Al – they’re really easy, even I managed it. Instruction for several variants here:Zen Stoves . The best one I have made is a side burner (like the Coke one above) Red Bull can one. The side burner means you can just set your pot on to when it is going and don’t need a seperate pot stand.

The lightweight backpacking sites have loads of people experimenting with variations on the design.

I can also recommend making a pot cosy out of the foil bubble wrap stuff you get for behind radiators. Instead of boiling your food, just boil the water then put the pot into the cosy and the food in the water and it cooks really well as well as not sticking to the pot – makes especially good porridge.

Oh, and I’ve never bothered with any sealant between the two sections of can and I haven’t died yet 🙂

I must of made about 20 of those stoves for me and all my friends. Can do one in about 10 minutes now.

Search on Outdoorsmagic for Capitain Paranoia instructions.

Ace little things

I’ve made a few out of energy drink cans but find that these smaller cans often burn off all the meths before the water’s boiling. Also I find the pressure ‘driven’ ones (i.e. not double skinned but with just a small fill hole in the top) frustratingly hard to prime, any tips?

At the end of the day though I’m much happier with a Trangia burner ‘cos you can easily adjust the flame to simmer and any unburned meths is stored securly inside the burner until it’s needed again.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/trangia/

Took me a few mins to locate the Outdoorsmagic page, but here it is, just in case anyone else is struggling

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gear-features/make-your-own-meths-burner/6227.html

Some more…

Coke Can Stove by fantasticmrmatt, on Flickr

Coke Can Stove by fantasticmrmatt, on Flickr

Coke Can Stove by fantasticmrmatt, on Flickr

Coke Can Stove by fantasticmrmatt, on Flickr

Im loving those pics, Ive got our production team at work knocking out a couple of stoves tomorrow 😉

Tiger – nice stove you’ve made there, how quick does it boil 500ml of water?

how quick does it boil 500ml of water?

Hmmmm not sure, will have to time it. All I’ve worked out is that it takes 1 old 35mm camera film pod of meths to boil a full MyTiMug

I like this design

http://ygingras.net/b/2007/6/a-better-soda-can-stove

I use a tin lid as a priming pan and a penny to cover the hole to pressurize. Sainsburies transnational lemonade cans are good can to use. No embossing and a good lip on the base like pepsi cans. Plus traditional lemonade > pepsi.

Does my bum look big in this… 🙄

Anyone used on of these Fusion bags before

Thats an ideal starter for 10!

edyeah looked and looked for something but unless you opt for a US saddle bag there doesnt seem many on the market…!!

s8tannorm has an ortlieb one that looks quite good too

New to this ‘adventure racing’ malarky, so had a bit of a test-fit of some kit planning for some 2-3 day trips this year.

3/4 mat, sleeping bag and bivvy bag in the drybag under the bars = 1675g. Otrlieb saddlebag ~330g (probably use for dry clothes – will force me to pack light!).

Full frame bag in progress at the mo, then probably strap a bottle cage under the down tube to augment my 2 litre Camelbak.

Dyffers, which size Ortlieb bag do you have in that pic ??

‘Large’, claimed as 2.7 litres, but with the roll-up end and some bulging I reckon there’s more capacity that that.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ortlieb-large-saddle-bag/

The bracket is a bit lightweight – I’ll put a strap around it and the seatrails probably, but it tapers away from the legs nicely.

I’ve got one of those saddlebags (as IanB said) … I know what you mean about the bracket Dyffers but I’ve carried all kinds in it and it’s held up fine. The biggest problem I had was when I fitted the bracket back to front once … bag still fits on but then won’t come off!

@pedalhead and @didnothingfatal

The feedbags are good, but the service is shocking! Mine took three months with no response to numerous emails. Did get a second one for free though as they acknowledged the crap service! I use them on most rides not just multiday rides

An alternative if you are still looking for some feedbags – not used myself but you could try Handlebar Buckets

How are they attached?

Do you think a climbing chalk bag might work (£11)

yeah I ordered one of the Mountain Feed bags a couple of weeks ago. Sent them an email. Nothing. Sounds like previous comments about shocking service were not a one off!!

pedalhead – was that through Eric at Revelate… I got some stuff off him earlier in the year and was willing to wait and yep – a long time coming BUT worth the wait. I think he’s had a kid in the last 6 months so that may slow him up a bit (one man & one dog band I think).

I thought the handlebar buckets might be an alternative but no idea on turnaround there either….. sorry.

