Titanium Pots

People have asked me what pots I use, so I thought I'd list out my collection and make a few comments as well.  I've listed all the weights below which may be useful in and of themselves.

	Item	Capacity (ml)	Pot (g)	Lid (g)	Total Grams	Total Ounces	Total Pounds
1	Snow Peak Trek 1400	1400	125	62	187	6.60	0.41
2	Snow Peak Trek 1400 with cheap Al lid	1400	125	29	154	5.43	0.34
3	Evernew Ultralight 1300ml	1300	94	42	136	4.80	0.30
4	Snow Peak Multi-Compact 1000ml	1000	100	64	164	5.78	0.36
5	Snow Peak 1000ml with Evernew 1300 Lid	1000	100	42	142	5.01	0.31
6	MSR Titan Kettle 850ml	850	97	36	133	4.69	0.29
7	Snow Peak Multi-Compact 780ml	780	81	51	132	4.66	0.29
8	BPL Firelite 550	550	66	14	80	2.82	0.18

General Comments
Notice first off that in lines one and two that I've listed the same Snow Peak Trek 1400 pot.  The first line is with the stock frying pan lid.  The second line is with a cheap aluminum lid that I bought in a Good Will Thrift Store.  I have lost my stock lid, so I'll have to update that column later, but I'm confident that my 29g aluminum lid (which works perfectly fine) is far lighter than the stock lid.

I also think that a titanium frying pan isn't a very good option for those who want to cook.  I much prefer aluminum fry pans which distribute heat far more evenly.  With titanium fry pans, I usually wind up with a lot of burnt spots.  Also, I find that the handle on a frying pan lid gets in the way.  I much prefer a simple loop or knob atop my pot lids.

As with lines one and two, so also with lines four and five.  Again, I've substituted a lighter lid for the frying pan lid that comes with the set.  I lose weight and gain ease-of-use.  I hate that frying pan lid handle and much prefer the simple loop on the lid of my Evernew 1300ml pot.  Since I very rarely ever take both a 1300ml and a 1000ml pot out on the same trip, using the 1300ml lid for the 1000ml pot works just fine.  On those rare occasions where I need both pots, I just suck it up and take the frying pan lid.

Recommendations
1.  Materials.  Titanium is light, and titanium is strong, but if you want to cook real food, get aluminum cookware.  I find that titanium tends to scorch foods too easily.  Titanium is great for boiling water and melting snow. When melting snow always start with some liquid water in the bottom of the pot.  That liquid water will help distribute the heat more evenly and efficiently and will help to protect the pot from warping.

2.  Size.  I find that around 1000ml is the most versatile size for me.  If I were going to just get one pot, I'd probably get something around 1000ml in size.  Why 1000ml?  Well, here are a few reasons:

• Efficiency.  Smaller pots are indeed generally lighter and more packable, but smaller pots tend to be narrow.  With a narrow pot, a lot of the heat from a stove gets wasted up the sides.  I find that my stoves are much more efficient with a 1000ml pot with "traditional" proportions (wider than tall).  I do notice, though, that my new 1300ml Evernew pot is a real "bargain" in terms of weight (see above table).  It will take slightly more room in my pack, but weigh less than my 1000ml Snow Peak Pot.  My 1300ml Evernew pot may become my new "go to" pot.
• Practical cooking capacity.  I find pots less than about 750ml to be impractical.  Not only are they inefficient due to wasted heat, they also lack enough capacity for me to boil enough water for dinner and a hot beverage in one boil.
• Carrying Capacity.  I like to be able to store my stove in my pot.  With a 1000ml pot, I can lay a Clikstand (for example) down flat inside.  I can also carry a lighter, an alcohol stove, a small fuel bottle, a spoon, and my windscreen inside.

A 1000ml Snow Peak pot can carry an entire cooking set up inside.

• Safety.  Also, I've had a lot of boil overs with small pots.  I tend to boil at least 500ml (about two cups) at a time.  With a 550ml pot, there's not much distance between the water line and the rim of the pot.  A boil over when working with a gas stove could be quite dangerous since the boiling water could overheat the canister causing a flare or in some circumstances (if the canister were already quite hot) a canister explosion.  Not good.

So there you have it, a few thoughts on pots.

Thanks for joining me on another Adventure in Stoving,

HJ

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The Kovea LPG (Propane) Adapter

I recently picked something up that turns out to be pretty useful:  A Kovea LPG (Propane) Adapter.  This adapter allows one to run a standard threaded canister gas type backpacking stove off of one of those green Coleman 16.4oz/465g cylinders of 100% propane, you know the typical propane canisters that everyone uses for camping stoves and camping lanterns for car camping.

An LPG (propane) adapter made by Kovea

Whoa!  Running a backpacking stove off of 100% propane?  Couldn't that be dangerous?

Well, maybe, and I certainly wouldn't have bought a no-name adapter made in China, but Kovea is a top gas stove manufacturing company with an excellent reputation world wide.  If Kovea makes it, it's quality, and I wanted to give it a look.  Speaking of which, let's take that puppy out of the packaging.

First impression:  This thing is beautiful.  I mean look at it.  Really nice build quality.

A Kovea propane adapter.  This end connects to a typical 16.4oz/465g cylinder of propane of the type that are used for camp stoves and camp lanterns.

A Kovea propane adapter.  This end connects to a typical threaded backpacking stove.

It is made from really solid feeling metal, so it is heavy (105g), but boy is the thing well built.

Now, notice something.  On the side of the adapter there is a little set screw which helps regulate the gas.

There is a set screw on the side of the adapter to help regulate the pressure.

When I tested the adapter, I didn't need to use the set screw.  In other words, it worked just fine out of the box, but it's nice to know that it's there if you need it.  Now, a word of warning:  propane is going to have a higher vapor pressure than the gasses typically used for backpacking.  Yes, the gasses typically used for backpacking include propane, but not 100%.  Usually propane is no more than about 1/3 of the total mix.

