Hi, I was just wondering what people use as their stoves when touring overseas (particularly Europe). I am planning a trip around Europe for an undetermined period of time and was just wondering what kind of stove would be best. This is mainly for access to fuel, is Metho easy to get hold of in most places?
Cheers!
Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 1:57 pm
- il padrone
- Posts: 22931
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
- Location: Heading for home.
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby il padrone » Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:13 pm
Here's a great resource for meths users , from a world travelling couple.
I've just come across this stove burner for Trangias that I would seriously consider if I was going to do a lengthy expedition.
I've just come across this stove burner for Trangias that I would seriously consider if I was going to do a lengthy expedition.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 1:57 pm
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby Zane » Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:39 pm
Wow! That is an amazing chart! Seems like meths is pretty easy to get a hold of! Yeah, I've seen that Trangia attachment around before. It is pretty much just like any other liquid fuel stove e.g an MSR Drangonfly. They don't seem too bad either because they can run on white gas as well as various liquids you'd get from a petrol station.
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 1:57 pm
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby Zane » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:40 am
Another question that raises it's head is cooking safety in tents. Trangias are pretty darn safe because of their small flame. I've never cooked with anything like an MSR Whisperlight in a tent, I've used them out of one, but they seem rather dangerous.
- apsilon
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2011 7:49 pm
- Location: Hills District, Sydney
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby apsilon » Mon Aug 08, 2011 8:00 am
IMO no stove is safe to use in a tent. Potential build up of fumes not to mention that all camping gear tends to be nylon or some other synthetic all of which are highly flammable plus many become sticky burning paste when lit. What would've been a mild burn can quickly become a severe burn when it sticks to you and continues it's slow melting burn. Cook outside.
That said a multifuel stove is the obvious choice. It'll burn any liquid that's flammable, it's just a question of how much smoke it produces doing it but in a pinch it'll work on anything. Take a maintenance and cleaning kit with you however as a dirty burning fuel will clog things up. The down side is if you're travelling by air the fuel bottle can be an issue. Some will refuse to carry them if they smell of fuel when emptied and will require them to be thoroughly washed and aired for days if not weeks. The old trick was to fill them with water but in these days where any liquid is questioned that probably won't be acceptable either.
That said a multifuel stove is the obvious choice. It'll burn any liquid that's flammable, it's just a question of how much smoke it produces doing it but in a pinch it'll work on anything. Take a maintenance and cleaning kit with you however as a dirty burning fuel will clog things up. The down side is if you're travelling by air the fuel bottle can be an issue. Some will refuse to carry them if they smell of fuel when emptied and will require them to be thoroughly washed and aired for days if not weeks. The old trick was to fill them with water but in these days where any liquid is questioned that probably won't be acceptable either.
- il padrone
- Posts: 22931
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
- Location: Heading for home.
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby il padrone » Mon Aug 08, 2011 8:29 pm
This may be an issue whether a multi-fuel stove or Trangia, as most people I know prefer to carry their meths in a suitable fuel bottle (trangia bottle or one of the Sigg fuel bottles) rather than a thin plastic bottle. I believe the airlines have developed suitable cleaning/packaging protocols to enable such stove fuel bottles to be transported.apsilon wrote:The down side is if you're travelling by air the fuel bottle can be an issue. Some will refuse to carry them if they smell of fuel when emptied and will require them to be thoroughly washed and aired for days if not weeks. The old trick was to fill them with water but in these days where any liquid is questioned that probably won't be acceptable either.
I have yet to face this scenario so time will tell how I deal with it.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
- RonK
- Posts: 11508
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
- Location: If you need to know, ask me
- Contact:
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby RonK » Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:13 pm
Have a read through this thread.Zane wrote:Hi, I was just wondering what people use as their stoves when touring overseas (particularly Europe). I am planning a trip around Europe for an undetermined period of time and was just wondering what kind of stove would be best. This is mainly for access to fuel, is Metho easy to get hold of in most places?Cheers!
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...
-
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:58 pm
- Location: WA
- Contact:
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby onrbikes » Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:21 am
We use an MSR whisperlite and love it.
In remote places like central asia or even India, bad fuel is the norm. No meth or other fancy fuels, and at high altitude you'll always have trouble. It comes with a good cleaning kit and is easy to take apart.
as for the pots, we just picked up some stainless ones from the op shops that fit together good, The aluminium sets are light and look good but can barely feed a child let alone 1-2 hungry cycling adults.
We have yet to be denied the bottles on the planes. wash them out with cola, and let dry. Mount them on the bikes with the tops off, and box the bikes
In remote places like central asia or even India, bad fuel is the norm. No meth or other fancy fuels, and at high altitude you'll always have trouble. It comes with a good cleaning kit and is easy to take apart.
as for the pots, we just picked up some stainless ones from the op shops that fit together good, The aluminium sets are light and look good but can barely feed a child let alone 1-2 hungry cycling adults.
