We tested out the Gelert Titan Backpacker Stove to find out how well it did compared to other camping stoves on the market right now…
www.sportsdirect.com |£19.99
Boil time: 6 minutes
It’s been a while since I’ve tried any kit from Gelert but I’ve always been pleased with the products that the Wales-based company has produced: they seem to meet the balance of an affordable price and decent quality on most occasions. Here we’ve got the Titan Backpacker Stove, a gas stove made from heat-resistant stainless steel. It features a Piezo ignition for lighting up the stove in the absence of a match or a lighter, plus you get a handy storage pouch thrown in for good measure.
If you go on Gelert’s website you can get the stove for just over £5, and at this price it becomes hard to be picky about it – I mean as long as it heats up your food and boils your water, it can’t be too bad. In terms of boiling water, in our tests it took six minutes to bring half a litre to a boiling state, which isn’t the fastest nor most efficient. At 200g it’s by no means the lightest stove on test either, but at weights so small it’s only going to matter if you’re looking to shave off every gramme.
I love the wide pot support that the stove offers, and I presume that’s why it’s called the Titan. When unfolded the supports span a huge 18.5cm, and for an on-canister stove it’s surprisingly stable. Where the Titan disappoints, though, is in its overall quality. It’s nice to have a Piezo ignition, but this one is very temperamental, only working on occasion, and I was inclined to save the hassle and just get it going with a lighter. The other worry is how weak the stainless steel becomes after it’s been heated up, even once it’s cooled down again.
In all, it’s hard to pick faults with the Titan when you can pick one up brand new for a fiver. Boiling times and overall quality are by no means the best, but I love the wide and stable design.
Gelert Titan Backpacker Stove Verdict
Cheap as chips, but you get what you pay for.
Boil time: 7/10
Weight:7/10
Stability:8/10
Value for money 7/10
Overall: 7/10