View Full Version : New to the BakePacker
sleepwalker
02-22-2007, 18:54
:confused: I just recieved my bakepacker oven and I'm figuring out how to put it to good use. I'm hoping it'll add a little flare to my mountain menu. It was such an inexpensive item that I jumped into the purchase without examining the practicalities. It's kind of large which requires a larger pot than I currently carry. That's ok if the benefits are there.
My main question is two part: I currently use a snowpeak gigapower canister stove. It seems incredibly impractical in terms of fuel to use this stove. Is there a more preferable stove for this application? And...If I continue to use the gigapower, is it safe to keep it fired up for 20 minutes at a time?
I'm intersted in hearing about your experiences with this or other ovens. This is new territory for me and I'd like it to work out! Thanks!
I have carried and loved my bakepacker for many years but I have no knowledge of that particular stove, sorry.
RAT
Chef2000
02-22-2007, 20:35
I am pretty sure you are not suppose to use canister type stoves with your backpacker oven, im n ot sure its been years since I carried mine, check manufacturer directions it might suggetst best type of stove
Pringles
02-22-2007, 22:42
I see a couple of issues in play here.
Chef, I think you're thinking about the Outback oven, which is a gizmo you put over a pot, and use dry heat to bake things. In that instance, no, you shouldn't use it with a canister stove.
With a bakepacker, you put the thingie (that's a technical term, don't be trying to use big terms like that at home) in a pot with boiling water, and then put a plastic bag with food in it over the thingie and let the water boil for 20 minutes. I have a snowpeak giga, and have used my bakepacker with it many times. It isn't fuel efficient, though. I have no suggestion about a better stove, but the giga is ok to use with the bakepacker.
Even though it isn't fuel efficient, it's nice to have a muffin now and then. I hope you find something that meets your needs.
Pringles
My main question is two part: I currently use a snowpeak gigapower canister stove. It seems incredibly impractical in terms of fuel to use this stove. Is there a more preferable stove for this application? And...If I continue to use the gigapower, is it safe to keep it fired up for 20 minutes at a time?
You're really supposed to use a stove with a tank away from the oven or not directly under it. :eek: It just so happens I have one for sale. ;) Coleman Xpert (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=11004538&parent_category_rn=4500453) plus 3 fuel canisters for $40 plus shipping if you're interested. :)
Ramble~On
02-23-2007, 02:46
You mention your Bakepacker seems "large". They do make an ultra light version which fits nicely inside an Evernew Ti pot and others.
I have used a canister stove with no problems and have to admit not being familiar with the gigapower. Most things cooked with the bakepacker do take a while to cook and that does mean using a lot of fuel.
A white gas stove would be a good investment if you plan to use the bakepacker a lot.
Adventure Foods makes backpacking food especially with the Bakepacker in mind. www.adventurefoods.com (http://www.adventurefoods.com)
My bakepacker fits a 2 qt. billy pot. I have the smaller one as seen here: http://www.ldpcampingfoods.com/BakePacker.htm
RAT
max patch
02-23-2007, 08:14
I make Irish soda bread in mine a lot.
are u sure its not the "E-Z-BAKE-Oven"?
i use the MSR POCKET ROCKET...no fuss..no muss!:D
NICKTHEGREEK
02-23-2007, 09:03
I see a couple of issues in play here.
Chef, I think you're thinking about the Outback oven, which is a gizmo you put over a pot, and use dry heat to bake things. In that instance, no, you shouldn't use it with a canister stove.
With a bakepacker, you put the thingie (that's a technical term, don't be trying to use big terms like that at home) in a pot with boiling water, and then put a plastic bag with food in it over the thingie and let the water boil for 20 minutes. I have a snowpeak giga, and have used my bakepacker with it many times. It isn't fuel efficient, though. I have no suggestion about a better stove, but the giga is ok to use with the bakepacker.
Even though it isn't fuel efficient, it's nice to have a muffin now and then. I hope you find something that meets your needs.
