JetBoil Stove

[Mister L]

This is pretty neat for just boiling liquids, coke can stove. http://www.antigravitygear.com/alcoholstoveinst.html

[tnguy]

I have the pocket rocket. It's great on portability but it sure puts out a lot of heat. I have a copper bottom mess kit and the heat from the pocket rocket actually softened the copper so the pan started sliding all over the place. Not much fun as I was on something of a slope.

 

Theoretically, I'd like something a little more flexible but for simple camping, it's pretty decent.

 

You could also do this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z85XyP9g_jY

Edited October 29, 2013 by tnguy

[cj0e]

I've got a few different stoves, used almost exclusively when backpacking.

 

First, oldest, and most faithful no matter the environment is my Coleman Dual Fuel 533. I've run it on Coleman Fuel, Kero, and pump Gasoline. Works with all of em.

• Pro: Works. Altidute isn't an issue. Ever.
• Con: Heavy. Bulky, have to carry liquid fuel bottle/s. Pumping sucks when you want food/hot water. Shouldn't use a windscreen.

 

Second stove was/is a "canister" stove. Ha! Took it backpacking once, because a buddy bought  A coleman single burner Propane stove. Runs on the 1lb canisters. Heavy, Bulky, Ridiculous... but it's still nice when car camping if I need a small burner for keeping something small warmed off to the side and I need my main cooking stoves for the main work.

• Pro: Lots of heat, easy to light/use. No priming/pumping.
• Con: Weight. Jeez it's heavy. Bulk is nuts! Tips easily, especially when tank gets low.

 

Third stove, was a gift: MSR Superfly, wanted a canister stove for a trip to Philmont and for backpacking. I'm sick of pumping the 533. I use it almost exclusively when cooking for me and maybe one other when backpacking.

• Pro: Light. Compact. Easy to light. Connects to almost any canister you can get in North America, really quickly. Easily serviced.
• Con: Canister. Can be unstable - buy or build a base for the canister- helps. Just be careful. Can't use a windscreen. Canisters are $$

 

Fourth, is an MSR WindPro II. Bought it to take to Philmont. Was used exclusively for cooking dinners for 12.

• Pro: Light. Compact. Very stable. Can use a windscreen / heat reflector! - it comes with one too! Has a generator, so you can run with an inverted canister for high altitude!
• Con: Canisters are $$. It's an expensive stove. Servicing isn't too hard, but isn't as easy as some. Practice before you need to do it on the trail. A clogged jet will ruin your day... usually won't have that problem unless you run inverted on an old canister. Just be aware.

My personal fav - the MSR Superfly. For just me, it's the jam. For more than 2, i'm bringing the windpro. I've heard great things about Kovea - they make stoves for some other manufacturers, and seem to have a good product. Support might be iffy, they're based in Korea.

 

Someday, I'll save up and buy an MSR Reactor.

 

Stoves I've used/have and don't like:

 

Coleman Propane single burner.... yeah. it was silly. I use it in camp, but thats as far as it goes. Not trailworthy.

MSR pocket rocket and other similar varieties - hot spot in your pot. Its good for boiling... and thats it. It's really unstable.

Alcohol stoves - slow, easy to tip and then you've got the crazydangerfire everywhere.

 

Finally... the MSR Whisperlite. People love it. And it's cousins. I just can't get into it. Remote white gas laid on the side... The old pumps we had in scouts leaked, this should be resolved with the newer pumps/bottles. The possibility of crazydangerfire is too high for me with these even with the new designs. They're good stoves, I just don't like em for backpacking.

[Mark@Sea]

The Optimus 8R was built like a tank.  No, none, zero possibility you could turn it over, either.  The Svea 123 you could turn over, but no chance of dumping fuel.

 

The last stove I picked up, a SOLO, is probably the best for backpacking, as you don't have to carry fuel.  That makes it lighter than everything else.  It works well, too.

[Ropin4gold]

I have a jet boil. Very happy with it. It does everything i need and the canisters last a long time.