Cold Weather Tips for Gas Stoves

OK, short and sweet, three practical tips for using (canister) gas in cold weather:

First, choose good fuel.  Avoid "regular" butane and only use isobutane/propane blends. In the US, Snow Peak, MSR, Brunton, and JetBoil should be fine. Don't get Coleman, Optimus, Glowmaster, or Primus for cold weather use.

Second, start with a warm canister. Keep the canister in your bag/quilt at night or in your inside jacket pocket (or something) during the day.

Third, keep the canister warm by placing the canister in water. If you chose good fuel in the first step, your fuel vaporizes at least at 11F/-12C. Liquid water will always be above 32F/0C -- that's about 20F/10C degrees above the vaporization point of the fuel. As long as that water stays liquid, you'll have good canister pressure, even if the air temperature drops below the vaporization point of your fuel. It's the fuel temperature that matters, not the air temperature.  There are other ways to keep a canister warm which you can read about elsewhere, but water is safe and effective and is my preferred method.  WARNING:  Do not use hot water.  Tepid is fine, but hot water may cause your stove to flare.

That's it.  Choose good fuel, start with a warm canister, and keep the canister warm.  Happy cooking.  :)

HJ

Related articles and posts:

• Cold Weather Tips for Gas Stoves
• What's the Best Gas for Cold Weather?
• Canisters, Cold, and Altitude:  Gas in a Nutshell
• Gas in Cold Weather:  The Myth of "Fractioning"
• Canister Stoves 101:  Thread Care
• Gas Blends and Cold Weather Performance.  (Why not just use propane?)
• Gas Stoves: How Cold Can I Go?
• The "SuperGnat"  (Camping Gaz or threaded canisters with one lightweight stove)
• Backpacking Gas Canisters 101    
• Gas in Extreme Cold:  Yes or No?
• Stoves For Cold Weather I (Upright canister stoves) -- Seattle Backpacker's Magazine
• Stoves for Cold Weather II (Inverted canister stoves) -- Seattle Backpacker's Magazine

Read More

Gas Stoves: How Cold Can I Go?

Gas stoves (also called "canister" stoves) can struggle in cold weather.  Just how cold of weather can I run my gas stove in?

Good question.  Do you want the short answer or the long answer?  :)  The short answer is that for the typical upright canister stove (that's the kind where the burner screws directly onto the canister), about 20F/-7C is a good planning number.  Do make sure you have winter capable gas before you try to run your stove in cold weather.  If your stove starts struggling in cold weather, try some of the tricks listed in my Stoves For Cold Weather article in Seattle Backpackers Magazine.  If you need to go colder than 20F/-7C and you want to use gas, you'll probably need to use a stove that can handle liquid feed gas (an inverted canister stove in other words).  See my article Stoves for Cold Weather II for more information on liquid feed gas.

Now, that was the short answer, and it should give you a good planning number as you consider what gear to take on a particular trip.

Note:  I tend to lose some people with the "long" answer.  So, if your eyes tend to glaze over with too much detail, I also offer some short and sweet Cold Weather Tips for Gas Stoves.

Now for the "long" (full) answer:  Canisters typically contain propane mixed with either isobutane or "plain" butane (n-butane).  The boiling points (vaporization point) of each of those gases are as follows:

 Boiling point
n-butane    -0.5C    31F
isobutane    -12C    11F
propane      -42C   -44F

Propane has the lowest boiling point and therefore the highest vapor pressure.  Because of its high vapor pressure, the propane boils off at a faster rate than either n-butane or isobutane.  Toward the end of a canister, you have no propane left, and you're running on just isobutane or n-butane.   N-butane will not vaporize below 31F/-0.5C, so it's a poor choice for an upright canister stove in cold weather.

So, with that little fuel lesson out of the way, here's the answer:  If you take a typical upright canister stove out in cold weather, you can run it on good fuel (no n-butane) to the point where the fuel temperature is about 20F/-7C at sea level throughout the life of the canister.  Yes, isobutane vaporizes at 11F/-12C, but you need a certain amount of pressure in the canister in order to properly drive the stove.  If your vaporization point is 11F/-12C, and your fuel temperature is, say, 12F/-11C, then the pressure in your canister will be so insipid that you can't run a stove off of it.  Generally, about 10F/5C above the vaporization point will give you good operating pressure.  So, if your fuel vaporization point is 11F/-12C, you generally want to shoot for about 21F/-6C in order to have good operating pressure.  20F/-7C is easier for me to remember, so I usually just say 20F/-7C fuel temperature for upright canister stoves using a propane/isobutane blend at sea level.

As you ascend, the higher you go, the lower the ambient air pressure.  As the air pressure drops, so does the boiling point of your fuel, so you can operate your stove at lower fuel temperatures, as shown by the below diagram.  Generally you can operate a stove with fuel that is about two degrees Fahrenheit colder for every thousand feet in elevation gained.  In metric units, that's about one degree Celcius colder for every 300 meters in elevation gained.

The relationship between boiling point and elevation.

Of course, you can modify the stove to divert heat to the canister or add heat by some external means, in which case the fuel temperature will rise independent of the ambient temperature, and your stove will run in colder weather than it otherwise would.  If you divert heat from the combustion, be very careful.  Overheated canisters can and do explode.  A canister explosion is a potentially life threatening event.  ALWAYS  monitor the canister temperature with your (unfrozen) hand.  If the canister feels hot to the touch, turn it down immediately. 

Also, please note that the colder it gets, the harder it is to keep the canister warm.  If you're going out in really cold weather with a gas stove, think.  Can I really keep my canister warm in those temperatures?  In really cold weather, your life may depend on your stove functioning.  Take no short cuts. 

Main "take aways" from the long answer:
1.  In all cases, it is the fuel temperature which matters, not the ambient temperature.
2.  Propane burns off faster, so you must be able to rely on the other components of your fuel.  Avoid n-butane.
3.  In order to have enough pressure to properly operate a stove, your fuel temperature must be warmer than the vaporization point of the fuel.  Generally, about 10F/5C above the vaporization point will give you good operating pressure.
4.  The higher you go, the colder the weather your gas stove will operate in.
5.  If you heat the canister by some external means, you are not as constrained by the ambient temperature in terms of how cold of weather you can operate your stove in.

