Hi all - just joined the forum. Not a hiker now but camp 5 days a week as a truck driver. Similarities of course are lack of space and the need for good food to keep one going. I remember reading a backpacking book years ago and the author mentioned an alternative to the Trangia - it had sloping straight sides and when packed up the pans went around the outside. He reckoned it was much better. I think it began with 'S' but not sure - anyone know? I doubt very much that anything like it is available now but I would just like to know what it was called. I am considering a Trangia but not impressed with the thickness of material and the 'blanks' on one of the pans - not sure what they are for but with heavy use would probably come out. Have been using an outdoor catering gas burner with a gas bottle but it's too bulky. NOW gas bottles have become really pricey in my opinion - in January I had two butane 13kg for £25 each and last week found they were about £40. Admittedly they last for maybe 3 months but too big for the truck. Tried one of the 'camping stoves' with the little CP250 cartridges and fine but not really for heavy use. canisters aren't cheap as I seem to use about one a day. So I have been thinking of alternatives - used to use a Coleman Peak 400 in the 80's (in the Marines) but need a new generator which are not available now. Superb stove but I was never keen on it as I had seen some over pressurise and fuel leak. I have been in touch with base-camp as they do so many parts for paraffin stoves but not all parts are available I gather. Just wish I had bought one back in the 80's as they are a lovely thing when polished and looked after. The Japanese Manaslu is the only paraffin stove available new I believe. The Trangia windshield concept for my use is quite relevant - laybys and truck stops are very windy and that helps a Trangia to be more efficient. One can cook inside but three is not a lot of space. When I say heavy use: I mean breakfast, boiling a kettle for a couple of stops and supper use along with boiling water for washing and washing up. No maintenance requirement is also important - the burner ring was great if it wasn't for the gas bottle. Small gas bottles like the 6kg are only about £5 less than the 13 kg. Meths is not cheap but buying in a 5L quantity makes it more viable. The Trangia alternative I have seen for sale in a military surplus shop and it would be helpful to know what it was called so I could search for a 2nd hand one. Many thanks
@James Freer Welcome to CCS James. A pricey option but stainless steel (and brass) throughout, robust and with excellent windshielding. British military No.12. Priming with meths, paraffin fuel (diesel if pushed). Built-in jet pricker controlled by control wheel. Powerful burner, but controllable down to a simmer. Low maintenance, regulated Optimus burner spare parts - control spindle, jet, jet pricker rack, will fit. John
Thanks I hadn't thought of military ones - but 2nd hand seems to be £200+. Interesting to know what they'd be new. If I consider the paraffin route then a Manaslu or a No12 are the option. Truck drivers don't get paid much since immigration came - min wage +20% is about all.
The Trangia alternative you read about may well have been the Optimus No.91 Purple Flame Clones of this are currently to be had on eBay, Link I have one and have been well pleased with it with both the supplied Trangia-type meths burner and also with a DIY gas installation. The frypan isn't so startling but there are aftermarket ones available which fit the set well.
@James Freer The first Trangia alternative you mention sounds like a Sigg Tourist. One of my buddies here is a truck driver as well. Anathema around here, but his preferred cooking tool is a JetBoil. Very fast, very compact, but more importantly, very efficient. While the canisters are expensive, the JB uses very little fuel to boil a pot of water, and the canisters can be refilled from less expensive cartridges with some care and the appropriate adapter. I believe the MSR Windburner is much more highly recommended around here. Edit: Looks like Ian's hit the nail on the head.
Given the requirements of no maintenance and windy conditions, it is hard to beat the Trangia. If you want more power how about the MSR Dragonfly? Burns gas or kero, simmers for real cooking. Just use the windshield. If you want old and relatively cheap, try Coleman 502. No priming, simmers great, starts well with no drama. The generator can be cleaned as well, since it is stick straight, if you tried to burn kero or car gas. It would need to be primed with meths if you burn kero and cleaned regularly.
Thank you Sir - just what I was thinking of. Presumably these clones are made in China. But that looks like a much more substantial item than the Trangia. The design is better. With the Trangia the pans are just supported by 3 brackets which are not that robust.
