Trangia weight, fact or fiction??

[Scottyk]

In the recent thread on favourite gear see viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14311
Trangia's were mentioned to be too heavy (Strider i'm looking at you! )and that got me thinking..... Rather than take that thread off track I though I might start a new one to look at the real weight of a Trangia when compared to to other similar cook systems.
If we are going to compare a Trangia 25 aluminium to other cook systems we need to try to find something that as stable (may not be possible) and is a an all weather system with wind shield etc. I really don't think a 80gm screw on top of a canister burner really compares.

So weighing up the trangia set up I would take on a solo trip I get:
Stove with no fry pan and one pot = 380gm
Gas burner for Trangia = 180gm
Trangia Handle = 30gm
Total weight = 590gm

For a good sturdy remote gas stove to compare with I cherry picked the Fire Maple FMS-105 folding stove
Stove = 246gm
Large Trangia pot = 120gm
Winsheild = 80gm
Trangia handle = 30gm
Total weight = 446gm

So when we compare a good strong base stove to a Trangia the weight really isn't very significant I reckon. I gladly carry the 150 odd grams for the extra stability and robustness of the Trangia set up.
So my question is, do Trangia's get a bad rap for being heavy when in reality when you compare like with like (or as close as you can get), does the weight issue prove to be a non issue?

[Mountain Rocket]

I think the thing is you can have a much lighter cooking set-up than a trangia. Comparing like for like is one thing - but you have to remember there are a lot of lighter options out there.

I can still appreciate a trangia and think they are a great product but would personally never buy or use one.

[icefest]

I'll make another comparison, using what I would buy, from stuff that is currently on the market.
One person setup.

Burner, Roger Caffins remote stove. 90gram
Suluk46 Windscreen, large 19grams
MLD Pot with lid and handle 850ml 94grams

Total weight: 203Grams.

387grams less. That's just under one days food.
Most of all, I know it is safe to use in the tent regarding CO output.
In summer I wouldn't bother with the windshield and use my homemade alcohol stove (18g).

If you already have the trangia though, it's not that much weight saving and might not be worth switching.

[sthughes]

Yeah, after years thinking a Trangia was too heavy and outdated I bought one a few weeks back, cause they were going cheap more than any other reason.
Honestly it's immediately become one of my favourite bits of kit and I can't believe I didn't get one early! Sure I will still use my other, lighter, stoves on many trips. But for winter walks or expected rubbish conditions the slight extra weight just doesn't rate compared to the piece of mind and bulletproofness of my Trangia.

Gas conversion of course

[Scottyk]

I'll make another comparison, using what I would buy, from stuff that is currently on the market.
One person setup.

Burner, Roger Caffins remote stove. 90gram
Suluk46 Windscreen, large 19grams
MLD Pot with lid and handle 850ml 94grams

Total weight: 203Grams.

387grams less. That's just under one days food.

That's a light system, agreed. In fact it is more or less the lightest possible remote canister stove set up with a wind shield that google can put together. Tuff as a Trangia??
Not the same capacity as the pot I referred to also.
If that's just under one days food Icefast then you must be good at dehydrating food

[icefest]

I wasn't sure what size pot yours was, so I chose one that was on the large size for one person. I personally wouldn't take one much larger on a solo trip.

I can understand that you want a bombproof stove. Knowing that nomatter what you do it'll cope is a great assurance.
For me though, the benefit of not having to replace a stove doesn't outweigh the many added kilogram/days over the life of the stove.

As far as reliability goes, if I am doing more than a week in snow, melting ice for water and relying on my stove for survival I'd take a heavy shellite stove any day.

I find that 500g is decent for one days food. I can take a photo a meal pack if you want :p

[Strider]

Also consider the fuel weight for the Trangia. For the weight of 500ml of metho I can have an entire gas cooking system, including a large canister.

[icefest]

Also consider the fuel weight for the Trangia. For the weight of 500ml of metho I can have an entire gas cooking system, including a large canister.

ScottyK is using the gas canister adapter for the trangia.

[ULWalkingPhil]

How about this for an comparison.

