Help me decide on a lightweight stove

[TauPhi111]

So after borrowing a jetboil for my elk hunt last year, I figure that all I really need in a stove for my backcountry menu is to boil water for house and coffee, so I've decided to go with just a lightweight stove, fuel canister, and a small pot as my cooking kit to save some weight, money, and bulk over a jetboil. As of now I have it narrowed down to 3 choices, but I need some help deciding which one to get

1. MSR pocket rocket 2. I know I can buy this and just not worry about performance or anything breaking, and $45 isn't that much, but I've been buying and upgrading a lot of gear this year, so he next 2 budget options are very attractive to me.

2. Optimus (Katadyn) Crux Lite Solo cook system. Does anyone use any Optimus products? I can get the whole system on GovX for $52 and it includes a stove, pot, and pan in the 9oz system, and a canister fits inside the pots. Only thing is I have never heard of this company or anyone using it. Has anyone used this system and have any comments on it, good or bad? Is the stove quality?

3. Toaks pot and BRS 25g stove. I've seen 2 positive posts about this set up on a thread asking for a jetboil recomendation on here. I'm not worried about the Toaks pot, and I'll probably get that if I get the MSR, but I'm curious about the stove. There were 2 very positive comments in that thread and no detractors. It's 15 bucks, making the pair cost less than the MSR stove alone, but I'm afraid it's gonna be a Chinese POS, and I don't want my stove breaking on day 2 of a 5-7 day hunt. I'm looking for actual user comments on this please. Don't just tell me not to buy Chinese stuff. I'm one to try a bargain piece of gear if I can bet it's well constructed. I have an $85 dollar barrel on a custom hunting rifle that shoots 1 MOA and a cheapo walmart vac sealer that is so old I forget how old it is, but I still use it to pack my deer. Get the picture? Is the BRS burner good for the price, or is it gonna make my hunt miserable? Is it reliable or junk?

Thanks guys!

 

[rklein]

Option 3. I've got 3 different jetboils and I use the BRS 3000 Stove now. So small, its never failed me(used exlusively for the last two years in Colorado, plus some shorter fishing trips in Minnesota). I use it simply for boiling water. I use a Titanium jetboil pot, and put the burner in the bottom using this kit from Ruta Locura.

Ruta Locura BRS-3000T Titanium Stove

I can fit stove, fuel, mini bic, etc in the jetboil pot, I'm sure you could in the toaks pot also.

 

[Bbrinks]

I’ve had good success with the Optimus Crux stove and boil times are pretty quick, but definitely less efficient than a jet oil or reactor stove. I went with the standard crux over the lite so I could fold it down

 

[Bbrinks]

Also if you’re looking for some other recommendations, outdoorgearlab is a pretty good resource:
The Best Backpacking Stoves of 2018 | OutdoorGearLab

 

[rklein]

Also if you’re looking for some other recommendations, outdoorgearlab is a pretty good resource:
The Best Backpacking Stoves of 2018 | OutdoorGearLab

I second this, I use them for gear reviews often.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I haven’t used the BRS a ton but I have used it a quite a bit this year and haven’t had any problems with it. I also use it in combo with the 650ml Toaks pot.

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[Sterlingsilva]

I use a BRS stove along with a Snow Peak Mini Solo Ti. Packs up small and about as lite as it gets. Stove is solid and for the price its a no brainer

 

[buffsmoker]

I've used my BRS stove on five trips so far this year, and have absolutely no complaints. Paired with my 600ml Toaks pot it makes a sweet little light and compact kit. That combo will be in my pack again for my 5 day elk hunt two weeks from now.

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[durangobrad]

I have nothing but good to say about the BRS. It got double use last year after someones MSR broke down (not sure why). Ive been using the same one for 3 years until I lost it. SO I ordered a new one.

 

[TauPhi111]

Sweet. BRS it is! Thanks everyone for the reviews.

 

[Jason_307]

I've been using a BRS stove and a GSI minimalist this year with no problems. I like the gsi because of the neoprene coozy and drink through lid. Also the brs stove can be stuffed inside of the silicone pot grabber that comes with the minimalist then put in the little stiff sack that the stove comes in, and with a can of fuel and lighter it all fits in the pot and and weighs less than a jetboil without fuel.

 

[Akicita]

Snow Peak GigaPower Auto is my "go to" nearly every day stove - I stow it in my Trek 700 Titanium with a fuel canister and I have a great all around lightweight stove. I don't even have to use a lighter for it. When I'm not concerned about weight or I'm heading above treeline my MSR WindBurner is my first choice.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Use the BRS stove with a jet boil .8 L. Pot. The arms fit right inside the heat exchanger. You can slightly bend the heat exchanger baffles slightly so that the arms fit securely. You gain a lot of efficiency over just using a cup or pot sitting on the stove, saving significant gas. The stove is so small it stores inside the bottom of the jetboil pot when you place the small plastic cup on the bottom. Works perfect.


