Articles (2020)

Overview

The Hike N’ Light alcohol stove is simple and boils a small amount of water quickly. There are no adjustments, it’s either on or off, and burn time is controlled by how much fuel is added prior to ignition. The clips that hold the stove together and form the pot stand extend under the stove and make this stove very wobbly. It worked OK with small/light pots, but when heating a 1.5-liter pot of water, the pot fell off the stove! With its large burner and large jets, this stove produces a mini-bonfire without a windscreen. With some practice, a windscreen can be used to control combustion air and damper it down. Overall, this stove is suitable for solo use, but lacks the stability needed to handle larger/heavier pots.

Specifications

Usable Features

Design – The Hike N’ Light alcohol burner is a 4-inch tin with holes in the lid. The two halves of the tin are held together with steel clips that form the pot stand. The burner sits on a 5-inch base that serves as a pre-heating tray. Once the bottom of the burner is filled with fuel, the lid is replaced and the three clips are installed to create the pot support. The assembled stove is placed on the base and 2 tablespoons of fuel are added to the base and ignited. This heats the stove’s fuel reservoir and vaporizes the fuel, which flows out of the stove’s nine jets under pressure and burns as it exits.

Weight – This stove is heavy by alcohol stove standards. Total weight is 4.0 ounces. It is definitely a minimalist stove and the only way to make it lighter would be to use a smaller tin or lighter metals.

Flame Control – None provided. Once pre-heated and ignited, this stove burns until all of the fuel is consumed.

Pot Support – The pot support consists of three steel clips. Unfortunately, the design of these clips does not produce a stable pot stand. A small 0.75-liter pot was noticeably tipsy on this stove. When I tried a larger 1.5-liter pot it was so unstable that it fell off the pot stand while heating. I could not find a way to eliminate the stove’s tendency to wobble. The stove was always wobbly and every pot wiggled on the pot stand. This stove is definitely suitable for small pots only.

Wind Protection – I followed the Hike N’ Light instructions, which say to “wrap the stove and pot with a windscreen (not included) to minimize heat loss. Leave a small opening near the bottom of the foil for fresh air inlet.” I constructed a simple aluminum foil windscreen and used it as per the stove’s instructions.

Ease of Use

Setup – Setup time is a little longer than other alcohol stoves we reviewed. I did not like the process of removing the lid of the burner to pour alcohol inside, and then assembling the clips before the burner could be ignited. The clips do not attach smoothly and require some fiddling to get them arranged properly.

Fueling – It is more cumbersome to fuel this stove compared to an open jet alcohol stove. The burner’s lid must be removed, the base filled with alcohol, then the pot support clips installed.

Priming and Ignition – Typical of closed jet stoves, the Hike N’ Light requires priming – a lot of it. The instructions say to place 2 tablespoons of fuel in the priming pan. That’s a lot of priming fuel; other stoves can boil a cup of water with that amount of fuel. I found the stove easy to prime in calm conditions, but susceptible to snuffing out in windy conditions.

Flame Adjustment – Stove burn time is regulated by the amount of fuel added prior to ignition. Without a windscreen, this stove produces a small bonfire, making it hazardous to reach a cookpot. I found that a windscreen (see photo) provides a way to limit combustion air and control the flame for more efficient cooking. Raise the windscreen to increase combustion air, and lower it (as shown) to reduce combustion air.

Cold Weather Ergonomics – The clips were hard to assemble under cold conditions while wearing gloves.

Cooking Systems – A windscreen (not included) is mandatory. While I made one of aluminum foil for testing purposes, a better windscreen for longer-term use could be made or purchased.

Cooking Performance

Capacity – The instability of the pot supports limits the capacity of this stove. The stove adequately heated 1 pint of water to boiling in a small titanium pot. It will heat larger volumes, but instability becomes a major issue with heavier pots. A larger pot containing 1.5 quarts of water was too heavy for this stove and tipped off the stand while heating.

If all you need to do is boil 2 cups of water, this stove will do the job. I would not recommend it for two or more people or for the more extreme conditions found in mountain environments. A windscreen is absolutely essential to obtain decent performance from the Hike N’ Light stove.

Versatility – I found the Hike N’ Light to burn too hot without a windscreen to restrict combustion air. With a little practice, a windscreen can be raised or lowered to provide some flame control. The configuration in the photo (minimal air intake) produces a low flame level. That said, I found it difficult to control the flame level enough to do anything but boil water. When attempting to simmer something as simple as macaroni, I had to hold the pot above the stove when the flame was hot.