Higher vapor pressure could mean higher danger, so pay attention.  If the pressure is too high, you could get flame "lift off" where the flame is blown away from the burner.  In that situation, the flame will frequently die out while the gas is still flowing.

OK, let me get this straight.  I've got a hot stove with the flame out but the gas is still gushing out.  Um, couldn't that be a little dangerous?

Why yes, as a matter of fact it could.  Gas + air + heat = KABOOM!  If you're lucky, all you'll lose is your eyebrows.  If you're unlucky, you'll be finding out for 100% sure whether or not there really is a God, if you know what I mean.  So, warning:

Propane is a highly flammable and potentially explosive gas.  

Backpacking stoves are not designed to operate on 100% propane.  Use at your own risk.  Risk includes loss of property, serious bodily injury, and death.

The first rule, if you've made the decision to accept the risk of using a backpacking stove with 100% propane, is to turn things down low.  Start low, and turn things up slowly.  There's no law that says you have to open the valve completely, so don't.

The adapter comes with some instructions.

The instructions for the "set screw" on the side of the adapter.

Unfortunately, the instructions are written in Korean, which is not a language with which I am conversant.  Still, it's pretty obvious from the pictogram what the set screw does.

Another diagram shows the method of employment, although it will probably be fairly straightforward for anyone who has used both 100% propane camping appliances as well as canister gas backpacking stoves and lanterns.

How to hook up the adapter (shown in orange)

Just in case you're Korean isn't up to speed, here's what the adapter looks like when you hook it up (below).  Note that the propane canister I'm using happens to be blue.  The canister is blue because of the  particular brand of the canister.  Typically canisters are green, but whatever, the adapter hooks up the same.

A Kovea LPG (propane) adapter attached to a propane canister. 

Your backpacking stove then screws into the threads that you can see on the adapter in the photo above. Inside the adapter is the equivalent of a Lindal valve.  In other words, gas doesn't start immediately come shooting out of the adapter when you hook it up.

A Markill Hot Rod backpacking stove in operation on 100% propane.

Really pretty straightforward, but as with any backpacking stove, be freaking careful.  Always listen after hooking everything up before firing up the stove.  If you hear a leak, proceed no further until you've resolved the problem.  Failure to do so could have catastrophic results.

I'll cover the more practical aspects of 100% propane use for backpacking in a separate post.  In this post, I just wanted to showcase the adapter.

Final warning:  Adapters open up a whole new world in terms of fuel and stove combinations that can be used. Adapters  also open up a whole new world of hurt if you exceed the limitations of a particular set up. Just because you can hook up something up doesn't mean it's a good idea. Above all else, be careful.

Thanks for joining me on another Adventure in Stoving,

HJ

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MSR Whisperlite Universal -- First Videos, Detailed Photos

I'm in the process of writing a review of the new MSR Whisperlite Universal stove.


UPDATED 10/4/2011:  I have written a review of the MSR Whisperlite Universal.

See also this related post which contains additional info on the new (for 2012) stoves from MSR.

The new MSR Whisperlite Universal

I'm still working on the review, but I've posted some rough videos. Don't be expecting slick production values, but if you're interested in the stove, these videos should be pretty informative.

MSR Whisperlite Universal -- First Look







Field trial: MSR Whisperlite Universal, running on canister gas.





Another video of running the MSR Whisperlite Universal on canister gas.





The MSR Whisperlite Universal -- changing from liquid fuel to canister gas:





MSR Whisperlite Universal -- Flip Stop:





I've also posted some detailed photos -- and commentary:






I'll have more to say after I get the stove out in the field, but I thought I'd give you some preliminary thoughts now.

HJ

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Fastest Boil Time?

So, which stove has the fastest boil time? Or does it even matter?

If you read my reviews, you'll notice that I don't normally list boil times. Why do you suppose that might be?

First, how important is it? Something in the neighborhood of 5 to 7 minutes to boil a liter is fine in my book. Waiting another 30 seconds or so for a boil makes no real difference to me. Now, if it were another 3 minutes, maybe then I'd worry about it, but half a minute either way isn't going to really affect how I cook or how I organize my time while backpacking. After all, isn't one of the reasons we go backpacking to get away from all of the arbitrary time pressures of "civilization?"

Second, don't forget the number one rule of stove fuel economy:
1. Turn it down! High heat = inefficient = wasted fuel.
2. Use a lid. Escaping steam = escaping heat = wasted fuel.
3. Use a windscreen. No windscreen = dispersed heat = wasted fuel.

Running a stove on high burns through more fuel than you really need; you can accomplish the same with less fuel if you just run it on a low to moderate flame. You are carrying that fuel on your aching back, aren't you? Shoot! Conserve it. Why worry about shaving 30 seconds off a boil when the price is to carry more fuel?

Third, how helpful is a boil time in comparing one stove to another? There are no standards for boil times. If there were a standard (e.g. 1 liter of water at 45F/7C, 5mph/8kph wind, plain aluminum pot with lid, 1 atmosphere pressure), then we could compare boil times stove to stove and perhaps have something meaningful. But there is no standard, so one stove company may be boiling water that is 45F/7C outdoors whereas another company may be boiling water that is 75F/24C in a windless laboratory. That's like comparing a diesel truck to a skateboard. One stove manufacturer may have its facility in Denver, Colorado (elevation about 5000'/1500m) whereas another may have its facility in Chicago, Illinois (elevation about 600'/180m). Comparison of boil times from those two locations isn't even close to relevant.

