The other post is kinda long and old lots of new stuff around.

boonie: "The Windpro2 has been on my radar for a while along with the Windburner, but I'm still using the JetBoil. Of course, I'm usually solo and I just boil water to rehydrate freezer-bag meals and rarely use it below 30 degrees, although it has worked down into the 20's. "

Consider, a Windpro2 or similar (I have several with remote canister but smaller burners), and a matched heat exchanger pot like Alocs Heat Exchanger Pot or similar. Lower more stable stove that you could use a full surrounding wind screen. Better cold performance, more versatile, more compact for packing, potentially cheaper.

butthead

Thanks, interesting - something to keep in mind, although I'll probably just keep using my JetBoil until it dies ;).

Oh boy, another recommendation from Ken. I swore off those because it was getting expensive! I'm looking at the Windpro 2 right now, it looks cute - lots of positive comments. But I'm going to close that Amazon window and go back to my 12 step program ....... wait a minute..... it says 'free shipping'!

Dave

Dave Dave Dave, notice I said similar and did not mention new except the cook pot.
Been using an ALOCS Split Wing and am very happy with its performance. It's a bit smaller so a better solo cooker for me.
Far as any other recommendations I make, most all are on used purchases! Only 1 Dragonfly bought new, That's just MSR burners.

I do not have a favorite, just preferences at the time I want to go!

butthead

butthead: "The other post is kinda long and old lots of new stuff around.

boonie: "The Windpro2 has been on my radar for a while along with the Windburner, but I'm still using the JetBoil. Of course, I'm usually solo and I just boil water to rehydrate freezer-bag meals and rarely use it below 30 degrees, although it has worked down into the 20's. "

Consider, a Windpro2 or similar (I have several with remote canister but smaller burners), and a matched heat exchanger pot like Alocs Heat Exchanger Pot or similar. Lower more stable stove that you could use a full surrounding wind screen. Better cold performance, more versatile, more compact for packing, potentially cheaper.

butthead"

I wish I could find a decent one of those heat exchanger pots in 3-4 liter size or larger. I think they'd really pay off when it comes to melting snow. If I could get something like that I would probably toss out my reactor...

WindBurner Stock Pot
or maybe look for a used MSR Alpine Heat Exchanger

I don't own a heat exchanger pot or adapter but have used them. And considering one as an addition to my cooking gear collection.

butthead

PS: Dave will bitch but just a teaser, One System To Fuel Them All bh

butthead: " WindBurner Stock Pot
or maybe look for a used MSR Alpine Heat Exchanger


I don't own a heat exchanger pot or adapter but have used them. And considering one as an addition to my cooking gear collection.


butthead

PS: Dave will bitch but just a teaser, One System To Fuel Them All bh"

I've seen the new wind burner pot but they advise against using them with other stoves as the C0 emissions can apparently be an issue.

butthead: "Dave Dave Dave, notice I said similar and did not mention new except the cook pot.
Been using an ALOCS Split Wing and am very happy with its performance. It's a bit smaller so a better solo cooker for me.
Far as any other recommendations I make, most all are on used purchases! Only 1 Dragonfly bought new, That's just MSR burners.


I do not have a favorite, just preferences at the time I want to go!


butthead"

Okay, I've backed away from the Amazon cliff, I'm breathing easier now:) Actually, the ALOCS Split Wing looks pretty good, and great price! I've been looking for an inexpensive solo stove.

(OT: By the way, after your review of the MSR Trailshot on an earlier post I purchased one for my solo last September and I really liked it.)

As always, thanks for all of the handy knowledge and great photos!

Dave

butthead

PS: Dave will bitch but just a teaser, One System To Fuel Them All bh"

I can pretend to ignore what I saw, but at 2 AM I will be dreaming the dreams of a Boundary Waters sous chef!

Dave

butthead: "Dave Dave Dave, notice I said similar and did not mention new except the cook pot.
Been using an ALOCS Split Wing and am very happy with its performance. It's a bit smaller so a better solo cooker for me.
Far as any other recommendations I make, most all are on used purchases! Only 1 Dragonfly bought new, That's just MSR burners.


I do not have a favorite, just preferences at the time I want to go!


butthead"

That is quite the arsenal BH! I have two of those stoves in your quiver - Windpro II and Pocket Rocket. Great combo set for all of my trips.

butthead: "Dave Dave Dave, notice I said similar and did not mention new except the cook pot.
Been using an ALOCS Split Wing and am very happy with its performance. It's a bit smaller so a better solo cooker for me.
Far as any other recommendations I make, most all are on used purchases! Only 1 Dragonfly bought new, That's just MSR burners.


