FOOD BOB & hiking stoves and small cooking kits - several items reviewed (Many pictures)

[1911user]

These are some ideas I've experimented with for small cook kits, hiking stoves, etc.

I started with the Stanley 24oz Cook kit (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005188T90). See first pic. They can be found for $15 at wal-mart and amazon. The two insulated (green) cups hold 10oz completely full and have a line inside the cup at the 8oz level. The cups stack inside, and the lid locks it all together. The handle locks in place over the top or to the side. See last pic.

This is a sturdy stainless 24oz cup that could be used over a campfire if desired. The green tab on the lid should be pointed up so it won't melt. Some replace the green tab with a split keyring to avoid any melting chances.

To make the kit for 1 person, I removed one of the cups and replaced it with a small "rocket" stove (https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Ultralight-Portable-Backpacking-Ignition/dp/B00B4FY8YO) and a 4oz canister of iso-butane fuel (https://www.amazon.com/Jetboil-Jetpower-4-Season-Fuel-Blend/dp/B01IHSIC6K). It all fits together with the lid in the stanley 24oz pot. Not shown is a plastic cap over the fuel can threads for protection. The fuel can has to be upside down to fit. Try to buy the fuel canisters locally. I paid $4 for the 4oz (110 gram) shown. Amazon is $11 or more for the same thing due to shipping costs for flammable fuel. You can buy 8oz fuel canisters locally for $5 but they don't inside fit the cup. There is just enough room inside to add packets of instant coffee, tea, sugar, creamer, etc. This also works well to heat soup, chili, and other things out of a can. The stanley 24oz pot is marked every 4 ounces for heating a specific amount of water.

Next post has more details and pictures of this setup and other items.

 

[1911user]

The first pic shows 2 different stoves and one of the cups for size comparison. The one on the right (orange box) is the small "rocket" stove in the stanley cook kit. The stove on the left (bigger red box) is larger but will safely hold a larger pot or pan. The larger stove (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IDJI94S) is $13 and a bargain at amazon. I expect the price to go to $18 soon. Both of these have decent piezo igniters to light the flame.

2nd pic shows the stoves connected to fuel canisters.

3rd pic: The stanley 24oz cup is shown with the small rocket stove on the 4oz fuel can. A 2.5 Liter (7" diameter) MSR pot is shown on the larger stove (connected to an 8oz fuel can).

The 4th pic shows the flame pattern of each. It would be hard to do anything but heat something liquid on the small stove. The heat is spread better on the larger stove, but it's nothing close to kitchen stove flame spread. You could carefully fry with the large stove.

The final picture shows an attachment (on the small fuel canister) to provide much more stability when using a small stove screwed into the top of the fuel can (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RL23UC). It folds down but won't fit inside the stanley cup kit. I'll just have to be careful or find a way to carry it somewhere else. I might just secure it to the outside of the 24oz stanley cup with a strong rubber band.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that both stoves can adjust smoothly from off to a low power (simmer) flame up to a roaring high power flame.

 

[1911user]

The first pic is a kit I put together several years ago. It is a 32oz Nalgene bottle with an 18oz Olicamp stainless cup that fits over the bottom of the bottle. That fits in the black Condor pouch (https://www.amazon.com/Condor-H2O-Pouch-Black-4Dia-Inch/dp/B005LY4SLC). There is also a small, esbit-type stove, a swiss army champion knife (original multi-tool), and a 3/8"x4" firesteel set (including a 3/8" magnesium rod). These fit in the side pocket of the Condor pouch.

The 2nd pic is a better view of the plastic stove boxes. The boxes are a good way to safely carry and store the stoves.

The final pic shows 2 stainless 18oz cups and an aftermarket lid. The first cup is a good one ($11; Olicamp brand) and comes marked every 4 ounces. The second cup is $5 at walmart in the camping section. It's fine but no capacity markings (important for getting just the right amount of water for mountain house pouches). Both can be used over a small stove, like above, to heat water/liquids. That is a 4oz isobutane fuel canister inside the walmart cup.

The lid (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073GBFJHY) is a replacement and not cheap at $6, but it fits many of the stainless camp/hiking cups turning them into tiny cook pots. Read the reviews before purchase; it doesn't fit all stainless cups. I bought it to go with the Olicamp cup in the nalgene kit. It was close, but it didn't quite fit. However, the lid from the 24oz stanley cup does fit and the aftermarket lid fits the stanley 24oz cup. Realistically, a doubled piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil might serve the same purpose for less cost and space.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the Stanley 24oz cup will nest down inside either of the 18oz stainless cups if you wanted to carry both at the same time. It might be handy if you wanted to heat 2 different things for a meal or just have an extra cup.

 

[FaithfulSkeptic]

I bought one of these a few years back and really like it. Stows in a really small space and is adequate for two or three people. The burner you show with the remote butane tank, however, looks like it would be a bit more stable.

 

[dogmanan]

I made a few years ago my own cooking stoves that use alcohol to fuel them, they work really good, I can have water boliling in five minutes, it will use anything that burns.

 

[1911user]

I bought one of these a few years back and really like it. Stows in a really small space and is adequate for two or three people. The burner you show with the remote butane tank, however, looks like it would be a bit more stable.

Consider the cannister stability footrest (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RL23UC). It provides a large diameter of support (last picture in the second post) and it locks onto different size fuel cans tightly.

I really like the larger stove. It's sturdy and general purpose, but I was trying to fit everything into the Stanley 24oz cup.

I would use the larger stove and an 8oz fuel canister if making a kit around the MSR 2.5L pot (and the 1.5L pot nested inside it).

 

[AlaskaSue]

I still LOVE my Bio-Lite stove. It gets really hot on just some small sticks and I can even charge my ipad or phone with it. I've recently added a Kelly-Pot for boiling water and might get the grill attachment sometime (my son has that one and really likes it). I also have my (very) old backpacking stove which uses white gas fuel...but it's nowhere near as efficient to cook. They make a full-size cookstove I might look in to at some point, but for now this one really works for me

 

[Dobbin]

Owner has a "Svea 123" he's mighty fond of. He says it brings him on a "mental trip" back to his teens and trips into the White Mountains. "The smell, the sound, the heat and flame of pre-warming" he says appearing quite carried away by the memory.

Today when he backpacks and is forced to carry what he brings on his back and not the saddlebag (:^(), he uses a "soda can stove" and alcohol described at MANY backpacking sites. With today's dehydrated foods the need for "cooking" is now quite past - most of his backpack meals revolve around boiling water - and adding it to a foil pouch.

Its been a few years since he has brought me on his Lake George excursions into "The Wilderness at Shelving Rock."[FONT=Verdana,Arial](:^()[/FONT]

Dobbin

 

[1911user]

one time bump for the evening crowd

 

[Red Baron]

I bought one of these a few years back and really like it. Stows in a really small space and is adequate for two or three people. The burner you show with the remote butane tank, however, looks like it would be a bit more stable.

I have the same thing in my BOB. Everything you see nests into the cook pot.

GSI Dualist.

Highly recommended.

 

[Millwright]

This is the setup I keep in a go-box for working ice storms.

The wet fuel is a bit smelly.

I like those itty-bitty stoves and may have to stick one in my BOB.

The only thing I don't like is having to keep the burner mated once you open the fuel canister.

 

[1911user]

I like those itty-bitty stoves and may have to stick one in my BOB.

The only thing I don't like is having to keep the burner mated once you open the fuel canister.

These have a valve in the fuel canister so you don't have to leave them together. They can be mated/demated many times.

I remember the old blue butane cartridges you mention, but haven't seen that type for sale in a long time. Those were actually punctured by the stove or lantern when mated.

 

[Turret Buster]

Cool thread. Thanks for sharing guys.

 

[Millwright]

These have a valve in the fuel canister so you don't have to leave them together. They can be mated/demated many times.

I remember the old blue butane cartridges you mention, but haven't seen that type for sale in a long time. Those were actually punctured by the stove or lantern when mated.

COOL

Good write-up in the OP.

 

[Publius]

I too have the Seva 123 and about bullet proof when it comes to reliability. Runs for an hour on just four (4) Oz of white gas or Coleman fuel.
These days we have the gram weenies they cry that its few grams heaver when empty than the latest and greatest backpacking stoves and the fact it does not put out as much heat as the latest and greatest, but if you want more heat output there is a price for that called, it uses to much fuel.

The one other thing that puts off todays new comers is that this little gem needs to be pre-heated and it's really no big deal and once you done it few times you come to love this little stove, it has only two moving parts! the fuel valve and fuel fill cap and the part that go's after 20 years of use is the gasket in the fuel cap, you can buy a new one or make one your self from an old bicycle inter-tube, seriously its that simple.

The photo is the Seva 123 and the cook kit. The stove fits down inside the pot and I used an old sock the cut the top off to shorten it to fit this is so it does not scratch up the inside of my cook kit.


http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=146149&stc=1&d=1521427099

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=146150&stc=1&d=1521427153
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=146151&stc=1&d=1521427182

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=146152&stc=1&d=1521427232

 

[eXe]

I have done countless reviews of cooking stoves as well as made many myself, I will list a few here to give some people some ideas on what are decent ones.

