Do I Need A Trangia?

[Butterfly]

Clarion tells me that I don't, because they are slow and the not-so-little duck doesn't do slow and will knock it over and it takes too long. I think I do, because they are quiet, most of my cooking (pancakes and reheating stew) requires slow heat. The only thing that nees to be fast is water for tea. I also think they look pretty stable so less likely to be knocked flying by a dancing duck.

What do you all think?

[Chris N]

They are slow, bulky, relatively expensive and can be hard to light in cold weather (keep the meths warm if you can).  But they're easy to use, relatively windproof (not so good at frying when it's windy but the pots and kettle are well protected) and they are stable, though the pans are still only supported on three points.  The fuel can be hard to find (I was looking for some last week and tried three shops before I got some).  You can get a gas burner for them too if you wanted to cook a it quicker.

Can you borrow one to try out?

We're wondering about getting a bigger one (we've got the small one with kettle) now that the kids seem to enjoy camping, and pairing it with a small gas stove for heating water for drinks.

[Julian]

To the amusement of our Rainbow Families camping group who turned up with real stoves (one brought a whole kitchen tent!) we did last year's week long camp with just a trangia. I find it the best thing to cook on for camping although I might treat myself to a stable table and chopping board this year; slicing tomatoes on a small plastic plate on my lap is asking for trouble. 

The duck is old enough to understand not to go near the trangia - C did spend quite a lot of time last year shooing children away from ours, it was like a magnet to them as soon as it was lit - but they mostly had the hang of it after a few days. And if he DOES knock it over, the meths will spill onto the grass and he might get a scorch but nothing like as bad as a burn from a gas canister flame would be.

[trekker12]

Trangias are brilliant. Best thing I have used for campsite cooking. They are stable and reasonably wind resistant. I'm a fairly adventurous camp cook and like to cook from scratch and nothing beats it for that.

If worried about speed get the gas version. It's what I use. Boils the kettle in about 3 minutes. You do have the compromise of bulky gas cans and the trangia itself is fairly bulky but we manage.

[Oscar's dad]

On my most recent bike adventure I cooked a whole steak dinner for one with all the trimmings on a Trangia - it worked really well.  Just buy one.

[Polar Bear]

I am only surprised to learn that you do not already own one.

A nappy pin is ideal for cleaning out the burner jets.   

[bumper]

Being a stove whore, I'd say yes.

They are still one of the best stoves to use for cooking on. They aren't that bulky either. If you get a gas stove, canister, pots etc for a small family it's as big if not more so than a trangia. The kettle is just ace!

You get a trangia gel burner to use in the stove if you want more safety, I've done this in a tent when its been raining cats n dogs. It doesn't even burn what it falls on. The downside, it's even slower than meths. As mentioned, if it's freezing cold fill the burner put the sealed lid on and pop it into your pocket for 10 minutes before lighting. You never need matches or a lighter either, fire steel every time.

I own 30ish stoves, I always go back to the trangia for base camp cooking. It just works.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I am only surprised to learn that you do not already own one.

Me too. I'm also bemused that you need to identify a need for camping equipment!

[Vince]

Me three.

I only have the mini which has a lot of limitations, but I have used the 27s with the scouts and found they are remarkably stable and flexible packages. Second the gas upgrade for speedy boiling.

If you really don't have one, keep a look out for Aldi and Lidl copies for about 1/3 of the price.

[Butterfly]

I am only surprised to learn that you do not already own one.

Me too. I'm also bemused that you need to identify a need for camping equipment!

I was quite excited to find a camping item that I could reasonably add that wasn't a Nallo 4 GT. 

[davelodwig]

Me 4

They are incredibly practical stoves, we have the gas adapter and for a week away (lundy) will partner it with a jetboil for making tea (they take the same gas bottles). Frankly for cooking proper meals without all the faf of separate pots and pans they cannot be beat, we have the non stick frying pan as well and it really makes a difference.

D.

[Oscar's dad]

Amen to non-stick Trangia pans.

[Kim]

They're the least knock-overable camping stove you can reasonably carry on your bike.