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[PantherCity]

Optimus makes good stuff.

I own and have used both the BRS-3000 and the Pocket Rocket 2 with multiple pots including cheap Alum pots a few sizes of toaks and the Olicamp with fins which is like a bigger version of the Jetboil pot that you can use with any stove. I like the Olicamp and its is very efficient but its too big/heavy for one person.

The PR2 is more efficient than the BRS.

I love the toaks pots. 750ML is my fave size.

My current set up is a Toaks 750ml pot with a PR2. I can fit a fuel can, 2"x"2 piece of kitchen scrubber, a lighter, and a piece of folded up foil for a wind screen.

All this weights 13oz in the bag.

 

[mtwarden]

Snow Peak GigaPower Auto is my "go to" nearly every day stove - I stow it in my Trek 700 Titanium with a fuel canister and I have a great all around lightweight stove. I don't even have to use a lighter for it. When I'm not concerned about weight or I'm heading above treeline my MSR WindBurner is my first choice.

mine is ten years old and still going strong, very dependable stove- also light and packs small

 

[Beendare]

I've been using that Optimus crux for about 10 yrs....works great. I like that it folds up to nuthin and the stove canister, the whole system is super compact and fits in a small Aluminum or TI pot. I like that there are no plastic parts like some of the other stoves as I've seen them melt.

I can easily go 5 days (small canister) both solo and with a buddy on bowhunts with fuel to spare.

 

[JR Greenhorn]

2. Optimus (Katadyn) ... Only thing is I have never heard of this company or anyone using it. Has anyone used this system and have any comments on it, good or bad? Is the stove quality?

Optimus is a Swedish company that's been around since 1899. They are known for the Svea stove of the 1950s, which was state of the art until the pressurized MSR stoves of the '70s became popular. I'm not sure when Katadyn acquired Optimus, but Katadyn is a Swiss company.

Like most Western camping stove brands these days (including MSR), the stoves are manufactured in Asia, often by BRS (China) or Kovea (Korea). It looks like Optimus may be using a manufacturer in Taiwan.

I have some Optimus stuff, but not any of their stoves. Regardless, it's comparable to any other mainstream brand. I have a Primus stove, which is another Swedish brand with a very long history.

 

[Tylerdl7]

Soto windmaster

 

[brant89]

So after borrowing a jetboil for my elk hunt last year, I figure that all I really need in a stove for my backcountry menu is to boil water for house and coffee, so I've decided to go with just a lightweight stove, fuel canister, and a small pot as my cooking kit to save some weight, money, and bulk over a jetboil. As of now I have it narrowed down to 3 choices, but I need some help deciding which one to get

1. MSR pocket rocket 2. I know I can buy this and just not worry about performance or anything breaking, and $45 isn't that much, but I've been buying and upgrading a lot of gear this year, so he next 2 budget options are very attractive to me.

2. Optimus (Katadyn) Crux Lite Solo cook system. Does anyone use any Optimus products? I can get the whole system on GovX for $52 and it includes a stove, pot, and pan in the 9oz system, and a canister fits inside the pots. Only thing is I have never heard of this company or anyone using it. Has anyone used this system and have any comments on it, good or bad? Is the stove quality?

3. Toaks pot and BRS 25g stove. I've seen 2 positive posts about this set up on a thread asking for a jetboil recomendation on here. I'm not worried about the Toaks pot, and I'll probably get that if I get the MSR, but I'm curious about the stove. There were 2 very positive comments in that thread and no detractors. It's 15 bucks, making the pair cost less than the MSR stove alone, but I'm afraid it's gonna be a Chinese POS, and I don't want my stove breaking on day 2 of a 5-7 day hunt. I'm looking for actual user comments on this please. Don't just tell me not to buy Chinese stuff. I'm one to try a bargain piece of gear if I can bet it's well constructed. I have an $85 dollar barrel on a custom hunting rifle that shoots 1 MOA and a cheapo walmart vac sealer that is so old I forget how old it is, but I still use it to pack my deer. Get the picture? Is the BRS burner good for the price, or is it gonna make my hunt miserable? Is it reliable or junk?

Thanks guys!

Been running the Optimus Crux Lite Solo for several years and see no need to change. It's reliable, efficient, and light.

 

[dj1975232]

Windmaster for me too.