So, to my point of view, a boil time doesn't figure prominently as I evaluate a stove. Sure, it has to be within reason, but even 60 seconds either way wouldn't have any significant effect on my enjoyment of the outdoors. Not only that, if I start focusing on maximizing my boil times, I'm just burning through fuel -- fuel that I have to pack. And finally, since there is no set of standard conditions for boil times, they're of little use for comparing one stove to another. Don't forget that boil times vary even on the same stove. If one boil takes 4:45, 5:15 the next, 4:35 the next time, and then 5:05 on the boil after that, a stove company will probably pick the single fastest time and list that as their official boil time. Singularly useless.

To me at least, boil times are just the "macho" claims of stove advertisers. Within reason, boil times aren't really important to a guy sitting by a beautiful alpine lake trying to get away for a while. So, don't sweat the boil time. Look at how you cook, what you cook, and under what conditions you cook. How a stove serves you in the context of how you do things in the outdoors is going to matter a whole lot more than 30 seconds off your boil time.

HJ

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New Stoves from MSR

It looks like MSR is putting out three, count 'em, three new stoves.


UPDATED 9/6/2011 See also this related post which contains videos of the new MSR Whisperlite Universal.

UPDATED 10/4/2011:  I have written a review of the MSR Whisperlite Universal.


The first is the MicroRocket.

Basically, the MicroRocket looks like it's just a lighter version of the PocketRocket, but with some minor improvements. In particular, the pot supports are shorter and supposedly (per MSR) stronger, which would go a long way toward correcting the PocketRocket's Achilles heel.  Reportedly, the MicroRocket will be 15% lighter than the PocketRocket which would mean that the MicroRocket would weigh about 2.5 oz.  A German press release I saw lists the weight at 75g which would be 2.6 oz.  Either way, it's a very nice, light stove.

An MSR PocketRocket (left) and an MSR MicroRocket (right)

MSR MicroRocket (left) and MSR PocketRocket (Right)

A second "improvement" is the addition of a separate piezoelectric starter (see first photo). The starter is a stand alone unit not built into the stove. I'm not quite sure about the utility of this. Why not just bring matches, a lighter, or a firesteel?  Matches, a lighter, or a firesteel seem like they'd be a lot more versatile. With matches, a lighter, or a firesteel, one can light a variety of fires, not just a stove.  I haven't seen MSR's piezoelectric starter, but I think a piezoelectric starter would only work on a stove.  It'll be interesting to see if their separate piezoelectric starter catches on.

The pot supports on the new MicroRocket fold up a bit differently and the valve control folds over the body of the stove.  It all collapses down into what looks to be a very compact package indeed.

An MSR MicroRocket folded (left) and piezoelectric ignition (right)

The new case for the MicroRocket looks more compact overall when compared to the case for the PocketRocket.

Left to right:  Folded MSR MicroRocket, piezoelectric ignigtion, a MicroRocket case, and a PocketRocket case

Here's Steve Grimes of MSR discussing the new MicroRocket:

The second new stove is the Whisperlite Universal which is a "hybrid" stove (MSR's words) that will burn both liquid fuel and gas.

Apparently the Universal is a Whisperlite Internationale with significant revisions. Gone are the wire legs, and the generator has been significantly revised. Note also the black plastic canister stand which holds the canister upside down. It appears that MSR is finally conceding that their remote canister stoves work with the canister inverted (i.e. liquid feed), a fact that they have mysteriously downplayed for years. It's a wonder that MSR wouldn't market the heck out of the fact that their remote canister stoves can operate with the canister inverted since an inverted canister stove can operate in temperatures at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit (about 10 degrees Celsius) colder than conventional upright canister stoves. The Whisperlite Universal supposedly has multiple connectors that can be swapped out for use with gas or liquid fuel. The Whisperlite Universal comes with three jets (much like a Primus Omnifuel) for use with differing fuels.

A closer look at the burner of the MSR Whisperlite Universal

From what I can see so far, this new Whisperlite should be a very interesting stove capable of a wide variety of modes: upright (vapor feed) gas, inverted (liquid feed) gas, and liquid fuel (white gasoline or kerosene). Let's hope that they have not only added a new fuel to the old Internationale's repertoire but also increased the Internationale's reliability with kerosene.  If in fact the Whisperlite Universal does have increased reliability with kerosene, the Universal might indeed be a really good choice for the world traveler, particularly if the Universal were more accessible from a price perspective.  Stoves currently on the market that burn gas, white gasoline, and kerosene tend to be pretty expensive.

The new Whisperlite Universal seems to have an upgraded fuel line.  The fuel line on newer MSR stoves like the Simmerlite and Windpro is thinner and more flexible, making the stove easier to pack.  It looks like the Whisperlite has now also been upgraded to the new more flexible fuel line.  Assuming the new fuel line is just as reliable as the old one, the more flexible fuel line is a change I heartily applaud.

It's possible, but I don't know this for a fact, that the new Whisperlite Universal will be a lighter stove than either the regular Whisperlite or the Whisperlite Internationale.  I say this just based on the legs and the overall look of the stove.  Of course, any weight shed on the legs may be regained depending on how they do the connectors.  Assuming that the new Whisperlite Universal uses the standard MSR duraseal pump (look at the photo below; notice the duraseal pump in her hand), there will have to be some kind adapter that the fuel hose will plug into so that a either a standard pump or gas canister can be attached.

MSR is smart, they have made the Whisperlite Universal so one doesn't have to carry the canister stand in warm weather, when you really don't need to invert the canister.

 The canister stand of an MSR Whisperlite Universal

Here's a video on the Whisperlite Universal:

Lastly, the third "new" stove:  The Windpro II.  MSR has improved the Windpro by adding a rotating coupler and including a canister stand that holds the canister in inverted position.  Again, it looks as though MSR is finally publicly acknowledging that their remote canister stoves can be used in inverted canister mode (liquid feed).  It's interesting to me that it took them this long to acknowledge what has been there all along.  They spent a lot of money on the Reactor, which they push as a high end mountaineering stove, when they had a gas stove that would work in much colder conditions way before anyone even thought of the Reactor.

