The Weasel
02-14-2003, 19:02
This could equally go in the "home made" gear forum.
A "cozy" is an insulator, usually use in backpacking to help keep heat IN a pot after it is taken off the stove. As such, it can result in massive fuel savings. Here's how to use one, and how to make one:
USE: A few people use a cozy to keep their pot warm for a while after they are done cooking, for reasons I'm not sure of. But to save fuel, realize that almost all your meals will be either pastas, rice, or dried soups, or other similar items. Instead of boiling them until they are done (usually 10-20 minutes), cook by (a) put the ingredients in the pot with the right amount of water, (b) bring to a boil and keep there for 3 minutes, (c) remove from stove (turning it off, of course) and (d) put the "cozy" around the stove. Put the cozy on something other than the ground, if you can, such as your journal, or something else that keeps it from losing heat to the ground. It's also good to keep it out of the wind. The result is that after the same amount of cook time (another 17 min or so) your food is cooked fully. It may be a little soggier than "al dente", but the purpose of the exercise is to save fuel. Trust me: All trail food tastes the same after the first week or so, so you're not missing much. But you ARE saving a HUGE amount of fuel: I can cook 1 hot meal a day (4 cups of water) for 10 days on 4 oz. of Coleman fuel, and sometimes less.
HOW TO MAKE: Buy a real cheap closed-cell foam sleeping pad, about $5. Put your pot on one corner. Use a magic marker to trace around it. Do that twice. Cut those out. Then put your pot on its side, and draw straight lines along the top side and the bottom side, and roll the pot so the lines are as long as the pot's circumference. Cut that out. Use duct tape to tape together the ends of the long rectangle. To use, put your pot on top of one round, slide the taped piece over the pot, and put the other round on top of the pot lid. All fits should be snug. There are other versions. This is the easiest. One foam pad can make about 5 or so "cozies".
The Weasel
A "cozy" is an insulator, usually use in backpacking to help keep heat IN a pot after it is taken off the stove. As such, it can result in massive fuel savings. Here's how to use one, and how to make one:
USE: A few people use a cozy to keep their pot warm for a while after they are done cooking, for reasons I'm not sure of. But to save fuel, realize that almost all your meals will be either pastas, rice, or dried soups, or other similar items. Instead of boiling them until they are done (usually 10-20 minutes), cook by (a) put the ingredients in the pot with the right amount of water, (b) bring to a boil and keep there for 3 minutes, (c) remove from stove (turning it off, of course) and (d) put the "cozy" around the stove. Put the cozy on something other than the ground, if you can, such as your journal, or something else that keeps it from losing heat to the ground. It's also good to keep it out of the wind. The result is that after the same amount of cook time (another 17 min or so) your food is cooked fully. It may be a little soggier than "al dente", but the purpose of the exercise is to save fuel. Trust me: All trail food tastes the same after the first week or so, so you're not missing much. But you ARE saving a HUGE amount of fuel: I can cook 1 hot meal a day (4 cups of water) for 10 days on 4 oz. of Coleman fuel, and sometimes less.
HOW TO MAKE: Buy a real cheap closed-cell foam sleeping pad, about $5. Put your pot on one corner. Use a magic marker to trace around it. Do that twice. Cut those out. Then put your pot on its side, and draw straight lines along the top side and the bottom side, and roll the pot so the lines are as long as the pot's circumference. Cut that out. Use duct tape to tape together the ends of the long rectangle. To use, put your pot on top of one round, slide the taped piece over the pot, and put the other round on top of the pot lid. All fits should be snug. There are other versions. This is the easiest. One foam pad can make about 5 or so "cozies".
The Weasel