Stoves for underground use

[Johnny]

Its probably a result of getting older but I have recently got into making brews underground.

Its extremely usefull for getting some warmth back when spending long periods of time in wet draughty digs.

Snowpeak titanium pan+lid+cup combo
MSR Pocket Rocket
One small propane/butane canister
MSR titanium fork & spoon (tarty but nice and light)

And it all fits into a small Darren Drum along with supernoodles, smash spare batteries etc.

I have also found that the best brew is hot chocolate made from sachets collected from your hotel rooms.

Also, on the subject of food, whats best; Supernoodles or Smash? I like supernoodles but they make Sam T want to vom.

 

[kay]

Those fancy cappuccino/latte sachets are good because they give yuou 'coffee' and 'milk' all in the one sachet.

 

[paul]

Smash - definitely. I thought Supernoodles were used as a packing material in cardboard boxes.

 

[paul]

We don't bother with the hassle of stoves - we bring hot water in a couple of stainless steel flasks and biscuits! Plus as it isn't a long way back to the surface from the dig, a brew break is a good excuse to get back into the fresh air for a while.

 

[darkplaces]

I voted supernoodles - food is about moral as unless your underground days working really hard you dont really really need to be eating high carb meals. Warm, tasty, some carbs, variety and your sorted. For trips with one off hot food breaks some people I know have used self-heating cans. I think they sit well at one or maybe two hot food breaks anymore and the advantage/weight to carry ratio is lost and you might as well bring all the cooking gear. However the cooking gear has the advantage of making a hot brew when needed, something that kept the British forces going.

I would use a fairly standard butain stove, less enviromental impact then hexyburner. Mini messtin, beans etc.

Quick Fact: Did you know tea was so important the goverment put in plans to make sure the flow of tea didnt stop even during and after a nuke war.

 

[Slug]

I went for the Noodles too, but only because Smash is a bit bland, I would'nt eat them in " real life " though
I have, on occasions, used a Peak 1 Petrol stove, but because of the fumes, I would'nt recomend it unless there is a good draught blowing.
A good alternative though, is to use, If you can get hold of them, Modern Military Ration Packs, such as the British "Compo" or the American M.R.E.'s( Meals, Ready to Eat, or 3 lies in one pack as they're known ) They not only have an excellent choice of Menu's,( a main meal, desert, and condiments,Incl. mini bottles of Tabasco :evil: ) but come with a solid block type chemical heater. You simply pop the meal into the bag, add water, and wait 5 mins. It has the added advantage of staying quite hot for some time, so can be used to warm up the Caver too.. The M.R.E.'s come in a waterproof plastic bag approx 300 x 150 x 30 mm, and can last for Years,so long, that they can be left in a Kit Dump on site as emergency munchies. They cost about a fiver, You just have to ignore the bumf on the packet about it being U.S. Govt. property,and a Federal Offence to re-sell them.
Oh, and Darkplaces, in 1943 the British Government bought up the entire WORLDS crop of Tea...faced with that the Hun just caved in

 

[dunc]

Only ever used a lightweight stove underground once and that was in Smallcleugh Mine, good old Pot Noodles! :roll:

I can never be bothered dragging around the extra weight/bulk of stove/gas/food/etc in caves/pots - its bad enough carrying tackle and camera without more stuff to worry about. But I would consider it in a mine again as thats easy going.

And I went for supernoodles (they smell damn good when cooking) - smash on its own sounds bland, do you put anything with it when you eat it?

 

[cap n chris]

I don't think I've ever witnessed anyone cooking underground - certainly the caves round here are over and done with before you're likely to get peckish. Perhaps a long Box Mine trip might justify stopping for a flask of weak lemon drink but can't think of anywhere else round here.

 

[Slug]

Good point Cap'n., but if You're on a deep/Long dig, say Darren, where it's Impractical to "whizz in and Whizz out" quickly, it has its merits. Agreed, Caves on The Hill are not that Huge, but they are in other places

 

[cap n chris]

Mind you, having said that, on a practice rescue (scenario: cave diver in Gough's river system) at Lloyd Hall I had some magic MRO soup with added grit (accidentally, apparently) and it was the tastiest most gorgeous delicacy I've ever had the good fortune of sampling.

