Stove Reviews
By Jeff Porcaro

After a full day burning calories, your body craves food. As the cool evening settles in, your body enjoys the meal even more if it's warm-or a least if the beverage is warm. For winter or mountaineering trips a warm meal moves from convenience to necessity. Enter the backpacker's stove. Over the past few years manufacturers of these lightweight BTU-spewers have made significant advances. From multi-fuel capacity, to flame control (simmering), to heat output, today's stoves are efficient, low impact and lightweight. Some of today's stoves also perform well despite sub-freezing temperatures, gusty winds, or high altitudes.

Perhaps fuel type is the principal distinction between stoves. The two main categories are canister fuel and liquid fuel. Canister fuel stoves require you to purchase fuel in a pre-filled metal or aluminum containers. The canister usually contains a propane-butane blend. Most canisters cannot be carried on planes or shipped through commercial companies, so you must be sure to bring enough, or call ahead to see if the destination has them available. Generally, canister fuels do not perform as well as liquid fuels in cold temperatures.

Liquid fuel stoves utilize white gas, kerosene, or automobile gas-occasionally specific stoves allow you to burn other types of liquid fuel. In our tests we used white gas. These stoves burn well at high elevations and perform great in cold weather. The down side of liquid fuel is the potential for spilling when refilling the fuel bottle, and the need to pressurize the fuel through some sort of pumping.

Optimus Explorer
Peak1 Feather 442
MSR DragonFly
Peak1 Xpedition
Peak1 Xtreme
MSR RapidFire
Camping Gaz Tristar 270
Camping Gaz Micro Bleuet

Liquid Fuel Stoves

Optimus Explorer

Fuels:            Kerosene/paraffin, white gasoline/petrol, diesel oil, methylated alcohol/spirits and Coleman fuel. Weight:          19 oz. (excluding fuel bottle) Burning time:  240 min 34 oz Boiling time:    3 min Price:              $102

Optimus designed the rugged Explorer for extreme situations. It is a multi-fuel, multi-season expedition stove, its features honed through field testing by the Swedish Army.

The Explorer features precise control over the flame, from simmering to boiling. Unlike other liquid gas stoves, Explorer's silent burner allows you to talk with others while cooking.

The built-in cleaning needle clears the burner jet while the stove is in use. There's no need for tools or shaking maneuvers to clean the jet. A well-designed flip-stop pump system automatically burns off all fuel that is left in the fuel hose and burner unit. When you're through cooking., simply flip the fuel bottle over. The stove turns off and releases air pressure from the fuel bottle through the burner jet, reducing the risk of getting fuel on your hands or gear.

Summary:

Pros: The best range of possible fuel types. Heat output, fuel control, and the flip-stop pump. Excellent performance in colder weather, a good expedition stove.

Cons: The size of the stove in storage was larger than similar multi-fuel stoves. The Explorer took longer than the others in the liquid fuel category to prime and light.

Contact Optimus at (800)543-9124 or on the Internet at www.optimus.se.

Peak1 Feather 442




Fuels:            White gasoline, unleaded auto fuel.
Weight:          22 oz. (excluding fuel)
Burning time:  1 hour 5 min
Boiling time:    3.5 min
Price:              $55

The Peak1 Feather stove burns white gas. The DUAL version of this stove also allows you to burn unleaded automobile gas. Although heavier than most of it's competitors, this is due to the built in gas container. As with all of the liquid fuel stoves, it requires pumping to pressurize the fuel.

The Peak1 has a good generator that lights quickly. The stove has a precise fuel control allowing simmering. Because the fuel control is located near the burner there is no lag between fuel adjustment and the response of the flame. Burn time is slightly less than comparable liquid fuel models, but the price is about half the other two in this review.

Summary:

Pros: Low price. Good fuel control and responsiveness.

Cons: An awkward size and shape. Must pour fuel when refilling unlike the fuel bottles where you just replace the pump.

