Hi all,
as the colder months will be upon us soon I am looking to invest in a mini outdoor stove and kettle. Heard the Carplife one is pretty good any guidance would be much appreciated.
as the colder months will be upon us soon I am looking to invest in a mini outdoor stove and kettle. Heard the Carplife one is pretty good any guidance would be much appreciated.
In reply to Post #1
Bulin T4, the Carplife and Trakker are both Bulin with added carp tax, as for kettle any light camping will do unless you need a carpy one.
Bulin T4, the Carplife and Trakker are both Bulin with added carp tax, as for kettle any light camping will do unless you need a carpy one.
In reply to Post #2
Bulin t4 and fire maple heat exchange 👌
Bulin t4 and fire maple heat exchange 👌
In reply to Post #1
if its just for brews and hot water for hot water bottles have a look at a jet boil or something similar,rapid water boil time and packs down neat and tidy
if its just for brews and hot water for hot water bottles have a look at a jet boil or something similar,rapid water boil time and packs down neat and tidy
In reply to Post #1
I have a couple of the Heat exchanger kettles and think the best size is the smallest one the (0.7l) this makes 2 mugs I dont see any point in wasting gas boiling too much water I have the bigger one but no point in taking it
TICK the 10% off voucher and it drops to 21 quid at checkout LINKY POO
I have a couple of the Heat exchanger kettles and think the best size is the smallest one the (0.7l) this makes 2 mugs I dont see any point in wasting gas boiling too much water I have the bigger one but no point in taking it
TICK the 10% off voucher and it drops to 21 quid at checkout LINKY POO
In reply to Post #1
I have a jet boil and a petrol sportster. Mate who I went with last night has a T4, long time since I give up with gas due to it been crap in the cooler weather, turn the bottle upside down and it preheats it, T4 is a tidy bit of kit, when the petrol finally packs up I think I will buy a T4, saying that they will probably be discontinued by then
I have a jet boil and a petrol sportster. Mate who I went with last night has a T4, long time since I give up with gas due to it been crap in the cooler weather, turn the bottle upside down and it preheats it, T4 is a tidy bit of kit, when the petrol finally packs up I think I will buy a T4, saying that they will probably be discontinued by then
In reply to Post #6
I tend to swerve anything rebadged for the carptax reasons and tend to buy from focused manufacturers with that sort of thing if i can but i can thoroughly recommend the Soto fusion trek stove which is what I've used for quite a while for my session fishing with either the trangia small aluminium kettle or the primus small kettle, very well made and has excellent simmer control due to a very fine threaded valve system. I also have the optimus terra solo and crux lite stove set for my day sessions, the latter I've had for a long long time and its extremely quick even in very cold conditions. A friend of mine has the later optimus terra weekend he set with the same stove and its even better. They are probably a few pounds dearer than the carp brands but the reliability and performance is important to me as i travel fair distances to my venues so i don't want to worry about kit letting me down. I have had the original primus stoves and also the go systems which were excellent but have had problems with more recent versions and although you can get some unbranded chinese versions on the bigger selling sites, i have found these to be a bit temperamental and also sometimes sold under brands trading off what was once excellent an name. After all that rambling I haven't tried the Bulin to be fair so they may well be a good shout, they have certainly got a following on this forum which probably speaks volumes
I tend to swerve anything rebadged for the carptax reasons and tend to buy from focused manufacturers with that sort of thing if i can but i can thoroughly recommend the Soto fusion trek stove which is what I've used for quite a while for my session fishing with either the trangia small aluminium kettle or the primus small kettle, very well made and has excellent simmer control due to a very fine threaded valve system. I also have the optimus terra solo and crux lite stove set for my day sessions, the latter I've had for a long long time and its extremely quick even in very cold conditions. A friend of mine has the later optimus terra weekend he set with the same stove and its even better. They are probably a few pounds dearer than the carp brands but the reliability and performance is important to me as i travel fair distances to my venues so i don't want to worry about kit letting me down. I have had the original primus stoves and also the go systems which were excellent but have had problems with more recent versions and although you can get some unbranded chinese versions on the bigger selling sites, i have found these to be a bit temperamental and also sometimes sold under brands trading off what was once excellent an name. After all that rambling I haven't tried the Bulin to be fair so they may well be a good shout, they have certainly got a following on this forum which probably speaks volumes
In reply to Post #7
I agree mate, the T4 does seem to have a good reputation, I would trust the majority of the feedback on here from real users and after seeing one, they look very good
I agree mate, the T4 does seem to have a good reputation, I would trust the majority of the feedback on here from real users and after seeing one, they look very good
T4 is a great stove the only issue is ridgemonkey pans fall off it very easily so i bought a cheap stove stand from teemu
In reply to Post #9
I'll have to have a look for one of those stands, I have to balance the RM handle on the gas bottle and be careful not to tip it.