Wind Effects – The stove is very susceptible to windy conditions; use of a good windscreen with this stove is mandatory.

Cold Effects – The stove’s efficiently was reduced under cold conditions.

Heating Efficiency

The manufacturer claims the most efficient fuel for the Hike N’ Light alcohol stove is methanol. We used Kleen Strip S-L-X denatured alcohol – which is about half ethanol and half methanol – so our fuel usage was consistent among all the stoves we tested. The manufacturer claims you can boil 2 cups of water in 4 minutes with 1 ounce of fuel. We verified that claim in our lab tests (see table below). The Hike N’ Light boil times were the fastest of all the stoves we tested. Our boil times were longer in the field; to get water at 55 °F to boiling required 5 minutes 29 seconds on average. Fuel consumption (including priming fuel) for the Hike N’ Light was the highest of all the stoves we tested under optimal conditions, and among the highest under windy conditions.

See performance results for all the stoves we tested in Performance Comparison Testing of Lightweight Alcohol Stoves.

Durability

Packability – This stove collapses down to a small neat package. The pot stand clips can be stored inside the stove, which nests in its base. The base is 5 inches in diameter and easily nests inside a small pot that is just larger in diameter than that.

Durability – The stove is simple and fairly durable. Hard knocks on rocks might dent the stove, making it hard to open and keep airtight.

Maintenance – The only maintenance needed is to wipe the stove periodically to remove carbon. The manufacturer claims the stove is disposable and recyclable.

Value

In spite of its low cost ($14.99), the Hike N’ Light alcohol stove is a poor value because of it cumbersome fueling process, poor pot stability, excessive flame size, and high fuel consumption.

Tips and Tricks

A pot about 5.5 inches in diameter and about 2.5 to 3 inches deep with a lid would maximize this stove’s efficiency and permit nesting the stove inside.

Recommendations for Improvement

I would suggest that the manufacturer improve the clip system that forms the pot supports for the Hike N’ Light. I played with these clips a lot but was never satisfied with how they attached. Perhaps some indents on the stove to guide the clips and a better clip design would solve the problem.

Also, this stove needs a better provision for flame control. Without a windscreen, it produces a mini-bonfire that threatens to burn hands or clothing. With a windscreen, some measure of flame control is possible, although the output is still erratic.

Overview

The OutdoorEquipmentSupplier Ultralight Backpacking alcohol stove is an inexpensive, light stove that is easy to use. The burners are made from beverage cans. It is about as simple to use as a stove gets – pour in a measured amount of fuel and light. Yet it was one of the more effective stoves tested, particularly in windy conditions. It has a very stable and effective combination windscreen/pot support. The pot comes with two burners: a normal burner with 24 jets and a simmering burner with 12 jets.

Specifications

Usable Features

The OutdoorEquipmentSupplier Ultralight Backpacking alcohol stove has a double wall aluminum alcohol burner made from beverage cans. Similar make-your-own designs are available on the Internet. The combined windscreen/pot support consists of a cylinder made of sheet aluminum flashing with two aluminum nails inserted through four holes in the flashing to create a pot support. This provides a very stable, wide platform that proved almost impossible to knock over. It is wide and sturdy enough to support pots up to 6 inches in diameter.

The windscreen coils nicely around the inside of a cup or pot for packing. It does not go far up the side of the pot (only 3/4 inch), yet it provides good wind protection for the stove. This was demonstrated in the Backpacking Light lab tests, where there was little difference in the stove’s performance between still air and windy conditions.

The flame pattern is even and spreads across the bottom of the pot. There is a little flame spillage up the sides of a pot using the 24-jet burner, and considerably less with the simmer 12-jet burner.

Ease of Use

Setting up the stove and windscreen is straightforward even in cold conditions and I had no problem doing so with mitts on. The OutdoorEquipmentSupplier stove is a simple stove to use, even by alcohol stove standards. Measure the alcohol, pour it into the large central well, and light. No special priming is required. Lighting the burner is easier than on many other alcohol stoves. The jets light in a little under 2 minutes. When the fuel is used up, the burner stops suddenly with no lingering flame. After 30 seconds cooling, more fuel can be poured in and lit, if desired.

The OutdoorEquipmentSupplier stove comes with a small plastic fuel bottle with a pour spout. Fuel measurement is important when using alcohol stoves to prevent waste and I’d recommend marking the supplied bottle for volume measurements.