The Peak1 is best for short backpacking trips and car camping. Because of the awkward size and shape we would not recommend this for extended trips.

Contact Peak1 at (800)835-3278.

MSR DragonFly

Fuels:            White gas, unleaded auto fuel, kerosene. Weight:          17 oz. (excluding fuel) Burning time:  130 min 22 oz. Boiling time:    3.5 min Price:              $99

MSR's DragonFly, a new model for 98, is lightweight and designed for expedition usage. As you'd expect it performs admirably at high altitude and in cold weather. Its compact size allows you to stuff the stove inside an MSR cookset.

The DragonFly quickly became our reviewers' favorite in the liquid fuel category. It starts quickly and offers very precise fuel control. Because the fuel control is located close to the jet, the flame control is exceptional for a liquid burning fuel, the best of the three liquid fuel stoves in this test.

Heat output also rated exceptional. MSR includes different fuel jets for different types of fuel. Matching the jet to the fuel type allows less clean fuels to pass through the jet without clogging. Newly designed legs spring out when you use the stove providing great stability.

Summary:

Pros: Quick lighting. Simple priming. Fits nicely into a cookset. Great stability and flame control.

Cons:None.

The DragonFly wins out as our favorite in this category.

Contact MSR at (800)877-9677 or on the Internet at www.msrcorp.com.

Peak1 Xpedition

Fuels:            Butane/Propane Canister. Weight:          25 oz. (excluding fuel) Burning time:  42 min 11 oz. Canister Boiling time:    3 min Price:              $90

Peak1 has made great advances in the Canister stove market with the introduction of their X-Series stoves, overcoming two major drawbacks to canisters: shipping and recycling. To recycle, simply puncture the aluminum container with the included key, crush it, and recycle with soda cans. Peak1 has also made arrangements with the US Postal Service to ship the canisters with the manufacturer provided shipping boxes.

The Xpedition is the first two-burner true backpacking stove. At an unbelievably light 25 oz, the Xpedition measures only 15x11x4 inches with a full 9" burner spacing when open, yet folds down to a very flat and compact package. Peak 1 includes a stuff sack with the stove. The Xpedition is a favorite for our testers when they backpack with families, or even for car camping.

The propane/butane fuel works well in mild cold weather situations-better than other canister fuel types we tested. The flame controls adjust easily and offer a good range of heat. You control the burners independently with two separate knobs, and can burn only one burner at a time.

Summary:

Pros: Great weight for two stoves (burners). Convenience of the canisters. Good heat output, boiling times, and flame control. Two burners for about the same price as a single burner stove.

Cons: Because of the size and weight we probable would only carry this when traveling in group.

Intended for groups, the Xpedition is ideal for four or more backpackers. Lighter, smaller and cheaper than two stoves, yet most of the convenience-as long as you don't mind cooking together. For smaller or more independently minded groups, its size and weight rule it out.

Contact Peak1 at (800)835-3278.

Peak1 Xtreme




Fuels:            Butane/Propane Canister.
Weight:          11 oz. (excluding fuel)
Burning time:  60 min 11 oz. Canister
Boiling time:    3 min
Price:              $75

The Xtreme stove, weighing only 11 ounces, is the lightest of the X stoves, yet it is the most powerful, cranking out 14,000 BTUs. That accounts for the remarkable 3 minute boiling time. At full throttle the stove expends fuel rapidly, lasting about one hour. Of course, you'd rarely leave the Xtreme set on "rocket-launcher" for long. The stove is small and easy to use. As with the Xpedition, the aluminum canisters recycle easily. The Xtreme ranked first as our favorite stoves in the canister category. The fully adjustable burner allows simmer and medium heats as well as full-throttle, boil-it-fast power.

Summary:

Pros:Super lightweight and small size. "Too-close-to-the-sun" heat output. Good flame control.

Cons:Higher cost than other canister models.

