Although I’ve titled this post Cooking I don’t actually cook when backpacking. I just boil water for drinks, dehydrated meals, soups and porridge. For me simplicity in preparation and cleaning are key.
My preferred fuel is gas and I normally use Primus Power Gas never boiling more than 380ml of water at a time. Testing in average temperature conditions with no wind resulted in the following:
- 110g – weight 202g – 17 brews / canister
- 230g – weight 382g – 39 brews / canister
Porridge can be difficult to clean, but if prepared in a beaker things are pretty straight forwards. After consuming your porridge place a little hot water and a drop of washing up liquid into the beaker, secure the top and shake. All that’s now required is to empty the contents away and you have a spotlessly clean container.
The photo shows my kit. Each item is numbered and I’ve added a description and comments below:
- Yellowstone plastic mug 380ml 39g.
- Screw top beaker with insulation 330ml 62g – marks on the side at 250 & 300ml.
- Trail Designs wind shield 6″ x 28″ (cut down to 20″) 36g.
- Alpkit Koro gas stove with pre-heat tube 124g.
- Heat protector disc cut from wind shield off-cut – stores in base of pan 3g.
- Treadlite Gear pan bag 6g.
- MSR Titan pan 127g.
- Sea to Summit long handled spoon 12g – better than a spork for dehydrated meals.
- Alpkit folding spoon 19g – I like to have two spoons.
- Long necked gas lighter 21g – keeps those fingers away from the flame.
- Thin silicone mat 21g – cut to the same diameter as the pan lid.
- Miniture pegs to secure the wind shield 3g – manufactured from sea fishing hooks.
Total weight = 473g + gas