As for the stove.. t4 and I have a 1.5 cup wychwood kettle (£10) lovely and compact
I'll have to have a look for one of those stands, I have to balance the RM handle on the gas bottle and be careful not to tip it.
As for the stove.. t4 and I have a 1.5 cup wychwood kettle (£10) lovely and compact
I alternate between my T4 and a jetboil
In reply to Post #10
I hope this might help - My other hobby is climbing and there's some good kit aimed at that market.
Alpkit Koro stove is probably the smallest and lightest one out there. Has a preheat tube and a flexible hose so you can turn the bottle upside-down.
https://alpkit.com/products/koro?variant=31073014612073
Fire Maple also make well regarded stoves pretty much the same, and some cheaper ones without the titanium bits that weigh a tiny bit more. (never owned one, but I have seen a few being used by climbers)
If you dump the kettle for a small pan, the stove can travel inside the pan....
Those Jetboils and heat exchanger kettles are both good fast ways to boil water, but honestly using a windguard and a small pan with a lid is so close it makes no real difference, weighs less, packs smaller and easier to clean after porridge.
Mountain kit has a tax the same as carp kit.
I'd say the alpkit stove is worth it, i've had two in 20 years and only bought the second because of a hose failure that could probably have been fixed.
Pans and windshields from cheaper brands like Vango are absolutely fine.
One thing to note, if you go down the ultra-light stove route then you do have to take a little more care. A lot easier to knock over than most of the kit carpers use.
I hope this might help - My other hobby is climbing and there's some good kit aimed at that market.
Alpkit Koro stove is probably the smallest and lightest one out there. Has a preheat tube and a flexible hose so you can turn the bottle upside-down.
https://alpkit.com/products/koro?variant=31073014612073
Fire Maple also make well regarded stoves pretty much the same, and some cheaper ones without the titanium bits that weigh a tiny bit more. (never owned one, but I have seen a few being used by climbers)
If you dump the kettle for a small pan, the stove can travel inside the pan....
Those Jetboils and heat exchanger kettles are both good fast ways to boil water, but honestly using a windguard and a small pan with a lid is so close it makes no real difference, weighs less, packs smaller and easier to clean after porridge.
Mountain kit has a tax the same as carp kit.
I'd say the alpkit stove is worth it, i've had two in 20 years and only bought the second because of a hose failure that could probably have been fixed.
Pans and windshields from cheaper brands like Vango are absolutely fine.
One thing to note, if you go down the ultra-light stove route then you do have to take a little more care. A lot easier to knock over than most of the kit carpers use.
In reply to Post #12
I have to agree with OG . The smaller 0.7 is ideal - fill it up for 2 cups also filling it up to the top is perfect for a fox hot water bottle . The Bulin t4 is ideal all year round . I would add like any gas stove choose you gas make to suit the time of year . I will stop using Coleman gas over the next few weeks and go over to ‘go system' gas which is much better in the colder months .
