CAMPING STOVES
There is a vast range of lightweight, portable stoves available. Thought must be given to the amount and the type of cooking that you will use your stove for. Think also if you need to be able to carry the stove in a backpack or what space you will have in the car boot.
Stoves can vary from a two-burner stove with a grill and complete with side wind protectors and lid, to a single ring. The next question you must answer is "what type of fuel will you be using?" and this will be dependant on the type of camping you will be doing. Fuels vary in how hot they burn, how well they work in the cold, how easy they are to light, how safe they are to use and how much they cost. Availability varies too so the places you plan to visit may determine the fuel you wish to use.
• Butane/propane gas stoves. These use a butane/propane gas mix in cartridges or, butane or propane in refillable cylinders. Gas is very predictable in its lighting and performance, is safe to use and is very controllable heat source. The cartridges attach directly to the stove and can be pierce-able or reseal-able. Reseal-able cartridges can be removed from the stove when still partly full and packed separately so preventing the stove being accidentally turned on. Stoves using this type of gas are very lightweight but not as stable as the larger stoves requiring cylinders. These small stoves are better suited to use with smaller pans. Stoves requiring cylinders are attached by means of a regulator and flexible hose These stoves are very stable, can take larger pans safely and often include a grill. Some of these stoves include a lid and side windbreaks and some are complete with legs. These are ideal for family use. Gas for refillable cylinders are widely available. However if you plan to camp in France,
• Camping Gaz cylinders are the only ones available and the suitable regulator and cylinder should be purchased before your holiday. If your trip includes cold weather camping, you should consider swapping to propane gas as this gas freezes at a lower temperature than butane and so will be useable in cold or freezing conditions.
• Pressure stoves. These stoves run on pressurised petroleum in some form. They burn very hot and are very fuel-efficient. Some of these stoves will work with a wide variety of oils including diesel, while others can only use one or two fuels. For efficient performance only the cleanest fuels should be used. There is a range of sizes in these stoves from the small back packers stove to the family size double burners stove.
• Methylated spirit stoves. Unlike other fuels meths burns as a liquid not as a gas and therefore does not need to be pressurised. It lights instantly and does not need preheating . If spilt, meths will evaporate quickly but can be ignited and so care must be taken when refilling the stove. The flame this fuel produces is hard to see in daylight so it can appear that the stove is not burning when in fact it is. The biggest drawback with meths is that it only gives about half the heat of other fuels and so more is needed to be carried. The Trangia range of stoves are simple, reliable, stable, almost maintenance free, quiet and compact. Their stability, safety and ease of use make these ideal stoves for the inexperienced and their size makes them ideal for the backpacker.
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