Using a sold fuel stove...

Alternate outdoor cooking tools...solid fuel cubes! 

Over the Christmas holidays I tried an experiment cooking some tramping food over solid fuel tablets. Solid fuel tablets are wax coated cubes of petrochemicals called Hexamine which will burn for 3-5 minutes when lit. They have a long history and have been a mainstay of military ration cooking since the late 1890's. 

My YouTube vlog about using solid fuel tablets

The kit I was using for this experiment was a Coghlan's Emergency Stove and some square Esbit fuel tablets. I used the Esbit tablets as I had an open packet which needed to be used but I did utilise the metal stove that comes with the Coghlans kit. Esbit is a German company and perhaps the best known solid fuel producer in the world. 

Coghlan's Emergency Stove

The Emergency Stove is very similar to the hexamine cookers I used when I was in the New Zealand Army back in the 1980-1990's. I bought this item from Hunting and Fishing here in Christchurch and it was less than $20 NZ Dollars for the stove and an accompanying bag of 24 fuel tablets. 

...$20 for a aluminium stove and fuel tablets...

The stove can be used from either side depending on the size of your cooking pot. With the spikes up it can accomodate a large cooking pot...spikes down is for smaller vessels. You just rest your cooking pot across the top and the fuel tabs heat it from below. 

You don't really need the stove...in the military we often just found two relatively flat stones/sticks and set the burning tablets in between them. Then you rest your pot on top...basic but it works! 

Coghlan's Emergency Stove and fuel tablets

I was using a US pattern Cups Canteen I used in the Army to cook in...this is one of the few items I still have from those days. It is probably 40+ years old now and the fact it still works is testament to the soundness of the original design. 

US pattern Cups Canteen...1 liter size

The Emergency Stove can fold down into a flat square with space inside to hold the fuel tablets which come with the kit. I would be inclined to carry this in the original box it comes in with a Ziploc plastic bag on the outside to keep it dry. The cubes will light when wet BUT it will be much more difficult. 

Coghlan's Stove folded up for travel

Im super hungry...so let's have a look at the stove in action!!!

Cooking using solid fuel:

When I was in the Army our main ration pack meals were tinned...either Corned Beef, Meat and Vegetable Stew or Spaghetti/Beans. We had cans of Spaghetti + Sausages and tins of Beans + Meatballs for breakfast. I thought I would cook one of these as I loved the smell of cooking food and hexamine cubes on a cold morning. It is one of my strongest memories from back in those days...

My meal...can of Spaghetti and Sausages

NZ Army Ration pack circa 1989

You have to clear away any leaf and forest clutter before lighting up your fuel cube. I cleared a patch of ground, securely grounded my stove and lit a fuel tablet. Light the tablets with match or lighter and I generally find leaning a burning match across the top corner works well. 

Fold out the stove and place on cleared ground

Cooker positioned and ready to go

Each cube will burn for approximately 5-7 minutes and this is generally sufficient to heat precooked foods. It takes about 5 minutes to boil a cups canteen of water. Obviously using more tablets will assist but these cubes are not the most efficient way to boil/cook. 

Cooked Spaghetti and still some fuel left

They are prone to blowing out in the wind and very heavy rain will also put them out. You need to try to find a protected spot or form some kind of barrier around the cooker for best results. If the cube burns out before you are finished just chuck another cube on the stove and continue. 

Time to tuck into them vittles....!!!

Using solid fuel has a number of pros and cons. 

While they are cheap, basically foolproof and relatively light they are also inefficient and give off highly noxious fumes. Not ideal inside a hut or tent. They will also put soot on the outside of your cooking pots which may be a problem. 

...Hexamine residue on my cups canteen...

One thing to consider is that there may eventually be a ban on Propane/Butane canisters which will make these a more environmentally friendly option. Solid fuel and Trangia style alcohol burners may once again become the main cooking method for outdoor enthusiasts. Just like they were back in the 1930-40's. 

...Gas canisters may one day be banned...

If you have never tried solid fuel before you should buy a stove and pack of tablets and give them a go. 

You Tube: Using a solid Fuel stove

My oldest tramping kit item: Kovea Backpacker stove

...a faithful friend over many years... 

Last weekend was Canterbury Anniversary and I spent three days in Nelson Lakes National Park on a base camp trip. I stayed at the motel and went for day walks about the park. I had planned something a bit grander but I am having problems with my ankle so this seemed like the better option. 