OK, so now that you've seen the long answer, is my short answer "planning number" of 20F/-7C any good?  Anyone who has used a canister stove can tell you that the canister gets cold as you run your stove.  Isn't the fuel temperature going to fall below the outside temperature?  And if the outside temperature is already at the bottom of my temperature range (20F/-7C), aren't I going to get screwed?

Good points, and yes, your fuel temperature will fall below the outside temperature.  Recall though that 20F/-7C is for sea level.  In fact, most of us camp well above sea level, so camping above sea level will compensate  for some or all canister cooling, depending on the elevation.  Combine the elevation with the tricks in my Stoves For Cold Weather article, and you should have no problems.  If you still have problems with my short answer, then just use the long answer.  :)

HJ

Related articles and posts:

• Cold Weather Tips for Gas Stoves
• What's the Best Gas for Cold Weather?
• Canisters, Cold, and Altitude:  Gas in a Nutshell
• Gas in Cold Weather:  The Myth of "Fractioning"
• Canister Stoves 101:  Thread Care
• Gas Blends and Cold Weather Performance.  (Why not just use propane?)
• Gas Stoves: How Cold Can I Go?
• The "SuperGnat"  (Camping Gaz or threaded canisters with one lightweight stove)
• Backpacking Gas Canisters 101    
• Gas in Extreme Cold:  Yes or No?
• Stoves For Cold Weather I (Upright canister stoves) -- Seattle Backpacker's Magazine
• Stoves for Cold Weather II (Inverted canister stoves) -- Seattle Backpacker's Magazine

Read More

What's the Best Brand of Gas for Cold Weather?

For warm weather use (above 50F/10C), it doesn't much matter what brand of gas you buy.

For cold weather use, the brand of gas you buy does make a difference.  Typically, gas canisters contain some blend of propane mixed with either "regular" butane (n-butane) or isobutane. Some canister brands contain all three gasses.  For cold weather use, you generally want a canister with as little n-butane as possible.  Even though propane is the best cold weather gas, I'd take a canister with 10% propane and 90% isobutane over a canister with 30% propane and 70% n-butane.  Why?  Because the propane will burn off at a faster rate than the n-butane, leaving you with nothing but n-butane toward the end of your canister.  Butane is a poor performer in cold weather.

Why is butane a poor cold weather performer?  Why do we use blended gas?  Why don't we just use 100% propane?  That's all covered in my post on Gas Blends and Cold Weather Performance.

What companies have got the best blend?  I don't have all the data, but here below is what I have.  This data is for the United States of America.  Brands and blends available elsewhere may vary. 
GOOD WINTER GAS BRANDS (in no particular order)

• MSR is a good winter blend, 80% isobutane and 20% propane.  These numbers are confirmed on MSR's website.

• Brunton is reputedly made by the same Korean company that makes MSR canisters and is said to have the same blend (80/20).  I have not been able to confirm these numbers.

• Jetboil is also supposedly 80% isobutane and 20% propane.  I have not been able to confirm these numbers.

• Snow Peak is 85% isobutane and 15% propane.  These numbers are confirmed on Snow Peak's website.

• Coleman Powermax is 65% regular butane and 35% propane.  These numbers are confirmed on Coleman's website.  Note:  This is for Coleman Powermax fuel only and is not for Coleman's regular gas canisters.  I wouldn't normally recommend a fuel containing regular butane for winter use, but Coleman Powermax is used in liquid feed mode, so the butane doesn't hurt anything.  Indeed, Coleman Powermax fuel is the best winter capable gas blend available in the United States.  Only the following three Coleman backpacking stoves can use Powermax fuel:  the Xpert, the Xtreme, and the Xpedition.  Update on Powermax 07 Nov 2011.

BRANDS NOT RECOMMENDED* FOR WINTER USE (in no particular order)

• Coleman regular threaded canisters (not Powermax) are 30% propane and 70% butane.  These numbers on on the side of the canister.

• Primus is 25 % propane, 25 % isobutane, and 50 % butane per their website.  I suppose it's better than Coleman brand, but I'd still rather have a fuel with no regular butane at all.

• Optimus brand is 25% propane, 75% butane, as printed on the side of the canister.  Since it contains regular butane, I wouldn't use it in cold weather.

• Glowmaster is 20% propane and 80% butane per the side of the canister. 

One caveat to the above:  If you're using standard threaded canisters in liquid feed mode (in other words, the canister is used upside down) or you're using a canister that is designed for liquid feed (e.g. a Powermax canister), the component gasses are less relevant.  In liquid feed mode, the liquefied gas stays blended and all of the fuels burn together at a constant rate.  With liquid feed, the propane does not burn off more quickly, and you're not left holding the bag with nothing but crappy (in cold weather) butane left.  In other words, with liquid feed, "regular" butane isn't such a bad thing provided that you've got plenty of propane content.

For "normal" (canister right side up) use, avoid "regular" butane for cold weather.

HJ

*Because they contain "regular" butane, a very poor fuel in cold weather.

Related articles and posts:

• Cold Weather Tips for Gas Stoves
• What's the Best Gas for Cold Weather?
• Canisters, Cold, and Altitude:  Gas in a Nutshell
• Gas in Cold Weather:  The Myth of "Fractioning"
• Canister Stoves 101:  Thread Care
• Gas Blends and Cold Weather Performance.  (Why not just use propane?)
• Gas Stoves: How Cold Can I Go?
• The "SuperGnat"  (Camping Gaz or threaded canisters with one lightweight stove)
• Backpacking Gas Canisters 101    
• Gas in Extreme Cold:  Yes or No?
• Stoves For Cold Weather I (Upright canister stoves) -- Seattle Backpacker's Magazine
• Stoves for Cold Weather II (Inverted canister stoves) -- Seattle Backpacker's Magazine

Read More

Gas Blends and Cold Weather Performance (Why not just use propane?)

I got a good question recently:

Hikin Jim, I see you refill [your backpacking canisters] with butane. What is the advantage over straight propane if propane works in lower temps? For that matter, why are these cartridges blended at all? I have wondered about this for a while.