I do not have a favorite, just preferences at the time I want to go!


butthead"

I've got 2 each of whisperlite and simmerlite. Like them both but for different reasons. Sometimes take along an old svea for fun.

I would have to say a primus yellowstone stove that utilizes a butane container. No longer made under that name but this stove is reliable and hot with good simmer. It also packs small minus the gas container. JG

butthead: "Dave Dave Dave, notice I said similar and did not mention new except the cook pot.
Been using an ALOCS Split Wing and am very happy with its performance. It's a bit smaller so a better solo cooker for me.
Far as any other recommendations I make, most all are on used purchases! Only 1 Dragonfly bought new, That's just MSR burners.


I do not have a favorite, just preferences at the time I want to go!


butthead"

Always good to have a fire extinguisher handy :-)

I have a few stoves. The ones I use the most are:

1) Trangia 25-6
2) Optimus Hiker 111
3) Optimus Hunter 8R
4) MSR Whisper lite
5) Svea 123R
6) Coleman Sporster 533

I don't use canister stoves. I just don't like the fact that (at least the ones I know about) you can't refill the canisters. It seems like a waste of resources to me. I do like my buddy's Jetboil though. He can make a cup of coffee fast. But I like aesthetics of the Trangia and all those nesting pots and kettle. And I'm never in such a hurry that an additional 3 minutes to get my coffee will matter. Plus the Trangia is an alcohol burner. It will always work.

For the alky fans I do make em, just do not use em much. Kinda cold sensitive below 20 degrees, slow cooking (work great for up to 16 oz more gets tedious).

2 sizes of wick (Starlyte burnre) stoves, 2 fanceefeest, and a ported low pressure burner.

Both the wick types work better in very cold temps, not needing the alcohol to be warmed or primed.

butthead

I have a priming dish for my Trangia when it is below freezing. I try not to camp below freezing! Most of my stoves need priming anyway so it isn't big deal to me. I make alcohol stoves too, but they are all inferior to the Trangia integrated system. The windshields are the bomb.

Brunton Raptor. although i dont think they are made anymore. will be looking for a packable bio stove as the next purchase though.

Most of my cooking has been over either a "raw" fire using either my Purcell or some other surface or over my solo stove. However, I'd like to do some things that would be easier with the even control of a proper stove, and I also know that it's only a matter of time before I find myself in a situation where I'll be wishing I had a stove.

Most of my trips are in groups of 2-8 (most often with 3 or 4 people). With my limited stove experience, I'm honestly not sure what the ideal setup should be for me if I'm cookin' a variety of different foods for often as many as 6 people. Windpro II and rocket seems like a handy duo, but are canisters ideal for larger groups especially if the trip is lasting 5+ days? I've been given the impression by some that liquid fuel might serve me better especially for my longer trips with 4+ people.

So, I guess like so many, I'm working less on choosing a stove and more on choosing a fuel.

"So, I guess like so many, I'm working less on choosing a stove and more on choosing a fuel." First and most important step!

Canister is convenient, easy and fast to setup and use. Most every canister fueled stove is adjustable from a low simmer to burn the pot heat. Canister stoves are generally less costly and easier to maintain.
It's largest detraction's are fuel cost and waste/recycling the empty canister.

Liquid gas or Coleman Camp Fuel is cheaper with a longer storage life (O-rings in canisters deteriorate and can slowly leak). It vaporizes and ignites better in cold temperatures, below 30 degrees F. The fuel containers are reusable/refillable. Liquid gas stoves tend to be more robust and support larger pots better.
Liquid fuel stoves are more expensive, dirtier, heavier in general, need to be heated sufficiently before cooking/lighting and require maintenance.

I have found thru use that fuel consumption between the 2 is very close. I will take ounce for ounce the same with either style. I can cook solo for a week with a full canister or 8 to 10 ounces of Coleman fuel, and bring some home from either.

I use both but favor liquid fuel because I have gone thru 2 gallons of gas in a year, 32 8oz canister equivalent. And camp year around.

Questions to ask. What seasons will it be used? How often? What size pots/pans?

butthead

butthead: "Questions to ask. What seasons will it be used? How often? What size pots/pans?


butthead"

Everything you wrote was helpful, but I want to point specifically to your remark about cookware size because it's something I hadn't really considered. I have a 3 liter pot (about 7.5-8" diameter) and a 10.5" pan that I use often. It's not all I have, but these larger pieces essentially set the bar for how large I need to go. It certainly does narrow down the choices some for sure.

mschi772: "...So, I guess like so many, I'm working less on choosing a stove and more on choosing a fuel."

