Desparately Seeking New Stove

[BreezyD]

Lightweight and reliable perferred!

 

Has anyone done research on this and ... if so ... which one came out on top?

 

Have you had great field experiences with any specific models?

 

Much appreciated ....

 

Brianna

[DPS]

MSR Pocket Rocket is light, hot, simple to operate and reliable. And pretty cheap. Snow Peak Giga stove is also very good but more expensive.

 

If'n you want an expedition stove there is none better than the MSR XKG II.

[cracked]

Whisperlite. Not the lightest, but bombproof.

[tomtom]

Whisperlite. Not the lightest, but bombproof.

And I have a used one to sell!

[mtnnut]

MSR Simmerlite is lighter than the Whisperlite and has some modest improvements. Slightly more controllable on the flame.

 

In reality, you have to decide if you are a weight nazi or want something relatively cheap on fuel. Weight nazis seem to like the canister stoves like Pocket Rocket (and others) but they are probably is best used for circumstances where you aren't melting snow and are making simple stuff that doesn't require extensive fuel consumption like simmering. Longer trips, melting snow, and longer simmer times might direct you into a refillable gas stove, of which my current preference is a Simmerlite. If you need to be able to use it in third world environments with multi-fuel capacity, the XGK is a long established standard.

[ken4ord]

I am going to buy a new stove too, it gonna be the pocket rocket. I have owned XGK and whisper light both are good, but not that light.

[rollo]

check out the new jetboil stoves. I used one on my last trip and it boiled water FAST. Only drawback is that its propane/butane. Rockin little stove tho.

[foraker]

What about the new Brunton Optimus?

[IceIceBaby]

I never had good luck with canister stoves in cold temp

So for me for reliable performance and effective snow melting I will take the XGK @ $110 but if u camping in good weather and would like to actually cook sometime for me the Primus Yellow Stone @ $25 fit the bill

[Bronco]

Pocket Rocket! I got one and traded my wisperlite in. I'd only go with white gas on a big old expedition. Pocket Rocket has operated at 11,000' on Raindawg and around 15 - 20 degree temps in winter.

[fenderfour]

I have two stoves: a Whisperlite for the cold trips and a Markill Devil for the warmer trips. The Markill is a cannister stove that is lightweight and works great that can be had at Second Ascent for aboot $20.

[Stephen_Ramsey]

For what it's worth, I carry the Simmerlite on about 80% of the trips I take. The other 20%, I carry the Pocket Rocket.

 

I have an XGK but it's only something I would carry on a long winter trip or (hypothetically) on an expedition.

Edited June 24, 2004 by Stephen_Ramsey

[Gary_Yngve]

In wintertime, I use an MSR Dragonfly. In between the Whisperlite and XKG in terms of robustness, but what's really cool is it has a simmer knob. That translates to

fondue (as well as fuel conservation if you can spare the time).

 

Summertime I prefer a canister stove. I have the Primus Alpine, which is very similar to the MSR Pocket Rocket.

(And it also simmers!)

 

The Primus Alpine cost me about $30 a few years ago. I have a small titanium pot that the fuel canister sits inside. It's a pretty good lightweight combo for summertime trips where most of your fuel needs will be for cooking.

[eternalX]

What kind of fondue? Cheese, Chocolate, MEat? This seems like another way to convince the gf that camping is indeed cool.

 

I dig the pocket rocket. Performace is somewhat related to cookware too. There was a thread once that talked about this. The aluminum pans conduct heat SO MUCH better than the titanium. Go aluminum + teflon!

[Gary_Yngve]

i do cheese fondue and chocolate fondue

 

the chocolate fondue is great when you spike it with some Gran Marnier

[Misha]

If you are looking for a gas canister stove, I can recommend Primus Titanium stove - very light and reliable - I've been abusing it for 3 years with no problems. (forget about piezo-igniter - the only thing that breaks off right away). The other highly recommended stove in Europe this days is Optimus Crux very compact design and good output.

[SublimeSalamander]

I'm partial to canister stoves. I had a mishap once at Vantage. To make a long story short I set the Rhino Liner in my truck bed on fire a couple of years back. If any of you were witness to that I'd love to hear a third party account. But to get back on subject. I've had good luck with canister stoves even in colder weather. The only extreme measure I had to take was walking around with the canister inside my jacket to get it lit, then I boiled a cup of water and sat the canister in that to finish my cooking. But that was bitter cold conditions that I shouldn't have been out in anyway. Just ask yourself. Are you more interested in light weight. Or are you willing to sacrifice a little weight for multi fuel capabilities.

[cj001f]

In wintertime, I use an MSR Dragonfly. In between the Whisperlite and XKG in terms of robustness, but what's really cool is it has a simmer knob.

Any stove simmer's well if you use the Heat Diffuser from an Outback oven. (The Blanket's good for winter cooking as well, and everyone (not just gf's) like's freshly baked goodies on a camping trip. Cornbread, Gingerbread, roll's, MMM!

[ash]

yeah i had to switch to a canister, the gas in my wisperlite was just too tempting. long story short my fiend went without a wall on his tent for a night

[alpinerock]

Sno-peak Giga. Iso-butane.

Weights next to nothing and I have had no problems with it in through heavy use over the last 4 years. MSR stoves are all really good. I have used all of them and don't recommend the XGK II if you want to do anything other than boil. The up-side to the XGK is it will boil anywhere.

[Jedi]

I like the compact & lightweight (for a liquid stove) Simmerlight. MSR should have a more packable XGK soon but it will be heavier than the Simmerlight.

Jedi

[Dr_Crash]

Don't know how people like it but REI Outlet has the Primus Omnifuel stove on clearance for $83 (used to be $130). It will work with both gas canisters and fuel bottles, all fuels, and of course is heavier than a canister-only stove but more flexible.

 

drC

[shapp]

I know I may be riduculed, but the coleman 1 burner I have is great. A little heavier than say a whisperlite but not much. I am not sure of the model but it take multiple fules and folds up with the attache hose to the pump you screw into the fuel bottle. It was pretty cheap, I think about $50 bucks on sale and it has good temperature control, has never broken and I've had it for probably 5 years.

[Dru]

sounds like the Peak 1 "Apex 2" I have had one for 11 years and it rocks. The grand total of maintenance I have had to do on it is - clean it once after I spilled soup on it and it burned on, and replace the O-ring twice. Unlike these MSR people whose stove comes with a maintenance kit because you have to fix it every week oh yeah it's self-priming too.

[blue_tuberosa]

It seems like the newer whisperlite have pretty good simmer control. Better than older models anyway. It makes me question if it's worth moving to a simmerlite.