Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

Many serious hikers take their stoves very seriously. In fact, some take the issue of the stove far too seriously. Most of us who are serious about hiking and backpacking have a collection of stoves, occasionally with a few museum pieces that we once thought would be great -- until we had to fiddle with them on trail.Few debates in the hiking literature are as hot as the one over stoves, and some reviewers go to ridiculous lengths to compare boil times and rates. In my experience, if you are worried about boil times and want your two cups of water to boil at the fastest possible rate, then stay in a hotel or lodge. Part of the beauty of being out doors is the opportunity to s-l-o-w down. Take a breath and enjoy your time away from phone calls and hubbub. Although it is true that alcohol stoves are somewhat slower than gas stoves (although the difference is seldom more than one or two minutes if you know how to use an alcohol stove), they are utterly idiot proof and indestructible. There is nothing to go wrong. Although I have canister and multi fuel stoves, the only one I ever end up with on trail, for long or short hikes, is the Trangia. This stove has not changed in its basic design since 1925, when it was first introduced by the Swedes. This stove nests in its pot and is extremely compact. It is particularly handy in a small day pack, when you want some tea or noodles during a short hike or (up here in Minnesota) a nordic ski outing. When I travel with another hiker, I simply put the wind screen/pot holder in my mess kit. Another positive feature is the ready availability of fuel. Although I often carry denatured alcohol, I frequently use methyl alcohol -- HEET in the yellow bottle. Isopropyl alcohol will also work (as will rum), although the water content in iso renders it less efficient. I have found that most seasoned distance hikers use alcohol for the same reasons mentioned above. Unless you are boiling lots of water, this stove is more than adequate, and is very light weight and compact. Some reviewers on-line may suggest alcohol does not perform as well in winter. My experience in northern Minnesota is to the contrary. I simply pour a small amount of fuel in the wind screen/pot holder. When this burns it pre-heats the stove and it performs well. Another advantage of alcohol is that the fuel is water miscible, which means it will simply evaporate and will not destroy everything in your pack, or contaminate the ground, if it leaks. I use a couple of 8 oz flasks (also from [...]) for fuel and typically have more than enough fuel for about four or five nights on trail. There is certainly a time and place for canisters and multi fuel stoves, but based on my usage pattern, I'm not sure when or where.

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

Directions: Unscrew cap, light, cook.

In the world of camping stoves, Trangia has made it's mark. This alcohol stove gives those of us not trying to boil a 4-quart pot an option for simplicity, without resorting to propane or iso.

Anyone who has worked for 10 minutes to convince a dragonfly to boil some coffee can understand the benefits of such a reliable stove. It's simple, self-contained design holds enough fuel for one meal, and it can support 2-3 people on the trail. Fuel is plentiful and cheap, available at most hardware stores and marine centers. The stove itself is inexpensive, and should convince you to quit burning HEET in an old tuna can.

No piece of gear is without it's limitations, but there are those that have a short list. I like the nice, silent time in the morning when the stove is heating up breakfast. If you are in a hurry, and do not want to savor being outside, then there are other systems (like Jetboil) that can get you on the trail faster.
Also, if you are careless, it is possible to dump out all your fuel at once, creating an invisible inferno that might burn your brand-new North Face boots.
Finally, you will have to remember to pack a lighter because this stove does not come with an electronic ignition or a satellite uplink to MySpace.

This stove is the perfect solution for the solo hiker or couple that wants a lightweight, clean stove for backpacking.

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

This is a very solid piece of gear. No fossil fuel, no metal fuel bottle and no pressurized gas canister. It boils water and if you manage your windscreen appropriately the frying pan lid, which is a substantial component of the overall weight of this kit, actually works quite well unlike most other convertible pot lids I have used. The pot itself is a heavy uncoated aluminum so it is unsuitable for direct contact with food but it is fine for boiling water for freezer bag cooking, which is what most of us who use alchohol stoves mainly do anyway.

This thing is not as light as a cat food can alky rig but it is a better stove. The burner has a threaded cap, with an O-ring seal, so you can keep some fuel in it and you don't have to waste what you don't use, unlike most others. Using the simmer ring I've gotten 45 minutes out of a single fueling. On the other hand, with your windscreen in tight to your pot and running wide open (no simmer ring) it will boil 16 ounces of 45 degree F. water in a Snow Peak 700 in about 7 minutes or less and it will do 16 ounces in about 6 minutes if you're using the supplied pot. Note: sea level.

The pot lifter included is very light and works well and the stand too is just about perfect, though you will have to bend the top "posts" in for smaller pots. No big deal, anybody can do it.

