The more I use this little stove, the more I like it!
Tonight my first 'proper' end-to-end run using the EK750OB - using some home-made tinder, started using some of the tinder on the end of a stick from a spark from a firesteel and knifeback, sticks collected on Sunday's walk... 375ml of water, around 8 minutes... Yay!
Afterwards I deliberately let the stove die down to embers to practice bringing it back to life. I struggle on this. Tomorrow evening I have plans to meet up with Dave Watson of Woodland Survival Crafts in a local wood for some quick one-on-one fire training and to see if that is all I need or it is worth booking onto one of his 3-day firestarter courses!
Showing posts with label wood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wood. Show all posts
Monday, 3 August 2009
Thursday, 30 July 2009
A stove breakthrough!
Tonight I've had a breakthrough with the Einzel-Kocker stove. After much coaching by MacE I've got a repeatable 8 minute boil time for 375ml of water just using a handful of sticks picked up last walk!
The trick appears to be to use WAY less fuel than you think!
The trick appears to be to use WAY less fuel than you think!
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Assorted weekend updates:
On Saturday I increased my hiking pack weight to 9.4kg by adding my tripod because there was a particular photo I wanted to capture on the route we were planning on walking. When we got there the view was blocked with plant growth so I need not have bothered carrying the extra weight. But it was a useful experiment in that I now know I'm a wimp and 9.4kg is more than I'm currently comfortable carrying in the Golite Jam rucksack. Curiously I'm ok moving but the weight starts to tell when I'm standing waiting for my wife to climb over styles. I was getting somewhat grumpy and tired by the 8 mile point... I'm still a little off the 14kg design limit but hey, more training required for heavier loads - but that is why I'm practicing before hitting a few 'real' backpacking trips. I'm still struggling to imagine carrying anyone carrying more than 20kg!
Sunday was a day out racing with the BHPC. This was only my second time cycling this year and it told! I took my GTX (which I guess is a custom-made, higher spec and lighter predecessor of this trike) which is lean and low but set up more as a touring rather than a racing bike. It was a good fun day out, a little damp around the edges and I was stuggling to keep my pace up for the 35minute race.
I've been practicing with the Einzel-Kocher EK750OB and I think I'm getting more proficient using it, but I'm not yet at the stage of trusting my abilities to get boiling water for coffee out of it... On Sunday at the races I used the MSR Pocket Rocket because it is quick and simple. I am undecided yet as to whether this is the way to go for the trip or if I'd rather avoid carrying a gas canister inside a faired cycle... I guess any gas leak *should* dissipate before it became a problem but..... I am sure that my problems with the EK are down to my basic inability to make fire. I have the same problems trying to light the log burner in our holiday cottage.
I fear this is one of those lost skills - 50 years ago everyone (who didn't have someone to do it for them) could light their household fire. Now it is an automated gas boiler... I'm contemplating booking on one of those bushcraft courses. Oh, and I've ordered more kit - a decent wood working knife to aid splitting wood, making kindling,etc. I know more kit is more weight and I might be better off just making do with a gas or meths stove but it does feel more natural to be using a wood burner! And firelighting is prehistoric tech - just how hard can it be???
Sunday was a day out racing with the BHPC. This was only my second time cycling this year and it told! I took my GTX (which I guess is a custom-made, higher spec and lighter predecessor of this trike) which is lean and low but set up more as a touring rather than a racing bike. It was a good fun day out, a little damp around the edges and I was stuggling to keep my pace up for the 35minute race.
I've been practicing with the Einzel-Kocher EK750OB and I think I'm getting more proficient using it, but I'm not yet at the stage of trusting my abilities to get boiling water for coffee out of it... On Sunday at the races I used the MSR Pocket Rocket because it is quick and simple. I am undecided yet as to whether this is the way to go for the trip or if I'd rather avoid carrying a gas canister inside a faired cycle... I guess any gas leak *should* dissipate before it became a problem but..... I am sure that my problems with the EK are down to my basic inability to make fire. I have the same problems trying to light the log burner in our holiday cottage.