An excellent (and important) question. It has to do with vapor pressures. Take a look at the following boiling points table.

 Boiling point
n-butane    -0.5C    31F
isobutane    -12C    11F
propane      -42C   -44F
 

As you can see, propane will vaporize (boil) at extremely low temperatures whereas n-butane ("regular" butane) has a vaporization point some seventy five Fahrenheit degrees higher. Quite a difference!

Let's say you have liquid propane in a container and the ambient temperature is a nice, comfortable 75F (24C). 75F is some one hundred nineteen degrees (Fahrenheit) above the boiling point of propane. Propane at that temperature desperately wants to boil and exerts tremendous vapor pressure against the walls of the tank, vapor pressure so strong that you need a fairly heavy steel container to hold it safely, such as those found on the big green 16.4oz (~460g) propane canisters from Coleman. The little lightweight canisters that backpackers carry could literally turn into a hand grenade at those pressures.

On the other hand, n-butane is relatively benign at those temperatures. Take a look at a clear plastic lighter some time. That clear liquid inside is n-butane. Yep, all that's needed to contain n-butane is some flimsy plastic. Contrast that with a 16.2 ounce Coleman canister! Of course the problem with n-butane is that if the fuel temperature falls below about 40F/5C, the vaporization isn't strong enough to run a typical gas stove.

Well, if propane is great but would catastrophically burst a backpacking canister and n-butane is easily contained but useless in cold weather, what to do? Well, you blend the two. The liquid blend takes on properties that lie somewhere between low pressure n-butane and high pressure propane. Better still, you get a chemist to rearrange the internal structure of the n-butane molecules a little and create isobutane. Isobutane is what is known as an isomer of butane. It's the same stuff, but the internal components have been put into a different arrangement, an arrangement that in this case works in our favor in that the boiling point drops by twenty degrees Fahrenheit! Nice, eh? It's like re-packing the trunk of your car. It's the same stuff, but in a different order. In the case of your car's trunk, things fit better. In the case of butane, the properties change a bit, and we've got a better cold weather fuel. The best cold weather blend for upright canister stoves is therefore isobutane mixed with propane. Note that I stressed the word "upright." More on that in a minute (see the second of the two below links).

The problem with this blending arrangement is that the higher pressure propane tends to boil off a bit faster than than the n-butane or isobutane. Toward the end of the life of the canister, all you have left is the "lesser" (in terms of cold weather performance) of your fuels. This is one reason why in cold weather you can get the dreaded "canister fade" where your flame slowly fades out toward the end of the life of your canister, and you can't operate your stove even though, when you shake the canister, you can still hear fuel sloshing around in there.

There are two things you can do to get good performance and avoid canister fade in cold weather.  One, you can take action to warm the canister or two you can switch to a liquid feed gas stove.

With respect to liquid feed gas stoves:  If gas is kept under sufficient pressure, it liquefies, i.e. the form of the fuel changes from a vapor into a liquid.  If you feed the fuel in liquid form to your stove, you no longer have to worry about which fuel in your blend has a tendency to boil off faster into a gas.  With liquid feed, the blend you start with is the blend your finish with.  Since the blend doesn't change with liquid feed, it's not quite so critical that the non-propane component of your fuel be isobutane.  Again, since the blend doesn't change, the cold weather performance of your fuel is just as good at the end of your canister as it was at the beginning, and you don't get such pronounced "canister fade" toward the end of the canister.

There are a lot of advantages to using a stove in liquid feed mode in cold weather, but be aware that not all gas stoves can be used in liquid feed mode.   Be sure to read the above linked article to find out what type of stove may be used safely.  You also need to buy the right brand of gas in order to get good cold weather performance.  Not all brands are equal.  For more information, please see my post on What's the Best Brand of Gas for Cold Weather?

As for refilling backpacking canisters, butane is cheap, readily available, and of lower pressure than the original contents (and therefore quite safe). Although reasonably safe, the one problem with refilling backpacking canisters with 100% butane is that there no good if the fuel temperature gets below about 40F/5C.  So, I just use my refilled canisters on fair weather trips.  I tend to prefer fair weather trips anyway, so refilling backpacking canisters works very well for me.  YMMV.  :)  I wish I had a source of cheap isobutane, but alas I do not. Refilling with 100% isobutane would also be reasonably safe if the canister originally contained a propane-isobutane blend. Refilling a backpacking canister with 100% propane could be a very deadly enterprise and should be avoided. But this post is really about why we blend gas and why we don't use 100% propane in backpacking canisters.  At some future point, I'll dedicate an entire post to the subject of refilling canisters.

Hope that clears things up a bit.

HJ

Related articles and posts:

• Cold Weather Tips for Gas Stoves
• What's the Best Gas for Cold Weather?
• Canisters, Cold, and Altitude:  Gas in a Nutshell
• Gas in Cold Weather:  The Myth of "Fractioning"
• Canister Stoves 101:  Thread Care
• Gas Blends and Cold Weather Performance.  (Why not just use propane?)
• Gas Stoves: How Cold Can I Go?
• The "SuperGnat"  (Camping Gaz or threaded canisters with one lightweight stove)
• Backpacking Gas Canisters 101    
• Gas in Extreme Cold:  Yes or No?
• Stoves For Cold Weather I (Upright canister stoves) -- Seattle Backpacker's Magazine
• Stoves for Cold Weather II (Inverted canister stoves) -- Seattle Backpacker's Magazine

Read More

Hexamine (ESBIT) Stoves

Hexamine (such as ESBIT brand) stoves are very interesting.

Ultralight hikers prize them for their light weight, but they can be a nice addition to any kit as an emergency stove. They've got about the most stable fuel around. The fuel doesn't evaporate or go bad. You can generally burn 40 year old fuel that hasn't been sealed without problems. I keep mine sealed and protected (they can be crushed or chipped pretty easily), but I've seen some old hexamine fuel that burned just fine. They're great for long term storage in a kit that you don't plan to touch often.

The down side is that they don't put out a lot of heat, can be hard to light (particularly in wind), and the low velocity flame really needs a windscreen. They also leave a residue on the bottom of your pot.  I usually keep my pot in a plastic bag if I'm going to be burning hexamine.