.... However, once out of the cave it instantly reverted to being bland, normal, putrid, packet soup which would make a senseless being have a gag reaction vomiting frenzy over; strange, that!

I reckon being underground seriously affects your tastebuds.

 

[andymorgan]

A nice cuppa soup mid trip can be better than sex!!!!!! It makes a nice change from crushed mars bar!!

 

[Slug]

What, sex mid-trip, isnt there a grit problem to be considered?. Still if you're young enough and fit enough, who am I to question it

 

[cap n chris]

can be better than sex

With you, perhaps, but not with me.

 

[SamT]

I think johnnys original post was incorrect - Smash is infact the work of the Devil - I can barley swallow it without gagging - so imagine my delight when thats what John had brought for our overnight underground Camp in Bagshawe last weekend. :crying:

Super noodles rock however. They have more energy that pasta per 100 gram - taste wicked nice, Have at least some texture that you can chew - rather than smash which just sticks to every surface in your mouth.

I think the results of the poll are starting to prove I'm right.

 

[Johnny]

I went for the Noodles too, but only because Smash is a bit bland, I would'nt eat them in " real life " though

A good alternative though, is to use, If you can get hold of them, Modern Military Ration Packs, such as the British "Compo" or the American M.R.E.'s

Smash now comes in a variety of flavours, the cheese one is quite good :wink:

I have eaten both American and UK Rat Packs and they are excellent, packed with salt & sugar they are great if you can get hold of them but Smash is definitely the way ahead
And it takes less time than Supernoodles

 

[SamT]

food is about morale

absolutly - and smash tastes like and has the texture of pure sh!t. (not that Ive ever tasted pure sh!t - but i can guess that it probably tastes like smash.

Its a well know fact that eating sh!t is bad for morale.

and your billy can is a lot easier to wash after noodles, should you prehaps fancy a desert course of Hot chocolate.

Still - 2/7, Noodles still comfortably ahead there.

 

[twllddu]

Anyone else tried flavoured cous cous ? I not a great fan, but if your stove packs up it will still hydrate with cold water unlike dry noodles or smash granules.

 

[AndyF]

I hate expensive, fiddly little stoves like MSR's that need any skill and practice to get going and seem to block up if you stare at them for ten minutes. If you want proof, then send your mate who has never used one back to camp, then arrive an hour later to find cold food and an apologetic "I couldn't light the stove"

I just use a £5.99 Camping gas stove, with screw on re-sealable cylinders. They take 2 seconds to light (even by an idjut), are instantly controlable and with the propane/butane mix cylinders give good heat at low temperatures. You can get "fuel" almost anywhere for about £1 a shot. You don't need a spanner, a pricker, a heat shield, pump, pipes or any of the other "accessories" that seem essential for MSR's

I know it's not very "'ard" to use camping Gaz or EPIGas, but I want a stove not a fashion accessory.

MSR's are great for sub-zero altitude/alpine stuff, but for caves they really suck...

Oh, and since you chuck the cylinder, you can take them on planes. You aren't actually supposed to take MSR fuel bottles...

 

[cap n chris]

Perhaps I'm missing something but.... what's wrong with a good old bar of chocolate (or chewy nut "health-freak" bar)?

 

[SamT]

Hmmmm..... chocolate.

its deffo good - but for a long trip - maybe camping underground (think expedition) or an all day digging sesh - then you need some carbohydrate and more importantly some warmth.

I hate expensive, fiddly little stoves like MSR's etc etc...

I think you miss-understood - Johns got one of these baby's

http://www.msrcorp.com/stoves/pocket_rocket.asp

Ive got one these -

http://w01-0504.web.dircon.net/acatalog/Outdoor_Designs_Cookers.html

they are awsome - the stove & a gas canister fit perfectly (and I mean as though they were designed for it) into this

which easily fits into a small darren drum - along with all my food etc.

its the way forward and you know it makes sense