If you’re in the market for a new cooking stove that really does the business but doesn’t cost the earth, then my advice is to grab yourself a Trekmates Ultra-Compact Fireball Stove PZ. I’ve had mine for just over a year now and I really can’t recommend it enough.
My fishing is all about quick overnighters which see me fishing around ten hours per session. I take the lightweight approach to the maximum to keep my set up and breakdown times to a minimum as I’m setting up in the dark during the colder months and of course, lightening the load on the walk to the bank is always a bonus. The Fireball stove has helped on all fronts; at just 138g it’s seriously lightweight, yet don’t be thinking that as a result it must be a bit flimsy – just the opposite. It’s probably the most durable little stove I’ve ever had.
The fold in arms and push up valve mean it packs up to virtually nothing in size – I actually store mine (without the plastic case) inside my mug, and not only that, it’s so small I can also store my tea spoon and kettle handle in my mug along with it too!
With its own push button ignition switch it’s a synch to use and the side mounted valve gives really accurate control of the burner, so it’s great for everything from simple brewing up duties or cooking up a bankside feast fit for a king. To get up and running you simply screw on a standard gas canister and away you go, there’s absolutely no priming or pumping required. Nice and easy, just the way I like it.
I’ve used a lot of these stoves where the burner and fuel bottle are separate, and to be honest, just can’t get along with them, I’m forever messing about trying to find proper room and level ground to cook properly, and find the valves often difficult to get to as they are so low down – and often under the pan that’s now burning hot! No thanks, I much prefer this stand up system, it’s a lot less hassle, and for me offers better ease of use, both in practical and safety terms.
The stove comes with a nice heavy duty two piece clip together case which offers perfect protection. The folded up stove fits snugly inside the case which can then be stored in your foodbag or carryall. With the Packed dimensions just H 10.5cm x W 6.25cm x D 6.25cm, this really is a compact little stove, so it’s ideal for anglers like myself who like to travel light, so whether it’s a day on the riverbank or a weekend on the carp lake, the Fireball stove is just the job.
The best recommendation I can probably give the Fireball stove is that I ended up buying two! The first I paid around £25.00 for, and happily did so as it’s been absolutely faultless, but on seeing that Outdoorgear then dropped the price to just £15.51, I decided to get another as a spare should I ever need it. There’s no sign I’ll need it anytime soon, mind. My first one is still like it’s just come out of the box; despite it having been used week in week out, fishing two overnighters a week for well over a year.
Highly recommended. A credit to the Trekmates name. CLICK HERE to check the latest offer price.
Julian Grattidge
Northwestcarp.co.uk
October 2011
