From Coleman 414 suitcase to 2 singleburner 442-550B-or 508??

No lifeline needed, I'll take my knocks as I earn them.

(famous last words)

 

Hey, Marc,

Nobody is knocking you, my friend. Just sharing opinions and having a bit of fun! I know, that you know, and I know that you know that......!!

Doc (Who has taken his own share of knocks in his many years at CCS!!! Most in good fun, and some.... well, not in good fun, but earned by Himself, nonetheless!!)

 

@HunterStovie
Mike, I'll have to try that additional ring on a 502, given that, you could argue "your" 502 as being one of the best or the best suggestion above.

@Danskeren
Mads,
I think you've already considered the 508 , power = to a 533, but 508 has excellent simmer. Although it has same burner as 400 & 400a (forget 442, 533 as a best imo) 508's wider solid base is more durable and stable than the 400 / 400A.

508, 400, 400A, 533, 442 etc etc have same "cross" grate. Going w/any of these know that this pot support is small.

I think your choice depends on your cooking. You are used to a 414 (20" wide continuous cooking surface), you will sorely miss that big surface if your meals involve 2-3 pots.
FWIW camp meals were just never a highlight for me, cooking for 3-7, we would have fires and might use the 502 (a 425 always made the trip but often not used).

Going with a 502 (5,000ish btu), w/o the HS burner upgrade (HunterStovie) you also might miss the HOT burner of the 414 (8500+ btu).

You are replacing the wider 413/414.
When I consider replacing basic 425 suitcase, I think: a pair of one burners ie 508, 400/400A or 502 or maybe "... a pair of 111's.."
Then again, you're replacing a wider suitcase to go w/2 one burners you may want a larger cooking grate option over top for big meals.
...but I do like your thinking w/508.

Here's a quick drawing w/rough numbers (in inches, sorry) for an idea of the scale of the cooking surfaces or to put in perspective.



I love the 550s (7500 btu) btw but they are less durable. They can easily get bent (oops) or can crush/collapse w/heavy pot or down force. When compared to a 414 or 502 the 550 is fragile.
Of note as well suitcases and 502 have straight easy to clean gens that none of the others have.
thx omc

 

No worries at all, Doc!

I do absolutely agree that in the gassie dept, a well regarded mfg is a much better investment than no name Chinese. Coleman even makes them!

https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Peak...09646450&sr=8-5&keywords=coleman+butane+stove

https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000...09646441&sr=8-3&keywords=coleman+butane+stove

 

I get where Marc is coming from with his original suggestion. On longer car trips, even when I have a couple of real stoves in my gear, having a little $10 Chinese gassie readily accessible can be handy. With the right pot, the whole thing takes up next to no room. Pull off the road at a nice (or not so nice) spot and one can quickly and inconspicuously brew up and move on in no time. True, the one I have likely will not last long but I'll probably either misplace it, or give it to someone else to lose, before that happens anyway.

But I hope you find a Coleman.

 

Hi All

Thanks again for all the input. I really appreciate your input, drawings etc! I knew this would be a place for me :-)

From what I have seen here I got easy access to the German secondhand market, 550 - 533 440-442s and that sort of stuff.
But if I´m going for a 508-502 I need to seach over the pond= import tax and shipping costs which adds a bit up.

@HunterStovie by the 4th burner ring you mean adding a 1 extra corrugated and flat ring to the burner "pack" ?

I like the idea of the straight generator of the 502 as I have had no troubles at all with my 414 which honestly never has burned other than unleaded.... SORRY but it works.

 

@Danskeren

Yes 1 extra corrugated/wavy ring and 1 flat ring. You should have a flat ring on the top and bottom of the stack. I also like to offset the rings so the holes look like diamonds.

Mike

 

@Danskeren I've burned gallons of unleaded in my Colemans too. Never a problem, but I do store on white gas, which is meant to be storage stable.

Welcome to CCS!

 

I think everyone has a branded version of the Chinese single burner gassie ours is Camping Gaz.

Cheap simple and pretty robust with an easy source of fuel. The right time to find them as stores clear out old stocks too.

For an infil the perfect choice really if he isn't going to go the Trangia route.

 

Why do you think that? I don't have one. Which is neither here nor there in itself, but I'm interested in the concept that one would think that everyone would have one.

We have had a recent long discussion about what constitutes a "classic camp stove", and we have had such discussions several times over the years. One thing is for certain: these new boxy flat gassie jobs are the antithesis of a classic. Defining a classic may not be easy; defining a non-classic in this instance is simple enough.

Surely those things are wholly sensible and utilitarian in every respect.

 

I do not.

Well said Ed.

 

From the message context, I think the "everyone" might be referring to various companies selling look-alike Chinese stoves with a brand name stamped on it.

It is unlikely that Coleman makes the two above linked-to butane/canister stoves in it's domestic factories.

 

I've got one. A Primus Stena, only used a few times.

 

@itchy Agreed. I would hope that Primus and whoever else have better QC, but I have no doubts that most of them are turned out in the same factory.

 

Miss, miss I'm a Gassie owner.

Before I saw the light, or should that be smelt the paraffin, I travelled with an EpiGas Alpine for a number of years. Sadly Coleman didn't exactly improve the model subsequently.

This has now been replaced in the stove arsenal with one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Highlander...d=1509716542&sr=1-6&keywords=highlander+stove

Was highly rated in magazines several years ago when I was looking for a top mount gas. Happily it's still on the market. If anyone knows the original manufacturer it would be interesting but my money on Korea. (Kovea?)

 

I see the original post

to mean copies of original stoves.

if not, then I guess I do have a few. MSR Reactor and Windboiler/Windburner.

Otherwise, I do not have any Chinese copies of a stove.

 

Too late to edit:
And a Snow Peak Giga Power.

 

what I mean't was all the big names (usually owned by coleman anyway) have a badged version of the stove. not that everyone per se has one.

as something to set up on the worktop in a power cut or back of the car on a day out they are I have to say ideal for their purpose and certainly easier than the three burner coleman suitcase thing we have (no I don't know the number offhand)

 

426

 

The box for my Primus Stena said "Made In China"