One trick for lighting them is to set the tablet on the edge of the stove at first. Get your flame under the tablet. Once it's lit, then move it to the center of the stove with a stick or something. This trick is a little easier with the larger ESBIT brand rectangular tablets than the smaller "pill shaped" tablets that some companies produce.

Hexamine's not bad stuff, but it's not particularly powerful either. It's worth playing with it a few times in order to get used to its quirks. Don't set it down in the bottom of your pack untried and then expect to pull it out and be comfortable with it out on the trail. It's no big deal, but it's worth getting used to how to light, how to cook with, how to extinguish, etc. before you head out.

Despite the fact that hexamine is not volatile, hexamine is not permitted on airline flights. Hexamine is a precursor to explosives such as RDX/Cyclonite. You wouldn't want to go into an airport with the scent of hexamine about you.

HJ

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A Look at the Trangia Alcohol Burner

People have asked me what I think about the Trangia burner in and of itself.

A Trangia alcohol burner

I think the Trangia burner is a good one. It's meant to be used in conjunction with other components, but if we consider the burner alone for a moment:
1. It's brass. Can you say solid? Yeah, you can still break them, but the chances of it crushing in your pack are pretty much nil unless you fall off a cliff or something (in which case you probably have more to worry about than what shape your burner is in). ;)  Brass conducts heat well which is an advantage in cold weather where alcohol sometimes can be difficult to vaporize. Titanium burners, while lighter, do not conduct heat well.
2. It's an open design. You just pour your alcohol in. To light it, you flip in some sparks with your fire steel or use a lighter or match. The point being that it's really easy to work with. There are some alcohol stoves where you've got to get the alcohol in a tiny little hole, and you have to prime them even in warm weather, all sorts of fiddly stuff like that. No thanks. The Trangia burner is a practical, easy to use burner.
3. The Trangia burner is a nice balance between speed and efficiency. The Trangia isn't the fastest out there -- but that's a good thing. The faster burners tend to eat through your alcohol which means you're running out of fuel when the guy next to you still has a couple of days supply of fuel. Yet on the other hand they've got enough power that they aren't at the mercy of the slightest breeze. Some really efficient burners are such low power burners that unless you set the windscreen up perfectly, your pot will never boil.
4. The Trangia burner has a lid that can be sealed. Ever try to get left over alcohol out of a burner? It's a pain in the butt. Most guys either burn it off (i.e. waste it) or manage to recover only a portion of it (again, wasted fuel). With the Trangia burner? No problem. Just seal it up. Next time you need the burner, it's already fueled. As a precaution, I put my burner inside a Ziploc bag, sometimes two. They do leak a few drops some times.

The lid of a Trangia burner has an "O" ring which forms a tight seal so that alcohol can be carried in the burner

5. The Trangia burner can simmer when the simmer ring is used. Relatively few alcohol stoves can really simmer. Simmering means you can cook real food not just "boil in a bag" type meals.

The simmer ring of a Trangia burner (sitting in a pan).  The "door" can be nearly shut to get a low  flame or completely shut to extinguish the stove.

So, you've got a really solid burner that conducts heat well, that is practical and easy to use and is a balance between speed and efficiency that can be sealed so you don't waste fuel that can simmer. That's a half a dozen reasons why the Trangia is one of the most popular alcohol burners out there and why so many systems are built around a Trangia burner (Clikstand, Trangia Triangle, WestWind, plus dozens of home made ones).  For the weights of each component, please see the Technical Appendix below.

It's a good burner.

HJ

Related posts and articles:

• Getting Started with Alcohol
• DIY Alcohol Stoves -- Basic Design Considerations
• Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves
• Is Ethanol Worth It?
  
• Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove Review (on Seattle Backpackers Magazine)
• Caldera Cone Review Supplement -- Additional Photos and Technical Appendix with Weights
• The Clikstand Alcohol Stove System Review
• Caldera Cone vs. Clikstand Alcohol Stove Tests
• Trangia 27 Alcohol Stove System Review
• The Caldera Cone's 12-10 Burner
• The Trangia Alcohol Burner
• What's the Best Alcohol for Stove Fuel?
• What Is Meths?  (And how is that different than Methanol?)
• Going "Green" with Stoves:  Alcohol and Biodiesel

Technical Appendix (with weights of all components)

• Trangia Burner:  67g/2.4oz
• Trangia Burner Lid:  21g/0.7 oz
• Trangia Burner Simmer Ring:  23g/0.8oz
• Total Trangia Burner Weight:  112g/4.0oz

Read More

Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves

I can recommend at least four "tricks" for alcohol stoves in cold weather:

1. Keep your alcohol in a coat pocket or somewhere where it will stay warm.
2. Use methanol such as comes in the yellow bottle of HEET that can be purchased at Walmart, auto parts stores, etc. Methanol generally has a higher vapor pressure than denatured alcohol and will work better in cold. DON'T drink methanol, don't breath the fumes, and don't get it on your hands. Methanol is toxic and can lead to severe neurological problems, blindness, and death. Yipes!  But if you're safe how you pour and burn, it's no big deal.  Don't be intimidated; just be careful.
3. Use a priming pan. I use the lid from an old tin of tea. The lid is slightly bigger in circumference than my stove.  Put the lid underneath your stove. Pour some alcohol in the priming pan and ignite. The alcohol in the priming pan will warm the stove and provide for faster vaporization.
4. Insulate! Put something like some closed cell foam cut from an old backpacking pad under the stove. You don't want snow or cold ground sucking the heat out of your stove. I wrap my closed cell foam in duct tape to a) protect the foam and b) prevent spills from getting into the foam which could catch fire while operating the stove. Don't ask me how I know that last bit. ;)  On top of the foam, I set a circular cut out of approximately 36 ga. aluminum sheet on top of which I set the alcohol stove.  The little circle of aluminum helps diffuse the heat so you don't screw up your duct-tape wrapped pad.

Got other tips?  Please send 'em my way. 

