Trakker Armolife CG4 Stove

How well is it built?

The CG4 is made from aluminium, copper and stainless steel, which is a sensible mix for a stove that spends its life in a damp carryall.

The stainless parts should shrug off wet mornings and spilled tea, and each of the four wide pan supports is a serrated plate, so a pan should stay put while you stir.

Every leg is height-adjustable, and a braided hose runs from the burner out to the canister connector. I like that layout, as it keeps the canister away from the heat of the burner and lets the stove sit low and wide on the ground instead of perching on top of a cartridge.

To be fair, it isn't the lightest way to cook on the bank, and the Trakker Armolife CG-3 shows you can get the same output from a smaller, lighter stove. As a bankside cooker built to take a few seasons of knocks, though, I think the CG4 fully earns its 8.8 for build.

Heat & Performance

With a 3500W maximum output, the CG4 sits at the top end for a compact stove, matching the Armolife CG-3 and comfortably out-pulling the 2800W Sonik Sizzla Superstove.

That sort of output should get a full kettle going quickly and keep a frying pan hot enough to brown sausages instead of stewing them.

An oversized pre-heat tube warms the gas before it reaches the burner, which is there for efficient combustion and should keep the flame steady as the session goes on.

The wide supports matter for heat too, as they let you put a broad frying pan or a toaster over the burner and make use of all that output.

What about wind? On an exposed bank I'd still use a windbreak, as the Sonik Sizzla Superstove's integral windscreen burner gives it the edge in a breeze. Overall, though, there's plenty of heat on tap, and I think the 8.8 is fair.

Ease of Use

Piezo-electronic ignition sits at the base of the stove, so lighting it is a case of opening the gas and pressing the igniter. It's a small thing until you're trying to cook in the rain with a damp lighter.

Levelling is where the CG4 really earns its keep. Each leg adjusts between 9.5 and 11.5cm, so you can set it flat on a sloping or lumpy swim, and a level pan is a safer pan. Opened out, it covers 18 x 18cm, which gives a wide, stable stance under a heavy pan.

One rule matters more than any feature, though. Never cook or run a gas stove inside a closed bivvy or tent, because of carbon monoxide and the risk of fire, so set the CG4 up in the open or under a well-ventilated porch, on a stable, flat base.

Treat it that way and I think it's a very easy stove to live with, and the 8.6 reflects that.

Is it good value for money?

Is it worth the money? It's dearer than both the Sonik Sizzla Superstove and the Trakker Armolife CG-3, so it has to justify the extra, and for me it does if you cook proper meals.

You get 3500W, four levelling legs, wide supports that take toasters and a mixed-metal build, all folding down small into a nylon bag.

If you mostly boil water for brews and travel light, the Armolife CG-3 or the Prologic Blackfire C-Series will do that job for less, and I wouldn't argue with either choice for a quick overnighter.

The CG4 makes more sense once the stove becomes the centre of your bankside kitchen, with a frying pan on it in the morning and a toastie maker on it at night.

All in all, I'd recommend the CG4 to carp anglers on weekenders and longer static sessions who fry breakfasts, make toasties and want a stove that stands level and steady on rough ground.