They're only slow when running on meths, and speed only matters if your objective is boiled water for caffenated beverages etc rather than cooked food.

With the meths burner you can hold a conversation while you're waiting for your water to boil, rather than having to pause while the rocket engine does its thing.

They're well-engineered, efficient and admirably windproof.

They're relatively heavy.

n+1.

[Oscar's dad]

I have a separate wind shield which is handy when frying.

[Oxford_Guy]

I have the smaller 2 person one (27?), I got it secondhand, but in good condition, though replaced the frying pan with a non-stick one, but the other pans are not non-stick (don't see the need). I also bought the gas adaptor second hand, and hardly ever use the meths burner. It all works very well, is stable, copes with moderate wind, packs-up neatly. You don't need the kettle IMHO. It *is* a bit heavy, though, so I use an MSR stove and their "Titan" cookset when want to travel extra light (but even then, I still sometimes take the frying pan from the Trangia).

[andrewc]

I love my 27 & would take nothing else for an extended trip.   I've got the gas adaptor but usually use the meths.

ISTR that you've got some multifuel contraption, which makes a lot of noise!  If it's an Optimus or Primus then it may be able to fit into a Trangia anyway.  (may need an adaptor)

[Kim]

I prefer meths for cycle touring as the fuel bottle takes up less volume than a gas cartridge and spare and it's much easier to keep track of how much you have left with a liquid fuel.  But if I'm mostly train-assisted and staying in one place for the weekend or similar, I'll tend to take the gas burner as it's more convenient to control, especially for frying.  It's also more barakta-friendly.

The Trangia kettle is lovely (I have the larger version that doesn't actually fit my 27 on account of a purchasing mistake by the set's previous owner), but seems ultimately pointless as a pan does nearly as good a job and it doesn't pack down as part of the kit.  It's not like I drink tea, anyway.  We use the Trangia kettle with our barakta-friendly low-pressure gas stove when car-camping.

[Kim]

Anyway, surely the most important point is that it seems wrong for Butterfly not to own a Trangia, on general principle.

[Oscar's dad]

On my most recent bike adventure I cooked a whole steak dinner for one with all the trimmings on a Trangia - it worked really well.  Just buy one.

The photos in case you're interested ...







I over cooked the steak a little as I like them rare, the pan got surprisingly hot, but other than that it was all delicious. 

[bobb]

I would've just gone to the nearest pub for that 

[andrewc]

I can't see Butterfly cooking steak though 


But yes, I'm amazed she doesn't own one, or a shiny brass Primus to stay in period with her tent fleet 

[Oscar's dad]

I would've just gone to the nearest pub for that 

The whole trip was a voyage of discovery including the cooking. It was fun.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Anyway, surely the most important point is that it seems wrong for Butterfly not to own a Trangia, on general principle.

This is definitely the most important point. It casts into doubt her, well, her Butterflyness!

[Cudzoziemiec]

I prefer meths for cycle touring as the fuel bottle takes up less volume than a gas cartridge and spare and it's much easier to keep track of how much you have left with a liquid fuel.  But if I'm mostly train-assisted and staying in one place for the weekend or similar, I'll tend to take the gas burner as it's more convenient to control, especially for frying.  It's also more barakta-friendly.

The Trangia kettle is lovely (I have the larger version that doesn't actually fit my 27 on account of a purchasing mistake by the set's previous owner), but seems ultimately pointless as a pan does nearly as good a job and it doesn't pack down as part of the kit.  It's not like I drink tea, anyway.  We use the Trangia kettle with our barakta-friendly low-pressure gas stove when car-camping.

As an aside or a piece of relatively useless info, it's actually illegal (a contravention of Railway Byelaws) to take an inflammable gas cylinder on a train. Whether this is ever enforced and what the potential penalty might be, I cannot say.

[bobb]

I would've just gone to the nearest pub for that 

The whole trip was a voyage of discovery including the cooking. It was fun.

I know all about your voyages of discovery. No doubt the next morning you dug a hole and shat that steak straight into it!