HJ

Related posts and articles:

• Getting Started with Alcohol
• DIY Alcohol Stoves -- Basic Design Considerations
• Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves
• Is Ethanol Worth It?
  
• Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove Review (on Seattle Backpackers Magazine)
• Caldera Cone Review Supplement -- Additional Photos and Technical Appendix with Weights
• The Clikstand Alcohol Stove System Review
• Caldera Cone vs. Clikstand Alcohol Stove Tests
• Trangia 27 Alcohol Stove System Review
• The Caldera Cone's 12-10 Burner
• The Trangia Alcohol Burner
• What's the Best Alcohol for Stove Fuel?
• What Is Meths?  (And how is that different than Methanol?)
• Going "Green" with Stoves:  Alcohol and Biodiesel

Read More

Stove of the Week: The Trangia 27

Let's say you wanted a reliable stove.  A really reliable stove.  A stove where there's nothing to go wrong.  A stove that's going to work in any conditions, no matter what.

What's  that?  It's a trick question?  No, there really is such a stove, the Trangia.  The Trangia alcohol stove system is, simply put, the most reliable backpacking type stove in the world.

A Trangia 27

Now here's the funny thing about what is possibly the world's most reliable backpacking stove:  It's relatively unknown in the United States.  Alcohol stoves have long taken a back seat in the American outdoors scene.  However, in the last decade or so the ultralight movement has swept over American backpacking, and alcohol stoves have exploded on the scene with a vengeance almost as though making up for lost time.
One little problem for the Trangia:  it's hardly ultralight.  So, even though alcohol stoves are all the rage in the US backpacking community right now, you may not see more of the complete Trangia system, at least in the US.  I am seeing the excellent Trangia burner used in a variety of configurations including the excellent Clikstand set up.  Internationally though, the Trangia has an enduring reputation for reliability and the ability to function under any conditions.  The Swedish call it a stormkök -- storm cooker.  The name says it all.  Though the Trangia is a bit bulky and heavy, particularly for an alcohol stove, there are many who swear by it and will bring nothing less into the back country.


Somewhat unusual for an alcohol stove, the Trangia is actually able to simmer with the use of a "simmer ring" (see more below).  The Trangia is therefore an alcohol stove that one can do real cooking on and not merely just boil water.

The Trangia stove system came out in 1951.  Rather than replicate here what is more than adequate elsewhere, I provide you with the following link on the history of the Trangia company for those who are interested.

There are three basic models of the Trangia:
The Trangia 25, which comes with 1.75 L and 1.5 L nesting pots and a 22cm diameter fry pan/lid and is intended for three or four people.
The Trangia 27, which comes with two 1.0L nesting pots and an 18cm diameter fry pan/lid and is intended for one or two people.
The Trangia 28 (aka the "mini Trangia"), which comes with one 0.8L pot and a 15cm diameter fry pan/lid and is intended for solo use.

The Trangia 25 and 27 are essentially the same stove except that the 25 is larger and the 27 is smaller.  Models 25 and 27 are complete in and of themselves and need no additional components in order to function well.  The Trangia 28 (the "mini Trangia") needs a windshield (not included) in order to function well.

Models 25 and 27 are available in "ultralight" aluminum or hard anodized aluminum.  Several configurations of models 25 and 27 are available.  The configurations include such things as non-stick coatings and an optional tea kettle.  I won't try to list all of the possible combinations, instead, I encourage you to head on over to the Trangia website where all possible combinations are listed. There is only one configuration available of model 28.  The alcohol burner is the same across all models and configurations of Trangia stoves.  An optional gas burner is available for some configurations of the Trangia as is a multi-fuel burner.

Now, then, this week's stove is the Trangia model 27.  My model 27 Trangia was built in the late 1970's or thereafter but prior to 1988 based on the information provided at the above history link.  Today's Trangia 27's are nearly identical to mine but do have some differences such as a lighter weight modern alloy and openings for use with a gas burner.

So, let's have a look at this famous stove. The Trangia 27 consists of six main components:  A lower windscreen/base, an upper windscreen, two pots, a lid, and a burner.  The Trangia also comes with a strap to hold everything together and a pot gripper/pot lifter.

One of the wonderful things about the Trangia is that all of the components nest together in a nice package.

All of the Trangia 27's components fit neatly together.

A strap secures everything together.  This strap is of the period but is not original and is not a Trangia product.

  Let's take a look at what's inside the package.

A Trangia 27 with the lid off but still all nested together.

Inside my Trangia 27, I carry the burner, a lighter, a pot gripper (not original), and a fuel bottle.  There's also room for a spoon, tea bags, or other items.

A closer look at the contents of my Trangia 27

Now let's take a look at the base (lower windscreen) of the stove.  Note how there are ventilation holes on one side of the lower windscreen but not the other.  Note also the air holes that surround the large central hole.  These air holes are a key component in the Trangia's design and what allow it to function in heavy winds.

The base (lower windscreen) of a Trangia 27.

Take a look at this diagram of the air flow within a Trangia stove.

A diagram of the air flow within a Trangia stove system.

The air holes in the lower windscreen are faced into the wind.  The air is then forced up around the burner in a controlled fashion.  The wind acts just like a bellows, oxygenating the burner.  The air is heated by the burner.  The heated air is forced up through the gap between the upper windscreen and the pot.  The narrowness of the gap prevents too much air, air that might rob the system of heat, from flowing through.  The air that does flow through is forced to stay close to the pot which increases heat transfer.  In short, you've got a very efficient stove capable of operation in heavy winds.

The burner mounts in the base.

The Trangia burner mounted in the Trangia base.

The upper windscreen is then emplaced on top of the lower windscreen. 

Upper Trangia windscreen mounted on lower windscreen

Note in the photo above that the put supports are flipped up into the "up" position.  When the put supports are in the "up" position, the lid may be used as a fry pan.

A Trangia 27 in frying mode

A Trangia 27 with the pot supports flipped up

A Trangia 27 with the pot supports flipped down.

With the pot supports down, a pot fits neatly inside, suspended at the ideal height above the burner.

A Trangia 27 with a pot in place.

 Now, let's take a look at the two pots.  The two pots nest neatly within one another.

The two pots of a Trangia 27 nested together.