Making a coffee with my Kovea Backpacking stove

While I was visiting the Mt Robert carpark I utilised my oldest piece of tramping kit to boil water for a coffee. It was my Kovea Backpacker stove which I have now owned for 32 years!!!

In the shelter at the Mt Robert Carpark, Nelson Lakes NP

I thought we could have a look at this awesome bit of kit. 

In use for 32 years...

I don't have a lot of my old camping gear from back in the 1990's but one item I do still own is a Kovea Backpacker stove I brought way back in 1990. I have used this small stove on and off for the last 32 years and it has been on many adventures with me both in New Zealand and overseas.  

Kovea stove in use, Lakehead Hut in 2016

I originally brought this stove for use in the field when I was a Signaler in the New Zealand Army. Back in those days we were issued Hexamine cubes for heating our meals...Hexamine or 'hexie' is a cube of petrochemical based solid fuel.  Hexamine is a slow and inefficient cooking material and also very smoky which is less than tactical. 

Esbit cubes are a form of Hexamine

Most of us eventually brought a small butane gas stove to take out on field exercises. This meant you could cook faster and with less visible smoke and a medium sized gas canister would easily last you 4-5 days.

Just a side note...I still have vivid memories of the smell of Spaghetti and meatballs cooking over a hexamine cube...it smelt wonderful. It is one of the most powerful memories of that time in my life. 

Kovea Backpacker Stove

 I brought this stove from a outdoor equipment store that is long since closed. I cannot for the life of me remember its name but it was located opposite Ballentine's on Cashel Street. This was WAY before Macpac, Kathmandu, Torpedo Seven and their ilk. If anyone can remember the store drop a comment below...

Various medium sized gas canister brands

Post army I used it for camping and tramping trips intermittently for many years. When I got back into tramping properly in the early 2010's this was the stove I hauled out and used for every trip. I only relegated it to secondary use after I brought a new Titanium stove in 2016. 

Kovea Backpacker Stove: a quick look...

Here are some features and specifications of the Kovea Backpacker stove:

The stove comes in a small nylon bag and it can be folded into a flat shape to fit the bag. The pot support arms are articulated and fold back to rest above the gas regulator knob. Before use the arms must be opened and a gas canister screwed onto the bottom of the stove. 

The arms on the Kovea Backpacker stove fold

Brew time at the Mt Robert carpark

You must ensure the pot support arms are fixed in their grooves before balancing a pot on the stove...this is to stop them moving and spilling your contents. There are small notches the pot arms fit into and when engaged the stove is as stable as any stove of this type. 

Lunch at the Mt Robert carpark shelter

I was using my Toak's 1.3 liter cook pot with the stove...this pot is titanium so it is very light and robust. I can easily fit a 350 gm gas canister inside as well as the Kovea stove with my cup and ancillary gear on the top. All of this is carried inside a small blue nylon stuff sack. 

I was using my Toaks titanium cook pot

I was also using my Sea to Summit Delta mug on this occasion...I could just have made the coffee in my cook pot but you tend to burn your lips. Titanium conducts heat really well so it is always better to use a separate cup preferably made of plastic. 

Sea to Summit Delta mug in use

The stove folds down into a small nylon bag and if you fold it correctly you should have no problems fitting it back into the bag. You could leave the bag at home but it protects the stove and stops soot getting all through your other gear in your pack.. 

Kovea stove folded to be packed

Here are some additional photos of the stove in use over the years...

In the Blue-Grey River bed, Victoria Forest Park (2015)

On a day trip to Packhorse Hut, Banks Peninsula (2014)

Lunchtime at Anchorage Hut, Abel Tasman NP (2017)

Post dinner drinks at Packhorse Hut, Banks Peninsula (2016)

 Nina Hut, Lewis Pass National Reserve in 2015

Mid Robinson Hut, Victoria Forest Park (2015)

Up at East Hawdon Bivy in 2013

This is one of two Kovea stoves I currently own the other is a Kovea Moonwalker which is a remote canister stove. That is another lovely camping stove but I will leave discussion of that for some future post...

Look for future trips featuring the Backpacker stove

I really like my Kovea Backpacker stove and still pull it out of my gear storage and take it on trips from time to time. Its latest multiday outing was to the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk with my sister earlier this year. It doesn't get as much use as it once did as I currently own seven other backpacking stoves but I would never sell it or give it away...

You Tube: Kovea Backpacker Stove

Tramping mugs...which one is for you?

What makes for a great camping mug?

