with a pop can burner and it was *wind up and point* OUTTA there! Meths is gaining a solid following here, the next wave of hikers and campers are seeing it's inherent 'green-ness' and discovering it's effectiveness almost as an afterthought. Trangias are easily found and a few weeks back I found a German(?) T clone spiffy in black anodised ali and gothic vent holes for about the same price (NZ$120ish)
There seems to be an impression that Swedish goods have an ultimate supremacy about them. Knives that never go dull. Sleeping bags fit for near absolute zero conditions, those little red gummy fish that cure cancer and broken marriages, and now the post apocalyptic tool to end all tools the Trangia stove. The Swedes have done a good job marketing their country as a brand obviously.