I have many, many; perhaps too many stoves. Wood stoves, alcohol stove, propane, white gas stoves, canister stoves- I love 'em all!

Consider the MSR Whisperlite Universal as your group stove. This stove can burn Kerosene if necessary, White gas when appropriate and canister fuels for convenience. This gives you the opportunity to experiment with fuels with out investing in multiple stoves.

I originally purchased my own Whisperlite Universal with the belief I would use white gas most frequently. While I love the smell of white gas in the morning, I typically only use it when camping in winter temps. Canisters are so clean and easy not to use. Plus, most of my group camping is with my sons' Boy Scout Troop so, canister fuel insures we return with eye lashes and eye- brows more so than white gas.

For Solo trips, my favorite stove is my MSR Micro-Rocket (equivalent to the Pocket Rocket 2). Canister and stove fit inside a 12cm IMUSA mug with lid. I carry this on group trips as well for brewing coffee.

Good Luck

" I have a 3 liter pot (about 7.5-8" diameter) and a 10.5" pan that I use often. It's not all I have, but these larger pieces essentially set the bar for how large I need to go."

A Dragonfly has a pot support aprox. 7.5 inches in diameter and is about as large and sturdy as can be found in a single burner pack-able stove. But has a roarer burner that sends flame mostly up. Option is to use a silent cap/ported burner.
Whisperlite old style with bent rod legs is 6 3/4 across supports. using a waffle plate burner sending flames sideways then up.
Whisperlite new style uses a waffle burner and supports very similar to the -----
Simmerlite and WindPro with supports at 5 3/4 inches diameter. Simmerlite shown but the WindPro has the same ported burner, flame is not as sideways as waffle burner.
Then a PocketRocket, with supports at 4 3/4 inches. Flame is small and goes straight up. PR boiling test video .
Just examples of types, other makers offer very similar burners in many configurations.
Confused even more, or bored of my ravings about stoves?!?

butthead

Not saying I wouldn't add another stove to the mix later or that I'm totally decided right now, but I think I'm leaning toward a silenced Omnifuel for my purposes to start out.

Great choice! Canister and liquid in the same stove, great adjust-ability. Very comparable to a Dragonfly or Nova.
BD Silent Cap Shapeways
BD Cap from IMaterialise
These do require a different lighting technique, but work very well.

butthead

PS: If you have not watched yet, BD Optimus with flame plate then silent cap video bh

Most of the stoves in this thread are "backpacker" style solo stoves. We take groups of 16-18 men up each year, split into 3 groups. A one burner backpacker stove is not going to cut it for cooking the kinds of breakfasts and dinners we cook. We bring a Camp Chef Everest High Output 2 burner stove. Obviously larger and heavier then the backpacker stoves, but one canister of propane lasts us for the trip. And at 20,000 BTU burners, breakfast and dinner are ready fast.

If portaging is the driving force behind choosing a stove I get the backpacker styles. However, if you are cooking pancakes for 8 guys, or multiple pot dinners, the two burner type stoves are the way to go. And we have never knocked over a Camp Chef Stove. Happened several times on the small one burner backpack stoves.

For our groups, a two burner stove for cooking and 1-2 two jetboils for cofffee and hot choclate.

Yeah, I've considered a "suitcase" stove, and while the weight wouldn't always be an issue, it OFTEN would. And I still plan to cook a lot over wood, so initially a stove is just a supplement/backup to the cooking I already do.

If there are any really good multi-burner stoves out there than don't cost a fortune or weigh a ton, I would be interested to learn more about the options that are out there since it's a type of stove that seems to get less attention from reviews and such.

mschi772: "...If there are any really good multi-burner stoves out there than don't cost a fortune or weigh a ton..."

Have butthead fix you up with a Coleman Xpedition 2-burner stove :-)

schweady: "

mschi772: "...If there are any really good multi-burner stoves out there than don't cost a fortune or weigh a ton..."

Have butthead fix you up with a Coleman Xpedition 2-burner stove :-)

"

Thanks schweady, but I'm not really doing that anymore (got rid of the last converted stove). Be happy to share info and guidance to those interested via e-mail. Honestly a couple of the oriental WindPro clone stoves are cheaper and more versatile. Like this Alocs burner I spent $20 for,

butthead

Butthead thought you might be interested to know I gave one of those chinese heat exchanger pots a shot (figured $20- why not?)