I have to agree with OG . The smaller 0.7 is ideal - fill it up for 2 cups also filling it up to the top is perfect for a fox hot water bottle . The Bulin t4 is ideal all year round . I would add like any gas stove choose you gas make to suit the time of year . I will stop using Coleman gas over the next few weeks and go over to ‘go system' gas which is much better in the colder months .
In reply to Post #1
cheapest I could find the Bulin T4 stove is here and its a great place to buy it from too as its free delivery and in the unlikely event it went wrong its free returns too
LINKY POO
cheapest I could find the Bulin T4 stove is here and its a great place to buy it from too as its free delivery and in the unlikely event it went wrong its free returns too
LINKY POO
Another mountain tip...
Those chemical hand warmers are a good way to get the gas canister warmed if it's too cold for them to be behaving nicely.
Those chemical hand warmers are a good way to get the gas canister warmed if it's too cold for them to be behaving nicely.
I got a Firemaple buzz a few weeks back for £12 offa Amazon. It was boiling water quicker than my brothers t4 this weekend, both were getting low on gas but the firemaple just kept going at full wack despite my brother turning his gas bottle upside down.
In reply to Post #16
It's a good looking burner attachment but that type that fit above the canister will always be unstable and too risky for bivvy cooking.
Bulin t4 for me.
It's a good looking burner attachment but that type that fit above the canister will always be unstable and too risky for bivvy cooking.
Bulin t4 for me.
Am I missing out by using a Colman or Trangia with a little ngt kettle. As opposed to the recommended bulin etc. I have not paid them much attention.
In reply to Post #18
Coleman will make a very quick brew but they will cremate bacon, as well as plenty of running issues.
Trangia, waiting for a brew might be like waiting for a kidney transplant.
Bulin, just works perfectly with no grief. Gas is dearer than petrol but much less to worry about.
Coleman will make a very quick brew but they will cremate bacon, as well as plenty of running issues.
Trangia, waiting for a brew might be like waiting for a kidney transplant.
Bulin, just works perfectly with no grief. Gas is dearer than petrol but much less to worry about.
Love the Bulin T4, so much so that I brought a second one two years back that I've not got out the box yet 
First one is going strong still!
First one is going strong still!
In reply to Post #18
I love using one of my Trangia`s I dont give a flying F*** how long it takes to boil a kettle Im never in a hurry love the silence and simplicity Im very chilled when I go fishing big smile
when I used to go on up to a month fishing trips in europe my Trangia was purely for brews and always left in the open outside it works even better on windy days
and a coleman double burner and griddle plate for cooking food on
I love using one of my Trangia`s I dont give a flying F*** how long it takes to boil a kettle Im never in a hurry love the silence and simplicity Im very chilled when I go fishing big smile
when I used to go on up to a month fishing trips in europe my Trangia was purely for brews and always left in the open outside it works even better on windy days
and a coleman double burner and griddle plate for cooking food on
T4 is a great cheap stove but I tend to use a Jetboil Minimo now as it super compact great for cooking and boiling water
The T4 is highly regarded by a lot of folk and a good price too.
My personal experience, it depends how cold it could be when out fishing. If near freezing or below I'd always use liquid fuel including gas (inverting cannister). I'd never buy a stove I can't service on the bank and if not jic take a back up. I tend to buy proven mountaineering stoves because that's my preference, though they can be at the expensive end though hold value well.
Coleman Sportster had one for years, bit bulky, my 1st stove.
MSR Dragonfly, very powerful & loud, use with a damping cap very quiet and very controllable. liquid fuel only, mines as good as the day it was bought 20 odd years ago.
Present stove, maybe 7 years, Primus Omnilite Ti, most versatile stove I have, runs on liquids and gas. I have a damper fitted to it to.
Optimus Vega, gas only but can invert, good stove for boiling water.
Fire Maple, I wouldn't touch with your barge pole I posted on the forum and YouTube a video of my brand new FM stove leaking liquid gas, absolute death trap 
Maybe I was unlucky, not really the case and one of the reasons I stick to well regarded brands, companies who know there stuff in that field, not angling companies trying to cash in.