Chalk bag might be a little small/soft and may need another attachment – I know you can get big one (mainly for bouldering i.e. not worn on your back) that might be a bit more rigid (and maybe too big).

I see another off the peg build opportunity for Wildcat bags here.

I emailed the nice man who makes the buckets … Troy, I think he’s called. Seems on the ball, quick to reply and more than happy to ship to the UK, 1 or 2 bags was $15 shipping I recall.

Cheers Stu – I might go for that too and a quicker service than others mentioned, Mark

Whos got what sleeping bags? Been thiking about the Alpkit one, the problem Ive got is Im 23inches across the shoulders and I dont want it to tight??

Alpkit are all sold out of sleeping bags 🙁

Yeah bit gutted about that, just wondered what everyone else has? I cant be the only one with wide shoulders.. Its seem they do one that fits but its a long and Im only 5.10

Depends what I’m doing/what time of year it is.

Spring/Autumn – Golite 4 degree down bag.

Winter – Deuter Atmosphere down bag.

If I think I’m going to get wet then I’ll sustitute for Nanok syntehetic bags and suffer the weight. The Deueter is pretty roomy (not that I’m a giant) but the Golites are quite snug.

Nice lightweight Rab Neutrino MM down bag for the summer (I have an older version) – very lightweight but drawback is no zip so can get a bit hot occasionally (I roll it down obviously)… I think they came in a couple of sizes and I’m not small (190cm) – probably quite broad too but it’s just snug (sizes on web page abouve)

Marmot 4 season down bag for winter/autumn/trekking etc. – I can get extra stuff on inside it for when it’s really cold (Alpine bivvy/Tibetan monastries etc.) so it can’t be too small.

Seem to be the very lightweight bags you’ll have an issue with but like I said Rab have sizes on their sites and you can always get in one in a shop to try it out (that’s what I’ve done)

Bigface0_0 – have you a link to that Fusion bag please? What do you think of it? Thanks. 🙂

99percentchimp – Member

pedalhead – was that through Eric at Revelate… I got some stuff off him earlier in the year and was willing to wait and yep – a long time coming BUT worth the wait. I think he’s had a kid in the last 6 months so that may slow him up a bit (one man & one dog band I think).

nah, I ordered from the actual Mountain Bag guy. I wish I’d known at the time that Eric stocked them as he’s been great for all my other bags, whereas this guy’s continuing lack of response is taking the piddle.

Sleeping bags…I use a Western Mountaineering Summerlite. Expensive as all hell but I got a good deal from Webtogs with a Neoair matress. The bag is good down to zero or so, plus really light & packs down nice & small, which is rather what you’re paying for with this kind of bag.

I’ve got a Rab Alpine 300 – not sure they do these any more, but 300g of down, differential fill. I specced it short and with no zip to save weight – think it’s just over 600g. It’s fine down to about freezing, or just below. I also have a Rab Quantum 200 (500g) which is OK down to about +5. It’s more roomy than the Alpine, so I can put the Alpine inside it for a winter bag, which worked very well on the Welsh Winter Bivvy in December, where it was proper cold.

Tiger – best chalkbag I found to substitute as a feed bag is the Boreal Night Chalkbag (£14):

I’ve yet to sew a couple of straps to it, but it looks like it’ll work really well. For sense of scale, it’ll take a 750ml bike bottle and the draw cord tightens up right around the narrow bit of the bottle neck.

Bigface0_0, I’ve got one of those bags for commuting, but haven’t used it yet. I think I prefer the look of the Ortlieb saddlebag or the larger ones mentioned in the first age or so.

cinnamon_girl: I’ve not taken it out yet but its seems massive. Its well made and should be handy for the next bivi trip, I got mine of Ebay for £10… They dont seem to come up the often..

C-G if you want mine you can have it for £12 posted. It’s unused, I paid £15 for it last year.

e mails in profile if you want it

cheers

Chucky

chucky if C-G doesn’t want it I would like it please 😀

assuming it is like this??

http://www.pedalpowerclitheroe.co.uk/prods/altura-fusion-day-pack-cycle-luggage.html

yip, thats the one.

I’ll let you know if CG doesn’t have it

Thanks for replies. To be honest it’s something I would prefer to have a good look at to decide whether the size would work.

I have been impressed with the Ortlieb products though and being completely waterproof is essential!

valleydaddy – it’s yours. 🙂