Pringles
Sorry, but that's 1/2 wrong about the canister stove. Stoves with remote mounting canisters, that is those that have a fuel line from the canister to the burner, are perfectly ok to use. Those that mount the burner directly to the canister have a varying risk of overheating the canister and going bang in a big way.
There are many suitable canister stoves in the market, the snowpeak gigapower BF, is the one I have used with great success, there are similar designs to the BF from coleman, MSR and if you can find it anymore Gaz.
Pringles
02-23-2007, 09:09
"Sorry, but that's 1/2 wrong about the canister stove. Stoves with remote mounting canisters, that is those that have a fuel line from the canister to the burner, are perfectly ok to use. Those that mount the burner directly to the canister have a varying risk of overheating the canister and going bang in a big way."
If it were the outback oven, which retains heat to bake, I'd agree with you. But in the case of the bakepacker, you're just putting a pot on a stove. The bakepacker is inside the pot. The stove is just on, with a pot on it. If you can't turn your stove on and boil water for 20 minutes, what is the point of that stove?
Pringles
I have been using an ultralite Bakepacker for over three yrs now and have cooked a ton of Adventure Foods meals with it. I used to use an MSR Superfly cannister stove (it is a slightly fancier version of the MSR pocket rocket).
However, starting last summer I started to do a lot of experimenting with my Bakepacker. First, I took the Bakepacker and fitted it in a K-Mart grease pot (just remove the BP's outer ring and gently bend the fins with needle-nose pliers). I also switched to an alcohol stove. Finally, with the short duration of cooking time with an alcy stove, I use a pot cozy to finish off the remaining cooking time. So far so good! Only adjustments I've had to make is reducing the amount of water that is called for in the recipe.
P.S. I've been using the Ultralite size BP for cooking for two of us without any problems whatsoever.:D
sleepwalker
02-23-2007, 21:57
Yeah, I have the ultralight, which is small in comparison to the standard version, but really big as real estate is limited in my Atmos 50. I'm thrilled that I don't have to trade my Giga...I love that thing and I'm hesitant to experiment with other methods.
Thanks for the insights!
Pringles
02-23-2007, 22:36
I think there are threads on this site about using two or three rocks on the bottom of your pot, instead of the bakepacker, to keep the plastic bag off the bottom of the pot. I haven't tried it, but can see where it would work. I've thought about making a grid out of a long piece of foil, folded three or four layers thick, an inch or so high, and then coiled loosely from the center outward. The plastic bag would sit on the coils. With that, I think I could use the small pot that I got with my Snowpeak giga.
The folks at Adventure Foods (http://www.adventurefoods.com) have a nice cookbook to give you ideas for breads, casseroles, pancakes and even making pizza. Not everything is great, but a lot is pretty darn good! They also have a really wide array of dried foods, and a number of ready to bake foods. They're good to work with, too.
Good luck with your bakepacker.
Pringles
using two or three rocks on the bottom of your pot, instead of the bakepacker,
It works, I`ve done it, just takes longer, more fuel and isnt as efficient but a few times I was doing it over fire/coals so fuel nor efficiency was an issue.
RAT
headchange4u
03-14-2007, 15:43
You mention your Bakepacker seems "large". They do make an ultra light version which fits nicely inside an Evernew Ti pot and others.
I have used a canister stove with no problems and have to admit not being familiar with the gigapower. Most things cooked with the bakepacker do take a while to cook and that does mean using a lot of fuel.
A white gas stove would be a good investment if you plan to use the bakepacker a lot.
Adventure Foods makes backpacking food especially with the Bakepacker in mind. www.adventurefoods.com (http://www.adventurefoods.com)
Which Evernew pot are you using? Accorrding to the listed measurments for the UL Bakepaker and the .9L Evernew pot I own, the Bakepaker won't fit.
I had thought about making my own Bakepacker from one of those large Fosters or Heineken (sp?) cans. Backpackinglight has an article on using a small titanium bowl inside a pot to bake foods.