Bikepacking stove

Planning on doing a family trip around the rebellion way. Need a stove that will sit in the middle ground between my ultra lightweight meths burner and my weight but bomb proof msr whisperlight. I should add it’s only going to be used to heat water really, real food will be eaten from pubs etc! Morning coffee, night time hot choccy etc.

Any recommendations?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/lightweight-and-compact-gas-stove-with-lighter-mt500/_/R-p-310238?mc=8559534

Or

Kraku

Or

BruKit

I’ve a Pocket Rocket, but if I was cooking for more than one I’d get the LowDown adaptor as well (for stability with bigger pots) – should do the job.

https://www.msrgear.com/ie/stoves/canister-stoves

No idea about the Decathlon stoves.

Im happy with the Alpkit Koro. It’s rather more stable than the Kraku, in the sense that it doesnt involve perching a top-heavy pan on top of a small unbraced canister. Heavier than the Kraku, granted, but with a titanium pan, thats hardly a biggie.

I wouldn’t want to be cooking for a family on a lightweight canister-top stove, they tend to be quite unstable with larger pans, even with a canister base support thing fitted,  and have quite a narrow spread of heat, which can be problematic. Single-pot type stoves are a little limiting when it comes to cooking much beyond noodles, though, kind of like a portable kettle.

I’d be looking at some sort of lightish-ish, gas-powered, remote canister stove – a bit like a Whisperlite, but using gas. Primus do – or did – some nice ones, but there are other options out there. Depends a lot on how many you’re cooking for and what you’re cooking really. If it’s for one person only, then it’s less of an issue.

Edit: something like this maybe, though not cheap. Their modular stoves are nice too.
Express Spider Stove

I personally would recommend one with remote cylinder i.e something likes this

I have cooked many a family meal on it. Big advantages for me are .

#1. More stable. When you have a big pan fulls of food for a family this is important. Add in kids not always being the most careful and it’s important.

#2. I can buy propane gas canisters from Screwfix and other plumbing shops. Much more available than camping shops.

Have used it a lot car camping as well

I have the GSI version of the decathlon/ kraku one. It’s very effective, but especially with a large canister and family size pan, rather precarious. You need a flat surface!

Edit: everyone else pointed out its precarious while I was looking for the pic I took! Also, you can only cook one thing at a time. It was quite a mission cooking the pasta and the bolognaise in this situation!

These canisters cheap and fit in bottle holders, tall bag pockets etc easy.

I am a big fan of the jetboil or copies like the brukit

the simplicity, fast boiling and ease of use along with the much more economical with the gas outweighs the small weight penalty for me.

I have used all types of stoves over the years.  those wee gas burners ( I have a pocket rocket) are great in their way – but you cannot leave them unattended which I love about the jetboil type and they use much more gas.  More versatile for cooking tho for sure.  Jetboil type are poor when you want to cook properly. I also love the built in french press of the jetboil – good coffee made eaisly in the morning is a huge plus for me

You can also use them like a haybox because of the insulation – instead of simmering pasta or rice you bring to the boil and then turn the gas off – they carry on cooking off retained heat just by putting the pot aside.  With the wee burners you have to sit there while it simmers and holfd the pot on the stove

As ever – its all about the compromises you want to make.  Weight V convenience V cooking ability V gas consumption V purchase price

Edit – just realised its a family trip – even the jetboil sumo only cooks enough carbs for 2. for a family trip I would probably take one of each 🙂

It’s a family trip but only planning on boiling water, meals will be eaten from pubs and cafes. Can see the sense in a stove lower to the ground, can then use the windshield from my whisperlight…

the simplicity, fast boiling and ease of use along with the much more economical with the gas outweighs the small weight penalty for me.

The problem is, if you’re cooking for multiple people, you need quite a big one – eg the JetBoil Sumo – unless you eat very small portions.

If I were the OP, I might just bite the bullet – if it’s just a single trip – and use the Whisperlite, though I get that carrying liquid fuel is a bit of a pain. I love the smell of petrol in the morning… it smells like mountains 😉

It’s a family trip but only planning on boiling water,

JetBoil or similar would be my take on that for maximum convenience. It’s basically what they do. Canister-top and a pan if you don’t mind holding the pan for stability is probably slightly lighter, but less convenient. Remote canister for more stability, though a well-designed JetBoil type will be more efficient on gas use.

