Whether you are starting out in your DofE journey or wanting to get outdoors more, the Trangia Stove is the ultimate choice! For decades, the Project X Team have been using Trangias for camping trips, day hikes, DofE expeditions and even an outdoor coffee break at our HQ. For some, seeing a Trangia can seem daunting, not sure where to start with assembling, what you can cook and the most effective way to pack and carry the stove. So here’s our guide to how to use a Trangia – with a spirit burner.
Trangia Stove – 25 vs 27
The main difference between the 25 and 27 series is the size. The Trangia 25 Series is the larger stove and the 27 Series is smaller. It’s a little confusing as you would probably expect the bigger number to be the bigger stove!
The Trangia 25 Series is designed for 3-4 people and the Trangia 27 Series is designed for 1-2 people. Both Trangias contain the same stuff; a windshield, spirit burner, 2 saucepans, a frying pan, a kettle and a grip handle.
For DofE groups, we recommend carrying two or three smaller Trangias for a number of reasons. This means you can have a Trangia per tent, you can split up a Trangia easily between two or three people (we will talk more about that later), it encourages teamwork – everyone can have the opportunity to cook and it’s handy if you want to use multiple pans for cooking or if someone in your team has a dietary requirement.
Setting Up a Trangia
It doesn’t matter if you are using a 25 or 27 Series, they are all the same to set up for cooking.
There’s a few steps to follow to safely set up your trangia:
- Find a flat area of ground with little to no debris or leaves.
- To assemble the main stove, you will need the two windshields – the upper and lower windshields. These fit on top of each other. One on top of each other, twist for them to lock. This gives you a sturdy stove to work with.
- If you are going to use a saucepan or kettle on the stove, make sure the pan supports are flicked down inside the windshield. If you are going to use a frying pan, flick the pan supports up – this will allow air to still move around the pan and means you won’t smother the burner.
- Next, you will need your spirit burner. There are a few different pieces that make up the spirit burner – you have the main burner, this is where you put the methylated spirit, you also have the screw cap and a simmer ring. Remove the cap and simmer ring and fill the burner up with methylated spirit.
- Carefully place the burner in the hole in the lower windshield. You can use the simmer ring to control how big your flame will be. Cover over part of the burner for a smaller flame, perfect for simmering or cooking over low heat, or keep the whole burner open, perfect for fast boiling or cooking over a much hotter heat.
- You can light the burner carefully with a match, lighter or flint and steel. Now you are ready to cook.
- Use the handle grip whilst cooking to steady the pan and to remove pans from the heat.
Trangia Safety
To safely put out the burner, you can either allow it to burn out completely or you can drop the cap on top of the burner carefully.
To refuel your burner, completely extinguish and allow to cool down. Once it is cold, you can refill the burner with the methylated spirit.
Do not place empty pans on the stove, they can melt.
Never leave your stove unattended. Be aware of the wind direction as the air holes in the lower windshield should be turned into the wind.
The spirit burner with fuel in it should not be packed in the stove during transportation, it can leak.
Packing a Trangia for Expedition
When you are heading off on a lightweight expedition, you will be focusing on keeping your kit weight down. At the end of the day, you will be carrying a backpack full of kit, so if you can keep what you carry to a minimum it will make your expedition a little bit easier.
We always recommend carefully think about what you will be using your Trangia for and what pieces you will be using. The normal rule of thumb is to carry:
- Upper and Lower Windshields
- 1 x Saucepan
- Frying Pan (it can be used as a lid to help you boil water faster)
- 2 x Spirit Burners (This means, if you need to refuel, you have a cold burner ready to fill up and use)
- 1 x Handle
By removing the kettle and second saucepan you can reduce the weight of your stove!
Obviously, if weight is not an issue for you there is no need to split up the stove and you can take the whole set on your trip.
Trangia Recipes
Trangia stoves are very versatile and there are lots of different recipes you can make. Here’s a few of our favourites:
- Risotto
- Spicy Vegetable Couscous
- Pasta and Sauce
- Breakfast Scrambled Eggs and Bacon
- Porridge
- Chilli and Rice
- Curry and Rice
For more tips about expedition food, check out our DofE Expedition Food Tips Blog.
Originally Published: 12th April 2016 | Content Updated: 12th April 2021