There is no simmering adjustment. The manufacturer supplies a second stove with fewer jets for simmering. We found in testing that there is not much difference in performance between the two stoves and that simmering is difficult. A simple simmer ring would probably be more effective for simmering, rather than supplying a second stove with fewer jets. It would also reduce the overall weight. For many users a pot cozy would be a better alternative to simmering.

Cooking Performance

Cooking with this stove is straightforward. It boils water well. The lack of a simmer control means that the pot needs to be lifted on and off the flame for complex cooking. However, using the simmer burner was a good tactic for frying onions and bacon.

In strong winds, the OutdoorEquipmentSupplier stove lights easily and, once lit, it shows no tendency to blow out. I was able to bring water to a boil in high winds with the OutdoorEquipmentSupplier stove; of course I had to wait a bit – it’s an alcohol stove after all!

The stove base does not get too hot making it unlikely that underlying surfaces will catch on fire. However, the nails used for pot support stay hot long after the rest of the stove has cooled.

Heating Efficiency

While the OutdoorEquipmentSupplier Ultralight Backpacking alcohol stove’s boil time was in the middle of the pack in optimum conditions (6 minutes 35 seconds for 1 pint of water), its good windscreen made it a solid performer in the wind (7 minutes 09 seconds boil time). Fuel efficiency was good in still conditions, but many of the other stoves we tested were a little better. However, it was right up with the best stoves for fuel efficiency in windy conditions. Interestingly, there was no significant fuel efficiency difference between the 12 and 24 jet models. Playing around with larger air holes in the windscreen and raising the pot support seemed to reduce boil times and suggests that the windscreen could possibly be optimized for better performance.

Durability

No stove maintenance is required. The stove is light, yet durable. The aluminum nails used for the pot support bend from the stove’s heat. My solution was to replace them with titanium skewer pegs. The only failure to the cook system occurred when I pushed down too hard on the pot supports while stirring a full pot, resulting in the bent aluminum joint between the windscreen sections pulling apart. Bending the joints back into shape occasionally is necessary to prevent this.

Value

The stove performs well, has a good windscreen/pot support, and a great price.

Tips and Tricks

• Beware: the nails stay hot long after the rest of the stove has cooled.
• Warming the fuel and stove near your body improves lighting in cold conditions.

Recommendations For Improvement

The OutdoorEquipmentSupplier Ultralight Backpacking alcohol stove is well designed and a good performer. We offer the following suggestions for further improvements:

• The aluminum nail pot supports bend from the heat of the stove; replace them with steel or titanium rods.
• In our lab tests, we did not measure much difference in performance between the 24-jet and 12-jet stoves. I suggest providing just one stove with a simmer ring.
• Provide a graduated plastic fuel bottle that allows precise measurement of fuel.
• Provide a lightweight heat reflector to go under the burner.
• Make available a cookpot with lid that is optimized for the stove, and is sized so the stove easily nests inside.

Overview

Isis makes outdoor clothing for women. Their Maia convertible pants are constructed of a wonderful stretchy, lightweight nylon that is non-binding and allows a more flattering fit than typical 100% nylon pants. The pants have details that make me smile – a purple belt, red stars tacking down the corners of the pockets, and gold stars inside the zipper – without losing their functionality for hiking and backpacking. One overlooked detail: the scratchy fabric tail of the pant-to-short conversion zippers are sewn outside the protective cloth flap and occasionally chaff my legs.

In Brief

• Stretchy fabric and low slung waist for a flattering fit and great mobility
• Fabric dries quickly
• Converts between pants and shorts easily, no need to remove shoes
• Inside of leg at conversion zippers can be scratchy
• Colorful, mood-enhancing details

Specifications

Features and Fit

The first thing I noticed about the Isis Maia pants was the fabric. I normally wear 100% nylon pants for warm weather hiking and aim for a baggy fit to avoid any binding when I raise my knees to scramble over obstacles or trek up a steep hill. The Maia pants are constructed of lightweight nylon with 5% spandex woven in. The result is comfortable, non-binding hiking pants with a closer, more flattering fit than my normal baggy attire.

Isis uses small, #3 YKK zippers for conversion from pants to shorts. Tiny colored tabs with the Isis logo help match the correct pant leg to shorts leg; a thoughtful touch that speeds up conversion back to pants.