Here are a couple of photos of the new, improved Windpro II.  In the first photo, note the MSR Whisperlite Universal in the background which appears to use the same canister stand.

Here's a video on the Windpro II

I don't have any photos, but per a press release dated July 18 from Cascade Designs, apparently MSR has also upgraded the Whisperlite Internationale if I'm reading things correctly, so it looks as though there will be three versions of the Whisperlite sold:
The regular Whisperlite
The Whisperlite Internationale (Improved Version)
The Whisperlite Universal
Perhaps no changes are being made to the regular Whisperlite?

All of the new stoves should be available in January 2012.

HJ

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Windscreens

In my recent article in Seattle Backpackers Magazine (Aug 2, 2011 edition), I mentioned what my preference is in terms of a windscreen for an upright canister stove (well, at least for trips where weight isn't super critical).  Something like the below (keep reading if this looks too heavy; more ideas follow):

This is a self standing windscreen made by Olicamp.

I discuss my preferred windscreen set up in my article, and I'll go into some more detail later on in this blog post, but for now I'd like to discuss some of the alternatives that are out there.  Before you look at these alternative windscreens, you should carefully read my article and all of the safety warnings in the article.  Using a windscreen with a canister stove can be very dangerous.  Make sure that you monitor the temperature of the canister frequently with your hand.  If the canister feels hot, it is hot:  Take immediate steps to cool the canister.  DO NOT EVER LET THE GAS CANISTER OF YOUR STOVE GET HOT*.

That said, let's look at some of the options out there for windscreens for an upright canister stove:

One particularly ingenious light weight idea is Jim Wood's Kite Screen.

Photo courtesy of Jim Wood

The kite screen has an excellent reputation and is definitely a workable solution to the wind challenge. For me personally, the kite screen is a bit more set up than I like to mess with, but many people really like it. By the way, if you haven't checked out Jim's site, it's worth a look.  Lot's of valuable information.  Recommended.

Another option is construct your radiation shield such that it has a lip around the edge, like so:

 You can then use that lip to put a windscreen in place like so:

Advantages:

• The canister is fully vented making it very unlikely that you'll overheat the canister.
• Since the windscreen doesn't need to reach all the way to the ground, a shorter windscreen can be used.

Disadvantages:

• It's a little hard to secure the windscreen on top of the radiation shield.  Wind tends to knock the windscreen around.  However, I've seen lots of examples of clever clips and other means to secure the windscreen in place.  This is definitely something worth experimenting with.
• The lip on the radiation shield tends to get bent up when in my pack.  A completely flat radiation shield is easier to pack.
• Because there is such a tight mating of the windscreen and radiation shield, it's going to get really hot inside the windscreen.  Plastic or other sensitive parts like piezoelectric ignition systems could get damaged.
• Because the radiation shield needs to securely support the windscreen, you'll need to use a little bit heavier material for the radiation shield than you otherwise would.
• Since the valve control is inside the windscreen, you have to lift or open the windscreen to adjust the flame.  If you're just boiling water, who cares?  Just turn the stove on and let the danged thing boil.  But if you're simmering, you may need to adjust the flame.  A huge deal?  No.  Inconvenient?  Yes.

Another option is to take a titanium bowl and cut slots and holes in the bottom of the bowl such that the burner and pot supports protrude through the bottom of the bowl.

Photo courtesy of Denis Hazelwood

With a pot in place:

Photo courtesy of Denis Hazelwood

I think the bowl idea has a lot of merit.  Of course you have to sacrifice a titanium bowl, and it takes a bit of skill to make cuts that don't look really amateurish. The bowl in the photo was made by Denis Hazelwood.

Finally, there's always my preference:

This self standing windscreen consists of a series of stiff aluminum plates with wire rods that act as hinges.  This type of windscreen has several advantages:
1.  It's self standing.
2.  It's heavy enough that the slightest breeze doesn't knock it over
3.  It's tall enough that it can handle larger canisters and larger stoves.  The canister in the photo is a 220g Snow Peak canister, and the stove is an MSR Superfly, a relatively tall stove.
4.  It's very fast to set up (seconds)
5.  The rods that act as hinges can be pushed into the ground to help secure the windscreen.

BUT this type has a significant disadvantage:  it's heavy, weighing in at 201g (7 ounces) which is about the weight of a 110g sized fuel canister (when full)!

For a lighter windscreen that works along the same lines, simply replace the above windscreen with a windscreen made from multiple sheets of household aluminum foil, folded at the edges such that the windscreen stays together, like this:

The above windscreen is significantly lighter, but far more subject to being knocked around or blown over by wind.  You'll probably need to brace the windscreen with rocks and such.  The above windscreen is also significantly less durable.  But it does work.


So there's a very brief survey of some of common windscreen set ups that I've seen for upright canister stoves
1.  Self Standing
2.  The Kite Screen
3.  Windscreen mounted on radiation shield
4.  Windscreen made out of a bowl or similar item

For any of the common windscreen set ups, your imagination is the only limit to the types of materials that you might use.  Items such as pie tins, 36 ga. aluminum tooling fool, baking pans, catering dish lids, titanium bowls, household aluminum foil, roof flashing, etc. are all fair game.  Just remember:  DO NOT EVER LET THE GAS CANISTER OF YOUR STOVE GET HOT*.


With that in mind, get out there and use your stove for what it is intended for:  Good eats!!

HJ

*Letting the canister get some heat in cold weather isn't a bad idea; it will improve performance. You still need to monitor the canister's temperature even in cold weather. Even when it's cold out, that canister must never be allowed to get so hot that you can't comfortably touch it with your bare hand.  I'm talking about "normal" hands here.  Be careful if your hands are really cold.  Really cold hands may not give you enough sensation to tell how hot that canister really is.  Let your hand rest on the canister a while.  If the canister is really hot, you'll know it soon enough!  My point is that a quick touch with cold hands may not be enough.  Check the canister.

