Use a Trangia Camping Stove
Love the great outdoors? Then, learn how to cook on this traditional stove. It is lightweight, compact and versatile - perfect for hikers and even for day trekkers. And remember, food always tastes better when cooked outdoors.
Steps
- Unpack the stove. The stove is packaged to take up as little space as possible. As you take it apart, remember how each piece fits together so you can put it back together after use
- Find somewhere firm and flat to place the windshield. Stoves should never be used in your tents, as the fabric that the tents are made from is very flammable. The Trangia comes with a two-piece windshield to keep the flame from going out if it's windy Place the bottom part of the windshield on the flat surface/ground.
- Assemble the burner. Remove the lid off the brass burner unit and pour in some methylated spirits (denatured alcohol) Never more than 3/4 full!
- Replace the lid immediately. Put the burner carefully in the centre of the windshield and put the second windshield in place.
- Light a match and hold it into the burner. You won't see flames, but you'll feel heat when the spirit begins burning.
- Add the pan. Use the handle to place the pan on the metal supports inside the windshield.
- Cook. You can now use the stove to boil water, or heat food in the pan or frying pan.
- Adjust the flame while cooking. Use the adjustable burner top to control the flame. Always use the handle attachment when putting this in place.
- Finish cooking. Put the closed burner top in place to turn off the stove. The lack of oxygen will cause the methylated spirits to stop burning after just a few seconds. Do not use the burner lid to extinguish the stove, the rubber seal inside the lid is not fireproof and will burn and melt all over your burner. Remove the burner top to make sure the fire has extinguished. Leave the Trangia to cool before packing it away.
Tips
- The stove is most efficient if there is little or no wind. If there is wind, it will still work, but try to create a wind-break near the stove using something non-flammable. Also, notice the holes on one side of the windshield? Place the stove with the holes facing the wind.
- Plan ahead which types of meals you will cook on your Trangia. For Field Day you will be given a hydrated meal that will be in a sealed foil bag. These just need to be put into a pan of boiling water and reheated. For D of E you will have to provide a suitable meal as a group.
Warnings
- Do not use stoves inside tents or confined spaces. The carbon monoxide fumes produced by camping stoves are harmful and tents are highly flammable.
- Never leave the stove unattended while it is burning. Do not leave it on for longer than necessary and under no circumstances should you use a stove to provide heat - it will produce dangerous fumes (carbon monoxide) that can fill a tent and suffocate you.
- Never leave the handle on when a pan is on the burner. It will get very hot and injure you.
- Whilst cooking : Don’t touch the burner – it will get VERY hot ! You cannot see the flames in daylight, but it will still burn you.
- Before you light the stove : Place the burner DOWNHILL from any tents - methylated spirits will flow like water if you knock the stove over. Because the outdoors is not flat, use any nearby stones to create a ‘nest’ to help stop the stove/pan falling over.
- The safer way to use it is to pour plenty of fuel in before you begin cooking – if you don’t use it all, you can save it until you need it, inside the burner. Always extinguish the flame by placing the burner lid upside down<b> on the burner for 30 seconds, then removing it until the burner is cool – if you put the lid on a hot burner, the rubber seal will melt and burn. (Always ensure the seal comes away with the lid when setting up the stove. And don't let it fall out in the dark.)
- <b>You must never refill the burner while it is lit - and because the flame is nearly invisible in daylight, it is an easy mistake to make. This is extremely important! If you attempt this, you will instantly find yourself holding a bottle of burning fuel (which you will then instinctively throw away from yourself, probably onto your tent, other people etc). To refill safely, you should let the stove cool enough to be able to pick the stove up and take it to the fuel bottle (because if it is still hot, the methylated spirits will quickly vaporise, creating a cloud of gas which will burst into flames around you when you try to light the stove).
Things You'll Need
- Your Trangia stoves which comes in 8 pieces:
- a frying pan
- a handle
- a kettle (not in all versions)
- a burner
- a couple of pans; and
- the windshield that comes in two parts - the base and the top half
- Methylated spirits (denatured alcohol)
- Fuel bottle. There is no need for a special container. Any regular container, such as a small plastic bottle, is okay for use.
- Some matches to light the methylated spirits inside the stove
Sources and Citations
- VideoJug A video on using a Trangia camping stove. Shared with permission.
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