I fear this is one of those lost skills - 50 years ago everyone (who didn't have someone to do it for them) could light their household fire. Now it is an automated gas boiler... I'm contemplating booking on one of those bushcraft courses. Oh, and I've ordered more kit - a decent wood working knife to aid splitting wood, making kindling,etc. I know more kit is more weight and I might be better off just making do with a gas or meths stove but it does feel more natural to be using a wood burner! And firelighting is prehistoric tech - just how hard can it be???
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Einzel-Kocher EK750OB here!
With very prompt shipping my EK750OB wood burner arrived today. So did the rain, so no evening testing tonight :(
Weights on the website are prefectly honest against my scales...
1) Minimum useable weight - stovebody + lightweight pot stand - 84g
2) Stove, lightweight pot stand, EK meths burner, ash tray, nylon stuffsack - 109g
3) 'ready to go' wood & meths burner - neat and tidy with top and bottom caps fitted, in nylon stuff sack - 130g
Finish is nice and tidy, no sharp edges (that I've found yet!)
Hopefully it'll be dry enough to wonder out into the garden tomorrow night and have a 'first burn'!
Weights on the website are prefectly honest against my scales...
1) Minimum useable weight - stovebody + lightweight pot stand - 84g
2) Stove, lightweight pot stand, EK meths burner, ash tray, nylon stuffsack - 109g
3) 'ready to go' wood & meths burner - neat and tidy with top and bottom caps fitted, in nylon stuff sack - 130g
Finish is nice and tidy, no sharp edges (that I've found yet!)
Hopefully it'll be dry enough to wonder out into the garden tomorrow night and have a 'first burn'!
Saturday, 18 July 2009
10 mile kit shakedown
Having parted company with my old racing bike (ok, it isn't a 'normal' one) I had a little cash to invest in more new kit this week... :)
First off, thanks to the suggestion from Mac E and Podcast Bob I've invested in a Golite Jam2 pack. The pack will be no use for the Glyde trip but I'm planning on hiking/backpacking to gain fitness and put the rest of the kit through its paces.
First modification is going to be trimming down some of the straps!
Secondly I'm watching the letterbox for the Satmap full GB memory card to arrive... Having tried the options I have a few bits & pieces of Satmap kit surplus to requirements so for any of you who are interested I'll hold a mini-competition or two shortly and if there are no takers the stuff goes to eBay... Keep an eye on the feed!
Oh, and having received my EK mini-meths burner this week, liking the quality of the beast and then being tempted by the GramFairy(tm) I've ordered the matching Einzel-Kocher 750OB wood burner stove with the plan on using it in the sub-100g configuration as a replacement to the 426g Honey Stove for those times when a third of a kilo counts...
Anyway, today, sporting the new Jam we did a 10 mile walk out to the South Coast of the River Trent... Normally this would be a walk along a riverbank but, well, it seems we've had some rain...
There is supposed to be a 'high' path to the left and a 'low' path to the right but today the Trent has other ideas...
The bridge is normally high enough to play Pooh Sticks...
Pack weight, plus camera and GPS came to a comfortable 6.1kg (13.4lb). I'm struggling to imagine carrying the sort of weights that some seem to think 'normal' - only yesterday I was reading a forum posting from an American who was pleased to have economised and got his walking pack down to around 37 pounds! Maybe I'm just a wimp - I'm deliberately overloading myself on a daywalk with the plan of this being around my weekend camping weight! And I'm hoping not to be carrying much more for the full Glyde Around Britain...
I'd be lighter without the gadgets but I do like the SLR camera... And yes, I know, it is heavier than my tent... and sleeping mat...
Anchor Church - not quite the riverside residence we are looking for...
