Kitchen

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.

knife

Knife chat: Victorinox Pioneer X and Pioneer Farmer

The Pioneer X and Farmer each provide one additional tool over their two-layer cousins. That extra tool, either scissors or saw, may be enough to tempt you

Cooking

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.

Cooking

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.

Knife chat

Knife chat: which to choose- scissors or pliers? Why not have both, with the NexTool Mini Flagship multi-tool

The NexTool Mini Flagship is a unique option amongst keychain multi-tools. It provides a large pair of scissors together with pliers, alongside a small yet handy set of additional tools

knife

Knife chat: The Wenger Esquire and derivatives

The Wenger Esquire was a 65mm knife with blade, scissors and nailfile. There have been subsequent rebrands and changes over the years, many of which deserve consideration

Cooking

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

Cooking

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...

Gear

Knife chat: Victorinox 84mm Alox Bantam and Cadet

Two Victorinox models provide good options in a modest 84mm frame. Unburdened by unnecessary function, the single-layer Bantam is the simplest while the two-layer Cadet offers just a few more tools. Both models come with attractive alox scales and weigh very little.

Cooking

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.

Gear

Knife chat: Victorinox horticultural knives- do they have a place beyond the garden?

Victorinox have produced a wide range of specialised knives for horticultural purposes. Despite many specialised aspects, some of these knives can suit other purposes.

Cooking

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

Cooking

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

Cooking

Gear talk: The Soto Windmaster gas stove

The Soto Windmaster has proved to be a reliable and efficient performer and is now a first choice for three season use

Food

Knife chat: the Swiss Classic Foldable Paring Knives

Victorinox have looked at their kitchen knife range and produced two folding parers that may suit some campers with culinary aspirations

Cooking

Gear talk: The Flat Cat Gear Ocelot heat exchanger kit, with FMS-300T Hornet stove

The simple adapter plate from Flat Cat Gear enables a Fire Maple stove to be used with heat exchanger pots

knife

Knife chat: No.07 Mon Premier Opinel

No.7 My First Opinel is an affordable introduction for inexperienced young people to learn safe knife use

Food

Trail talk: food resupply

A look at food resupply strategy in the UK

Gear

Knife chat: Slim, attractive… No, not me, it’s the often overlooked Victorinox Excelsior

Victorinox still offer a much overlooked slim and simple knife in their 84mm range. This is the Excelsior

Food

Gear talk: Playing with fire…

Three Points of the Compass has used stoves of various types, that have relied on a variety of fuels, over the years. In recent times I have become less fussed […]