We have yet to be denied the bottles on the planes. wash them out with cola, and let dry. Mount them on the bikes with the tops off, and box the bikes
- elStado
- Posts: 2363
- Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:27 am
- Location: Syd, NSW
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby elStado » Mon Sep 05, 2011 3:37 pm
My brother is in Germany and we're looking to do a tour next year. He's looking to buy either a MSR Dragonfly or Whisperlite International and use the white gas/Shellite with it as it is supposed to burn cleaner and more effectively. Apparently white gas is widely available and relatively inexpensive around Europe.Zane wrote:Hi, I was just wondering what people use as their stoves when touring overseas (particularly Europe). I am planning a trip around Europe for an undetermined period of time and was just wondering what kind of stove would be best. This is mainly for access to fuel, is Metho easy to get hold of in most places?
Cheers!
Check out my practical cycling and cycle touring website: VELOPHILE AUSTRALIA
- il padrone
- Posts: 22931
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
- Location: Heading for home.
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby il padrone » Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:12 pm
One type of stove and fuel that is very widely available in Europe (but not much anywhere else) is the Blouet/Camping Gaz - in particular the puncture cans like this
Fuel canisters are available in all sorts of small local stores and supermarkets. The disadvantage with these is that once fitted the stove burner must remain on the canister. Apparently they also now make stoves to use screw-on canisters, but I don't know about their availability.
Fuel canisters are available in all sorts of small local stores and supermarkets. The disadvantage with these is that once fitted the stove burner must remain on the canister. Apparently they also now make stoves to use screw-on canisters, but I don't know about their availability.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
-
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 4:24 am
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby satanas » Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:33 pm
Way late post but thought I'd chip in anyway. My experience has been that metho is easy enough to get gold of in Europe, North America and Oz/NZ, but there's IMHO zero chance in India/Nepal/Pakistan/China.
If going to India/Pakistan/Nepal there are basically three options:
1. Use kero with a multifuel stove or buy a (heavy, but cheap) stove locally. Kero *WILL* be dirty and jets will clog frequently, so something like an MSR "Shaker Jet" or equivalent is vital.
2. Use petrol. Much easier to light (especially at altitude) and less smelly and dirty, but jet problems as per kero.
3. Gas canisters were reliably available in Kathmandu (and maybe Pokhara), Leh, Manali (and erhaps elsewhwere in India) and probably in Gilgit, etc in Pakistan in 2009. These have the gigantic advantage that, unlike liquid fuels, they are not subject to contamination. Next visit there, whether cycling/trekking/ski touring I'll be using gas.
Note that in India and Pakistan most of the time I'd be buying prepared meals, not cooking, so the stove wouldn't see daily use (except skiing). If on a long tour traversing many countries I'd be more inclined to use petrol if I wasn't sure what would be available - but make sure you can clean the jet easily without having to turn the stove off!!!
Still, metho is hassle free as long as it's obtainable where you're going. (I wouldn't bother using anything else here.)
YMMV.
If going to India/Pakistan/Nepal there are basically three options:
1. Use kero with a multifuel stove or buy a (heavy, but cheap) stove locally. Kero *WILL* be dirty and jets will clog frequently, so something like an MSR "Shaker Jet" or equivalent is vital.
2. Use petrol. Much easier to light (especially at altitude) and less smelly and dirty, but jet problems as per kero.
3. Gas canisters were reliably available in Kathmandu (and maybe Pokhara), Leh, Manali (and erhaps elsewhwere in India) and probably in Gilgit, etc in Pakistan in 2009. These have the gigantic advantage that, unlike liquid fuels, they are not subject to contamination. Next visit there, whether cycling/trekking/ski touring I'll be using gas.
Note that in India and Pakistan most of the time I'd be buying prepared meals, not cooking, so the stove wouldn't see daily use (except skiing). If on a long tour traversing many countries I'd be more inclined to use petrol if I wasn't sure what would be available - but make sure you can clean the jet easily without having to turn the stove off!!!
Still, metho is hassle free as long as it's obtainable where you're going. (I wouldn't bother using anything else here.)
YMMV.
-
- Posts: 292
- Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2012 1:57 pm
- Location: North of Cairns
Re: Cooking overseas, what stove to take?
Postby Meditator » Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:46 pm
I've got a camping gaz stove top. If you are going to europe it would be soooooooooooo much more economical and better value to take one of these than buy something flash like the MSRs. If the gas is widely available then definitely i'd go with this option. The top fitting is so cheap.
I don't think that not being able to take the top off the bottle is a significant disadvantage. You learn to work(pack) around such things.
That said this set up would not be recommended for developing countries where stoves like the MSRs and trangias come into their own. Camping
Gaz is a french company i think so its likely to be widely available all over. If there are two of you travelling, i'd take one stove top each. You can't really afford to do that with an MSR.
I don't think that not being able to take the top off the bottle is a significant disadvantage. You learn to work(pack) around such things.
That said this set up would not be recommended for developing countries where stoves like the MSRs and trangias come into their own. Camping
Gaz is a french company i think so its likely to be widely available all over. If there are two of you travelling, i'd take one stove top each. You can't really afford to do that with an MSR.
Jump to
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
Brought to you by Bicycles Network Australia | © 1999 - 2024 | Powered by phpBB ®
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.