The pants have a low-slung waist, with the waistband riding just below my navel, a style that fits me better than higher-waisted pants. Although the Isis sizing chart indicates that I am between a size 14 and 16, the size 12 fit just right (I normally wear pants in size 12 or 14). The inseam is 31 inches as claimed, plenty of length for most backpackers but 1 inch too short for my long legs.

The pants have a webbing belt that runs through a fabric casing. The casing ends a few inches short of the zipper and allows the belt buckle to ride up above the pant waistband. The belt tends to twist inside its fabric casing during washing, but can be laid flat again with a few minutes of attention. The belt buckle quickly flips open with a flick of a finger, another nice touch.

Performance

I wore the Maia pants for many desert hikes in temperatures up to 95 °F (converted to shorts), in rain, bushwhacking through thorny vegetation, and with long underwear underneath for a 20 °F overnighter and hike through snow.

The fabric used in the pants is fairly lightweight which helps the pants dry quickly. The 95 percent nylon, 5 percent lycra material is tough. My test pants survived a bushwhack through thorn covered bushes to reach cliff side Sinagua ruins with some snags, but no rips or tears. My legs did not fare as well, both were scratched and bleeding in many spots.

When in the field, the conversion is easy from pants-to-shorts or shorts-to-pants. The small conversion zippers held up fine during my four months of testing. A flap of cloth inside the pants keeps the zipper itself from rubbing against skin, but the scratchy tail end of the zipper material is outside the flap and was occasionally annoying when I wore the full-length pants. I did not notice this after I snipped the tail end of the zipper casing off, or when I wore the pants converted to shorts.

I can pull the pants legs off over my hiking shoes with care. The 2005 version of the Maia pants has leg zippers to facilitate this.

The two front slash pockets are low enough that I can access the pockets under the narrow hipbelt of my fanny pack, but when backpacking I need to slide the wider hipbelt of my pack up a bit to access the pockets. The pockets are mesh and deep enough to be useful; my titanium skewer stakes stayed put while I made my way around my tarp bending and squatting while staking it out.

Value

The Isis Maia convertible pants retail at the high end of women’s convertible pants. The stretchy material is functional and very comfortable and bumps their value up; the scratchy zipper fabric on the inside of the legs moves their value back down. Result, a good, not great value.

Recommendations for Improvement

Redesign the conversion zippers so that all the finishing touches are covered by the inner flap to keep them away from tender skin.

Place belt loops closer to the zipper to keep the belt buckle from riding above the pant waistband.

Overview

The Osprey Atmos 25 is a small volume, internal frame backpack. At 2 pounds 3 ounces production weight (0.99 kg), it is not the lightest pack in its size class but it has plenty of features and performance to make up for the extra weight. By lightweight standards it’s bombproof. Six external pockets and two hydration pockets make packing and then finding gear a simple task. What really sets this pack apart is the Airspeed frame, a trampoline-like, mesh back panel tensioned by a flexible hourglass shaped frame. The frame is stiff enough in the vertical axis to support weight, but has torsional flex to conform to your hips and torso as you move. Osprey combines tubular and rod aluminum to create a spring-loaded frame that suspends the pack away from your back, leaving 1.5 to 3 inches of open space behind the mesh back panel. No more sweaty back. The shoulder straps and hipbelt are perforated as well, making this one of the most breathable packs we’ve used. The space between the mesh back panel and the main packbag is a great place to store your hydration bladder and saves space in the pack for your gear.

Our pre-production pack has a comfortable carrying limit of about 25 pounds and, with a volume of 1,525 cubic inches, it is difficult to load the pack in excess of that. A slight modification to the hipbelt angle would increase the carrying weight of the pack and prevent the lower edge of the hipbelt from digging in to hips with a 25-pound load.

In Brief

• Great size and features for an ultralight long weekend backpack trip. Small volume and good compression make for excellent load control and good balance when hiking.
• The Osprey Airspeed suspension includes a trampoline-like mesh back panel to suspend the pack away from the user’s back creating an ultra-breathable, ultra-comfortable experience. The frame is vertically rigid to support the load but flexes with your hips and torso.
• Six external pockets, two hydration pockets, and the main packbag make compartmental style packing a breeze.
• The back panel hydration pocket eliminates the need to unpack everything to refill the bladder and does not take up main bag or pocket space.
• The two hipbelt pockets are particularly functional and greatly reduce the need to remove the pack to retrieve "essentials" while on the trail.
• The hipbelt angle limits carrying capacity to 25 pounds.
• A bit heavier than some internal frame packs of similar volume.

