Doing without the caddy for a Caldera Cone?

I lay mine flat in the folds of my Z-Lite…never even moves while i hike….never has a chance at poking or popping anything either!

You could spend for a ULC or Sidewinder Caldera Cone.

+1 on spending money for the Sidewinder…now if only the alcohol stove could also fit inside my pot at the same time….anyone figured that one out?

With some pots the stove will fit alongside the Sidewinder cone…it really depends on the shape. With my 1.3L Evernew I can get the cone, stove and stakes all inside.

Even better than the sidewinder is the ULC cone. The ULC stores nicer than the Sidewinder so you still have most of the volume inside your pot for your stove, mug, spoon etc. It's great.

I can't handle the hard pads, I need an inflatable. I could use a sleeve and stove in an outside mesh pocket on my SMD Starlight.

Plus, I would only be able to use a Sidewinder in NF's not all spots in Parks. I've been thinking about a Sidewinder though, not now, too many things need money thrown at them.
Duane

Wuz that? I'm not up on all the UL gear, or even close. Edit, ah, I did a search, more money, another CC setup.

Duane

What I have used for one of my Caldera Cones is just cut off the very bottom and the very top of a very thin plastic Coke bottle; turning it into a tube of sorts. I roll up the cone; the top end to a more narrow shape and the bottom flares out a bit. And then I insert it in the cut up coke bottle. The 12-10 stove friction fits right in the bottom of the cone/Coke tube . Everything is protected and it is very light–less than .5 ounce.

I roll mine up as tight as I can, hold it that way with a thick rubber band, and wrap the cone in the bottom half of a tyvek envelope. The tyvek is not to protect the cone but to protect other items from the sharp edges of the cone. When rolled tight it's not really that delicate and won't get damaged unless you step on it. stove and fuel bottle goes inside the pot (evernew 900). Sometimes I'll also wrap the cone tightly around the fuel bottle also.

My first cone was used with a Snow Peak Ti pot and I had the same problem. The biggest concern is packing it so the dovetail does not get damaged. For the past year or so I have been using a CC with a Fosters keg and a 12-10 stove or an Esbit Graham Cracker… mostly Esbit.

The cone sits completely inside the keg along with everything except a spoon, which I keep in my food bag. If I bring the stove, it goes into the keg last and upside down so the lip of the bottom of the stove sits at the top of the edge of the keg and will not slide down into the keg. I then put the entire thing in a cuben sack. The entire set up weighs less than your Ti pot by itself.

Here is a picture of it when it was newer. The keg is now pretty black.

I think this is the CC GVP model. For the more expensive ULC and Sidewinders, they are designed to burn wood also. I have not cooked with wood since 1971, when I moved from the stone age into the 20th century :)

Nick, it's been 8-10 years since I cooked over a wood fire and then it was because I forgot my adapter for my propane Coleman two burner stove while car camping. Any long term users who have rolled up the cone tight and have trouble getting it unrolled without it getting all deformed/dented? I've only used mine on the one vacation this last summer. For my weekend bp or car camp trips since Labor Day, I've been using my old bping stoves, alternating them every weekend. (Yes, I've been out most weekends except maybe 4 since Labor Day to use a different stove(s) each time.) I have that many.
Duane

Duane Hall wrote: > For my weekend bp or car camp trips since Labor Day, I’ve been using my old bping stoves, alternating them every weekend. (Yes, I’ve been out most weekends except maybe 4 since Labor Day to use a different stove(s) each time.) I have that many.

Having too many stoves is bad for you. Better send them to me. ;)

Duane, did you see my What Color is your Caldera? post recently. I show a Ziploc container being used for storing a Caldera Cone. Works pretty well, and it’s cheap.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

Duane,

I roll up the cone and place it in the keg and the cone naturally unrolls inside leaving the center open for the graham cracker, mini-big and a few fuel tabs. I have a few pictures somewhere if you would like me to post them.

If you are using a bear can (other than a Garcia), just put it completely open inside the bear can up against the inside wall. I do this in my Bearikade weekender. Takes basically zero space and the cone is well protected. The only drawback is you have to take some food in/out to get at it.

If I'm not using a bear can, I just roll it up tight (about 2.5" in diameter) and put a rubber band around it, then shove it in my hat and put that near the top of my pack so it won't get crushed. I've never had any problems with it deforming (I have the Ti version)

Andrew

I use a big pot noodle container – slightly flared shape and 16g.

I've also used cut down soda bottles but they are a bit more crushable – the pot noodle container is rigid.

I thought last summer on my trip, that it would be nice to stuff it in the Bearicade, but I did not want to mess with taking all my well packed food out. In hind sight now, about the fifth day out, I could have stuffed it in my canister, but I guess I was in the habit of using the caddy by then and off studying my map. Doh! I can experiment with rolling the CC up tight too. Thank you all.

HJ, I'll look at the set up you have, I've seen some of your blog. Still working on getting a pot stand for the 11 I located, may have to wait for the guy to find where he put it away at.

Duane

Duane,

Here’s a photo. Left is a Ziploc container from the grocery store. Right is a Caldera Caddy. Both have advantages and disadvantages. More photos and discussion in my blog post.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

Duane
Another way to look at it is to fill the caddy with your kitchen bits.
So I have inside mine the fuel/lighter/cleaning cloth and the burner.
If you still have room , you could put your spices, or your sugar , whatever is "food " related and fits.
once the Caddy is full you have optimised the space.
Franco

Franco, I'm trying to get rid of that little bit of weight the caddy has. Back to work for me, on break.
Duane

OK
I use the caddy to re-hydrate my food, the lid is my cup in fair weather (I use an insulated type in winter)
In that case you can get a lot lighter by just cutting off the top of a 1.5/2L soft drink bottle and using the bottom part
Franco

i use an air pad too, and one thing ive played around with is placing the CC in a tyvek envelope, and then rolling it in the pad. the tyvek helps keep the sharp bits from puncturing the pad.

Ultimately, i didnt like that, so i just ended up keeping the caddy. i made cozys for the two halves and i use them as a bowl/cup combo to save from bringing a separate bowl/cup. DUAL DUTY!

I just stick mine in a sock and put it in the pack. I'm already carrying the sock so no extra weight. The other sock just hangs out in the pack somewhere.

Ryan

Unfortunately, I have an original small NeoAir, I've used an old sock to store my MSR Int'l stove. I'm off at work so I can work on this on the weekend, after repainting one of my old, embossed, Optimus 111 stoves. :) In my Six Moons Designs pack, I place my sb at the top, I could store the CC in a Tyvek sleeve and place it on top of the bag, but away from that top strap or place it around my bear canister when I have to bring that. Hmmm. Y'all got me thinking about this. I just like to have as much gear packed up in the mornings while finishing breakfast as I can. I just can't seem to relax enough, although I have taken to using the Starbucks Via packets on weekend or group trips to make myself take a more leisurely breakfast.
Duane

Duane,

I can get an awful lot into a small package when using the Caldera Cone with a ZipLoc container. I think the ZipLoc containers are like $3.00 for two. Pretty reasonable price wise. Take a look at the photos and comments here: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone

The package:

The contents:

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

Jim,

That is a pretty compact system. One thing, since I usually boil and freezer bag meals, is that for what I have been doing recently, the ZipLock container and even the cozy is un-needed weight and items; if you can store your cone in the pot (won't work with your pot).

However, over the past few months I have realized that I MISS my drinking cup. Yes, it is an extra item, but on most trips I would be happier with it. So, I am reevaluating my stove system a little bit. Also I no longer bring the little measuring cup, I figured out how much I need to pour by repetition :)

See… old dogs can learn new tricks!