I’m just starting to get some kit together for some summer bikepacking trips (probably just 1 nighters).

Stoves seem very complicated, with so many options.

So what I’m thinking is a compact/micro gas stove that screws on a gas cartridge, (250 size) and an aluminium or ti mug/pot that it will all fit in? Or the gas at least?

Does that sound sensible? Do I really need the 250 cartridge for a one night trip or would a smaller one be ok?

I used a cheapo stove from Amazon and a 150 size cartridge and it was enough to boil quite a few 500ml pans of water on a 4 day touring trip. There’s still plenty left in there too.

I’ve got and am happy with:

This stove:

Alpkit Kraku stove

Along with a 100g gas canister and some tin foil for wind break, stored inside of this mug:

Alpkit MytiMug

alpkit stove and their ti pots

I use an Alpkit Kraku stove
https://www.alpkit.com/products/kraku
and an Alpkit Mytimug650 mug/pan
https://www.alpkit.com/products/mytimug
with a 100g gas canister, all of which fit inside the mug. Very compact and fine for heating stuff.

[Edit: beaten to it…]

Many, many variation on this can be found online:

[video]https://youtu.be/lHTy_n5SeNw[/video]

I’ve just got hold of a vango compact stove similar to the other screw on burners suggested and it used 10g of gas to boil 500ml of water so the smallest 100g cartridge should easily last a weekend.

I use a 8g meths stove with a ti pan or mug. With a foil windshield it works well. Plus the whole setup is lighter than an empty gas canister.

http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/pages/contact.html

Thanks for the fast replies, glad to hear a 100g should be enough, will probably only boil water for noodles/rehydrating anyway.

Any similar priced alternatives to the myti mug? As with most good stuff Alpkit do – it’s sold out!

Think I’ll order a vango compact too, they can be had for about a tenner on eBay.

No complaints about my Coleman F1. The picture makes it look big but in reality it collapses down and fits in the palm of your hand

http://www.outbacktrading.co.uk/product/coleman-f1-lite-stove/?gclid=CLml693f9cUCFcQSHwod9akAew

Quite a few options and I’ve used most (all?) of them over the years. The choice boils (sorry 😆 ) down a compromise between weight, volume and ease of use.

Gas stoves are convenient, quick and clean but require a substantial canister for the fuel which you have to dispose of. The canister also adds a bit of weight to the overall system. Easy to adjust the heat output for simmering.

Meths stoves are less efficient (due to the fuel) so you need more weight of fuel to provide the same overall heat output. Because of this they tend to be a bit slower than gas. If you don’t get the ventilation right then they can be a bit sooty. Not too easy to get to simmer though this isn’t as big a problem due to the lower heat output.

Petrol stoves are a bomb waiting to go off! Need a bit of effort to get going but when they are then they boil things really quickly. Not too hard to get them to simmer. Tend to be bulky and heavy and best suited to expedition type work.

For your situation I’d get a gas stove and use a 100g canister unless you are looking at really counting the grammes. On a mountain marathon running event we had that setup and we ran out of tea bags before the gas ran out! So 100g did our evening meal and about 8 brews for two people.

Karrimor do a titanium micro stove for £15 online, I’ve seen them cheaper in sports direct stores in the sale.
I’ve got one that I used a few times, seems to do the job reasonably well, the burner is a bit bigger than the alpkit one which I thought would make it cook things a bit more evenly??

http://www.karrimor.com/karrimor-xlite-titanium-stove-787079

I use a trangia meths stove and I think it is fantastic. It is compact and light and is always in my back pack.

For making a few brews meths burners are fine and as light as you’ll get. This one supposedly can be simmered by placing a 50p coin on the burner. Haven’t tried it but at the price I’ll give it a go.

http://tracksterman.tumblr.com/

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Utralight-mini-alcohol-meths-stove-and-pot-stand-for-MSR-titanium-cup-/151699241063?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2351fab867

MSR Pocket Rocket and MSR Ti Kettle with small canister, all fits in the Kettle.

That’s a really good summary. I’ve settled on a lightweight gas stove and as small a gas canister as my trip will allow. The Optimus Crux stove will fold and live (partially) in the underside of your gas canister to save on packing volume.

A pan with a heat exchanger does seem to use a lot less fuel if you can put up with the volume/weight issue.

+1 for that summary

and +1 for these:

I use a 8g meths stove with a ti pan or mug. With a foil windshield it works well. Plus the whole setup is lighter than an empty gas canister.

http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/pages/contact.html

Although I’d get a big one too. The 8g stove just about boils 250ml of water, I’d take the big brother 22g stove as well for boiling a full 400ml pot for dinner.

Also, unless you’re purifying water as you go “rehydrating” food it a false economy, 400ml of water + a packet of dried food weighs the same as a 400ml tin of foot.