Here is an alcohol stove I made from a Monster energy drink can 11:28

Here is an Esbit lightweight cook set 5:37

Here is my Alocs alcohol stove kit 7:30

My Home Made Wood Stove And Cook Kit 7:27

An Alcohol stove I made from a Coors metal beer bottle 12:36

And my 25 gram BRS Titanium Iso Butane stove, this thing is awesome 6:39

I have loads more cook kit and stove reviews on my channel, sorry to bomb you with videos but I figure it can give people some ideas on what to pick up or even make for free.

 

[byronandkathy2003]

i have this a Swedish army alcohol stove kit and i love it ..
the small pan is the lid for the big one.
also if you run out of alcohol you can use small twigs to cook with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhRjpyrQ8ZY

run time 7:28

 

[night driver]

Got an old PEAK 1 SOLO kit that I would actual consider paying real money to duplicate and would rather go the Trangea route than DIY....

the pains of having sold this stuff 20 -30 years ago.....

 

[momma_soapmaker]

Excellent thread! Thanks!

 

[Publius]

Got an old PEAK 1 SOLO kit that I would actual consider paying real money to duplicate and would rather go the Trangea route than DIY....

the pains of having sold this stuff 20 -30 years ago.....

Not sure but I think Coleman may still make a newer version of the old peak 1.
Most everyone today jumps on the butane canister stoves and like the instant gratification of just turning it on putting a match to it and your good to go, that is until the temperature drops somewhere near the single digits and or high altitude and then it stops working.

 

[night driver]

I have both old (green), new, and new-new(silver multi-fuel) Peak 1's but I haven't found the cook kit (pots, plates, cups, etc) in any metal.

 

[Red Baron]

I have both old (green), new, and new-new(silver multi-fuel) Peak 1's but I haven't found the cook kit (pots, plates, cups, etc) in any metal.

I have a SIGG "Tourist" cookset that fits my ancient Coleman Peak 1 Model 400 single burner stove. Had both since the 70's.

Use it as a backup for my Coleman dual burner white gas stove.

 

[Millwright]

The one I showed above is the Coleman Feather 400/peak 1.

It worked great the few times I've used it.



Stumbled onto a forum for classic camp stoves.

https://classiccampstoves.com/

 

[changed]

I wish there were more threads like this on TB2K.

 

[summerthyme]

Can you use high proof drinking alcohol in the alcohol stoves?

Summerthyme

 

[night driver]

Pretty sure that, since we use HEET brand dry gas etc that HIGH proof drinking ETOH will work.

 

[summerthyme]

I wonder what percentage is high enough.... 80%? Or dies it need yo be 95% pure?

Summerthyme

 

[eXe]

Can you use high proof drinking alcohol in the alcohol stoves?

Summerthyme

You can depending on the proof, but I prefer to use HEET in my alcohol stoves, HEET Is Gas-Line Antifreeze and you can buy it cheap enough in any auto store of Walmart, Comes in a yellow plastic bottle. Stuff works great.

 

[summerthyme]

You can depending on the proof, but I prefer to use HEET in my alcohol stoves, HEET Is Gas-Line Antifreeze and you can buy it cheap enough in any auto store of Walmart, Comes in a yellow plastic bottle. Stuff works great.

Good to know. I was thinking more along the lines of the prepper angle, since I have a still...

Summerthyme

 

[CaryC]

Hey,

Any thoughts on the GI canteen cup with extension to cook over fire?

I thought it was great since you will be carrying a canteen anyway, of some sort. GI canteen and canteen cup, seems to work. Can use with the GI Tri (something) bars, HEET as mentioned, with home made stove, or just some wood.

Just asking for thoughts, not a debate on which is best, etc...

 

[night driver]

151 rum (AKA Nelson's Blood) burns with a nice pale blue flame but HEET is the easy way....

 

[Red Baron]

I wonder what percentage is high enough.... 80%? Or dies it need yo be 95% pure?

Summerthyme

Anything over 90% alcohol will work fine.

Less, and the pots will get sooty.

 

[Red Baron]

Hey,

Any thoughts on the GI canteen cup with extension to cook over fire?

I thought it was great since you will be carrying a canteen anyway, of some sort. GI canteen and canteen cup, seems to work. Can use with the GI Tri (something) bars, HEET as mentioned, with home made stove, or just some wood.

Just asking for thoughts, not a debate on which is best, etc...