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How Much Gas Do I Have Left?

It’s day five of my seven day trip. I still have a couple of days of cooking left to do. If I run out of gas, I’ll be eating uncooked freeze dried meals (yuck!). Can I afford to make my morning coffee? Just how much stinkin’ gas do I have left!?

I've got an article in Seattle Backpacker's Magazine on just that very subject.

HJ

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What's the Best Stove for All Conditions?

I thank you all for your many interesting questions and comments. I try to respond to each and every one. Here's one from "tpfishnfool" that I thought might actually make a good blog post:

"tpfishnfool" wrote: Looking for a good all around stove for everything from whitney to baldy. whats a good stove that is small and good in all conditions ?
Thanks..

It's tough to find that one stove that "does it all" and is the best stove at all times and in all conditions. Take a look at my "personal" stove list down below, and you'll hopefully see what type of stove I use for what type of trip and under what conditions.

Some questions for you:
-How much money are you planning on spending?
-Are you willing to put up with the "hassle" of liquid fuel stoves and priming? (I put "hassle" in quotes since once you get the hang of it, priming a liquid fuel stove is pretty much no big deal.)
-What's your "style?" Ultralighter? Gotta have bomb proof equipment even if it's a little heavier? Convenience driven? Cost conscious?
-What seasons do you go out in? Year round/four season? Three season including the "shoulder" seasons (early spring/late fall)? Fair weather only?

I can give you a better recommendation if I know what your answers are.

However, I can make some general remarks: If you want a stove that's good in truly all conditions, then in general you either want a remote canister gas stove or a remote liquid fueled stove. If you invert the canister and use only isobutane and propane for fuel, a remote canister gas stove will work down to 0F without needing to employ "tricks" to keep the canister warm, and a remote liquid fueled stove will take you down into arctic conditions. By "remote" I simply mean that the burner and the fuel are separated (a fuel hose connects them).

Some recommendations for a remote canister gas stove:
1. Inexpensive: MSR Rapidfire. (discontinued, but available on eBay)
2. Lightweight: MSR Windpro. (current production)
3. Really low temperatures: Coleman Xtreme. (discontinued, but available on eBay)

For a remote liquid fueled stove:
1. Inexpensive: MSR Whisperlite. (current production)
2. Versatile: Primus Omnifuel which burns canister gas, gasoline, or kerosene. (current production) If I just absolutely *had* to recommend one and only one stove, then this would be it.
3. Rugged & reliable: MSR XGK EX (current production) or earlier versions such as the MSR XGK II (discontinued, but available on eBay)

Now, having said that, most of us don't need to go super cold. If you're generally staying above 20F, there's another excellent option: the MSR Reactor (current production). It's not lightweight, and it's certainly not cheap, but it is one bomb proof stove, and as it's name might suggest, it is one hot stove. The Reactor can take on wind without missing a beat. If melting snow is what you need, this thing's a blast furnace. If you need to go below 20F, it can be done with the Reactor, but you need to employ techniques to to keep the canister warm. If I were camping in a gale on the exposed summit of a peak, I can think of no other stove I'd rather have along.

Just for fun, I'll list my "personal" stoves. These are not "shelf queens." These are the stoves I repeatedly rely on when out on the trail. What they are and when I use them may be illustrative.
LIQUID FUEL
1. Svea 123. An "upright" liquid fueled stove. Not a lot of wind protection. Super reliable. Compact and rugged. Cheap to operate.* Reasonably stable. Good for solo or small group trips. Capable of simmering.
2. MSR Whisperlite. A "remote" liquid fueled stove. Probably my most used stove; it's a real "workhorse." Cheap to operate, good wind protection. Stable; capable of handling larger pot sizes. Good for small or mid-sized groups. Difficult to simmer. A good all-around stove.
3. MSR XGK. A "remote" liquid fueled stove. Hot! Rugged. Reliable. Stable. Good wind protection. Cheap to operate. This is my "go to" stove for serious winter trips unless I might need to cook in my vestibule. Difficult to simmer.
4. MSR Simmerlite. A "remote" liquid fueled stove. Basically a lighter weight, modernized version of the Whisperlite. I use this stove when I want to carry less weight/bulk but still use liquid fuel. Difficult to simmer.

GAS
1. Optimus Crux. An "upright" canister stove. Small, light, and compact, but poor wind protection. Not super stable. Capable of simmering. Basically a fair weather stove for "fast and light" trips with smaller pots. Does not handle cold weather well.
2. Camping Gaz HP470. An "upright" canister stove. Bigger pot suports, better wind resistance, and more stable than the Optimus Crux but consequently the HP470 weighs more and is bulkier. A fair to moderate weather stove. Does not handle cold weather well.
3. Jetboil PCS. An "upright" canister stove. Efficient. Easy to use. Convenient. Reasonably good wind protection. Not super compact but not particularly bulky either. Pretty stable when the "tripod" (canister legs) is used. Does not handle cold weather well. Capable of simmering. A good intermediate weather stove.
4. MSR Reactor. An "upright" canister stove. Hot! Stable. Efficient. Excellent wind protection. Not light. Not compact -- a bit bulky actually. Capable of simmering; it's tricky, but it can be done. A good extreme weather stove when it's not going to get super cold. Fastest snow melter I know of.
5. Coleman Xtreme. A "remote" canister stove. Good wind protection. Good stability. Special canister design for cold weather which allows for operation down below 0F. If I think it's going to be really cold and I might need to cook inside my tent (or vestibule), then this is my "go to" stove. The thought of priming a liquid fueled stove inside does NOT appeal to me. A winter gas canister stove up like the Xtreme allows me to avoid priming yet still have excellent cold weather performance down to about -10F. Capable of simmering.

Notice that the above five gas stoves start with the lightest duty first and proceed to the heaviest duty.