Was disappointed the volume of the pot was not what the ebay listing advertised (actually 2l- even says so right on the box...), but it seems to be surprisingly well made. The anodizing is good and it wasn't the super thin junk aluminum I thought it would be made of. I'd put it barely shy of the quality of any of the GSI pots I have, but maybe not quite at the level of MSR.

With some quick testing it seemed to boost boil times on 1L by about 15% for my windpro and about 20% for the XGK. That's going up against the halulite 3.2l pot I was using before so comparing pots with a similar width might actually show better gains.

Still nowhere near the efficiency or speed of the reactor though... I might have to look into getting one of those fancy new remote windburners... If only they would add a generator so you could invert it in cold weather...

For the $180 to $200 for an MSR Reactor stove I can buy a cheap stove at Walmart and pay a teenager and come to do the cooking.

Thanks for the update keth0601. Did you compare size/dimmensions in the ad vs the pot received? Ad lists 173x118mm which converts to about 5x6 1/2 inches, 2 1/4 quart, 80 oz. Probably filled to brim. I have a few Alocs pot and am similarly impressed. In comparing to the Reactor (I do not have one), did you also use a windscreen with the HE pot?

I'm just starting to consider HE pots because I like versatility of use and ability to use different stoves with different pots. Seriously considering buying an MSR HE pot band, or a DIY version project.

butthead

butthead: "Thanks for the update keth0601. Did you compare size/dimmensions in the ad vs the pot received? Ad lists 173x118mm which converts to about 5x6 1/2 inches, 2 1/4 quart, 80 oz. Probably filled to brim. I have a few Alocs pot and am similarly impressed. In comparing to the Reactor (I do not have one), did you also use a windscreen with the HE pot?


I'm just starting to consider HE pots because I like versatility of use and ability to use different stoves with different pots. Seriously considering buying an MSR HE pot band, or a DIY version project.


butthead"

It looks like the add calculates the volume based off of the dimensions including the heat exchanger which is not the true volume. 2l fills it up pretty much to the brim and that's the capacity listed on the actual box it came in.

I didn't use a windscreen because I was inside and more interested in comparing against a normal pot than the reactor. I don't think a windscreen would make much difference in trying to compare to the reactor though. There's a pretty significant spread to overcome there. The reactor is not only more well-tuned, but it just throws off an unreal amount of heat over a wider surface area. Its that same quality that makes it altogether useless for anything but boiling water and melting snow, but for those two tasks there's really nothing that can compare.

Also on the msr he band you may be disappointed. In my experience (mostly on larger pots for snow melting) it has only a small impact on efficiency and you'd have to be on a pretty long trip for it to be worth its weight. They need to make one in a larger size too...

Thanks! Have looked at Reactors and Windburners. The Reactor is more specialized for high heat output, a real snow melter from what I've learned. More interested in solo, small group cooking. Thing for me is I get some competitive boiling times with several different stove windscreen combos that are close to any witnessed using a PCS. I do use them for cooking so that is not a high deciding factor. Favoring versatility more, a lot of mixed setups between stoves, pot/pans, and desired menu plans. Still does not hurt to try them if and when I can. My interest in HE's is combined with my stock of MSR Alpine and Blacklite pots, used in cold weather camps. Solo trips I now predominately use a Simmerlite, widscreen, one liter pot. I have learned to simmer with my Simmerlite, something it notoriously does not do well. It does toss a bunch of heat though!

butthead

butthead: "

schweady: "

mschi772: "...If there are any really good multi-burner stoves out there than don't cost a fortune or weigh a ton..."

Have butthead fix you up with a Coleman Xpedition 2-burner stove :-)

"

Thanks schweady, but I'm not really doing that anymore (got rid of the last converted stove). Be happy to share info and guidance to those interested via e-mail. Honestly a couple of the oriental WindPro clone stoves are cheaper and more versatile. Like this Alocs burner I spent $20 for,


butthead"

Yeah, I did add a smiley face (maybe not easily seen), because I was pretty sure you had moved on from that. Mine is a conversation piece, and I appreciate your help with it, but it really doesn't go along on our group trips anymore like I thought it would. The old stand-by 1-burner Coleman is actually being pushed out on our lightweight trips now by our MSR WindBurner 1.8 L system and their (new this year) non-stick skillet that matches the system. Sweet package.