should i bring a stove?

dreed

I'm going to Nepal first in November and plan to go trekking with a Nepali family I know through a friend here and then bus down to India. I'm going for a 6 month trip. Would a small multi-fuel stove like a whisperlite be essential or will I get by fine without it. Do a lot of the Hotels/Hostels provide kitchens? Any veterans notice if a lot of backpackers had them?
Thanks!

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rickshawwallah

Unless you're really getting off the beaten path in Nepal, you'll find little use for a stove. There are plenty of teahouses along the trails. Even if you do travel where you'll need a stove, though, I still wouldn't reccommend bringing one from home. Stoves from the U.S. and Europe, no matter how loudly they trumpet their "multi-fuel" capability, don't run as well on the dirty local fuel (kerosene) as the local stoves do. Besides, the Asian stoves cost less than an MSR repair kit! Another advantage is that if your guide or porter uses the stove, he is much less likely to break or mistreat a local stove than an exotic foreign model. You should be able to find a compact stove suitable for backpacking in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Makes a great parting gift for your porter/guide as well!
If you feel the need for a stove once you reach India, you can always pick up another one in a market there. Few hotels provide kitchen space, but many don't mind if you cook in your room. (In my experience, Korean travelers often cook their own food in their rooms using, of course, local stoves.)

dreed

thanks! could you tell me how much they should cost to buy there?

vistet

I am the fortunate owner of the king of kerosene stoves, the Swedish Trangia Arctic. At the risk of sounding chauvinistic , swedes have a tradition to fall back on : Optimus, the first kerosene burner is a Swedish invention. Bought this more than a decade ago and it has happily chuffed on with both Swedish, British and Indian kerosene, at temperatures from + 30 to - 30 and altitudes up to 4000+. Classic heavy duty (and heavy) burner in brass, the original the Indian models are emulating.
The low noise level from the hat-model
burner is hard to believe if you are accustomed the cup model in the MSR et al.

Having said this , most of the time it`s just a nice luxury. It`s a social advantage to be able to serve tea in your guesthouse or tent , but hardly worth this amount of money just for a India trip.
Indispensable for winter and long solo treks , though.

dreed

well i guess you swedes really know how to design a stove! how much does that cost? i don't think they are available in the USA? "whisperlite", and "dragon fly" etc. is all i see here. there is one on sale for $50 USD around me. from your photos it looks big! is it indeed bigger than the other ones i mentioned?

vistet

Trangia is big & sturdy, built to work outside of the tent in all conditions , hence the name storm kitchen. Used by Swedish paratroopers and rangers.The pot in this larger stove will hold 1750 ml`s filled to the brim. Weighs 990 grams with 2 pots excluding burner. I have the smaller version ; 760 grams. You can shave off around 150 grams by using only one pot or buying titanium pots. You should be able to find it in the UK, USA etc. (URL : www.trangia.se) The kerosene burner attachment is made by a one-man firm in Kiruna, northernmost town in Sweden. Good cold weather expertise : warns in the manual about one fuel posing problem "even (i.e. already) at minus 25 degrees". Weighs 430 grams (MSR : 350) . Costs today 100 €. Firm (Kiruna Arktiska Produkter , phone 0980 128 40) is very low key , no website. If anyone wants help contacting them , let me know.

rickshawwallah

OK, Vistet, you got me with the traditional Swedish models. I was thinking more of the MSRs, the new Sveas, Colemans, etc.

THe Swedish models are indeed durable, reliable, function in all conditions, and make great traveling companions. At 100 Euros for the Trangia and 7 Euros for the Indian copies, I'm loyal to the Indian models, though.

vistet

I would agree with you as well .. I`m a happy camper (where did that expression start, anyway ? ) with these at home (the kerosene burner actually saves weight & volume even in the summer at plus one week treks) but buying these just for India would be extravagant. Like a Gore-Tex fly-swatter, sort of.

lightning

Thought you'd appreciate the resourcefullness of this DIY trangia. Could start a cottage industry with it.

It's barely worth it against the Indian copy, - but nice to know you could make one out of the rubbish along the trial at 4000m if you needed to!

http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/gear/p...instruct.shtml

quite a cool site too

found it linked off this guys very good site;-

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/cat_nomadics.php

IndyBoy

Hey, don't bother with a stove from home.

I just bought a lovely little brass kerosene stove (the cylindrical design), that fits inside a medium sized pan - so the package is about the size of one of the larger triangias. it comes fully dismantable, with stoppers so that you can transport it with kerosene inside without leaking.

it cost - 275 rp from one of the stalls on Parharganj Main Bazaar in Delhi. Actually that's expensive for a stove here, as you can get the basic square design ones for about a 100rp, but they don't transport as well.

An alternative for if you just want to do coffee/soup/noodles in your hotel room is to get one of the electric element water heaters, which cost peanuts from any store in india.

lightning

sounds like the sweetspot in the market!

how about a photo indyboy?

;-)

sachar

I own a multifull optimus nova, and I must say it's multifull. I even had it burning diesel, although that didn't burn anyway near clean.

So if you are thinking about bringing a stove from the US, you migth want to take a look at that stove.

vistet

I have two Trangias ; one with spirit burner and one kerosene/multifuel that i use in the winter, on longer summmer treks at home and in Asia. The Trangia Arctic is a gem : 3000 watts of heat with almost any fuel, sturdy ...and a lot more than Rs 275.

The cooltools page was... cool, thanx.

IndyBoy

OK - I can't upload piccies here easily, but the stove shown below (hopefully!) gives you and idea of the design. MY one has a fuel tank capacity of 0.5 litres, so the distance between the legs is about the same as two ciggarette lighters. The legs and burner can be removed so the entire stove can be fitted inside a moderate sized saucepan

Attached Images

 

IndyBoy

Just to add, I've found this design of stove easier to use and handle than MSR type superlightweight designs, wihch i allways find I can't balance a decently sized pan on without worrying.