HJ

*Indeed, "cheap to operate" is true for most liquid fueled stoves. A 110g canister of gas is about $5.00 plus tax. The equivalent liquid fuel is about $0.30 plus tax.

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Stove of the Week: Primus Omnifuel

If you want a stove that runs like a Swiss watch, then the Primus Omnifuel is your stove. It's precision engineering at it's best.  I mean this thing is a stovie's dream. Just look at that beautiful blue flame. 

The pump's action is a smooth as silk.  Everything fits together just so.  This is one high end stove.  But enough praise, let's take a look.  First, the burner.

It's a roarer style burner.  I expected it to be loud, as most roarers are, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It's really quite quiet for its type. However, one would hardly refer to the Omnifuel as quiet when the flame is on high.  The Omnifuel's three legs make it quite stable, and the pot supports are well engineered to accommodate a wide (and narrow!) assortment of pots.


The pump is sturdy aluminum, a far more robust pump than, say, a plastic MSR pump.  One interesting feature to the Omnifuel is it's rotating attachment to the fuel pump.  In order to run the stove, one rotates the fuel tank around the axis formed by the valve to the "ON" position (as seen in the below photograph).  The black grooved piece of plastic that you see immediately to the left of the pump rotates freely.

To turn the stove off, one again rotates the fuel tank around the axis formed by the valve into the "OFF" position.  In the "OFF" position, the dip tube, which would normally be in the lowest portion of the tank, submerged in fuel, now points upward and just draws air.  This air now flows out through the valve, clearing the fuel line and depressurizing the fuel tank.

It's worth noting that the threads on the Omnifuel's pump will fit Primus, Snow Peak, Sigg, MSR, Optimus, and Brunton fuel bottles.  Here, the Omnifuel is shown with an MSR fuel bottle.

The Omnifuel, as the name implies, will run on both of the standard petroleum liquid stove fuels, "white" gasoline (Coleman type fuel) and kerosene.  The Omnifuel is not designed to work on alcohol.  In a pinch, the Omnifuel can be run on unleaded automotive gasoline or diesel.  Of course it will not run as cleanly on unleaded or diesel and will require more frequent cleaning.  Use non-standard fuels like unleaded or diesel only when absolutely necessary.  The Omnifuel's manual states that leaded automotive gasoline should not be used "for health reasons."  As much as I like stoves and as much as I'd like to do a thorough review, I'm not about to personally test that health warning!  I imagine that you could run the Omnifuel on aviation gasoline or jet fuel as well, but again do so only when absolutely necessary.

Now, all the preceding regarding fuel is pretty standard fare for a multi-fuel expedition type stove like the Omnifuel, but there's another standard fuel out there that I haven't yet mentioned:  canister gas.   

The Omnifuel can run on the same gas canisters that power such popular stoves as the MSR Pocket Rocket and the Jetboil PCS.  It's really quite ingenious how Primus managed to allow not only liquid but gas fuel to be used.  The connection between the pump and the fuel line is a 7/16ths UNEF threaded male connector -- the exact same connector as on a gas stove.  If one wishes to use gas, one screws the connector into a canister of gas.  If one wishes to use liquid fuel, one screws the connector -- the very same connector -- into the pump.  Quite clever.  Indeed, other stove manufacturers, such as Brunton with the Vapor AF and Coleman with the Fyrestorm, are copying this idea.  I don't know for a fact that Primus originated the idea, but if Primus was not the first, they were among the first, and certainly the Omnifuel is a fine implementation of the idea..

For cold weather, the Omnifuel can operate with the canister inverted, that is it can operate in liquid feed gas mode.  Normally, one would invert the canister only if a stove has a pre-heat loop (aka generator) which the Omnifuel does not  However, since the Omnifuel can burn liquid fuel, which must be vaporized at the burner, it can therefore vaporize liquefied gas.  In liquid feed mode, the Omnifuel should easily operate in temperatures down to 0F/-18C, provided that you use canisters that contain some blend of either isobutane or regular butane with propane.  Canisters of 100% regular butane will not work in cold weather.  If one employs various means to keep the gas canister relatively warm and uses a winter grade fuel (a propane blend with no regular butane), one can operate the stove in far lower temperatures. The ability to run on canister gas, which requires no priming, is a big plus if the weather is really horrible and you want to cook inside your tent.  I personally do not find the idea of priming a stove inside a tent to be appealing.

The Omnifuel comes with jets with three different sized apertures, one jet for each of the three general classes of fuel:  gas (0.45mm), gasoline (0.37mm), and kerosene (0.28mm).  Each jet aperture size is optimized to burn efficiently the fuel for which it is intended.  The lighter the fuel, the larger the aperture size.  The heavier the fuel, the smaller the aperture.  While it is best to run the stove with the correct jet for a given fuel, my experience is that the stove will work reasonably well with mid-sized aperture jet on both gas and gasoline.  I have not, as of this writing, tried all possible combinations of jets and fuels.


Let's take another look at the burner.
Note the wire handle attached to the rigid portion of the fuel line.  This handle controls an "at the burner" valve.  A valve that close to the burner allows one to very precisely adjust the fuel and therefore the flame.  The Omnifuel has excellent simmering capabilities, no matter the fuel.

Now, a mild word of caution.  Stoves with a valve at the burner generally require a bit more maintenance than those that do not.  I am not saying that the Omnifuel is in any way unreliable.  It is a well designed, wonderful stove.  However, generally speaking, stoves with a simpler design, i.e. without the valve at the burner, require less maintenance.  With good quality fuels, there should be little problem.  However, were I going to some remote third-world location where the kerosene is likely to be quite unreliable as to its purity, I might be tempted to take a simpler stove, perhaps something like the MSR XGK.