I would try the Trangia, used in good condition you can buy it quite cheap. I bought mine (Trangia 25, Duossal) all for less than 20€. If it is not what you want, sell it for the same price. For real cooking I would buy sth. like a Phoebus 625 or a Shmel 2. Both are very reliable and cheap. They run well on kerosene, white gas and also gasoline. Combined with a foldable wind screen both are good stoves with lots of power and a good simmer. Shmel 2 and 3 Phoebus 625 Ciao, Bastian
Optimus made a few with sloping sides, they are good units. Optimus 77(a?) I have a couple of these, they are awesome Optimus 81 Adjustable, burns longer than 77, a bit fiddly at times. The three metal supports in a trangia are pretty bulletproof in my experience.
Our of interest what happened with Optimus - did they give up on the design and Trangia take over. As I said before the design is better than Trangia. The kind member who posted the link to the modern ebay version again looks good to me.
The Trangia type cook system with windscreen and pans is very capable cooker for meal and so is the Swedish mess kit that uses the same burner. Not the fastest when it comes to boiling water. May want to get small pocket rocket type canister stove just for heating water very fast. Stay safe on the road.
The old swedish military storm cooker Swedish military "Enmanskök, jägare"(one man stove, ranger) has been made in several versions by Optimus for the civilian market Optimus 77a but today they are produced as cheap clones in China and found nearly everywhere with different names like the "Ebay stove" above. This design originates from late 1950's while Trangia storm cooker design has been in production since 1951 with many updates but still most parts will fit every vintige of it. If you want a very stormproof cooker - go for Trangia 25 or 27. If you want a good enough "storm cooker" that works in most winds when you should cross a high bridge with your truck without fear, and want it cheap - go for the "Ebay" but I think you would find it cheaper in some "low price" stores - the burners tend to leak on some of them - Trangia O-ring will seal the cap and tin solder seals a leaky waist.
Thanks for some info on the history. It would seem that Optimus were in fact the inventors and Trangia copied them. Are the burners a different size on the ebay or clone models then. Reason i am asking is if the Trangia burners are better perhaps they can be used instead?
having looked at some burners on ebay I see some of the ones from China are stainless. Having worked in the materials business stainless will crack in such a situation. Rayburn owners find out the hard way when they need a new boiler fitted in their Rayburn... believing a new boiler in stainless will not corrode - which is right but it'll crack.
Virtually all of the later Trangia style burners are similar sized and can be swapped but the cheap ones are usually of lower quality and often have a shorter burn time per fill - you don't see the wick but it stabilize the burn. More wick - more grams - steadier burn. Most canister or multifuel burners adapted for Trangia would be easy to fit in the Optimus clones - many times a hole for the hose needs to be cut or drilled and sometimes a hole for the burner valve but the burner hole in most clones is usually a loose fit for the Trangia burner.
Ok many thanks. I'll get the clone and a genuine Trangia burner as spare. Thanks to you all who have contributed advice and guidance. Much appreciated. Just wish i got a Trangia back in the 80's rather than a Coleman.
I don't think you can go wrong with a Trangia. I have many stoves and even some homemade super lite alcohol Trangia like cook systems. While I do love tinkering with my stoves - if I want a simple stove with no maintenance, I take an alcohol burner. The Trangia Duossal is one of the best pieces of camping kit one can get to this day, in my opinion.
You might try www.oldcolemanparts.com for your 400 generator. Board-member redspeedster has a spirit burner that's compact -- of his own design. www.speedsterstoves.co.uk I just bought a Trangia 25-1HA. I have a Chinese remote gassy that may fit the hole. But I haven't tried either. Semper Fi, from a US Marine.
I think the Duossal version may be thicker material and made for more frequent use... It's £100ish here in UK for the 25 model. Looking at this pic Trangia 27-23 Duossal 2.0 Set | Tamarack Outdoors if one enlarges the right hand pan, one see the two blanks which I cannot see the point of. As you have one I would be grateful if you could advise on its intended purpose. thanks
Not sure what you mean by ''blanks''. On the sides of the Trangia Windscreen Base [lower] are two bulges at 180* apart with cut-outs for the securing strap. Immediately next to one of then, at [3/4''] is a 1-1/2'' 'mouse hole' for the EN417 connector to pass thru to connect to a remote butane cartridge.