My Traildesigns Sidewinder Titanium cooking kit:

Evernew .9L Titanium Pot & Lid
Sidewinder Titanium Windscreen
Stuff Sack
12-10 metho stove
208 grams

The above kit is extremely stable and wind resistant and very economical to run.

I used to own a trangia system. it's heavy, bulky and very inefficient to run.

[sthughes]

One of the things I like most about the Trangia is the big (heavy!) circular base, rather than 3 or 4 legs like pretty much all other off-canister stoves. It is great on crappy ground where otherwise one leg will sink in mud/snow while another will stay up on rock or whatever. Then there are the two pots that nest so well - perfect for using one while the other is cooking. I can knock the Trangia or have the tent bash against it in very strong wind and it doesn't even come close to falling over or knocking the pot off the stove. And as the wind shield is the pot support and is connected to the base, there's no issues with the wind shield getting propped up annoyingly on plants etc. and letting wind underneath.... I could go on and on, but suffice to say all of the above mentioned lighter alternatives are to my eyes not even in the same league of just being able to get the job done when you're camped on a really rubbish camp site, in rubbish weather and you're just too buggered/cold/whatever to give a *&%$#! about being careful with you're stove

[Scottyk]

How about this for an comparison.

My Traildesigns Sidewinder Titanium cooking kit:

Evernew .9L Titanium Pot & Lid
Sidewinder Titanium Windscreen
Stuff Sack
12-10 metho stove
208 grams

The above kit is extremely stable and wind resistant and very economical to run.

I used to own a trangia system. it's heavy, bulky and very inefficient to run.

I do like the stability that system could offer, and it is very light! I have looked at little fold out gas stoves and thought they are only one bump away from having your meal on the ground.

[Franco]

It depends...

Somewhat like Phil , my Caldera Cone kit (under 200g) works for me HOWEVER that is based on a 550ml "pot" and used for boiling water only AND in above freezing condition although it works well below.
Obviously I am not going to melt snow with that nor cook for two.
The new Roger Caffin stove does bring the weight down a lot if cooking with gas, still you need some care using UL gear like this.
So it is always 'yes, IF..."

[Scottyk]

One of the things I like most about the Trangia is the big (heavy!) circular base, rather than 3 or 4 legs like pretty much all other off-canister stoves. It is great on crappy ground where otherwise one leg will sink in mud/snow while another will stay up on rock or whatever. Then there are the two pots that nest so well - perfect for using one while the other is cooking. I can knock the Trangia or have the tent bash against it in very strong wind and it doesn't even come close to falling over or knocking the pot off the stove. And as the wind shield is the pot support and is connected to the base, there's no issues with the wind shield getting propped up annoyingly on plants etc. and letting wind underneath.... I could go on and on, but suffice to say all of the above mentioned lighter alternatives are to my eyes not even in the same league of just being able to get the job done when you're camped on a really rubbish camp site, in rubbish weather and you're just too buggered/cold/whatever to give a *&%$#! about being careful with you're stove

Exactly why I carry one, couldn't have said it better

[Tony]

Here is a link to a post I did in 2009 on Stoves systems weight comparisons.

Even though I think Trangia stoves are an excellent stove, I gave up on using my Trangia when I used mine in the snow, it was just too slow and too heavy.

I now use a MYOG modified Kovea Suplite remote canister stove with a Trangia style windscreen, it worked superbly on Wednesday night while camped on the Rolling Grounds (KNP) 2000m at around -6C.

Basic stove, a bit like Roger C. stove but has a pre-heat tube instead of a heat sink bar

With windscreen

[Scottyk]

Tony, that looks a bit unstable. A gust of wind and the pot would be on ground, or is it better than it looks?

[Tony]

Tony, that looks a bit unstable. A gust of wind and the pot would be on ground, or is it better than it looks?

Hi Scott,

I have never had a problem with knocking the stove over or I have never had a problem with stability in wind but then I am always careful how and where I set it up, when I have the Trangia style base on it is as stable as an original Trangia but much lighter.

Tony

[Ent]

Like sthughes I finally brought the UL HA 27 and frankly it is near perfect for crummy weather. It is stable and not affected by wind plus the two pot setup mean that you can keep one for boiling water. The gas conversion makes it.