Specifications

Frame, Suspension, and Pack Load Carrying Performance

Osprey debuted their new Atmos series packs at the fall 2004 Outdoor Retailers show. The most distinguishing feature of the Atmos packs is the lightweight tensioned back panel Airspeed frame (Photo 2). Constructed of tubular and rod aluminum, the Airspeed frame creates a trampoline-like mesh back panel, suspending the pack 1.5 to 3 inches from your back helping to keep your back cool. The tubular frame is both rigid and flexible at the same time. A pivot located centrally in the Airspeed frame allows the upper and lower sections of the frame to twist independently. The frame combined with the flexibility of the mesh back panel allows the pack to conform to an individual’s body shape comfortably. Adventure racers beware – for those with torso lengths on the shorter end of pack size, the top of the frame will likely hit the back of your head while riding a bike.

Osprey continues their design work to keep you cool by perforating both the shoulder straps and hipbelt with 3/16-inch holes. The result is an incredibly airy harness. The shoulder straps also have a sternum strap and load lifters to adjust the fit.

We tested the comfort and carrying capacity in the mountains of northern Arizona and on a coastal California backpacking trip. Overall, we found the frame/harness setup could comfortably carry 25 pounds, limited by the hipbelt. The hipbelt angles downward and concentrates most of the load along the bottom edge causing it to dig into the hips. It would perform better if the hipbelt were at an angle that spread the load equally from the top to the bottom of the belt. Best results are achieved if the pack rides higher than typical so that the hipbelt is high on the hips. The shoulder strap padding in the Atmos series is thin and light and conforms well to match body shape. With a volume of 1,525 cubic inches, it is difficult to load this pack in excess of its carrying capacity.

Usable Features and Ease of Use

Although not the lightest pack in its size class, the heavily featured Atmos 25 will satisfy many who prefer multi-compartment based packing over the one-sack style. The Atmos 25 has a total of six exterior pockets and two interior bladder pockets, in addition to the main pack bag.

Osprey makes water carrying easy with two separate water bladder pockets and two side panel water bottle pockets. The empty space behind the open mesh back panel is zipper accessible from inside the main pack bag to allow the insertion of a hydration bladder. You do not have to completely unpack to access it! Most 2-liter bladders fit well; 3-liter bladders are a little big. The hose runs out through the back panel access zipper and through a hose port at the top back of the pack. The bladder goes unnoticed in terms of size; however, drinking water temperature is affected by body temperature and vise versa. A second bladder pocket on the inside solves this problem but has other problems: the bladder takes up interior pack volume, it is a very tight fit, you have to unpack the main bag to get to it, and it snags on gear as you try to pack the main pocket. We see no reason for the internal hydration pocket.

The two side panel water bottle pockets will hold 1-liter bottles and have mesh drainage panels to allow excess liquid to escape. Unfortunately, these pockets are not accessible while wearing the pack. In addition, the lower side panel compression strap covers these pockets, making it difficult to remove items without loosening the straps. A hydration bladder is more convenient with the Atmos series; the side-panel pockets can be used to keep other essentials handy.

One feature on the Osprey Atmos 25 we really liked were the two zippered, mesh pockets located on either side of the padded hipbelt. One of these pockets is big enough for a small digital camera and mini-notebook, with the second a clear candidate for a bag of GORP or some energy bars. These two pockets, combined with a hydration bladder, greatly reduced the time we spent with the pack off, digging for items needed on the trail.

The large front "shove-it" pocket on our review samples is not as large as we would like. Nevertheless, it was useful for stowing a rain or wind jacket and has a grommet drained bottom. The folks at Osprey have enlarged the pocket for production packs. The release clasp for the shove-it pocket is difficult to work because it is firmly fixed onto the pack; a problem exasperated by a full pack. Above the shove-it pocket, there is a flat, zippered pocket lined with mesh towards the inside the pack. We found this pocket ideally suited for a map and compass, keys (there’s a key clip on the inside) or other items one might need quick access to.

Although the main pack and all pockets have drain holes, some of the fabrics used in our pre-production samples held water. The padding in the shoulder straps and hipbelt retained a lot of water after an all day California monsoon. It took 24 hours for them to dry out.

The Osprey Atmos 25 has two ice axe loops and a convenient means to secure the handles at the top of the pack. A small piece of shock cord, with a specially designed hook on one end and toggle on the other, quickly attaches and tightens the handles to the upper back panel. This arrangement works equally well for unused trekking poles.