Disaster of the day - ok, not really disaster, more kinda cockup - was failing to light the Honey Stove. I blame it on complacency after it simply 'just working' last time I used it. I should have collected more light kindling rather than expecting the light twigs to go up. Everything in the woods having been soaked for the last week didn't help much either - I should have picked up more of the dry cowparsley stems when I had the chance. But that is the point of these shakedown walks. And the upside was that the MSR Pocket Rocket got it's first fieldtest rather than just being ballast - wow - I'm seriously impressed. It is complete overkill for a cup of coffee, but hey, boiling water in just three minutes. Plus full on roaring sound effects. Hmmm... and I didn't even turn it up to 11 yet!
I remember when this was all fields - last Monday!
The crops are doing well on it - pity this is supposed to be the footpath...
Stats for the walk - a smidge under 10 miles distance and a smidge over 1000ft accumulated ascent!
First off, thanks to the suggestion from Mac E and Podcast Bob I've invested in a Golite Jam2 pack. The pack will be no use for the Glyde trip but I'm planning on hiking/backpacking to gain fitness and put the rest of the kit through its paces.
First modification is going to be trimming down some of the straps!Secondly I'm watching the letterbox for the Satmap full GB memory card to arrive... Having tried the options I have a few bits & pieces of Satmap kit surplus to requirements so for any of you who are interested I'll hold a mini-competition or two shortly and if there are no takers the stuff goes to eBay... Keep an eye on the feed!
Oh, and having received my EK mini-meths burner this week, liking the quality of the beast and then being tempted by the GramFairy(tm) I've ordered the matching Einzel-Kocher 750OB wood burner stove with the plan on using it in the sub-100g configuration as a replacement to the 426g Honey Stove for those times when a third of a kilo counts...
Anyway, today, sporting the new Jam we did a 10 mile walk out to the South Coast of the River Trent... Normally this would be a walk along a riverbank but, well, it seems we've had some rain...
There is supposed to be a 'high' path to the left and a 'low' path to the right but today the Trent has other ideas...
The bridge is normally high enough to play Pooh Sticks...Pack weight, plus camera and GPS came to a comfortable 6.1kg (13.4lb). I'm struggling to imagine carrying the sort of weights that some seem to think 'normal' - only yesterday I was reading a forum posting from an American who was pleased to have economised and got his walking pack down to around 37 pounds! Maybe I'm just a wimp - I'm deliberately overloading myself on a daywalk with the plan of this being around my weekend camping weight! And I'm hoping not to be carrying much more for the full Glyde Around Britain...
I'd be lighter without the gadgets but I do like the SLR camera... And yes, I know, it is heavier than my tent... and sleeping mat...
Anchor Church - not quite the riverside residence we are looking for...Disaster of the day - ok, not really disaster, more kinda cockup - was failing to light the Honey Stove. I blame it on complacency after it simply 'just working' last time I used it. I should have collected more light kindling rather than expecting the light twigs to go up. Everything in the woods having been soaked for the last week didn't help much either - I should have picked up more of the dry cowparsley stems when I had the chance. But that is the point of these shakedown walks. And the upside was that the MSR Pocket Rocket got it's first fieldtest rather than just being ballast - wow - I'm seriously impressed. It is complete overkill for a cup of coffee, but hey, boiling water in just three minutes. Plus full on roaring sound effects. Hmmm... and I didn't even turn it up to 11 yet!
I remember when this was all fields - last Monday!
The crops are doing well on it - pity this is supposed to be the footpath...Stats for the walk - a smidge under 10 miles distance and a smidge over 1000ft accumulated ascent!
Monday, 6 July 2009
Honey Stove '09
Honey Stove '09
Price: £34.99 + shipping
Supplier: Backpackinglight.co.uk
Included:
Stove - packed flat and consisting of 9-pieces of laser-cut stainless steel
Nylon carrying case
What it does:
This one is a bit of an oddity - rather than the convenience of hydrocarbon fuel, this one runs on wood. Better still, it runs on twigs that you can pick up for free by the trailside. One handful of twigs - 10 minutes - one brew-up! Think miniature brazier.