I have tried a collection of other stoves and nothing comes close for usability. Me think too much is written about absolute gram counting compared to actual trade-offs.

Sure there are lighter options but for camped on snow in a driving snow, rain with a gale in a solo tent it just works. Can not ask for more than that.

[Davidf61]

You would think there would be a reasonable demand for an "official" lightweight Trangia, would'nt you? There is already a massive fan base, long time user's.

That is, any Triangia system, say the 27 model for example, but the whole thing made of titanium. I'd but one in a flash. Really, as it is, you can use the Evernew stove [ very similar ] and juggle pots and pans to suit, all in titanium, but it's that whole windshield/base setup that's missing.

How about a limited edition, chinese made, titanium cookset, exact copy of the original. What say you Trangia???

[Scottyk]

I have tried a collection of other stoves and nothing comes close for usability. Me think too much is written about absolute gram counting compared to actual trade-offs.

.

Yep, thats my point. The trade off make it come out on top IMHO

yep a full titanium set up would be a best seller I would think.
Good to see the Trangia tragics come out of the wood work!

[Son of a Beach]

I like my Trangia and still use it on some trips. But for solo or extended walks I usually take the lighter setup. Or would if it didn't fail after just two years while the Trangia is 20 years old and as good as new (gas kit not quite as old).

However I think the merits of titanium are vastly exaggerated. Yes it is stronger than aluminium but not lighter. And it is useless for frying.

[Tony]

This is a link to my post on my Trangia style gas stove, I have used this setup in the field at -10C, I was on a winter club walk and all the other stoves struggled, this stove worked superbly and it is half the weight of a Trangia.

Tony

[Scottyk]

I like that set up Tony, maybe the stability of a Tragian without the weight penalty

[Ent]

A nice setup Tony.

I am with SOB on titanium. For the windshield component yes any weight saved there is good but as for the pots and especially the frypan once the metal gets too thin you are left with a setup suitable only for boiling water.

I use a Jetboil titanium stove and while great on boil water type things in wind it is near impossible to go too low on the flame as it blows out so that rules out thick soup type meals. Also the stability is very suspect on many rough campsites.

Yes SOB not good that a lot of trendy gear just does last. I find as time goes on I am swinging back to stuff that lasts in the real world. Hence the Trangia purchase. What let you down?

Cheers

[Son of a Beach]

Kovea Supalite. Great when it works but failed gradually over time and then completely. I have heard of the same problem from other Supalite users.

Not sure what I'll get next. I do still love the Trangia, but not for solo or self catering walks.

My Trangia is the large sized one and I sometimes use it to cater for up to 6 people by sitting a huge steel wok on it. But you need a few people to make that extra weight worth while.

[Nuts]

Tintanium pots are fine, wev'e been using them for ages (five years). Slightly more care (ie. watch the pot) but all sorts of sauces without burning. Not even a bent one yet. The frying pan might be different, anodised aluminium would be easier. I did like my trangia as well, lots of lighter/more compact summer options these days.

[Tony]

Kovea Supalite. Great when it works but failed gradually over time and then completely. I have heard of the same problem from other Supalite users.

Not sure what I'll get next. I do still love the Trangia, but not for solo or self catering walks.

My Trangia is the large sized one and I sometimes use it to cater for up to 6 people by sitting a huge steel wok on it. But you need a few people to make that extra weight worth while.

Interesting SOAB, this is the first time I have heard of people having problems with the Kovea Supalite.

I have used mine for quite a few years now, ever since they became available here in Australia, I have abused mine beyond normal use, I regularly pull it apart to do modifications to my cooking setup and to convert it to an upright stove and back to a remote canister stove, it is the only stove I have that has never given me any problems at all.

What is your Supalite doing that is causing problems.

I have a very large collection of Ti, Al a,d SS pots, I gave up on Ti pots a long time ago, I now use the cheapest Al pots I can get.

Tony

[norts]

I have had problems, will not use it anymore, expensive experiment. Cant always get gas out, with some gas containers, also will work for awhile on a container and then next time you try it wont work. Only time it is used these days is if there is a need for two stoves.
There is a thread on it somewhere.
I only take my older Kovea.

Roger