The New “Worlds lightest cannister stove”?

[Franco Darioli]

Well I love my Caldera Cone but it it definitely is NOT the lightest canister stove…
Here is one reason why I don't like Esbit.. (others have their own…)
It smells and I am not particularly keen to breath formaldehyde or ammonia as I boil water.
(that could already be two reasons)
Another reason is that some actually cook so they prefer a burner that has variable heat output.
Yes you can use 1/2 a tablet or 2 tablets but it isn't the same.
as it stands that FMS 300T appears to be the lightest commercially available stove.
(the commercially available should be understood by the context…)

[Jake D]

Nick, I resupplied 4 times in 18 days.. none of the places would have had esbit except maybe the EMS in Manch center. i don't like the idea of mail drops because plans change.

I can see where esbit would be great, i just haven't tried it yet. I am mostly just a fan of the light, boil, off. I cooked inside, outside, in shelters, on tables etc and never worried about it.

for now i like the pocket rocket.. gf got it for my bday for $10 at REI garage sale so it's easy, cheap and much lighter than the Whisperlight that sits very lonely in the bottom of the gear bin

[Peter S]

Roger Caffin wrote: "I have been field testing the FMS-300 for some time…"

Very exciting Roger! Do you happen to have any information about when it will be ready for purchase?

[Dondo .]

Sounds like Roger isn't the only one impressed with the FMS-300.

[Peter S]

has got a hold of one on November 27.: http://tracksterman.tumblr.com/

[Peter S]

Edit: deleted – double post

[carlos fernandez rivas]

Ummm

Interesting… a titanium version of his FMS-118 Volcano Gas Stove will be a really interesting winter option

http://fire-maple.com/products_del.html?news_id=72&c_id=5&cate_id=8

[Diane Pinkers]

The one time I cooked on a cannister stove, I was backpacking with a friend, using her stove, and my pot kept sliding off her stove and dumping water. I was not impressed. I was using a AGG 2 L pot, so more wide than tall. Her stove was an MSR cannister, so probably a Pocket Rocket. Are there particular stoves whose designs reduce this risk, or is this a problem for all of them?

I like the fact that the wind screen on the Caldera Cone holds my pot securely.

[Stuart R]

This can happen, and has happened to me. It helps if the stove is level, but that is not always possible. I have found 2 good solutions –

1) The Coleman Extreme pots have a grooved base – review here http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/reviews/display_reviews?forum_thread_id=62183&cat=Cookware%20-%20Other&cid=44

2) I modified the base of an AGG aluminium pot to create a rim – thread here

[Brian Lindahl]

So how do I get one?

[Richard Lyon]

Diane,

Get a Jetboil system. Designed to avoid that problem. And worth every extra ounce for its reliability, efficiency, and versatility.

Richard

[Peter S]

Reading the posts from tracksterman (november 27 + 30 2012)

I'm no longer interested in the FMS-300T – read and judge…

/Peter

[Roger Caffin]

I believe the FMS-300 is currently available for sale. It's even on eBay.

I read what Tracksterman had to say about his stove. Dunno what he was doing wrong, as the one I have works very well. I took it to Europe for 2 months this year and never had any problems with it at all. It worked well.

Cheers

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Diane

> Her stove was an MSR cannister, so probably a Pocket Rocket. Are there particular
> stoves whose designs reduce this risk, or is this a problem for all of them?
Forgive me if I sound biased, but my personal opinion is that the Pocket Rocket is a really good stove to avoid! Any of the latest generation of stoves would be miles better. (eg ones from Snow Peak, Fire Maple, Kovea …)

Cheers

[Peter S]

@Caffin: And now it's interesting again :-)

Thanks

[Roger B]

Tracksterman's latest video on the stove is interesting, is it a dud or is it a design problem?

Tracksterman Video

It is a slow download

[Erik Basil]

Tracksterman's video/test results are tainted, though. In the second lighting, he uses his left hand that time. Totally different conditions, man.