One of the great pleasures of tramping and other outdoor activities is sitting around with a group of like minded people and chatting about life, love and the general state of the world. These types of encounters are always enhanced with some kind of drink in hand and make the physically demanding rigors of walking for hours carrying a pack more bearable. 

Hut life...a mixed group enjoying the pleasures of the hut....

The beverage you are consuming could be hot or cold...alcoholic or teetotal but the one thing they all have in common is they need some sort of drinking vessel to hold them in. A cup or mug suitable for holding a variety of liquids is one of the most important pieces of kit you can carry. What is that morning cup of coffee without a sturdy mug to hold in your hands....?

A tasty pre dinner Cup-O-Soup at Wharewharangi Hut

I have used a multitude of different cups and mugs during my tramping adventures and I thought it might be a good idea to look at what makes a great tramping mug. We will also look at some different materials used for cups/mugs and discuss their pros and cons. 

Jon enjoys a pot of tea at North Arm Hut, Rakuira

Finally I will discuss what I personally carry when going out into the backcountry. 

What constitutes a great tramping mug?

Before discussing materials and product options I think we should first consider what makes a great drinking vessel for tramping. Different people will have different criteria depending on the type of tramping they do, the style of their outdoor adventures and how much they are wiling to carry. For example a ultra light long trail walker will probably drink from their cook pot (if they even have one) whilst your cyclist, kayaker, car camper or 4 W/D enthusiast has a vehicle to haul heavier items in. 

Using my cooking pot as a tea cup...John Tait Hut, 2018

I have a hierarchy of criteria based on my own needs which dictates what I am carrying and they fall into the following areas:

1. Weight: How heavy is the item and is it heavier than necessary or can I find something lighter? This will be dictated by your tramping style to a certain degree. You should always try to minimise weight when purchasing new outdoor gear. Extra weight leads to more fatigue, slower pace and a less enjoyable tramp. 

2. Purpose: What do I need it for and can it fill more than one purpose negating the need for extra equipment? What is it going to hold..cold and hot drinks, soup, cold soak, cooked food etc?  Can it be used for multiple outdoor activities? A multipurpose piece of kit is better than one with a limited set of uses...

...multi purpose gear...using a large metal mug as a cook pot.....

3. Material: I mostly tramp/walk which means bashing, drops, knocks and general rough handling conditions. Anything I carry must be sturdy & rugged enough to survive the hard life it is going to endure. Don't go overboard here...it doesn't have to last for 40+ years but it should survive me dropping it on the hut floor a couple of times. 

4. Size: What size of mug do you need for the adventures you undertake? Do you enjoy massive cups of coffee of a morning or just a stronger thimbleful?  Will your mug have a second role as your food bowl? You should probably go for a larger size so that it can be used for a multitude of uses but be cognizant of weight issues... 

BTW: in JonWorld (TM) an oversized tea cup is actually called a BBT or Big Bastid Tea...just so you know...

Now that is one big bastid of a tea mug.....

5. Cost: This is a lesser concern but do I want to spend lots of money on a super-duper branded item or can I buy something similar from a chain retailer for much less. Don't spend big on those ancillary items...plates, cups, basic clothing etc. Spend your money on the essential items (pack/mat/sleeping bag/wet weather gear/boots) which favor using quality brands. 

6. Ascetics: This is not important to me but a lot of people must have the right shape, color, size, design. I could honestly care less...if it does the job I'm quite happy to suck my Lifers Juice out of a pink princess cup.....

What you are looking for should be a combination of all these factors which addresses most if not all of them. You will probably need to compromise as very little equipment is going to perfectly fit all your criteria..just get as close as possible.  

Types of drinking vessels for tramping.....

There are a variety of materials used in the production of outdoor drinking vessels but some materials such as glass, ceramic, bamboo and wood are not suitable mainly due to weigh and durability issues. The vessels commonly used basically break down into three main materials. These are metal, hard plastic and soft plastics (such as silicone).

Enjoying a brew at Totaranui Campgrounds in 2019

 Lets have a look at each of these in turn and consider their good and bad points. 

Metal mugs:

Metal is an excellent material for outdoor cup ware as it is rugged, easily cleaned, cheap and durable. the main problem with metal cups are that they tend to be heavier than plastics and they conduct heat well which means you often burn yourself on them. Many different metals are used: aluminum, tin, stainless steel, titanium and enamelware. Prices range from just a few dollars for cheap enamel mugs up to $50 for a quality branded titanium mug. 