It’s a family trip but only planning on boiling water,

jetboil sumo then for me.  One advantage of this type of stove is that it boils really quickly,  Expensive tho.

If I were the OP, I might just bite the bullet – if it’s just a single trip – and use the Whisperlite, though I get that carrying liquid fuel is a bit of a pain. I love the smell of petrol in the morning… it smells like mountains

The whisperlight is awesome in its own way! Had it about 25years, I expect I’ll still have it when I die!!

For a similar purpose I use a soto ST320 and would recommend. For me fills the gap between a meths stove for solo trips and proper car camping big stove.

Packs really neatly in a similar size to a folding windshield but can handle pots and kettles big enough to cook for several people. Is much lower to the ground than a normal canister stove so is stable and a lot less stressful have around camping. If line up right the does not need extra windshields either.

Just had a quick look for a link and can’t find a UK shop selling one now but are available abroad if have the time to order. Think I got mine from ultralight outdoor gear but they only have the petrol stoves now.

It uses the long thin push on canisters so easy to find canisters though.

Tiny fold-up gas stove with small canister that fits in a large ti mug seems the best combination of weight/tidiness/packed size. I think mine is an Alpkit Kraku.

For a family trip martin?

These canisters cheap and fit in bottle holders, tall bag pockets etc easy.

You might find them a handy shape but they’re not cheap @ £9.99. Halfords will do you a pukka Coleman 500 for £6 with a third more gas.

Halfords will do you a pukka Coleman 500 for £6 with a third more gas.

Interesting I ended up with them as I was somewhere with only mountain warehouse as their tiny canisters were more than the ones from Screwfix.

I am a big fan of the jetboil or copies like the brukit

the simplicity, fast boiling and ease of use along with the much more economical with the gas outweighs the small weight penalty for me.

Yeah I agree with this. For just boiling water jetboil type thing definitely wins for me.

You need to consider how many you are cooking (boiling water) for. We did a 7 day Hebrides touting trip. 1 alpkit brukit between 3 adults was fine for this but I don’t think it would have done 4 as easily.

By the way we used 1x c300 gas cartridge for that trip, which gives you an idea of the efficiency for gas (very very good)

If you go the burner on top of gas cylinder route, you can get canister stabilisers (fold out legs) for a few quid off amazon, ebay etc.

with my jetboil I use around 25 g of gas per person per day – and thats cooking pasta or rice for dinner and porage in the morning and two pots of coffee

I’d also recommend the Whisperlite style stove for stability. I’m sure have a gas Whisperlite one in my garage, have they stopped selling those? If you’re only going to need it for one trip you could borrow mine.

For a family trip martin?

If it’s just for drinks, maybe a couple of extra cannisters, but yes, it’s pretty speedy and will do the job. OP is looking for something in between the minimalist meths stove and the whisperlite. I’m too tight to buy a Jetboil!

If you’re only going to need it for one trip you could borrow mine.

A very kind offer, but I do feel I have a gap in my stove arsenal!! Although the whisperlight does draw a crowd when I make a coffee at my son’s rugby tournaments a little gas stove would be good to have .

If you’re not actually cooking, and it’s basically just to boil water etc, the answer is a jetboil. Or clone.
not just for speed, but they’re more efficient, they use less fuel, therefore you need to carry less.
if it’s for cooking, you know the whisperlite can be upgraded to universal spec to use gas canisters don’t you?

needs a different jet, the adapter to connect the gas canister and a plastic support to hold the canister in position.
that’s the route I would go tbh.

One vote for the Jetboil Flash, used to carry heavier stoves then went to a pocket rocket and then to this. Wouldn’t go back, especially if only being used to heat water.

A Jetboil Stash is ~230g plus the fuel canister, may be a bit low capacity though (0.8L). edit – not made anymore, only the heavier Zip version.

The Jetboil Flash is 365g plus fuel, that’s a bit much for me although the neat packability appeals.

The Alpkit Koro remote canister stove is only £60 and 125g. The Jetboil’s more efficient and packable but you can add another 100g of fuel on top plus a cheap 1l Alu pan and a DIY windshield to the Koro to get to the same weight as a Jetboil Flash.

Just bailing water…
Kelly kettle.

I always pack atleast one impractical thing on any trip* it keeps me centred.

And a Kelly kettle provides entertainment. Aswell as looking baller lashed precarious to something. And it must be lashed, no fancy straps or voiles etc proper honest to goodness knots.