The two pots of a Trangia 27 separated.

The two pots fit together only one way.  They both have the same volume, but one is tapered differently than the other.  Put the more tapered pot on top, and it nests neatly in.  Put the more tapered pot on the bottom, and the two pots stack in such a manner that both pots can be used simultaneously.  Ingenious!

The two pots of a Trangia 27 in stacked one atop another ready for simultaneous use.

One of the pots is inscribed with volumetric markings.  Wisely, the markings can be read not only from the outside but from the inside of the pot.

One of the pots has 0.3 L and 0.5L markings.

With a pot in place, the lid fits neatly on, sealing in the heat.

A Trangia 27 fully set up, with one pot.

It doesn't look quite as neat with two pots, but we're here to cook, not look good, yes?  We could even turn the lid over and cook some meat balls or something in the lid while the pasta cooks in the bottom pot and the sauce warms up in the top pot.  Pretty slick!

A Trangia 27 fully set up, with two pots in place.

OK, so now let's take a look at the burner.  The burner consists of three pieces:  A simmer ring, a lid, and the burner itself.  Only the burner itself is required.  The lid and the simmer ring may be left behind if so desired.

The simmer ring is a ring shaped piece of brass that fits over the burner.  Attached to the ring is a "door" that can be slid back and forth opening up or restricting the burner which causes the flame to correspondingly increase or diminish.  When you want to extinguish the flame completely, simply close the simmer ring door completely.

The simmer ring of a Trangia burner.

A simmer ring in use on a Trangia 27.  Can you spot the flame?

The lid of the Trangia burner is threaded such that it forms a relatively tight seal on the body of the burner.  A rubber "O" ring is emplaced at the end of the threads so that a really good seal is made.  Because of the "O" ring, alcohol can be carried in the stove.  So, if at the end of cooking you still have alcohol left inside the stove, no worries, just leave it there.  There's no need to go through the hassle of trying to drain the stove.  Simply let the stove cool and cap the stove.  Off you go with no hassle.  Be sure to let the stove cool first before putting on the cap or you'll melt the "O" ring.  DO NOT use the cap to extinguish the stove. You'll melt the "O" ring for sure if you use the cap to extinguish the stove.  Use the simmer ring to extinguish the stove.  If you've left the simmer ring at home, you could yank the "O" ring out of the cap and then extinguish the stove, but that's a bit of a hassle.  If you do melt the "O" ring, not to worry.  Replacements can be had easily, and your stove will still work without an "O" ring (or without the entire lid for that matter).

The lid of a Trangia burner.  DO NOT use the lid to extinguish the flame.

As for the burner itself, the Trangia burner is an open jet style of burner.  The open style of the burner means that it's very easy to add fuel; simply pour it in.  Except in cold weather, no priming is required.  Simply apply a flame from a match or a lighter to the center of the open cup, the alcohol will ignite, and the stove will prime itself.  In no time at all, the alcohol will be hot enough to vaporize, vaporized alcohol will be coming out the jets, and the stove will be up and running properly.

A Trangia burner.  Note alcohol inside the burner.

The Trangia burner is a good compromise between speed and efficiency.  The Trangia burner is not the fastest alcohol burner out there in terms of boil times, but faster isn't necessarily better.  Faster burners tend to require more alcohol to do the same amount of boiling.  A more efficient burner like the Trangia means that you don't have to carry as much fuel.  But the Trangia is by no means slow.  As I say, the Trangia strikes a very good balance between efficiency and speed.

A Trangia 27 just after being lit.  Note flame (a bit hard to see)

As I have said, the Trangia is no slouch when it comes to boiling up water.  It's not a gas or liquid fuel stove, but it takes only a minute or two longer than petroleum fueled stoves.

Passing the "tea test" on a Trangia 27.

Water boiling on a Trangia 27

Now, of course, the whole point of a stove is to have a warm refreshing beverage or something nice and hot to eat.

Cooking oatmeal on a Trangia 27

My assistant seems to be getting the point, don't you think?  :)

My assistant is ever so helpful when it comes to the eating portion of my stove hobby.  :)

The Trangia stove:  Good to the last drop.

Good thing I brought an assistant.  ;)

I hope you've enjoyed this Adventure in Stoving.

HJ

Related posts and articles:

• Getting Started with Alcohol
• DIY Alcohol Stoves -- Basic Design Considerations
• Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves
• Is Ethanol Worth It?
  
• Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove Review (on Seattle Backpackers Magazine)
• Caldera Cone Review Supplement -- Additional Photos and Technical Appendix with Weights
• The Clikstand Alcohol Stove System Review
• Caldera Cone vs. Clikstand Alcohol Stove Tests
• Trangia 27 Alcohol Stove System Review
• The Caldera Cone's 12-10 Burner
• The Trangia Alcohol Burner
• What's the Best Alcohol for Stove Fuel?
• What Is Meths?  (And how is that different than Methanol?)
• Going "Green" with Stoves:  Alcohol and Biodiesel

Read More

Going "Green" With Stoves: Alcohol and Biodiesel

Hey, Jim, all these stoves are all well and fine, but what about sustainability?

Well, good question.  Petroleum based fuels are great, but in no way are they sustainable.  However, there are a couple of fuels out there that are considered "green:"  alcohol and biodiesel.  Now, some people will be thinking "what about wood?"  Wood is a sustainable fuel, but in heavily traveled areas, the forest can be picked clean of downed wood, and people will start pulling down standing wood -- hardly a "green" practice.  So, for the purposes of this post, I'm going to talk about fuels that you bring, i.e. a substance that you bring with you and burn to cook with in order to minimize your impact on the environment and Leave No Trace.

ALCOHOL 
First, alcohol:  Alcohol stoves have been around for years.  The good news is that alcohol stoves will burn "green" alcohol just fine without any modifications.  In other words, the only thing you need to change if you've already got an alcohol stove is just your brand of alcohol.  Sweet!

Um, that's great, but just what is "green" alcohol?

Well, "green" alcohol is primarily ethanol (ethyl alcohol) that has been made in a sustainable fashion.  Generally, "green" alcohol has a higher ethanol content that "regular" denatured alcohol.

