Nobody knows stoves better than TGO’s Gear Editor Chris Townsend. Here’s his lowdown on the latest models. On test Vango Folding Gas Stove
Vango don’t bother with a fancy name for this stove. It’s a Folding Gas Stove, so that’s what it’s called. I like this simple approach to naming but it would be confusing if every company did it! It’s a low profile hose-connected stove with wide fold-out legs and a wide burner, making it suitable for use with large pots. There’s a piezo igniter too. The weight is reasonable for a stove of this type and the price is very low. A hard plastic case weighing 38 grams comes with the stove. I’d be inclined to leave this at home and pack the stove inside a pot.
However, unusually for a hose-connected stove, there’s no preheat tube, which means the cartridge can’t be inverted in freezing weather to turn it into a liquid feed stove. This makes it best for three-season use.
There’s no windshield either and one is definitely needed in even a breeze. Foil ones weighing 40-60 grams and costing £7-£15 are the lightest and simplest.
If you won’t be cooking in sub-zero temperatures and you want a stove for larger pots then the Folding Gas Stove isn’t a bad choice, especially at this price. A preheat tube would make it far more versatile though.
Reviewed in June 2015 Issue
