Scott Brady, the publisher of Overland Journal, recently had an eye opening experience with English food. We were on our way north out of London to visit some overland companies. We had set off very early, and by the likes of 8am we were famished and ready for some relief. Stopping in a small town off the motorway provided no obvious place for refreshment. The town seemed hardly awake and, grim morning that it was, we had to stop and ask for help. The only people we could find were a group of construction workers, and a particularly portly gentleman was happy to direct us to a local establishment for an ‘English breakfast’. To be fair to the English (I am one) English breakfasts can be stellar; this was not one of those. The fried bread had that slightly rancid taste accompanied by pure grease and no discernable flavor. Sort of like eating pressed lard. The sausage was similar to the fried bread; tasteless and greasy, though it was hot. The baked beans were from a can, so they were at least edible and the bacon was passable at the time. Twenty minutes later we both felt like we needed to visit the hospital. My insides were coated like the bottom of a frying pan the day after cooking a pound of bacon; that white congealed grease requiring a scoop to get rid of. Take away lesson was not to rely on large construction workers for dining advice and the parting comment from Scott; “I need to get my stomach pumped!”

Overland Journal has recently been featured in the popular Italian 4WD magazine, Quattro X Quattro.  With permission, they have reprinted our winch comparison article (from the Gear Guide 2009) in their September 2009 issue, translated into Italian.  Their publication covers a wide variety of 4WD topics, and is definitely worth checking out if you know Italian.  Expect to see more of our content there in the future!

http://www.quattroxquattromag.com/

Primus TiLite Stove ($165)

Lately I’ve been posting some reviews on gear that I’ve tested over the summer. This latest report covers the new TiLite offered by Primus, a stove maker that has seen the dawn of this and the last century and will probably be around for the next. Quite different from the classic, original Primus stove, the TiLite is an ultra light, compact model that comes with a titanium pot. It presents the user with a featherweight tool able to transform fuel into fire with impressive control.

How hot, how fast? Capable of 13,500 BTU/h, this stove is fast, yet can simmer as soft as a whisper in the dead of night. I tested it with a liter of 65°F water at an altitude of 5,300 feet with an ambient air temperature of 70°F and barely detectable wind. (I had to use a different pot, because the included titanium version is just shy of a full liter.) It actually beat the manufacturer’s claim of a three-minute boil by 30 seconds. Just for kicks, check those figures against the winning stoves in the Winter 2007 issue of Overland Journal.

So, what else can it do? I’ve been using the stove all summer for backpacking and overland trips and it adapts well to both scenarios. If you’re the type of person who likes to travel light on foot, in a small 4WD, or on a motorcycle, this is a stove worth considering. If you’re a person who takes too much stuff on a trip, then it’s definitely worth considering. The folding support arms have serrations effective at keeping not only the included pot, but larger cookware stable on uneven surfaces. Folded out they provide a 5 ¾” diameter surface and when folded up tight they reduce the size of this 3.5 ounce stove to a svelte 3.6” x 2.9”x 1.2”. As such, I’m not restricted to using the titanium pot, but free to use a large pot, whistling kettle, or even a twelve-inch pan.

There’s no need to fuss with matches or a lighter thanks to the piezoelectric ignition, and the sensitive fuel knob makes it a snap to adjust the flame from rocket-boost to a sultry simmer, even with gloves on. Aside from the weight and space savings, the versatility provided by the flame adjustment is one of the main benefits I‘ve experienced. The option to go from a mild simmer for delicate foods (with steady fuel delivery; no sputtering) to a 13,500 BTU/h blast torch for boiling or heating quickly is a great benefit. The TiLite pot and stove each come with their own drawstring pouch and the whole kit can be stowed in the larger of the two; an eight-ounce fuel canister fits in the pot and the stove in its smaller pouch sits on the lid. Either of the pouches double as a pot holder if needed. According to Primus, the TiLite should only burn their proprietary Power Gas propane/isobutane fuel blend, but I’ve used the MSR and Coleman versions with no ill effects. Primus lists a 45-minute burn time for a standard eight-ounce fuel can, though I haven’t verified the claim.

So what are the disadvantages?  The only one I could come up with is the limitation of fuel type when considering global travel and extended trips. In that case, a multi-fuel stove would be a better choice.

Once you fire this thing up, you can’t resist rolling the knob and will no doubt need to be honest with yourself about pyromaniacal tendencies. Though you may be tempted to impress your friends with the flame throwing capabilities, be mindful of fuel consumption so you’ll have some left for coffee in the morning.

Some spec’s:

Heat output: 13,500 BTU/h
Burn time (not verified): 45 mins.
Boil time (as tested): 2:30 mins/secs for 1L water
Stove dimensions (folded): 3.6” x 2.9”x 1.2”
Stove weight: 3.5 oz.
Stove burner platform: 5.75” dia.
Pot dimensions: 3.7” h x 4.75” dia.
Pot weight: 4.3 oz.

primuscamping.com 307-332-0901