Two compression straps on each side panel (total of four) compress the load into a dense, secure load. The upper two fasten with side release buckles for easy access to the main zippered pack bag. Because they quick release, these upper straps can conveniently secure long items extending from the side pockets like tent poles or a fishing rod.

Durability

It is premature to fully assess the durability of the Atmos series packs. Osprey provided pre-production review samples with an understanding that the fabrics to be used in the production packs would be different. After using these packs as built, lighter fabrics are appropriate as the fabrics we tested are virtually bombproof by lightweight standards. Other construction details are as we have come to expect from Osprey. Seam failure is unlikely as every seam is double or triple stitched and high stress seams are bar tacked. These packs are nicely assembled; details that exude the exactness of computer aided design.

Value

If features, packing convenience, and an airy harness are high on your list of necessities, the Osprey Atmos 25 makes for a great value, despite the 25-pound carrying limit. For those who prefer the weight savings of reduced features, the Atmos 25 becomes much less appealing at $139.

Recommendations for Improvement

Our recommendations here should not overshadow how great this new pack line is. The Osprey Atmos 25 is an excellent pack as tested. As a bonus, its flexibility conforms nicely to the female physique.

Lighter fabrics are appropriate (Osprey has already done this in the production packs) as well as other changes that would decrease weight without lost usability. We recommend omitting the interior hydration pocket from the design. It is a tight fit for a full bladder and there is considerable loss of interior volume when the pocket is used. In contrast, we found slipping a bladder into the back panel pocket was easier and concentrated the weight close to one’s back.

Make the "shove-it" pocket larger by extending its height up to the zippered back pocket, perhaps down an inch or so, and then either remove the clasp for it or make it more flexible to ease access.

Use materials for the shoulder straps and hipbelt that absorb and retain less water.

The following change is less critical since it is difficult to stuff more than 25 pounds into the Atmos 25 even with a fair amount of water. The hipbelt is uncomfortable with loads above 25 pounds because it distributes more weight to the lower edge than the top edge. The angle at which the hipbelt is attached to the back panel should be closer to perpendicular to lessen this problem. The shoulder straps cause some discomfort at weights above 30 pounds. The placement might be slightly too wide (perhaps 1/2 inch total) causing the shoulder straps to place pressure on the shoulders, rather than draping over the collarbone.

Overview

AntiGravityGear Pot Cozys have found their way into the packs of several staff members at Backpacking Light. Inserting a hot cookpot into a Cozy keeps food warm longer and can extend cooking times without further fuel consumption. We know we like them, but the unanswered question is "how much difference do they make?" To find out, I boiled 0.5 liter of water and measured temperature drop over time in a cookpot with and without a Cozy. I repeated the tests in freezing and room temperature conditions, using my ideal hot tea temperature (132 °F) for comparison. The AntiGravityGear Pot Cozy more than doubled the amount of time water temperature remained above 132 °F under sub-freezing (28 °F) conditions. The Cozy weighs less than 1.5 ounces (40 g) and, depending on your stove and fuel of choice, its weight may be justified by fuel savings and/or added convenience.

In Brief

• At less than 1.5 ounces, the Pot Cozy easily earns its keep
• Using a Pot Cozy doubles heat retention time in sub-freezing conditions
• Costs $15.00 or less, depending on size of cookpot
• Sized to fit most lightweight cookpots on the market
• Custom sizes are also available
• The insulating material is somewhat fragile and bulky

Specifications

Background

The AntiGravityGear Pot Cozys are made from Reflectix insulation, consisting of two bubble wrap layers sandwiched between layers of aluminum foil bonded to polyethylene. This material is designed to insulate heating ducts and hot water heaters, and its light weight renders it ideal for insulating cookpots for the lightweight backpacker. The aluminum reflective material makes the insulation more durable, heat resistant, and insulating than bubble wrap alone.

While it’s true the Cozy keeps food warm longer, I carry mine to allow me to carry less fuel. After cooking for a shortened period of time, the cookpot is removed from the stove and placed inside the Cozy. The Cozy lid is then placed on top of the pot’s lid, and the edges of the Cozy are folded inward to seal the top. Food continues to cook at the higher temperatures maintained inside the Cozy. It is important to understand that the pot must be removed from the stove and placed in the Cozy – never place the Cozy on the stove; it melts!

In practice, it is difficult to determine how much fuel is saved with a Cozy, because cooking time depends on several variables: the quantity and type of food, cooking temperature, ambient temperature, wind speed, and water temperature. I always leave behind more than enough fuel weight (alcohol) to justify carrying the Cozy, and have fuel remaining at the end of the trip.

