Your Guide to Trangia Stoves

Learn why this iconic brand is still as good as ever.

You may have heard from campers of old that the only stove worth using while camping is a Trangia. In this article I discuss the benefits of the traditional Trangia and look at the downsides on this iconic brand.

A little bit of history

The Trangia company was founded in 1925 with the primary objective of manufacturing cooking pots. However, it wasn't until 1951 that they introduced the Trangia stove, which became one of their most well-known products. Over the years, the company made several modifications to their core product, the cooking pots.

Initially, Trangia used aluminium as the material for their pots. However, they encountered a problem where food would often burn onto the pan's surface, affecting the flavor of the cooked food. To address this issue, Trangia began coating their pans with Teflon, creating a non-stick range. This coating prevented food from sticking and made cleaning easier.

As time went on, Trangia continued to innovate and introduced new materials for their cooking pots. They started producing models made from hard-anodized aluminium, which provided enhanced durability and improved resistance to scratches. This material was also easier to clean, making it a popular choice among outdoor enthusiasts.

In addition to their consumer products, Trangia also manufactured the mess kit for the Swedish military. This involvement with the military further highlighted the company's reputation for producing reliable and high-quality cooking equipment.

Overall, Trangia started as a manufacturer of cooking pots in 1925, and in 1951, they introduced the Trangia stove. Throughout their development, they addressed issues with food sticking to the pans by introducing Teflon coatings and eventually expanded their range to include hard-anodized aluminium and ultralight aluminium options. Additionally, their association with the Swedish military through the production of mess kits further solidified Trangia's position as a trusted provider of cooking equipment.

What is a Trangia?

A Trangia is a cooking system containing every component required to cook on the go. The entire system including cooking pots, frying pan, stand and often the kettle fold away inside the main cooking pot making it not much bigger than the cooking pans carried generally when camping. The stove runs off cheap and e

easily available methylated spirit which is usually carried in an aluminium fuel bottle for safety and convenience or a gas attachment allowing you to use camping gas cylinders.. The liquid fuel is burned in a brass burner which is placed inside the stand providing it with stability, air flow and high wind resistance. When using gas a burner and regulator system provide the flame and attach in much the same position. It all depends on personal choice or environmental requirements as to which you go for.

The range

Since the early days of production the company has added to the core range offering a total of 40 combinations of sizes, materials and accessories to suit every Trek and Camp reader. In addition there are often special additions brought to the market.

The smallest available mode is the 27-1UL is the smallest of the systems available and is also the cheapest coming in at just under £60 for the spirit burning version. The system is part of the ultralight range and weighs only 690g. This set comes with the inner cooking pot and outer cooking pot but doesn't include the kettle. The pack size is 18cm in diameter and 10cm high.

At the other end of the scale a fully loaded 25-4 HA with a gas burner as opposed to a spirit burner is going to come out a shade under £200 with special edition kits going up much higher. The weight is 1.16kg, the height is 10.5cm and the diameter is 22 cm.

So what are the pros and cons of buying a Trangia?

What are to Cons?

The Trangia range is not for the camper or hiker on a budget.

I sometimes found the circular design

a little awkward to pack into my rucksack.

They can sometimes be a little tough to clean when you burn something in them

What are the Pro's of a Trangia stove

The Trangia is tough, they just don't break, I personally know of people who use a 50 year old Trangia camping stove that works just as well as a brand new one.

Start small and build. You can buy a starter kit and then buy the other bits such as billy handles, storage bags and kettles as you feel you need them.

Trangia is a green company with a strong commitment to reducing carbon emission.

What is the Trek and Camp verdict?

Admittedly I have several camping stoves. I buy different stoves for different circumstances but I always have a Trangia handy. Whether it be for a cuppa after a winter hike, A long weekend away in the family tent or just for emergencies on long winter drives. Is Trangia always my go to stove? The answer is no but as an experienced camper mine is never far away!