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Gear talk: Heat Exchanger pots

What do heat exchanger pots have to offer the lightweight backpacker? Are they any more efficient, and if so, does this compensate for the increased weight, bulk and expense? Three Points of the Compass takes a glance at some of those available.

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Gear talk: my backpacking gear for spring in the UK

A glance at the gear Three Points of the Compass has packed for a weeks wander across Lowland Scotland. I have a mix of official campsites and wildcamping, and because this is in May, I can anticipate low to mid-high temperatures and dry or wet conditions.

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Gear talk: cleaning the generator tube on a multi-fuel stove

Some stoves require just a little maintenance to keep them operating optimally. Liquid or multi-fuel stoves often feature a generator loop where liquid fuel is vaporised. This occasionally requires internal carbon deposits removing. It isn't a difficult task if carried out before it becomes a problem.

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Gear talk: looking at canister top ‘stove systems’ and stability

Many backpackers will simply buy what is reviewed as the […]

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Gear talk: Fire Maple Blade, Blade 2 and Volcano remote canister stoves

Three Points of the Compass looks at three similar remote canister stoves from Fire Maple- the FMS-117T Blade, FMS-117H Blade 2 and FMS-118 Volcano. These stoves range from three-season, to lightweight four-season, to heavier weight four-season options. There isn't a bad stove amongst them.

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Gear talk: Fire Maple Hornet II stove

The Fire Maple Hornet II canister top gas stove is intended as an upgrade to the popular smaller and lighter Hornet and is safer when used with wider pots and pans

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Gear talk: The Edelrid Hexon multi-fuel stove

It has been a few years since Three Points of the Compass purchased this multi-fuel stove specifically for more challenging sub-zero winter backpacking trips. My terrific Edelrid Hexon stove has seen far too little use due to a series of mild winters coinciding with improvements in gas stove design

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Gear talk: stuff I don’t use any more- fold flat tableware

Three Points of the Compass takes a glance inside the gear locker at some items of kit that don't see much use today, if at all. Orikaso was a range of fold flat tableware from a company that had vision but ultimately failed.

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Gear talk: Vesuv titanium windshield

A new purchase- a simple titanium windshield sized to fit my favourite Evernew pan. It may be expensive, but improved efficiency is something always to be sought.

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Gear talk: Fire Maple FMS-116 and FMS-116T gas stoves

Some backpackers prefer a wide burner head on their gas stoves. This feature can add both weight and bulk to a cook kit, but not always. Two canister top options from Fire Maple have proven themselves as reliable performers over the years, one is light and expensive, the other is heavier and cheaper, the choice is yours.

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Gear talk: Aspen 4- a cleaner burning option for multi-fuel stoves

The whole point of a multi-fuel stove is that it gives you options. One fuel may be more suited to colder conditions, another may permit better simmering, one could be the cheapest option, another may be the only fuel available. Aspen 4 is amongst the very best of fuel options for a liquid fuel stove.

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Gear talk: the Fire Maple FMS-300T ‘Hornet’ gas stove

The Fire Maple FMS-300T gas stove is a well made product from a manufacturer with many years of experience in producing stoves. This particular stove has been on their catalogue for ten years now. In that time Fire Maple have sold tens of thousands of them and they remain a favourite for those looking for a truly lightweight small burner, specifically for heating water rather than cooking. In operation, the stove benefits greatly with protection from the wind and if treated with due care should perform faultlessly for many years. While not the cheapest, or the most efficient, or even lightest for that matter, the FMS-300T will fill a particular niche more than adequately.

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Gear talk: fitting the Edelrid Hexon stove to the Trangia Stormcooker

The Trangia Stormcooker is old school efficiency. Many people now fit a gas burner or multi-fuel stove inside it. Installing an Edelrid Hexon multi-fuel burner is easily done with a handy little adapter.

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Trail talk: weighing fuel canisters

Three Points of the Compass believes there are two essential tools required when looking at fuel requirements for a backpacking trip. These are digital scales and a sharpie

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Gear talk- butane canister converter nozzles

Many will be aware that lindal valve gas canisters can be expensive, while bayonet connector butane cartridges can be much more affordable. There is a cheap, tiny, copper transfer nozzle available for putting the contents of one, in to the other...

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Gear talk: the G-Works Gas Saver Plus

The G-Works Gas Saver Plus is a handy little device for utilising cheap cartridges of butane, or gathering together the contents of almost empty canisters into one. Though simple to use, extreme care must be taken nonetheless.

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Gear talk: gas canister adaptors

Most backpacking stoves have lindal valve type connectors. Using an adapter opens up the possibility of using different canister types

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Gear talk: O-rings- check ’em!

Many of us will have managed to fit in a few weeks of backpacking this year and some gear might have been having a rough time of it. Beside cleaning, re-proofing and condition checking, think about including an inspection of the O-rings fitted to gas and multi-fuel stoves.

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Gear talk: The BRS 3000-T gas stove

The BRS 3000-T is possibly the smallest and lightest that a gas stove can practically be

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Trail food: Oxo stock cubes

A day hiking is followed by campsite selection, site selection is followed by putting a shelter up, then a pack explosion of gear, closely followed by brewing up a post hike drink. More often than not, this is a hot Oxo

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