Trangia 25-8 Ultralight Hard Anodized

I do a fair amount of camping. After recently discovering alcohol stoves on youtube from watching Shugemery and Hiram Cook I decided to get a cheap Trangia knockoff. If you haven't discovered their videos search for them on youtube. The knockoff stove performed quite well in winter desert environments. I paired it up with a folding windscreen and an Olicamp pot. Boiling water for keeping warm (Nalgene in the sleeping bag) and coffee was faster than my more open Coleman stove. After the trial trip I began price watching for the Trangia 25-8. It came down to a reasonable price and I ordered it. When it arrived I was quite pleased and did a boil test with my knockoff set up. Both boiled water in the same timeframe. But I didn't buy this to only boil water. I wanted it to be able to cook. Searching the web for Trangia recipes produced a lot of results. I chose a cheesy asparagus pasta dish to try out. It came out great! One thing to be aware of when cooking with the Trangia system and simmer ring is that food can get burned or stuck to the bottom of the pot if you don't rotate the cooking pot. There are two issues with the Trangia system that I do want to address and to me they are interrelated. First is the simmer ring. Most video reviews I've seen show people tossing the simmer ring onto the stove with random success. I tried a few times and just didn't get the right method to produce good results in the field. The handle can be used to place the simmer ring onto the stove instead of tossing it on when the stove is fired up. Flipping the handle around and upside down the small lip of the simmer ring can fit between the handle pieces and allow distance to place the ring on the stove. The second issue is the handle/potholder itself. The handles can come from the factory with sharp edges. I used a wire wheel and was able to smooth all the sharp edges. Couldn't be happier with the handle. So much so that I've given up the thought of purchasing a different potholder. Will this replace my Coleman propane stove for car camping? Probably not. However, cooking with alcohol is much more serene outdoors. There is no hissing noise to compete with the sounds of nature. Now I want the HA 27 size for backpacking.

This is a great stove. It’s important to note what it is and what it is not. First, what it is not: It’s not particularly lightweight, which is probably only important if you’re carrying it. It’s not capable of cooking with very high heat, because of the output limitations of an alcohol burner. But there is a fix for that, as trangia and optimus both sell gas burners that work in these, although that means trade-offs in weight, complexity, sound, and environmentalism. What it is: It’s relatively compact for what it contains: a full-coverage windscreen, pot support, burner, potgripper, and four cooking vessels. It’s well-designed  why do you think people have used it worldwide for all these years? It's rather customizable  you can choose from a fair number of configurations and accessories. It is mechanically simple: no pumps, no valves, no tiny single jet to clog. There is no repair kit needed. It is environmentally friendly compared to liquid fuel or propane. Most of all, it has a “feel” to using it, a mood. Its silent operation means you don’t have to interrupt your enjoyment of wherever you are to listen to the sound of a blowtorch every time you arrive at a beautiful campsite and set up for dinner. It is simply relaxing to use.

The Trangia 27 and 25 has become my go to camp stoves these days. I like the simplicity and they are quite. My Optimus Polaris has been relegated to large group camping and winter. Another advantage is that this is a complete cook kit, no additional items need to be purchased or packed ( other than a Trangia fuel bottle). I can actually cook meals on this set including bread and muffins.

Absolutely fantastic!

I have been backpacking with a Trangia 27 set and am a big fan. I recently went backpacking with my brother and needed to cook for two. The 27 series is a bit small for two, so I purchased this hard anodized set in the 25 series. It is typical Trangia, bulletproof and easy to use. While backpacking I left the kettle at home and carried the two pots. I know you gram fanatics are rolling your eyes, but I still went out at under 30 lb total pack weight. And as always I actually cook in the woods, it is one of the reasons I go. The first night's indulgence was sausage, cabbage, and potatoes. Cooking on the Trangia is pure pleasure. The only weakness is that the simmer ring is not designed to be changed once you start cooking. I am going to modify it so this can be done; I am sure someone else has already done that. If you are an ultralight person this is not for you, but if you like to eat this set is tough, easy, inexpensive, and pretty.