Performance Review

For this review, a 1.3-liter EverNew titanium cookpot was paired with an appropriately sized AntiGravityGear Pot Cozy. The cookpot was filled with 0.5 liter of water (approximately 2 cups). After bringing the water to boiling (201 °F at 7,200 feet elevation), the pot was removed from the stove and temperature was recorded every 10 minutes under four conditions:

• at room temperature without the Pot Cozy,
• at room temperature with the Pot Cozy,
• in the freezer without the Pot Cozy, and
• in the freezer with the Pot Cozy.

Temperature was measured using a digital kitchen thermometer with a remote sensor fit into the pour groove of the EverNew pot, allowing the lid to close securely. Room temperature varied throughout the study from 75 °F to 80 °F, while freezer temperature was constant at 28 °F.

For our discussion, we could select any temperature as a base line to compare results between the different tests. Ideally, this would be a real world temperature; like the minimum temperature to cook pasta, a typical backcountry staple. Cooking professionals seem to agree, however, that pasta is best cooked at a rolling boil, and a minimum pasta cooking temperature cannot be found in culinary literature. I settled instead on using my ideal hot tea temperature of 132 °F as a base line to compare heat retention performance.

The graph below shows temperature along the Y-axis and time along the X-axis. As expected, water cooled fastest in the uninsulated pot under freezing conditions; temperature stayed above 132 °F for less than 20 minutes. Using the Cozy under freezing conditions, the temperature remained above 132 °F for approximately 45 minutes. At room temperature, the uninsulated pot stayed above 132 °F for approximately 55 minutes, and the insulated pot kept water above 132 °F for 90 minutes.

Implications for Use

The Pot Cozy improved heat retention 2.3 times under freezing conditions and 1.6 times at room temperature. The insulated pot performed nearly as well under freezing conditions as an uninsulated pot at room temperature, allowing the winter backpacker to mimic three-season cooking. These results will likely differ somewhat from field conditions where wind and other factors come into play. The type and amount of food cooked and the type of cookpot (titanium, aluminum, stainless) will make a difference in how well heat is retained. Nevertheless, these results clearly show that a Pot Cozy extends cooking time and heat retention thus saving fuel.

Weight savings from fuel will depend on the type of fuel and stove efficiency. Certainly, those who prefer the extremely low end-of-trip weight of an alcohol or fuel tablet stove will benefit greatly from fuel reductions earlier in the trip. Fuel savings from a few dinners may offset the Pot Cozy weight. Esbit tablets cost about 50 cents each, so a Pot Cozy will eventually pay for itself if used long enough. With canister stoves, where there is less control over the amount of fuel carried, it may not be feasible to reap the benefit of reduced fuel consumption. The benefits of a Cozy used in conjunction with a white gas stove will be more noticeable in terms of the convenience of not having to simmer and being able to melt snow while your dinner is cooking.

Overview

The Isis Vivian is a lightweight waterproof/breathable jacket with excellent ventilation. It’s not the lightest jacket on the market, but it caters to a female market looking for better fit and on-trail fashion without a huge weight penalty. At 11.5 ounces (326 g, size 10) it weighs only slightly more than the comparable Sierra Designs DT Tech (11.2 ounces) and the Marmot Dart jacket (10 ounces), but significantly more than the Patagonia Women’s Specter jacket (8.3 ounces).

I like this jacket. It has a comfortable stretch nylon ripstop fabric with outer Entrant DT10K coating and inner “half” layer of polyurethane that allows a freedom of movement that other jackets, especially those sized for men, cannot replicate. Since it is designed from the ground up for women, it fits. The arms are the right length, the shoulders are the right proportion, and the mesh hand pockets are at the right angle. No small bonus; it is a fabulous color and looks great on me!

In Brief

• Nice women’s fit
• Great ventilation
• Reasonably breathable fabric
• Three ounces heavier than the lightest women’s jackets
• Not approaching the weight of men’s ultralight rain shells (6+ ounces)

Specifications

Features and Fit

Two roomy zippered, mesh hand pockets – each over half the length of the jacket – rest at your lower torso providing ample space for food, gloves, and hats. A non-waterproof #5 YKK zipper with both inner and outer storm flaps seals out the elements and is a nice change as most manufacturers are moving towards harder to slide water-resistant zips. The hood on the Vivian is one of the best features of the jacket. It has a large brim that stands on its own, keeping well away from the face. A rear Velcro hood adjustment (glow-in-the-dark) keeps the hood from falling forward. I found the hood fit quite comfortably over a wool hat without any adjustment. There’s a dual-draw cord at the base of the hood that uses a friction cord lock (rubber) to adjust the opening.