For example, "regular" Klean Strip SLX brand denatured alcohol is 45-50% ethanol, 50-55% methanol, 1-4% Methyl isobutyl ketone according to its MSDS.  In other words, the primary component is methanol.  Methanol is typically made from methane (natural gas), a fossil fuel -- hardly a sustainable product.

"Regular" Klean Strip SLX Denatured Alcohol

On the other hand "green" Klean Strip brand denatured alcohol is Ethanol 90-100%, methanol <10%, Methyl isobutyl ketone <10%, Acetic acid, Ethyl ester <5%.  There's a lot more sustainable ethanol, and there is far less unsustainable methanol.  Perfect?  No, but much better than SLX's regular product and far better than a 100% petroleum product.

"Green" Klean Strip Denatured Alcohol

BIODIESEL
Now, let's talk about biodiesel. First, I am not an expert on biodiesel.  But I'm getting enough questions about biodiesel that I though I'd at least post some general information based on the questions I've received.

Q:  Can I run stove "X" on biodiesel?   (where "X" is a particular stove such as an XGK, an Omnifuel, etc --  typical pressure stoves in other words)
A:  Maybe.  But it probably won't work very well, if at all.  Biodiesel is pretty heavy.  Stoves tend to foul and jam a lot on biodiesel.  Something like an XGK (about as robust a stove as you can find) would be your best bet, but I would test it thoroughly at home before taking it out on the trail.  No backpacking stove that I know of is designed for biodiesel.   I would definitely not try biodiesel in a stove with a valve at the burner.  Stoves with a valve at the burner tend to be more "sensitive" to fuel impurities.  Examples of stoves with a valve at the burner include the MSR Dragonfly, the Primus Omnifuel, the Coleman Apex II, and the Optimus Nova/Nova+. 

Q:  Can I run an alcohol stove (aka a meths stove) on biodiesel?
A:  No way.  You're just not going to get enough thermal feedback (enough heat) in a typical alcohol stove to vaporize a heavy fuel like biodiesel.

The take away from all this is that if you're going to try biodiesel in a backpacking type stove, it's going to be a rough go.  If I hear of a stove that works well with biodiesel, I will post an update.

In the mean time, if you want to go "green," get yourself a nice alcohol stove.

HJ

Related posts and articles:

• Getting Started with Alcohol
• DIY Alcohol Stoves -- Basic Design Considerations
• Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves
• Is Ethanol Worth It?
  
• Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove Review (on Seattle Backpackers Magazine)
• Caldera Cone Review Supplement -- Additional Photos and Technical Appendix with Weights
• The Clikstand Alcohol Stove System Review
• Caldera Cone vs. Clikstand Alcohol Stove Tests
• Trangia 27 Alcohol Stove System Review
• The Caldera Cone's 12-10 Burner
• The Trangia Alcohol Burner
• What's the Best Alcohol for Stove Fuel?
• What Is Meths?  (And how is that different than Methanol?)
• Going "Green" with Stoves:  Alcohol and Biodiesel

Read More

Can I Mail Backpacking Gas Canisters? YES! If ...

OK, first, I'm talking about domestic US Mail here in the contiguous 48 states only.  What I'm saying here does NOT apply to packages sent outside the United States.  I'm also not talking about UPS, FedEx, etc.  I'm just talking about US Mail within the contiguous 48 states -- surface mail only in other words.  No air mail.  No international mail.  No Alaska.  No Hawaii.  No overseas APO's or FPO's.

First, you generally can't send fuel in the US Mail, but there are exceptions.  The exceptions are for what is called "Otherwise Restricted Material -- Domestic" (ORM-D), material in other words, that would otherwise be restricted but is NOT under certain conditions.  The conditions?

• They have to be well packaged.
• You have to label the package "ORM-D, Consumer Commodity, Surface Only."
• The total volume of the containers cannot be more than one liter.

See the relevant portions of USPS Publication 52 below.

So, can you mail backpacking gas canisters? Yes!  (if you meet the below conditions)

UPDATE:  Please see the comment below from "ThreeDay."  I can see on all my canisters that there are DOT numbers, but I don't know if that means that the canister meets the requirements that ThreeDay is talking about.  What you should do:  Be up front with the USPS.  Tell them what you're doing, show them the relevant extract from Publication 52, and let them make the call. 

HJ


From USPS Publication 52:

342.22 Mailable Gases

The following are examples of mailable gases: [emphasis added]

Butane. Butane (UN1011) and Receptacles, small (UN2037) with butane or butane mixtures are Division 2.1 flammable gases. Butane gases that can qualify as ORM–D materials are acceptable only in domestic mail via surface transportation when properly prepared under 342.3 and Packaging Instruction 2A in Appendix C.

342.3 Packaging

b. Metal Containers. Mailable nonflammable and flammable compressed gases are acceptable in metal primary receptacles that have a water capacity up to 33.8 fluid ounces (1 liter or 61.0 cubic inches). The liquid content of the material and the gas must not completely fill the primary receptacle at 130° F (55° C). Additionally, the following apply:

1. A DOT 2P container must be used if the internal pressure is from 140 psig to 160 psig at 130° F (55° C).
2. A DOT 2Q container must be used if the pressure is from 161 psig to 180 psig at 130° F (55° C).
3. A container with an internal pressure over 180 psig at 130° F (55° C) is prohibited from mailing.
4. Packaging Instruction 2A or 2B, as applicable, must be followed.

c. Flammable Gases. A mailable flammable compressed gas is restricted to 4 fluid ounces in a nonmetal primary receptacle or 33.8 fluid ounces (1 liter) in a metal primary receptacle per mailpiece Packaging Instruction 2A must be followed.

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Powermax Fuel Is Definitely Dead :(

I've seen every retailer in my area discontinue carrying Coleman Powermax Fuel all at the same time.  Suspicious, I wrote Coleman to ask if they had stopped making the canisters.

Here is the answer I received:

Jim,

The Powermax fuel has been discontinued, The fuel is being discontinued due to low volumes . You might still find some sporting good store from existing stock.
I apologize for the inconvenience.