Look and feel:
The sheet steel parts look like a puzzle but after the first trial assembly all becomes clear and the stove then quickly and easily assembles into a strong, rigid structure looking more like a treasure box than a camping stove. A little care is needed as some of the edges are sharp - or maybe I'm just not careful enough! My packed unit weighs in at 426g including the bag which might sound a little porky compared to a sub-100g gas stove, but there is no fuel or fuel container to add to that weight. The unit can also double up as a windshield for use with a meths or gas burner.
Fuel Usage:
A handful of air dried twigs and sticks picked up in the minute before grabbing a lunch spot was enough to boil a pint of water with burn time to spare. The beauty of this system is that with 'free' fuel burn times are only limited by the availability and enthusiasm to collect it. This makes in-the-field 30 minute cook times for a stew a practicality - when using hydrocarbon fuel the temptation is to cook as quickly as possible to eke out the fuel supply. And there is the attraction of real flames!!!
Initial Testing:
Well, it just works! There isn't really any more to say - twigs in, heat out. Using tinder card (available from the same supplier) makes fire starting easy and ok it does need careful feeding to keep the fire going, but there is something strangely therapeutic about feeding a camp fire. And it certainly isn't as challenging or 'exciting' to use as the MSR Whisperlite I've just parted company with. By the time the coffee had brewed and been drunk the fire had gone out, the steel was just touch-hot and the contents had turned to grey ash. Disassembly, allowing the parts to air cool, the ashes checked to be cold, out and discreetly disposed of, and away! Not even that dirty!
Again 5-out-of-5.
Another 'keeper' for my touring kit - as a partner for a meths or gas stove - I'm trialling a few alternatives and haven't decided which to go for yet - more review coming!
Price: £34.99 + shipping
Supplier: Backpackinglight.co.uk
Included:
Stove - packed flat and consisting of 9-pieces of laser-cut stainless steel
Nylon carrying case
What it does:
This one is a bit of an oddity - rather than the convenience of hydrocarbon fuel, this one runs on wood. Better still, it runs on twigs that you can pick up for free by the trailside. One handful of twigs - 10 minutes - one brew-up! Think miniature brazier.
Look and feel:
The sheet steel parts look like a puzzle but after the first trial assembly all becomes clear and the stove then quickly and easily assembles into a strong, rigid structure looking more like a treasure box than a camping stove. A little care is needed as some of the edges are sharp - or maybe I'm just not careful enough! My packed unit weighs in at 426g including the bag which might sound a little porky compared to a sub-100g gas stove, but there is no fuel or fuel container to add to that weight. The unit can also double up as a windshield for use with a meths or gas burner.
Fuel Usage:
A handful of air dried twigs and sticks picked up in the minute before grabbing a lunch spot was enough to boil a pint of water with burn time to spare. The beauty of this system is that with 'free' fuel burn times are only limited by the availability and enthusiasm to collect it. This makes in-the-field 30 minute cook times for a stew a practicality - when using hydrocarbon fuel the temptation is to cook as quickly as possible to eke out the fuel supply. And there is the attraction of real flames!!!
Initial Testing:
Well, it just works! There isn't really any more to say - twigs in, heat out. Using tinder card (available from the same supplier) makes fire starting easy and ok it does need careful feeding to keep the fire going, but there is something strangely therapeutic about feeding a camp fire. And it certainly isn't as challenging or 'exciting' to use as the MSR Whisperlite I've just parted company with. By the time the coffee had brewed and been drunk the fire had gone out, the steel was just touch-hot and the contents had turned to grey ash. Disassembly, allowing the parts to air cool, the ashes checked to be cold, out and discreetly disposed of, and away! Not even that dirty!
Again 5-out-of-5.
Another 'keeper' for my touring kit - as a partner for a meths or gas stove - I'm trialling a few alternatives and haven't decided which to go for yet - more review coming!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