Note re liquid gas stoves, I'm told they're easy to regulate but thats not my experience, they tend to be all or nothing, so I only use mine for boiling and not cooking.
Totally agree with Gerry re 0.7ltr HE Kettle. I prefer a separate kettle as opposed to climbing type kettle/pot combos, can't stand tainting my tea...each to their own.
EDIT, to minimise flare ups in cold conditions I prime my Dragonfly/Omnilite with meths, burns with a blue flame, miles better than illuminating the whole area.
My personal experience, it depends how cold it could be when out fishing. If near freezing or below I'd always use liquid fuel including gas (inverting cannister). I'd never buy a stove I can't service on the bank and if not jic take a back up. I tend to buy proven mountaineering stoves because that's my preference, though they can be at the expensive end though hold value well.
Coleman Sportster had one for years, bit bulky, my 1st stove.
MSR Dragonfly, very powerful & loud, use with a damping cap very quiet and very controllable. liquid fuel only, mines as good as the day it was bought 20 odd years ago.
Present stove, maybe 7 years, Primus Omnilite Ti, most versatile stove I have, runs on liquids and gas. I have a damper fitted to it to.
Optimus Vega, gas only but can invert, good stove for boiling water.
Fire Maple, I wouldn't touch with your barge pole
I posted on the forum and YouTube a video of my brand new FM stove leaking liquid gas, absolute death trap Maybe I was unlucky, not really the case and one of the reasons I stick to well regarded brands, companies who know there stuff in that field, not angling companies trying to cash in.Note re liquid gas stoves, I'm told they're easy to regulate but thats not my experience, they tend to be all or nothing, so I only use mine for boiling and not cooking.
Totally agree with Gerry re 0.7ltr HE Kettle. I prefer a separate kettle as opposed to climbing type kettle/pot combos, can't stand tainting my tea...each to their own.
EDIT, to minimise flare ups in cold conditions I prime my Dragonfly/Omnilite with meths, burns with a blue flame, miles better than illuminating the whole area.
In reply to Post #8
Great piece of kit, but please always check the gas connectors on your T4. I've had my gas hose catch flame twice now, because it is not properly connected to the stove. It happened outside thankfully, but its a major safety issue and manufacturing fault imo. Please do some deep searching, because more people seem to have had serious safety issues with their various types of Bulins.
Great piece of kit, but I'll never use it anywhere near my bivvy again.
Great piece of kit, but please always check the gas connectors on your T4. I've had my gas hose catch flame twice now, because it is not properly connected to the stove. It happened outside thankfully, but its a major safety issue and manufacturing fault imo. Please do some deep searching, because more people seem to have had serious safety issues with their various types of Bulins.
Great piece of kit, but I'll never use it anywhere near my bivvy again.
In reply to Post #22
I have that one, very good but pricey
I have that one, very good but pricey
I've got a Bulin T4 and a Trangia but finding I tend to use the Trangia more often than not. Yes it is slower to boil the kettle but I've never been in a situation where the extra couple of minutes has made a difference plus it's not affected by the weather. Spent too much time pissing about with gas canisters trying to get them warmed up or tipping upside down etc to get a decent flame, the Trangia you just fill and away you go. It's also a lot quieter.
If it's for hot drinks only and not cooking then there is no better system than the jetboil minimo - it's just an unbelievable stove. I have loads of stoves that I used to chop and change, but unless I am cooking which I don't often do this is the quickest most fuel efficient stove I've used.
In reply to Post #1
I had a T4 and it packed up pretty quick. Tried to take it apart and clean out but nackered. Would not buy another.
Bit bullet and bought a gardner stove and its been good so far. Use with the smallest Ridgemonkey kettle to save weight and size.
I had a T4 and it packed up pretty quick. Tried to take it apart and clean out but nackered. Would not buy another.
