I've been working on multiple articles this winter (extended use testing and reviews) and out of everything I've been using, the backpacking stoves have been the most fun to test.
It started because I'm supposed to be heading to the northwest territories for a few months this year and the outfitter prefers using a multifuel stoves over canister stoves. So I bought (and returned most of them) just about every liquid fuel stove on the market. After getting al of those, I figured I better go the distance and test all of the canister stoves out as well.
Here's the list of what I've tested so far:
Jetboil SOL and SOL TI
Primus ETA lite
Primus ETA Spider
Primus Omni lite
Primus Omni fuel
Primus Express
MSR Reactor
MSR Whisperlite Universal
MSR Whisperlite International
MSR XGK EX
MSR Pocket Rocket
Snow Peak Giga
SOTO OD-1RX Windmaster
While testing these stoves, I/we also tested multiple cooking pots/cups. These cups ranged from standard SS to high end titanium.
The biggest thing I noticed about the cooking pots when related to stove efficinacy, was the difference in boil time when the cooking pot I was using had the ETA (or similar) type of technology. This is the part of the cooking pot that's located on the bottom and looks like a bunch of zig-zag lines that go up and down. I always knew that this made a difference in efficiency, but wow, I had no idea how much it helped.
A good example was the test we did this last week with the Primus ETA Spider. When we boiled 16 oz's of water with the Spider and ETA pot, we had a rolling boil in 1 minute and 11 seconds. We then swapped over to the Titanium cup (no ETA technology) and it took 3 minutes and 12 seconds with the same amount of water. The titanium cup was much lighter in comparison, but that saved weight would quickly reverse itself in saved fuel on extended trips.
A couple examples of what I'm talking about
http://www.olicamp.com/products-pots/xts-pot
http://primuscamping.com/collections/cookware/products/eta-pot-1
As far as multifuel stoves go...they are not all created equal!
Some burn HOT, but have issues with simmering. Others will burn white was really well, but have issues when swapping over to diesel fuel.
If you look at the MSR XGK EX, you will see a bomb proof stove that will just about burn a whole through your cookset, but be prepared to burn your Ramen, cause it only has one speed....fast!
The Primus Omni lite (it's winning the multifuel race right now) has been a big surprise for me as well, as it simmers well, is light weight and burns all types of fuel pretty good.
The MSR Reactor and Primus ETA Spider are at the top for canister stoves, but the designs are a good bit different.
I'd like to get some comments on these stoves (what you've used and what you like), before I finish my article.
Thanks everyone!
It started because I'm supposed to be heading to the northwest territories for a few months this year and the outfitter prefers using a multifuel stoves over canister stoves. So I bought (and returned most of them) just about every liquid fuel stove on the market. After getting al of those, I figured I better go the distance and test all of the canister stoves out as well.
Here's the list of what I've tested so far:
Jetboil SOL and SOL TI
Primus ETA lite
Primus ETA Spider
Primus Omni lite
Primus Omni fuel
Primus Express
MSR Reactor
MSR Whisperlite Universal
MSR Whisperlite International
MSR XGK EX
MSR Pocket Rocket
Snow Peak Giga
SOTO OD-1RX Windmaster
While testing these stoves, I/we also tested multiple cooking pots/cups. These cups ranged from standard SS to high end titanium.
The biggest thing I noticed about the cooking pots when related to stove efficinacy, was the difference in boil time when the cooking pot I was using had the ETA (or similar) type of technology. This is the part of the cooking pot that's located on the bottom and looks like a bunch of zig-zag lines that go up and down. I always knew that this made a difference in efficiency, but wow, I had no idea how much it helped.
A good example was the test we did this last week with the Primus ETA Spider. When we boiled 16 oz's of water with the Spider and ETA pot, we had a rolling boil in 1 minute and 11 seconds. We then swapped over to the Titanium cup (no ETA technology) and it took 3 minutes and 12 seconds with the same amount of water. The titanium cup was much lighter in comparison, but that saved weight would quickly reverse itself in saved fuel on extended trips.
A couple examples of what I'm talking about
http://www.olicamp.com/products-pots/xts-pot
http://primuscamping.com/collections/cookware/products/eta-pot-1
As far as multifuel stoves go...they are not all created equal!
Some burn HOT, but have issues with simmering. Others will burn white was really well, but have issues when swapping over to diesel fuel.
If you look at the MSR XGK EX, you will see a bomb proof stove that will just about burn a whole through your cookset, but be prepared to burn your Ramen, cause it only has one speed....fast!
The Primus Omni lite (it's winning the multifuel race right now) has been a big surprise for me as well, as it simmers well, is light weight and burns all types of fuel pretty good.
The MSR Reactor and Primus ETA Spider are at the top for canister stoves, but the designs are a good bit different.
I'd like to get some comments on these stoves (what you've used and what you like), before I finish my article.
Thanks everyone!