More seriously, it sure looks like something swells up and blocks the fuel delivery when that stovehead gets hot.

[Roger Caffin]

> Tracksterman's latest video on the stove is interesting, is it a dud or is it a
> design problem?
Dunno, but very interesting.

Observations:
The FMS stove worked at the start, with good power.
The canister does not seem to have frozen as the other stove worked fine near the end.
The FMS stove did not work later when it was replaced, so the problem was still in the stove.

From this I would say that the jet was getting blocked. Now the jets in these recent Fire Maple stoves are interesting, in that they have a sintered filter stuffed into a cavity in the base of the jet. This is to stop dirt from getting to the tiny jet hole. But there is no obvious way to clean the sintered filter if it collects a lot of dirt! I have had that happen.

What I have done, with great success, is to extract the little filter. It's a plug of tiny brass balls (I think) all sintered together somehow. I used a small stub drill slightly smaller than the rear hole in the jet body for this, but a BS1 centre drill might do fine. Not sure about a BS1 centre drill. The sintered plug comes out fairly easily.

Removing the sintered filter left a cavity in the back of the jet. So I put a *wee* bit of TP I there to act as a filter. The difference is that I can extract the bit of TP in the field and replace it very easily.

As I said before, I used one of these for months with no problems – but the filter in the jet had been modified. I have warned Fire Maple about the problem with the sintered filter, but I have yet to see whether they have taken any notice.

Cheers

[Roger B]

Thanks Roger, that makes for interesting reading. I presume the 116T and 117T use a different arrangement behind the jet. BTW interesting use of TP : )

[Roger Caffin]

> I presume the 116T and 117T use a different arrangement behind the jet.
Actually, they use the same arrangement. Same production line I think. I know I had to modify the jet on the 116T before I took it into the field, and I just checked a 117T and it has the same jet as well. Nice idea in theory but not so good in practice.

> BTW interesting use of TP
Oh, it's very versatile stuff. I have also used it for major surgical repairs – and I do mean major. It also make a fair water filter is properly supported, and with a bit of metho it is a wonderful fire starter.

Cheers

[Roger B]

Well it seems that you and I (both Aussies) are having our own conversation.

I have not read of any problems with the 116T and 117T, which you would expect given the availability of these burners over a extended period. It seems to me that you have had problems with the jets in the 116T/117T and in the Hornet. I would assume that the gas canisters are not the source, which then leads me to wonder if there are leftover dirt particles from the manufacturing process which result in the blockages? Thus my question is, under normal use, are the burners (listed above) suitable for extended unsupported hiking trips, without the need for modification?

My reason for asking is connected to my last extended trip where a gas stove failure occurred and may have resulted in aborting the trip if it had not been for the generosity of a fellow hiker.

[Jerry Adams]

Do the jets get clogged only when canister is inverted?

[Roger B]

The video would suggest not, but Roger C may have more info.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Try ESBIT in the Trail Designs Gram Cracker tablet holder in a Caldera Cone. Great combo.

THAT setup is the most efficient ESBIT stove I've ever found, even after years of experimenting with aluminum can "chimneys", homemade tab holders and windscreens.

I use about 30% less ESBIT fuel with my Ti Sidewinder stove and the matching 3 cup aluminum pot.

And yes, I do actually cook (veggies, spaghetti, Pad Thai, etc.) with ESBIT.

OK, OK Franco, I'll admit ESBIT does smell a bit and does leave residue on pot bottoms. But for the low weight of the fuel and stove I'll put up with it. (Sorta like a woman with attitude that is a fantastic lover.;o)

[Franco Darioli]

well even I was able to get a boil using the Caldera Cone and the Gram Cracker with an Esbit tablet in spite of the fact that I didn't try all that hard.
But we can get 95% Ethanol here for just over $3 per liter , so why would I bother ?
Anyway back to the Fire Maple, the FMS 118 looks interesting for some winter outings.

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