The bottom line is that this stove does exactly what it is supposed to do, with no moving parts and nothing to fail and it frees you from any reliance on fossil fuels in the woods, which seems to me a good thing. I like the idea of actually being able to burn EverClear. I don't like the idea of drinking white gas.

I really appreciate the simplicity, the common sense character of this product and I would recommend it to those of you who are considering an alchohol rig for use on those excursions where culinary extravagance or welding is not required.

Buy it. It is cheap and it works and it will work for a very long time, probably longer than you.

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

i've used this stove on three trips so far, with no problems. i wanted to get away from multifuel stoves, because of cleaning issues.
this alcohol stove has no moving parts so there is nothing to break. just pour some alcohol in and lite.
it is not as powerful as many canister or multifuel stoves, but i don't mind waiting another minute or two. the whole thing weighs in at about 11oz. with pot, skillet, handle, windscreen, simmer ring, and stove. not bad. you could ditch the simmer ring if you just want to boil water. another plus as opposed to canister stoves is that you don't have empty canisters to throw away, so you pack gets lighter everyday, same with multi-fuel.
alot of alcohol stoves are homemade and really UL, but if you stove is only a coke can, it can get damaged very easily. this one is brass, and quite strong in comparison. i don't think i will use my old multifuel again unless i want to melt snow.
overall i am very pleased. the only reason i didn't give it 5 stars is that it doesn't have the high heat output of other stoves, other than that, it's perfect.

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

I have used this stove model for over 25 years, I had an accident and destroyed my last one so I'm buying a replacement. I bicycle the USA and on my many trips I have found this stove to be the BEST stove of it's type in the WORLD period!!!!

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

Yes it is light and all that is said in other reviews. You do need to have your food dialed in to make this stove really work. My favorite thing about it is it is absolutely queit. I use the burner only in conjunction with a homemade stove stand made from Ti bicycle spoke and an MSR windscrees. Add a snowpeak Trek 700 and you have a formidable stove/cooker. Alcohol is also very easy to find everywhere from hardware store to gas stations. Windsheild de-icer works great! On most of my trips I need to resupply atleast once and finding fuel cylinders is impossable and they cannot be mailed. Liquid fuel stoves are just to heavy. This stove for me is the best option for long distance SOLO trips. Far more durable than a pepsi can stove, comes up to full burn faster and comes to a boil much quicker than anything I have made at home.

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

Great product for those interested in keeping the weight and space to a minimum. I have the "pop can" stove as well as this, and like this because you can store more fuel in it, thus resulting in longer burn times. It takes a little longer to heat water but not a significant difference. Plus, it is "stockier" with less risk of damage. I usually pack both of them, as the "pop can" only weighs 0.4oz and takes up virtually no space at all.

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

Great stove for my minimalist rig. I've used several alcohol stove configurations ranging from complete Swedish Army surplus sets, home-assembled sets using coffe pots with tin can wind screen, and the Mini-T. The Mini-T is the best overall for lightweight trips; the pot and lid/skillet working surprisingly well for their size. Don't expect to cook for 2 or more, however, and even for 1, a small stir fry in the pot lid takes about 4 batches. The classics such as "can of tuna with minute rice, clean the pot with a cup of tea" work best. The stove really needs an additional outer windscreen for best results, I use double folded heavy duty aluminum foil.

I am always careful using this set due to the possible lack of stability when working with the lifter; it does not feel as stable as the larger lifter and pots you get with heavier cook sets. I believe that this particular set is therefore not a good choice for kids 12 and younger, even though the alcohol stoves in general are attractive for younger kids who should not yet be using pressurized gasoline stoves. However, the burner and stand would work well with larger and wider 1-2 liter pots having real handles, and that combination would be good for 10-12 year olds while they learn how to take care of themselves in the woods and work up to the true mimimalist Mini-T cookset.

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

this is a cookset and a stove in one compact design for a person. i've been using this for nearly 7 years now and she is still rocking! though not a powerful stove, cooking is easy and fast if one knows the kind of food that is right for this. right now, almost all of my climbing buddies own this small wonder

Comments about Trangia Mini Trangia 28-T Backpacking Stove:

Was a gift as my girlfriend was tired of soda cans being saved to make stoves.
Great stove, not as fast as some pop can stoves,but no trying to figure out how much alcohol it will take to heat up stuff, then how to save the fuel when you don't use it all. Just screw on the o-ring cap! The simmer ring works good,however it's a bit tricky with the pot stand supplied. The burner gets used in all types of pot stands,some home made, others for sterno,depends on what's cookin'.
The pot lifter is ok,it can be a little flimsy with a full pot of water though. I keep a cheep pot lifter with it in my pack.
I have thought of the canister stoves but can't justify the cost and unreliably,learn how to use the Trangia at home and you will be happy when you hit the trail.