'Brewing up' in the bed of the Blue Grey River back in 2015

One of the iconic items of Kiwiana is the enameled metal cup. These have been a fixture of the backcountry and outdoor living for as long as Europeans have lived in this country. Made by many companies they are great as a camping mug as the enamel makes the metal less likely to burn you. They are also very hard wearing, easy to clean and cheap. 

A typical cheap enamel mug...

You often see people (especially older trampers) using these mugs in huts and at campsites. 

An enamel and a stainless mug at use at Onetahuaiti Beach...

Another option is one of the many different types of cup-canteen used by military forces around the world. Made of heavier grade aluminum or stainless steel they are made to be carried in webbing gear with an integral water bottle. I have one from my Army days which was manufactured in 1972 so it is nearly 50 years old and still as good as the day they made it...

Military style cup canteen (US Army circa 1960-1990)

The handle often folds down or under the cup canteen making them a smaller item to store. These may double as your cooking pot which negates the need for another piece of kit. I have seen modern iterations of this in stores recently...Gerber/Bear Gryyls was one of the brands also Coughlin's, Esbit and no name Chinese knock offs.

A Gerber/Bear Gryyls cup canteen

The most regularly seen mug is one of the many metal camp mugs made by just about every outdoor retailer in the world. If using a metal camp mug it is a good idea to look for a double skin version as they will allow you to drink without burning your lips. They are also slightly insulated so will keep your drink warm for longer. 

A cheap Campmaster brand mug from Mitre 10 Hardware

Any of these mugs would work a treat outdoors but we should also consider the other material camp mugs are often made from which is plastic...

Hard plastics mugs:

Most people today will be using some form of plastic cup or mug when they are out on their outdoor adventures. Plastic is an ideal material for camp ware...it is light, durable, easy to clean and cheap. You can spend as little or as much on a mug as you like.

A white plastic mug I have used in the past...

 

Possibly the cheapest option is to go to a big box store like the Warehouse, Briscoes or even the local supermarket and look at what they have to offer. I have a white plastic K-Mart mug I sometimes take on trips that cost me $3 NZD and it works fine. Have a look around home...I bet you have one of these mugs in the cupboard...

A cheap hard plastic mug from a chain store...

If you wanted to go a bit more upmarket you might look at one of the cheaper outdoor stores like Mountain Equipment or Hunting and Fishing. These stores sell all types of outdoor cook ware...the melamine mug below is from Mountain Equipment and costs only $6. They are usually more colorful and show purpose design features.

Melamine mug from Mountain Equipment

If you are a total gear head then the sky is the limit...you can spend up to $100 buying a outdoor mug (don't...that is stupid money for a plastic cup...) from a brand like Kathmandu, Macpac, Sea to Summit, REI, Marmot, GSI, MSR etc. etc. A Sea to Summit X Mug or Thermo Mug will retail for around $15-$20 and some of these fancy ones will have lids, thermal sleeves, volume graduations etc. 

A Sea to Summit Thermo Mug

Are they any better? No...not really...they are branded but they basically do the same job as that cheap $3 dollar K-Mart mug. If buying a hard plastic mug just be aware that it will get bashed around a lot on trail. Try not to buy very hard plastics like Melamine as they easily shatter. The mug should have a degree of flexibility so a semi hard plastic is the best base material.

Soft plastics:

Aside from hard plastics there is a growing range of softer silicone based mugs and cups on the market. The premium brand in this area is Sea To Summit with their X-Cup and X-Mug range. The body of these are baffled, folding silicone with a hard base and lip. When stored they make a neat round package about a cm thick and they unfold into a 250ml or 480 ml drinks vessel.

Sea to Summit X-Cup

There is a whole range of this folding camp ware from Sea To Summit; cups, mugs, plates, bowls even metal bottomed pots/pans/kettles. The main advantage of this system is the small size of the folded item...it will easily fit under the cook pot in your cooking gear storage bag. 

The whole Sea to Summit X range of camp ware

UCO use a similar idea but with their own particular twist...their cups/mugs have a solid top and handle and a folding bottom. This means they are easier to hold and drink from but with the added space saving aspect the folding bottom provides. 

A UCO collapsible mug in silicone and plastic

Here is another example of folding cup used by the British Army....the top of these silicone mugs fold down into the main body. This makes them smaller and easier to pack into a mess kit or cook pot. Not a bad option...I have used one of these before and it works adequately enough to be considered. 