At this juncture, let me make mention of a worthwhile aftermarket modification to the Omnifuel:  the Omnidawg silent cap.  The Omnidawg silent cap replaces the roarer plate in the Omnifuel's burner.  The Omnidawg greatly reduces the roaring noise of the burner.  I did a video review of the Omnidawg cap which I will link to below.  You will see me running the Omnidawg cap on an MSR Dragonfly stove because I didn't have an Omnifuel at the time I made the videos.  In actual field use, the Omnidawg cap works every bit as well on an Omnifuel as it does on the Dragonfly in the videos.  I haven't got the means to run the number of controlled trials necessary to establish this, but my gut feel is that the Omnidawg cap puts out more power than the roarer plate.  This perceived increase in power may be due to improved air gas mixing inside the cap, leading to increased efficiency in the flame.  Again, this is my gut feel only; I have no hard data on this.  Whether it increases efficiency or not, the cap runs extremely well and is very quiet.  People have asked in connection with the videos, so in hopes of heading off a lot of questions, let me publish the following information:  Omnidawg caps are available on eBay through seller "hugecanine."  The caps are hand made and are not always available.

Note:  I was approached by the producer of the Omnidawg cap and asked to do a review.  As a part of the review process I received an Omnidawg cap.  Other than the cap itself, I received no remuneration for my review.  The receipt of the Omnidawg cap was not contingent on the nature of my review (in other words I didn't have to promise to do a positive review in return for the cap).  Further, I receive no part of the proceeds from the sales of Omnidawg caps.  All comments regarding the Omnidawg cap on this page and in the linked videos are strictly my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the producer of the Omnidawg cap.

Well, there you have it, a brief look at the Primus Omnifuel, a truly wonderful stove and a personal favorite.

HJ

The Primus Omnifuel
What's good about it?
Truly multifuel, burns all standard petroleum based fuels, including canister gas.
Precise, easy simmering
Precision engineering.
Relatively quiet for a roarer type burner
Extremely quiet with an Omnidawg cap
Powerful
Reliable
Stable
Efficient

What's bad about it?
Expensive
Relatively heavy compared to typical canister gas stoves
A bit bulky compared to typical canister gas stoves
May require more maintenance than simpler designs

Overall, highly recommended.

Other Primus Omnifuel Related Posts
Primus Omnifuel vs. MSR Whisperlite Universal -- A comparison

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Stove of the Week: MSR Rapidfire

OK, so this week's stove is a bit of a "sleeper" in the sense that it's not a stove that you would expect a lot from -- unless you knew better.  But you'll have to read on to find out what's so interesting about this week's stove, the MSR Rapidfire.

First, let's go through our usual run down of the stove, and then we'll get into some of it's unusual qualities.  So, what's with this thing called a Rapidfire?  Isn't it just a Whisperlite?  I mean seriously, just look at it.  It's a freakin' Whisperlite for crying out loud.

Or is it?  Take a look at the bottom of the burner column.  Hmm.  No priming cup.  OK, so what the Dickens is this thing?  Well, it is a close relative of the Whisperlite all right, but made to run on canister gas.

The Rapidfire was MSR's first entry into the gas stove market.  Prior to the Rapidfire, MSR was a liquid fuel only stove manufacturer.  When MSR saw how gas stoves were really catching on, they needed an entrant into the market.  How better to get there than to simply modify their existing "workhorse" stove, the Whisperlite?  Enter the Rapidfire.  Apparently, MSR was pretty paranoid about the volatility of gas as compared to liquid fuel; they really lengthened the fuel line which is odd when you consider that now the majority of MSR gas stoves mount directly on to the canister.

The stove itself is identical to the Whisperltie except for the aforementioned lack of a priming cup.

Instead of a priming cup, there's a threaded, knurled ring that holds the fuel line and legs in place.

At the end of the fuel line, there's a gas connector and valve rather than the open ended tube with aluminum block and catch-arm of the Whisperlite.

Now take a careful look at that connector.

Note the central pin.  It is this pin that depresses the Lindal valve inside the canister of gas.  I've seen these pins go missing.  No pin, and essentially you've got no gas.  Second, note the black rubber "O" ring.  This "O" ring must be in place for you to operate the stove safely.  Without the "O" ring, gas may leak which could be quite dangerous.

Speaking of gas, it's worth mentioning here that the MSR Rapidfire stove can use any standard threaded backpacking gas canister.  Originally, the Rapidfire used a cylindrical gas canister, but that canister had the same 7/16" UNEF standard thread as used on today's dome shaped canisters, so there's no problem with respect to finding fuel even though the Rapidfire is an older stove.  MSR discontinued production, to the best of my ability to discern, in 2001.

OK, so MSR needed a gas stove, so they pressed a modified Whisperlite into service, so what?  I mean does this Rapidfire have any redeeming features or is it just some kludgey attempt to not let all the other stove manufacturers run away with the gas stove part of the stove market?  Actually, the Rapidfire has several features that distinguish it from typical gas stoves, one of which actually makes the Rapidfire potentially pretty worth owning.  I'll get to that in a moment.
First, the Rapidfire, like its progenitor the Whisperlite, is a remote fueled stove.  In other words, the fuel is not directly attached to the burner but rather fuel is brought in via a fuel line from a remote source.  This does several things for us:  1) since there's no fuel tank under the burner, the burner is lower which brings us out of the wind.  2)  Also since the burner is lower, the stove is more stable.  3) Lastly and most importantly, since the fuel isn't local to the burner, we do not have to worry about heat radiating from the burner and overheating the fuel -- which means we can use a windscreen with complete impunity.  Use a windscreen the wrong way on a typical canister stove, and you could turn your stove from a domestic servant into a domestic terrorist.  Overheated canisters can and do explode.

Speaking of windscreens, here's a Rapidfire all set up with a heat reflector and windscreen, a very efficient cooking set up.

Now, I keep blathering about something special about the Rapidfire.  Let's take a closer look at the burner itself shall we?