If you’re going to use a canister-top stove, get some canister legs (also known as a canister stand). They make a HUGE difference to stability with a pot on top

I have a couple of pairs of Primus ones for different stoves (one in the van for the Primus Lite+ stove I use for brews, another for other use)

A remote canister stove does make things generally more stable and you can use the cheap butane cans with an adapter as well then. They don’t have to be heavy either, I have a Primus Omnilite but that’s prob overkill as it’s a multifuel stove

I’ll recommend what I have

https://firemaplegear.com/collections/gas-stoves/products/blade-2-titanium-ultralight-backpacking-stove

sits nice and low separate from the gas cannister

The one bikepawl mentions I think also has much less issue in cold conditions with the gas not vapourising because you can invert the can and it has some sort of preheater / vapurisation coil.  Nice wide support for your pot as well.

The MSR, anything else will be shit in comparison. Throw  the second spare t-shirt out instead.

I’ve owned various Fire Maple stoves (including the one above) and the Primus Spider. The latter was a poor performer and got sold on quickly, the Fire Maples were better but sprang leaks and/or developed other faults with use. The Kovea Spider I use now is better than all those – more modulated flame, drains canisters well even when conditions are cold. Made in South Korea rather than China if that’s important to you, with spares available, plus adapters to fit different valve types.

Ten day trip in the Highlands in May.

Overnight trip two weeks ago .

<p style=”text-align: left;”>I did a fair bit of looking around earlier this year, in a similar situation +use bike packing.</p>
I don’t like the ones perched on top of the gas cylinder as they are precarious.

I ended up getting rhe Optimus Vega gas stove.

small, light, but way more stable than a on-top burner being remote. The pan stand covers a wider range of diameters too than many others.

and it will.pack into a small Ti mug for boling water + samll gas cylinder when bike.packing

https://www.katadyngroup.com/us/en/8018505-optimus-vega~p6890

I came to say Alpkit Kraku but with legs for the canister to stabilise it, beaten to it…

I made a wind shield from some tin foil (many layers) which works quite effectively, and attached with a hairband. I can stow the canister, stove, lighter, and foil shield in the alpkit titanium mug.

If I owned (and I do) a whisperlite … And I needed a stove for a single family trip ….

I’d take my whisperlite.

I personally would recommend one with remote cylinder i.e something likes this

I’ve got some of those cylinders and a small stove like that might be just the job for frying up some sausages on the beach or maybe the boat – at about £16-20 I’m not sure I can really go wrong!

I’d take my whisperlite.

You may be on to something there!!

MSR Dragonfly? Slightly heavier but has the ability to simmer, wide stable base, suitable for large pots and can burn different, readily available fuels. Peering in the fuel flask gives some idea of how much fuel is left too..

Any stove – like the one pictured above is a accident waiting to happen. Small base – big pot on top and the slightest bump and there goes your soup.

Something like this. Low to the ground, pot falls off it doesnt usually tip over, and its low enough to the ground you can extend the pot stability but placing a few rocks around it.

Cheap option.

https://www.blacks.co.uk/15908525/oex-novo-folding-leg-stove-15908525/?istCompanyId=d92b362f-ac8a-4a8a-87ca-c56eafad7955&istFeedId=2f99410f-1124-43d5-8232-86c184f09479&istItemId=ilprmlxam&istBid=t&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvbLxssuxgAMVWgUGAB3x0gnEEAkYAiABEgJ6tfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Slightly better option (I have this one/amongst others)

https://www.blacks.co.uk/15898192/vango-folding-stove-with-windshield-and-piezo-15898192/?istCompanyId=d92b362f-ac8a-4a8a-87ca-c56eafad7955&istFeedId=3fde8ad3-82b3-4621-b16b-12df7273ade2&istItemId=ilprlawmt&istBid=t&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvbLxssuxgAMVWgUGAB3x0gnEEAkYAyABEgLUpfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

The whisperlight is awesome in its own way! Had it about 25years, I expect I’ll still have it when I die!!

I still have my MSR XGK expedition multifuel stove from the mid 90s. The stove equivalent of an AC Cobra, ridiculously loud, stupidly cantankerous on low grade fuel, great for melting snow and toasting cheese with a heavy top note of petrol… I’m very fond of it, but rarely use it in the UK.