The UK Pocket Stove - first impressions

[Onestepmore]

This is partially in reply to Solohike74's post in MYOG section asking if anyone had experience with burning wood in a Clickstand.

I have a small titanium Pocket Stove made by http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk
This is the 'little brother' of the Honey Stove (and The Hive - a larger version)

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/wood- ... RD107.html

Weight: 56g (the standard 0.7 mm stainless steel model is 141g)
Material: 0.5 mm grade 2 titanium sheeting
Cost: 34.99 UK pounds (the stainless steel version costs 21.99 UK pounds) plus postage, which I think was classed as 'small packets' and was approx 6 pounds.
It arrived within a week of ordering it

Nice review
http://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.co ... eview.html

I also bought the Universal Trivet for more flexibility, and for something else to play around with to 'fuel' my pyromaniac tendancies
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/bushcraft/RE104.html
I didn't use it today. It'll easily fit in the little tin.

It comes in a neat little stainless steel tin, in which you can keep a bit of kindling like cotton wool balls, a folded piece of titanium sheet or some folded foil as a base, and a mini Bic lighter etc. The other alternative if you're going minimalistic would be to simply place it in an envelope. I'm going to make one out of Tyvek (like the ones QiWiz makes) for mine.

I was very impressed at lunch time. I made my mother in law and I cups of tea and coffee in my 'ol faithful' Jetboil, then I had my fun playing after we'd eaten lunch at the lookout. The fire was easily started with a scrumpled up paper shopping receipt, and a few frizzled bits of furry bark. very small twigs laid on top, then a few slightly bigger ones. One match set it alight and there were no problems getting it up and running with a good burn. As it's been dry in Sydney they was no shortage of twigs, leaf litter and sticks to burn.
I collected a double handful, but this was way too much for what I needed.
The little stove draws really well, the baseplate is slotted into the lower level for twig burn. It goes in the upper slot for hexy tabs or an alcohol fuel burner. It was a bit breezy, and I initialy thought it might blow out but not the case. I didn't use a windshield (which I would take with me if going overnight etc). I found it was best if I broke the twigs into pieces shorter then 10 cm. Longer than this they'd simply fall out, with the chance of setting something alight that they shouldn't! I had planned on longer bits and to push them in but this doesn't work with such thin sticks. Pencil thickness gives a good burn, no thicker is needed.
The pot I had is a bit big I think - it was just an el cheapo aluminium billy with a bail handle from BCF I have decided is to be my sacrifial lamb for wood buring adventures with a BushBuddy etc. 1400 ml capacity. If I can find one with a smaller diameter I'll use it. I'm a bit reluctant to 'sootify' my nice Snow Peak and Evernew pots, but perhaps I may relent and sacrifce one. Anyway, despite being a little large it was nice and stable.
Boil time was surprising - with 500 ml in it it came to the boil in approx 4 mins. I didnt time it accurately sorry, as my mother in law's dog was snuffling around the cliff edge and I got distracted.
Anyway I was impressed. Very little soot residue on my pot. Clean burn and hardly any ash.
Something to consider for a lightweight minimalistic trip with simple hot drinks and food using boiling water. 56g and no fuel weight penalty sounds pretty good

Pics to post up tomorrow.

[KANANGRABOYD]

you are the biggest gear freak, in a good way!.

[Jason68]

Thanks Onestepmore,

I've been looking to add a solid fuel stove, this one looks the goods (flat packed). Keep on bouncing back and forward between metho & hexi. Always a bit reluctant to take hexi and solid into National Parks because of the open fire policies, but really... The meth or gas put out just as much flame as a hexi or solid?!

Ta Jason

[Onestepmore]

you are the biggest gear freak, in a good way!.

/curtsey

[andrewa]

OSM,

I'm a bit anxious about you. You seem to have developed a gear interest similar to my wife's recent interest in "hey day", which is a time frittering computer game.

However, even though her productivity is down miles, yours will not only be down miles, but costing $ as well!

BUT, my productivity is also down by enjoying these forums.....

A

[Onestepmore]

OSM,

I'm a bit anxious about you. You seem to have developed a gear interest similar to my wife's recent interest in "hey day", which is a time frittering computer game.

However, even though her productivity is down miles, yours will not only be down miles, but costing $ as well!

BUT, my productivity is also down by enjoying these forums.....

A

I did reply with a long winded psychobabble of self analysis, but I deleted it..
This'll do

Don't introduce your wife to World of Warcraft (a complicated MMORP game)
Bushwalking is cheaper than dressage horses
Reading forums and walking blogs is more interesting than housework
Being addicted to hiking is healther than a lot of other things I could be addicted to

[Picaro]

Long live healthy addictions !! You go for it.
And when I need backup, don't forget to be my enabler !

Do you also have a Trangia burner to take for a spin in the stove ?

[Onestepmore]

Haha Picaro - need you ask? I do indeed have a Trangia burner.
And an Evernew burner.
And a home made soda can burner.
And a trail designs burner
And esbit tablets

At home we have a slow combustion stove, a Canberra cast iron wood stove in the kitchen (as well as conventional Ilve oven), a smoker oven, a gas BBQ, a portable camping BBQ, a fire pit and plans for a pizza oven for an outdoor kitchen
i think I may have been a pyromanic in a past life....?

[Onestepmore]

Pics as promised

Neat little tin box - 55g

[Onestepmore]

Ok, having probs getting more than one pic up at a time, Keeps saying file is to large, 3 Mib or something is max
All pics taken on same iphone

[Onestepmore]

the fire box

[Onestepmore]

More (apparenlty I have to write something here to add to a picture)

Ok total fail. more than half the pics I wanted won't load

says too big
How do i resize? And why will some upload and others not - same camera

??

Dunno why

[madmacca]

Haha Picaro - need you ask? I do indeed have a Trangia burner.
And an Evernew burner.
And a home made soda can burner.
And a trail designs burner
And esbit tablets

Hikin' Jim has a new avatar? [url]adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com[/url]