Cooking Systems for Hiking
Not long ago, hiking life was quite simple – a pot boils over a campfire, and hungry tourists sit around with aluminum bowls and burning eyes))). But gradually, the infamous comfort began to take root among the rugged people in weather-beaten jackets. First came the gasoline stove, then gas burners, and now there is a real variety – hiking kitchens for every taste and budget! It would seem that you can choose and be happy! But there is no limit to perfection, and soon the minds of brilliant (and not so brilliant) designers began to swarm with cunning ideas to make the hiking gas stove even more convenient, and most importantly – more economical! To avoid raising the planet's temperature, and to direct most of the energy from the gas burned in the nozzle towards cooking the desired dish in the pot. It is clear that reduced heat losses mean two immediate benefits – fuel savings and reduced boiling time of water.
By the time kitchen systems appeared, cookware with an integrated heat exchanger was already known – a special radiator effectively "captures" heat from the burner and transfers it to the pot, which then heats what is inside it. Fuel savings are about 30%.
Wind Protection
What else affects efficiency? In real outdoor cooking conditions, air movement – wind – greatly influences the effectiveness of the kitchen. In a well-protected area from the wind, water boils significantly faster. To protect against the wind, either a standalone windscreen or special screens integrated into the cookware or burner are usually used. Each of these solutions has its own advantages and disadvantages.
A standalone windscreen is maximally versatile; we can use it with different devices, and if necessary, it can be left at home. In the field, with a rich tourist imagination, you can come up with some other use for it. But!
It is quite heavy and takes up additional space. It may not always be possible to set it up due to the peculiarities of the micro-relief. Another important point! When using a standalone windscreen with burners mounted on a canister, you may either lack the height of the windscreen (on a tall canister) or, conversely, risk overheating the canister (which can be dangerous with a full canister).
An integrated windscreen will fit your device perfectly; it is always with you, and this is its main convenience.
Author of the article: Sergey Lahotsky.
Miscellaneous