Need some help, I am going to buy a new alcohol stove, don't no which is the best. If any of you can help me please do. I now have a swedish cook set that i use in my truck, but at
2 lbs. it's a little to heavy to carry. my choices are.

Vargo titinium triad stove.

Trangia stove only

Mini Trangia type 28

Any outher suggestions will be gladly recived.

Trangia is the best..for lightweight i would get a Westwind
and then buy one of those heavy foil windbreaks made for the
MSR Wisperlight type stoves..the Trangia that comes with its
own pot support-wind shield and cook kit is a top-of-the line
gear...the photo was taken for a camping web site i vist..
at 12 below zero the Trangia boiled two cups of water for
tea in 8 minutes..



I was working so fast in the sub-zero cold that i tossed
the pot gripper into the pan of hot water..
first rule of survival--keep your head together!!!!

i'd recommend the trangia 28 (with an improvised aluminum windscreen for breezy days). other stoves may be lighter, but the trangia brass burners are rock solid. i also like the the flame adjustment ring and the screw cap that lets you store unused fuel in the burner itself. with most other stoves you've just gotta let them burn up all the alcohol before you can store 'em.

I"ve used the Trangia a lot, and I like it. If I was looking for something fancier, the Vargo has a solid rep and it looks good.

This is an excellent stove with an integrap pot stand. It can also be used as an esbit stove.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/vargo_triad_titanium_stove.html

Even better, just make your own. I have made several different designs, and I really like the Penny Stove for efficiency and ease of construction. It took me about 45 minutes to make my first one and now I can produce one in approx 20 min.

http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/penny.html

From a survival standpoint, I like the idea of being able to make my own stove.

I've had a Vargo triad for about three years, and used it a lot. I like it. It's very small, very fuel efficient, and very stable. My biggest complaint is that it's somewhat difficult and slow to fill.

Consider converting it to Penny Stove. You will need to enlarge the central hole to 1/4", and use a penny to cover it. But after modification you will have to follow the different lighting instructions form the above mentioned DIY Penny Stove site. Besides the ease of filing the new priming method will make this stove even more fuel efficient.

If you have the time and inclanation, try this

Yes, I am shameless.

Best,

.....CLIFF

Cliff:

That looks cool, do you have some type of plans, and where did you get the rods that hold the cup up off the burner. I have several canteen cups and one svea burner ( I think it's larger than a trangia but I will find out as I have a Westwind kit comeing soon ) The Svea is from my swed mess kit that started me on alcohole stoves.

Since no one apparently has mentioned it:

www.zen-stoves.net

The definitive authority on alcohol stove research.

I've tried multiple designs (including a modified penny stove) and found the best designs include some kind of wicking material(fiberglass/perlite). I also prefer a simple chimney burner. They seem to have the highest rate of success and with the reduced complexity last longer. When I made these for my emergency kits for my family this past winter I made a simple chimney burner following the designs from zen-stoves.net from pepsi can. It is nice in that it can convert to a sideburner if needbe. I then made a simple hobo style-wood stove out of a coffee can and packaged one inside of the other. This way there were two possible stoves and the alcohol stove got a windscreen to boot