It saves me having to carry fuel and well, I like the smell of the things. Above treeline is above fuel line so never plan on using a wood burner as an alpinist stove.
I have bought or built several types of woodies, from simple Hobo type "vented" cans to the POCKET COOKER (see page in this Blog for review). Now I have the chance to use the SWISS RANGER. The Ranger is little more then an aluminium vented Hobo can, but it has some interesting features.
First and most notably, it comes as a kit. The stove is equipped with "Corked" aluminium bottle, deep canteen cup and a neat bail that is designed to be both a handle and support for the cup/bottle while in the cooking mode.
First and most notably, it comes as a kit. The stove is equipped with "Corked" aluminium bottle, deep canteen cup and a neat bail that is designed to be both a handle and support for the cup/bottle while in the cooking mode.
The stoves design is pretty slick. Standing seven inches tall(17.5 cm) it is manageable. It is formed with six stamped ridges into the body that make it crush resistant and give it good grasping characteristics (when cool). Twelve draft holes circle the crown of the stove while ten circle it's base and a open fuel service window (1.5 inches by 2) make up for the missing two holes.
All in all the stove stokes and drafts quite well if not over fueled. Now that might just be an issue for some folk that don't want to sit and tend a stove while the water heats. Once a good bed of coals is established no great time tending is necessary.
The cup size is two standard cups and sports folding handles. It is tapered to allow the draft to bring heat (or flame) two thirds up it's sides, it gets hot (and sooty) but the top third is above the crown of the stove and remains reasonably clean enough for any hiker/camper to tolerate. The bottle appears to be approximately one liter and closely resembles a SIGG bottle...I wonder why that is?
The cup size is two standard cups and sports folding handles. It is tapered to allow the draft to bring heat (or flame) two thirds up it's sides, it gets hot (and sooty) but the top third is above the crown of the stove and remains reasonably clean enough for any hiker/camper to tolerate. The bottle appears to be approximately one liter and closely resembles a SIGG bottle...I wonder why that is?
In short, I like it. Oh it is black as a coal miners nose after the first use but that's nothing new for a wood burner. It can be a bit tipsy if you tried to put a larger pot on it (not recommended) this stove is a cup cooker/water heater. The bottle can be seated into the stove where it rests in a bent protrusion in the bail (neat idea) and a liter of tea can be boiled up in no time. The can is it's own wind break yet the draft holes really seem to pull in enough air to do the trick.I have not weighed the stove but have seen accounts on the Internet of it being about 15 oz, I don't think so.
The stove could just as easily be used with ESBIT,TRIOXANE or HEXAMINE fuel tabs/bars.
If you had a small enough ALCOHOL stove (Pop can type) could be dropped down the barrel of the stove and used that way. The stove's wind shielding features would only serve to help an alcohol stove.
Okay, these things are cheap. less then twenty bucks and if you really hunt around you may even find one for half that. Is it worth it? It sure is. Handy, inexpensive and lite, what else do you want? Lets not make more of it then it is, a nested stove, bottle and cup combo, but it is pretty neat equipment and at this price, worth a place on the stove shelf.
I hear folks on the Internet claim it is no easier then using a camp fire. I remind them that fire rings are frowned upon in some places and the concentrated heat source of a can stove saves fuel and makes for very easy clean up.
The Swiss Ranger has no carry bag so you might want to buy or make one to store it in. This will save you marking up the rest of your kit with soot streaks when you pack it up.
Safe travels
RJ