Bit bullet and bought a gardner stove and its been good so far. Use with the smallest Ridgemonkey kettle to save weight and size.
In reply to Post #28
The Gardner stove is made by bulin too
The Gardner stove is made by bulin too
I bought one of these a few months back and rate it, if you are looking for a tiny, lightweight kettle this titanium one is what you need
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175938064038?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=lzzht2geqje&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=qpbcb_gZRkW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175938064038?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=lzzht2geqje&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=qpbcb_gZRkW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
In reply to Post #28
Seems pot luck I know someone who had the same issues
Yet others No bother at all
Seems pot luck I know someone who had the same issues
Yet others No bother at all
In reply to Post #31
Seems pot luck
Yeah but you'd be steaming if you got a wrong un - proper boiling, even having the odd issue adds fuel to the fire, I have no burning passion to change mine as nothing is really spout of order
Seems pot luck
Yeah but you'd be steaming if you got a wrong un - proper boiling, even having the odd issue adds fuel to the fire, I have no burning passion to change mine as nothing is really spout of order
In reply to Post #27
You won't get better than the jetboil I have the zip over 10years boils water very very quick they are so compact gas with everything goes inside it's why the army use them there not cheap but worth it the new stash I have my eye on
You won't get better than the jetboil I have the zip over 10years boils water very very quick they are so compact gas with everything goes inside it's why the army use them there not cheap but worth it the new stash I have my eye on
In reply to Post #1
I use the Trangia 27 system with a gas burner. Recommend it, very compact.
I use the Trangia 27 system with a gas burner. Recommend it, very compact.
In reply to Post #34
Same here, it's perfect. Carry round a small bottle of bioethanol for when it goes below zero and you will never be caught out.
Same here, it's perfect. Carry round a small bottle of bioethanol for when it goes below zero and you will never be caught out.
In reply to Post #18
coleman are bang on IMO. use one all year round! haha.
boil water bloody quick, seriously hot if you get wet clothing or whatever, can be handy to fire up anthem cold mornings!
cook food fine and they do have flame modulation, its not all burning hot or nothing. never burned any bacon
coleman are bang on IMO. use one all year round! haha.
boil water bloody quick, seriously hot if you get wet clothing or whatever, can be handy to fire up anthem cold mornings!
cook food fine and they do have flame modulation, its not all burning hot or nothing. never burned any bacon
Coleman and a titan kettle, I've been running it on aspen fuel for 6 years on the same generator, aspen runs cleaner no more charcoal pans or kettle, and no replacement gennie, when I used to run my Coleman on unleaded I was changing the generator every 12 months, great all year round stoves
In reply to Post #34
Another vote for Trangia, if these things count at all..
It's not quiet, it's silent, and costs pennies to run on bioethanol. Works in the summer, works in the winter, and everything folds up nicely. What more could a middle-aged-no-rush angler want?
Another vote for Trangia, if these things count at all..
It's not quiet, it's silent, and costs pennies to run on bioethanol. Works in the summer, works in the winter, and everything folds up nicely. What more could a middle-aged-no-rush angler want?
In reply to Post #5
Good morning Gerry. Does a Bulin T4 fit inside the 1.3l Fire Maple kettle ?
Good morning Gerry. Does a Bulin T4 fit inside the 1.3l Fire Maple kettle ?
In reply to Post #27
Good bits of kit those minimo. All I use in late spring and summer when a quick brew is needed.
MSR Dragonfly for the winter months, awesome bit of kit and 2 litres of unleaded will last the winter.
Had to agree with those Fire Maples - dodgy bits of kit those, I had a leak at the screw end.
Good bits of kit those minimo. All I use in late spring and summer when a quick brew is needed.
MSR Dragonfly for the winter months, awesome bit of kit and 2 litres of unleaded will last the winter.
Had to agree with those Fire Maples - dodgy bits of kit those, I had a leak at the screw end.
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