Here is a page of useful bits and pieces that might come in handy on your next trip.
DIY duct tape bikepacking frame bag
DIY camping stoves
Make your own solid fuel tabs that can be used to boil water in camp. I found that a single tab could bring 600m of water to the boil in windless conditions at 2800m. These work virtually the same as hexamine tablets, albeit cheaper.
One of the challenges of overlanding by bike is finding a reliable fuel source, which is why multifuel stoves, such as an MSR Whisperlite or Primus, are such attractive options.
I’ve frequently backed up my primary stove with a bottle of alcohol, but in some places (looking at you Ecuador) it can be difficult to find anything above 70% ethanol.
Solid fuel stoves are among the most lightweight cooking options you can carry for bikepacking/ backpacking. They have been used by various militaries for decades and can usually be found in surplus stores or outdoors shops in the west. Unfortunately, sourcing hexamine/ esbit fuel tablets is simply impossible in many parts in the world. Futhermore, you can’t fly with the tabs, which mostly rules out far flung travel with this type of stove.
This DIY alternative uses wax, cotton, petroleum jelly and a cardboard mold in the form of an egg box, all of which should be cheap and readily available worldwide, including in remote, rural stores.
Besides the fuel tabs, my ‘stove’ consists of 3 tent pegs and two bits of aluminium foil, which function as a windbreak and base. This takes up virtually no pack space and can be easily adjusted depending on the anticipated length of the trip. For a solo overnighter I just wrap two or three tabs in tinfoil, pop them in a pocket and head out.
Compared to liquid and gas fuels, the tabs are inert until lit, eliminating concerns of accidental spillage and/or ignition.
The main disadvantages that I have encountered are that they aren’t particulary rapid, give off nasty fumes and tend to soot up the cookware rather badly.
I am personally more concerned with a stove’s weight and bulk relative to its energy density, rather than how quickly it brings water to the boil. The last two points are also issues with traditional hexamine stoves. Apparently coating cookware with a film of soap prior to use makes scrubbing up a lot easier afterwards. I tend to just bung my pots in a plastic bag.
For a larger burner, perhaps to cook up for several people, you might also want to try out the classic ‘buddy burner’. See below: