Warm Food


Those fancy portable kitchens

Environmentally sound and convenient the trekking stove is an absolute necessity in the berg. Fortunately, like tents, one can often share with others, and although it is really useful to have your own, as long as your trekking partners have a stove, the purchase of this relatively costly item can be delayed. It certainly would be useful to watch the various types in action, for the choice of stove is a personal thing, and each has its drawbacks and advantages. There are essential three types of stove, unpressurized liquid fuel, pressurized liquid fuel and gas.

Alcohol cookers are the cheapest, most reliable, but slowest of the three. They work well in all conditions, and I've used them for years with few complaints. They burn meths in liquid form, but are quite dependant on the quality of the fuel. Generally South Africa suffers poor quality fuels, which blackens pots and increases cook times. If you have the chance, get your hands on some ethanol to seriously increase performance.

Various companies make benzene/paraffin/petrol stoves. MSR make by far the best in this category, and all round are my personal favorite. Most South Africans only know the old optimus bombs, which have destroyed more than their fair share of meals, eyebrows and tents. MSR's are infinitely better, and although they still need priming, are a lot more predictable. If that stove roar is what you lust for, get the XGKII, which can deafen conversation. I personally prefer the Whipserlite, which is simpler to fix. Some people may beg to differ, but I find them easier to strip and clean, and are more stable than their more expensive counterparts. They are also more fuel efficient, an additional bonus.

Gas, the last option is easy to use and convenient, and often the best choice for weekend easy getaways. Fuel can be costly, but gas provides the most controllable flame and burns as quick as anything. In fact, modern gas stoves are possible the best choice all round for the berg. I stick to MSR simply because of my traveler's roots, rather than due to its convenience. As regards reliability, the alcohol cookers are infallible, MSR's clog often, but are easy to fix, and most gas stoves (I'm a Coleman fan with gas stoves) are durable, although when they stop working, that's pretty much it. All stoves need a good set of pots. Only the alcohol ones come with pots. Otherwise you'll need to invest some money. The cheapest aluminum pots will do with all but MSR stoves (which can melt the bottom) but will age quickly and look sad after only a few trips. Rumors abound as regards Altzimers disease and aluminum and Cr6+ poisoning from stainless steel. I think such scaremongering can safely be ignored. Still, buying good quality pots can negate a lot of these fears. Stainless steel cleans up nice, and is less prone to buckling. It loses out to Al as regards weight though. If you only go on shorts trips, and get the chance to clean gear properly between them, cheap pots will do the trick. The longer you spend away, the more the reward for good pots. If weight is an issue, and money flows like water, get a titanium cookset, which offers little in the way of cooking advantages other than brag value. As far as I'm concerned cutlery is a personal preference thing, and I have got by on stuff that was lying about. While I have the chance, a moments silence for my long lost spoon. I stole it from my university residence in '92 and it has been to most places mentioned on this site. Its swirled through the mountains of Africa, spooned British soup into my mouth and was filled with life-giving stodge in Patagonia. It lies now lost but not forgotten in the sands of the banks of the Rio Ichilo fives days paddling from the nearest port. Few spoons have had as exciting a life, or as lonesome a death. Hail the spoon. And never once did I yearn for any other spoon. So what you use at home should be fine. If you want to go out and buy purpose made stuff, well, it'll work too.