Those work just fine with all kinds of fuel. A very lightweight, compact, minimalistic solution.

Search "canteen cup cooking" on YouTube.

 

[Publius]

Hey,

Any thoughts on the GI canteen cup with extension to cook over fire?

I thought it was great since you will be carrying a canteen anyway, of some sort. GI canteen and canteen cup, seems to work. Can use with the GI Tri (something) bars, HEET as mentioned, with home made stove, or just some wood.

Just asking for thoughts, not a debate on which is best, etc...

For lack of camp stove, if you can get a fire going just use a stick and move some of the hot embers to the edge of the fire and put it on top and it should have a flaming fire going up one side of it where the main part of the fire is away from the handle.
As long as it has water in it, it will not melt or get damaged.

 

[dogmanan]

Can you use high proof drinking alcohol in the alcohol stoves?

Summerthyme

Yes you can and I have just to see if it worked and it worked well, you can also use paint thinner and mineral spirits, basically any thing that is flammable, at least in my you can I don't know for sure about some of the above ones.

 

[Publius]

The one I showed above is the Coleman Feather 400/peak 1.

It worked great the few times I've used it.



Stumbled onto a forum for classic camp stoves.

https://classiccampstoves.com/

The Coleman pack stoves like that one are good. You may want to hunt down a replacement generator for it to keep on hand.
The fuel cap may be the same as the suitcase camp stoves and lanterns and the only reason for having a spare is if the gasket go's bad and its leaking fumes and thats not a good thing, very bad idea to use it if the fuel cap gasket is gone bad.
The pressure pump part to may be the same, but best to inquire.
Of the parts I listed the generator will be the most expensive and may be $20 to $40 the other parts no so much.

 

[1911user]

i have this a Swedish army alcohol stove kit and i love it ..
the small pan is the lid for the big one.
also if you run out of alcohol you can use small twigs to cook with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhRjpyrQ8ZY

I missed out on the complete surplus swedish cook kits, but did find 3 of the surplus brass alcohol burners. They work well and it's nice to be able to leave fuel in the burner with the lid (and rubber gasket) in place.

Another plus is they are almost the same size as a normal sterno can (7oz) and can fit into many stoves and holders made for sterno cans. Just be careful since the alcohol stove burns hotter than sterno.
My rule is you warm with sterno and cook/boil with alcohol, butane or other hotter burning fuels.

I have a few of the folding sterno stoves shown in the picture below. They fold fairly flat. The surplus swedish alcohol burner fits inside nicely. They're pretty strong and will hold a 9" skillet or 2 quart pot. They wouldn't be a bad option for power outages or to give to elderly as part of a storm emergency kit.

 

[hax0r212]

Good to know. I was thinking more along the lines of the prepper angle, since I have a still...

Summerthyme

Yes. You can even use 70% Isopropyl alcohol in an alcohol stove, however, the fire is sooty and will blacken up your pot. 91% burns cleaner and better, however, it also produces soot.

In my testing, I have found that denatured alcohol burns the cleanest. In the Alocs type stove, one oz will burn for about 16 minutes.

One down side to the alcohol stoves - the fire is not as hot as some other fuels so cook time may be longer. However, you can get alcohol anywhere.

 

[Publius]

Shoping For Pack Stoves and Cook Kits

Here a few links for anyone wanting a pack stove or cook kit and this site offers a lot of options with actual user ratings and many find this very useful with picking an item for their own use.

Pack stoves you will note the left hand side of webpage can allow you to narow the options you want to look at.
LINK: http://www.trailspace.com/gear/stoves/


Next is Cook Kits/Pots and Pans ect and again the left hand side of webpage allows you to search by brand and so on.
LINK:http://www.trailspace.com/gear/cookware/


Link to Home Page. LINK: http://www.trailspace.com

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Really good thread. I've been thinking about a jetboil and a lightweight set up. It's nice , and helpful, to see some ideas all put together.

All my stoves to date have been Colemans. As Publius mentioned, when it gets real cold butane doesn't work so well. I've used these stoves at -30F many times. I drug out my oldest one, it probably dates to 1980 or so. It's been on fire a few times, and the little red knob on the generator melted off, but it still works. I think I replaced the pump and cap at some point. I have a newer dual fuel that burns unleaded and the Apex II.

One tip for starting these stoves when it's cold is to put a dab of fire paste under the generator line to preheat the fuel. Light the fire paste and turn on the stove when it's about to go out. Actually I use the fire paste even when it's warm, it pretty much eliminates flare ups and gets them running fast.

I did just buy a new pot a little while back. It's a bush pot, ala Mors Kochanski.