Collapsible silicone mug as used by British Army

The main downside of all of these mugs is durability...these will not last as long as a metal or hard plastic mug. They can also be more difficult to use as the heat is more readily transferred through the material...you might burn yourself with these. The constant folding/unfolding is likely to cause splits especially on the ones which have baffles. 

Thermo flasks:

We should not forget the thermos flask as a possible outdoor mug...when I talk about thermo flasks I really mean those thermo travel mugs you get for coffee and other hot drinks. 

A Kathmandu thermo travel mug.....

They actually make good camp mugs as most of them are made from light materials, they are durable and most have a lid to keep the heat in. If you are going to use one of these have a really good look around and find one that is as light as possible. 

Thermos coffee travel mug...

You shouldn't discount actual flasks either...there is a bewildering range of them available in many different shops and they work well to keep hot drinks warm and cold drinks cool. 

A metal thermal vacuum flask...

Again look for as light as possible and make sure the inner is metal and not glass as the glass ones break very easily. 

Karen's thermal flask in use in Hanmer Forest Park

Thermos Flasks also have a time and place in the outdoors but they tend to be very heavy so they are not suitable as a mug for trampers and hikers. These are excellent for holding a brew/soup on a day walk or casual stroll...Karen has a quality Stanley flask that will keep the contents warm for up to 6-7 hours....

Classic Thermos flask....

So now we have looked at materials and types of mugs let us look at what I am currently using when I go on my outdoor adventures.

What I use when tramping....

My gear is constantly changing and evolving...I think about how my gear has performed after each trip and if it is not ideal I look for an alternate. I have also started to swap out my initial gear with newer better equipment as finances allow. 

This is my currently gear load:

Sea to Summit X-Mug: 

Karen brought me a new tramping stove for Christmas so I brought myself a new folding X-Mug to go with it. These mugs are made of silicone with a solid base and rim and fold down to a disk about a cm thick and it fits perfectly on top of my stove in its storage bag. Yet to be used in the field....I brought mine from Bivouac Outdoor for around $20.

Sea to Summit X-Cup...open and folded closed

The Sea to Summit X-Mug 

Sea to Summit Delta Mug:

I replaced my metal camp cup with a plastic Sea To summit Delta Cup early last year so it went on all of the overnight trips I undertook in 2020. It is an excellent mug...thick enough to let me hold hot drinks, tough, easy to clean and it has graduations on the inside for measuring hot water for meals. I will continue to use this mug and in fact I have brought Karen one as well....

A hard plastic Sea to Summit Delta Mug...

Here are some photos of the Delta Mug in use...

Its propping up my Cheez-its but you get the idea...

Breakfast of champions...O-Meal Hashbrowns and coffee!

Brew time at Moonlight Tops Hut on the Paparoa Track

A mug of soup with dinner...Luxmore Hut

This is my main mug for overnight and multiday trips using my lite cooking kit...they cost from $12-$20.

Kiwi camping metal mug:

Prior to the Delta Mug I was using a double walled Kiwi Camping metal mug on my outdoor adventures. It had accompanied me on a number of trips over the years but has been relegated to my day pack as a mug for tea, soup etc. when out day walking. 

Morning coffee at Howdon Hut in late 2019...

Having a brew in my Kiwi Camping mug..

Dinnertime at Woolshed Hut in 2020...

A perfect example of why this material makes for a good mug....

Toaks TI 1.3l pot:

In an effort to lighten my load I sometimes just leave the mugs and plates etc. at home and eat/drink straight out of my cooking pot. My main pot is a Toaks Titanium 1.3 liter pot...it certainly fulfills the role of Big Bastid Tea vessel very well...

Boiling water in my Toaks Ti cook pot....Hawdon Hut

My lite weight cook kit in action at Bark Bay Hut, August 2020

I'm getting old now and I prefer the comfort and class of drinking out of a mug and I actually enjoy not burning my lips on the edge of the pot....

Generic thermo mug:

Karen and I brought a couple of cheap metal thermo mugs for use when we go camping and tramping. We have used them a couple of times on day walks...they are excellent camp mugs as they have a lid to keep the contents warm and they keep bugs out of your brew. 

Using my travel mug at the Pororairi River in 2020

Well...hopefully that will help some people decide what kind of drinking vessel they will carry when they head outdoors. 

BTW: I am walking the Paparoa Track next week so come back soon for some new Trip Reports including this Great Walk track...