Do you see that loop in the burner?  That's the fuel line.  That loop is referred to as a pre-heat loop (or generator).  The loop is exposed directly to the flame when the stove is in operation.  Fuel flows into that loop before it enters the burner, which greatly heats the fuel.  In a liquid fueled stove, that heat is what turns the liquid into a vapor so that it can be burned.

Well, that's just great, Jim, but we're working with gas here, so who really cares?

Are you?  Really?  Pick up a full canister of gas and shake it.  Hear that sloshing sound?  That's a liquid in there.

OK, great, it's a liquid in the can but it's a gas when it comes out of the burner, so I still don't care about that pre-heat loop; can we just move on?

Well, not so fast there.  Yes, you're right, it is a gas when it comes out of the burner.  Usually.  But what about cold weather?  Gotcha.  That's the problem with gas stoves.  They lose power when the weather gets below freezing because the liquefied gas in the canister won't vaporize properly.  Remember that pre-heat loop?  There's our answer.  In cold weather, we let the liquefied gas stay liquid, and we let the pre-heat loop vaporize it for us.  In that way, we don't care if it's cold or not.  We don't use the air temperature to vaporize our gas, we use the heat of the flame.

Uh, great Jim, but the connector attaches to the top of the canister, and all it's going to draw is gas off the top.  If there's no gas, we've got no fuel.

This is not a problem.  Just turn the canister over.  Note:  Do not invert the canister on a gas stove that does not have a pre-heat loop.  A serious flare up might result. 

The top of the canister is now the bottom.  That portion of the fuel that is in vapor form now acts to pressurize the canister, pushing liquid down, out of the canister, and down the fuel line.  The fuel stays in liquid form until it hits the pre-heat loop where the high heat causes it to change from liquid to gas.  The resultant gas comes rushing out of the burner, and baby you've got flame.  Note that the stove is in operation in the above photo.  When gas is fed in liquid form to the burner, the stove is said to be in liquid feed mode.  Note that I said liquid feed not liquid fuel.  The fuel will still be a gas at room temperature and pressure.  We haven't changed fuel; we've merely changed the form that the fuel is fed in.

Using a gas stove in liquid feed mode is an important capability for a couple of reasons:
1.  Normal gas stoves operate in vapor feed mode, that is the fuel is fed in as a vapor, and you have to rely on the ambient temperature to vaporize your fuel.  In liquid feed mode, you rely not on the outside temperature but on the heat of the flame.  Stoves in liquid feed mode will operate in colder weather than normal gas stoves.
2.  In normal gas stoves, the fuel is typically a propane-butane or propane-isobutane blend.  Propane, the gas that works best in cold, has a higher vapor pressure and burns off faster leaving you, toward the end of the life of the tank, with a tank full of your worst performing cold weather fuel. In fact, you may wind up with a canister that is still 30% full that you can't coax any gas out of because all the good propane has burned off and nothing is left but the lesser performing fuels.  In liquid feed mode, all the fuels are burned at a constant rate.  The fuel towards the end of the life of the canister is the same mix as at the start of the canister.  In liquid feed mode, you don't get such horrible "canister fade" like you do in vapor feed mode.

I normally recommend a cut off of about 20F/-7C for normal gas stoves -- and that's with using "tricks," having to put up with less-than-stellar performance, and potentially having fuel that you can't get to vaporize.  With a gas stove in liquid feed mode, you can easily go down to 0F/-18C without having to use a lot of tricks, with full performance, and without having a portion of your fuel being unusable.

In other words, with a gas stove in liquid mode, you get all of the convenience of gas without all the low performance and hassles associated with gas in cold weather.  Uh, couldn't I just use a regular liquid fueled stove?  Sure.  If you're comfortable with liquid fuel, go for it.  But consider this:  If it's really snowing hard and you need to cook inside your tent do you really want to use liquid fuel?  What happens if your priming gets a little out of hand?  With a gas stove in liquid feed mode, you get liquid fuel performance but without the danger of priming.  And of course you get all of the usual convenience of a gas stove.  One of those conveniences is simmering.  It's pretty tough to get the typical Whisperlite to simmer like this:

And that's without monkeying around with only filling the fuel bottle half full and only pumping a few strokes.  Easy, just about automatic simmering in other words.

Now, in all fairness, other remote canister gas stoves have pre-heat loops. Other remote canister stoves can operate in liquid feed mode.  What makes the Rapidfire a "sleeper" -- a stove you wouldn't expect much from but turns out to be a pretty good stove?  Well, take a look at the price tags on some of those stoves out there that are remote canister stoves and have pre-heat loops.  They're expensive.  The Rapidfire is an older, discontinued stove, most people haven't heard of it, and you can pick one up for a much more reasonable price than you can some of the current production stoves.  All the performance at a fraction of the price.  You heard it here on Adventures in Stoving.  :)  Also, the Rapidfire's fuel line rotates easily at the connector which makes it easy to invert the canister to put the stove into liquid feed mode.  The Rapidfire's more modern cousin, the Windpro, does not rotate easily at the connector.

Yep, the Rapidfire is a "sleeper," but don't underestimate this stove.  It's a lot of stove for the money.

Well, looks like the kettle's boiling.  I'd best get to that cup of hot chocolate before it gets cold.

Thanks for joining me on another Adventure in Stoving.

HJ

The MSR Rapidfire
What's good about it?
Able to operate in liquid feed mode
Economical
Can use a full windscreen with impunity even though it's a gas stove
Simmers well
Connector rotates easily for liquid feed mode
Quiet
Fairly compact
Reasonably powerful
Reliable
Stable
Efficient

What's bad about it?
The wire pot supports are difficult to get back into "true" if they get bent.  (so don't bend them!)
The fuel line is a little stiff particularly when compared to newer stoves like the WindPro.
A tad heavy when compared to newer stoves like the WindPro.

Overall, recommended.

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