Our favorite canister stove. The recyclable canister removes environmental complaints with canister fuels. Crushing empty canisters saves space.

Contact Peak1 at (800)835-3278

MSR RapidFire

Fuels:            isobutane canister. Weight:          13 oz. (excluding fuel) Burning time:  120 min 6 oz. Boiling time:    4.5 min Price:              $43

The RapidFire stove another small, lightweight canister stove. It is simple to use, fully maintainable, and lights very quickly. Its small size allows it to fit inside an MSR cookset. As with other canister stoves, it requires no priming or pumping. Just screw on the canister, twist the knob, and light the stove. A built-n filter in the fuel line helps prevent clogging. The isobutane fuel burns consistently until the canister is spent.

As with all of the MSR stoves includes a heat reflector, windscreen and stuff sack.

Summary:

Pros: Small and lightweight. Fuel burns consistently until empty. Very good price.

Cons: Isobutane fuel harder to find and more expensive.

The RapidFire is a great canister stove, running a close second to the Peak 1 Xtreme. Although cheaper than the Xtreme and offering similar functions, we rated it slightly behind the Xtreme because of the fuel cost.

Contact MSR at (800)877-9677 or on the Internet at www.msrcorp.com.

Camping Gaz Tristar 270

Fuels:            Propane/Butane canister. Weight:          12 oz. (excluding fuel) Burning time:  60 min 12 oz. Boiling time:    4 min Price:              $47

The Camping Gaz Tristar compares favorably to the Peak 1 Xtreme and MSR RapidFire in weight and ease of use. It is slightly larger than the others, but still small enough to fit inside a cook set.

The propane/butane fuel burns consistent until the canister nears empty. The canisters, however, are bulky and can only be recycled at participating sites, which are scarce in number. In even mildly cold weather, say just below freezing, the canisters begin to sputter and lose pressure. Heating them up restores fuel flow, the canisters cool quickly.

The Tristar's fuel control knob is the easiest to set and use. The knob has three settings, similar to those on a home range. The Tristar's pot holder offers good stability. Notches in the grilling over the flame keep pots from slipping. This stove packs up small and includes a carrying case.

Camping Gaz also has a pack lantern that can share the stove's fuel canister.

Summary:

Pros: Very lightweight. Easy to use. Canisters widely distributed.

Cons: Bulky canisters, and not very recyclable. The canisters can not be shipped. Poor cold weather performance.

A great first-timers stove at a good price. Just be sure there's no cold weather in the plans. Perhaps the easiest to find canisters although the Peak 1 X-Series is quickly catching up. The Tristar is a good compromise between the MSR RapidFire's price and the Peak 1's wide distribution.

Contact Camping Gaz at (800)543-9124.

Camping Gaz Micro Bleuet

Fuels:            Propane/Butane canister. Weight:          7 oz. (excluding fuel) Burning time:  150 min 12 oz. Boiling time:    4 min Price:              $33

The Camping Gaz Micro Bleuet is the lightest canister stove in this review. Like the rest of the canister models, it offers ease of use. The principal drawback is its lack of stability. The stove connects directly into the canister, with a metal pot holder not much wider than the base of the canister. The pot holder is very slick allowing the pot to slip off the burner with only a slight bump or slant. We found it necessary to exercise caution to keep from spilling the contents of the pot. This stove fits into your cookset. This is also the least expensive stove that we tested.

Summary:

Pros: Lightest weight stove reviewed. Also least expensive stove.

Cons: The stove screws into the top of the fuel canister so stability is effected by the terrain. One of our testers had the pot slip off the stove when pouring water. See the cons of the Camping Gaz canisters under the Tristar 270 review above.

Although its slightly lighter and cheaper than the rest, we don't recommend the Micro Bleuet stove. The cost of upgrading to the Tristar or the MSR RapidFire is minimal but stability and performance are much better.

Contact Camping Gaz at (800)543-9124.