Thank you,

Margie
Coleman Consumer Service

In other words, Powermax fuel is definitely dead.   :(

Powermax was the best format out there in terms of gas canisters.  It had no threads to cross thread, it had nice aluminum canisters that were very lightweight (a 110g standard canister is heavier than a 300g Powermax canister!), it had a wonderful 35% propane blend in the US (40% propane overseas), and its liquid feed mechanism allowed it to operate down to -4F/-20C according to Coleman (although many users report good results in temperatures down to -10F/-23C).

A Powermax canister has no threads to cross thread.  Just twist and click.

 Unfortunately, it wasn't standard.  The threaded canisters that are in fact the standard are by no means superior; they're just the standard.  Despite the fact that Powermax was clearly a superior canister, particularly for cold weather, it just didn't catch on.  Distribution was always limited, and only three backpacking stoves (the Coleman Xtreme, the Coleman Xpert, and the Coleman Xpedition) could use the canisters.

A Coleman Xtreme stove hooked up to a Powermax canister

 For those of you lucky enough to own one of the three stoves, fear not!  There are still a lot of Powermax canisters out there.  Check around, and you'll find them.  And the canisters can be refilled.  Yes, I know it says not to, but people have been refilling various canisters for quite some time without problems.  Do note that refilling does have potential dangers -- serious dangers.  Definitely read up on the issue before engaging in refilling.  But for a careful, knowledgeable person, the dangers are minimal.  The Coleman stoves that use Powermax canisters will now be a bit of a bother since fuel is no longer as readily available, but those who know these stoves know their worth!

The inferno that is the flame of a Coleman Xtreme stove

If you've got one of the three stoves that uses Powermax fuel, hang on to it -- and lay in a stock of Powermax canisters.

HJ

Related posts:

• Stove of the Week:  Coleman Xpedition
• Stove of the Week:  Coleman Xtreme
• Update on Powermax Fuel 11/7/2011

Read More

What is "Meths?"

In the context of alcohol stoves, you may hear the term "meths" when people talk about fuel.  What is "meths?" (aka "metho") How is that different than Methanol?  How is that different than "Denatured" alcohol?

THE THREE TYPES OF ALCOHOL
Generally, there are three types of alcohol:

• Ethanol (ethyl alcohol)
• Methanol (methyl alcohol)
• Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol)

Ethanol ("grain" alcohol) is what you get if you buy beer, wine, liquor, etc. It's not really in stove-ready concentration in most alcoholic drinks, although if you buy something like 190 proof Everclear, it will work very well as a stove fuel.  Ethanol is the byproduct of the fermentation of sugar.  Ethanol is used for drinking, as a fuel, and as a solvent.

Methanol ("wood" alcohol) is what you get if you buy HEET in the yellow bottle.  Methanol was first created by distillation from wood but is today typically created by chemical processes from methane (natural gas).  Methanol is used as a fuel, an antifreeze, a solvent, a denaturant for ethanol, and as a feedstock from which other compounds are produced.

Isopropanol is what you get if you buy "rubbing alcohol" or HEET in the red bottle.  Isopropanol is used as a solvent, in disinfecting pads, as an aid for swimmer's ear, a "gasoline dryer" (fuel additive to remove water), and as a feedstock from which other compounds are produced.

Alcohols as fuel:  Of the three types of alcohol, ethanol generally makes the best stove fuel. It has good heat content per gram, burns reasonably cleanly, and isn't overly toxic. Methanol isn't a bad fuel, but it has less heat per gram (which means you have to carry more to do the same amount of cooking) and is fairly toxic both in terms of breathing the fumes and skin contact. NEVER drink methanol.  Ingesting methanol may lead to severe nerve damage, permanent blindness, and death.  Isopropanol is a smokey mess when burned and generally makes a poor stove fuel.

Cold weather considerations:  When you're burning alcohol, you're really burning the vapor.  Methanol has a higher vapor pressure than ethanol which makes methanol vaporize more readily -- an asset in cold weather where sometimes it can be difficult to get ethanol to vaporize properly for burning. 

Denaturing:  As I said, unadulterated ethanol is the same stuff as in liquor. Governments typically tax liquor. For ethanol sold for purposes other than drinking, the ethanol is "denatured" (rendered undrinkable) by adding another substance, a denaturing "agent," to the ethanol so that it is not subject to liquor taxes. The generic name for ethanol with something added to render it undrinkable is "denatured alcohol".

Meths:  Outside the United States, methanol used alone is a common denaturing agent. Ethanol denatured by methanol is often called "methylated spirits" which, depending on what country you live in, is called "meths" or "metho" for short. Frequently, a dye, typically purple, is added to make it obvious that the alcohol is not intended for consumption.

In the United States, there isn't any regulation of what can be used to denature ethanol, and a variety of substances are used, typically in combination. In some cases the denatured alcohol is actually more denaturing agent than alcohol. 

Methanol is never suitable for drinking, so there is no need to "denature" methanol.

SUMMARY:
-Ethanol is a good stove fuel but to avoid liquor taxes it is typically denatured (rendered undrinkable) by adding some other substance or substances before it is sold for fuel or other purposes.
-"Meths" (or "metho") is one form of denatured alcohol.  Methanol is the denaturing agent for meths.
-Methanol is a different type of alcohol than ethanol and is a decent stove fuel but generally not quite as good as ethanol except in cold weather where methanol's higher vapor pressure facilitates combustion.

Hope that's helpful,

HJ

Related posts and articles:

• Getting Started with Alcohol
• DIY Alcohol Stoves -- Basic Design Considerations
• Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves
• Is Ethanol Worth It?
  
• Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove Review (on Seattle Backpackers Magazine)
• Caldera Cone Review Supplement -- Additional Photos and Technical Appendix with Weights
• The Clikstand Alcohol Stove System Review
• Caldera Cone vs. Clikstand Alcohol Stove Tests
• Trangia 27 Alcohol Stove System Review
• The Caldera Cone's 12-10 Burner
• The Trangia Alcohol Burner
• What's the Best Alcohol for Stove Fuel?
• What Is Meths?  (And how is that different than Methanol?)
• Going "Green" with Stoves:  Alcohol and Biodiesel

Read More