The bottom hem is adjustable with two single-handed cord locks to seal out drafts. There are 13-inch zippers from the armpit down the length of the sleeve for ventilation. The material of the jacket is a 2.5 layer waterproof/breathable fabric, where the half layer is a textured inner surface.

The fit of the Vivian is well suited to the female body. The dimensions of the bodice are well proportioned, the arm length is correct and the length of the jacket is just right (unlike other female jackets which sometimes fall just above the waist leaving a gap between rain jacket and pants). Stretch 2.5 oz/yd² nylon fabric lets the jacket extend with your movements, allowing for a trimmer and more flattering fit and making the jacket easier to move in than other rain jackets I’ve used.

Storm Resistance

I tested the Vivian in two hurricanes this fall. It was subjected to blinding rains and 50 mph winds. It kept me dry. More impressive was its ability to breathe throughout both storms keeping me reasonably dry inside while hiking at a brisk pace.

The zipper treatments were the main features that kept me dry. The front zipper and both of the front pockets have double storm flaps. The snap closures batten down the outer storm flap for the front zipper extremely well. The snaps are a welcome relief from the fleece and wool snagging Velcro found on other rain jackets.

Breathability and Ventilation

Adjustable Velcro cuffs, a draw cord hem, 13-inch underarm zippers and two big mesh hand-pockets all allow plenty of ventilation opportunities. This extra ventilation wisks moisture away from your body. A full zip in front that can be alternated with the snap closures provides adequate ventilation options in drier weather. And a not-too-snug hood, keeps your head cool while hoofing it in sloppier conditions

Value

At $160, the Vivian is not a great deal but it is in the range of other jackets in its league (the non Gore-Tex league). Comparable women’s jackets include the Sierra Designs DT Tech (11.2 ounce) at $99.95, the Red Ledge Thunderlight (16 ounce) at $70, the Cloudveil Women’s Drizzle (14 ounce) $235, the Moonstone Storm Jacket (14 ounce) $130, and the Marmot Dart Women’s Waterproof jacket (10 ounce) $125. But these jackets do not have the color, style and attractive fit of the Vivian.

Recommendations for Improvement

I have a few recommendations for improving the Vivian but they are slight. First, the zipper is 4 inches short of the bottom hem. Extending the front zipper to the bottom of the front hem would provide more storm resistance. Second, the sleeve zips are not pit zips. Other women’s jackets replicate the arm zip idea and it is neither as useful nor as functional as true pit zips. Putting the zippers back where they belong, directly under one’s arm would improve ventilation on this jacket. Finally, for more stylish town wear, a way to roll up the hood and stow it when not in use would be nice.

Overview

The Arc’Teryx Fission Belay Parka has both a waterproof/breathable shell and high loft synthetic insulation, features unique among the jackets in our review suite (although the MEC Magma Jacket is close to waterproof with its Gore Dryloft shell). This combination provides outstanding storm protection and significant warmth. The Arc’Teryx Fission Belay Parka is designed for climbing in difficult conditions and its hood and fit are well suited to keeping you warm and dry in alpine conditions. It includes typical Arc’Teryx features such as watertight zippers, a functional and highly adjustable hood, and superb quality construction. This combination of features and quality also carries a high price tag at a suggested retail price of $475.

In Brief

• Waterproof/breathable Gore-Tex shell combined with PrimaLoft Sport insulation
• Helmet friendly, adjustable hood
• Watertight zippers
• Generous cut for layering and covering your extremities
• High quality construction throughout
• Pricey at $475

Specifications

Warmth

PrimaLoft Sport insulation is a blend of ultra-fine multi-diameter fibers that are specially treated and water resistant. The insulation has a warmth-to-weight ratio of 0.74 clo/oz and retains greater than 85% of its loft and warmth when wet due to its low water absorbency. (See Commentary on Sleeping Bag Rating Specifications for an explanation of the insulation unit “clo.”) The Fission has this insulation in the arms and hood as well as the body. I measured the single-layer loft as 1.0 inch.

The Fission has a full front zipper that covers the mouth region when fully zipped up. The fixed diameter knit cuffs are not adjustable but are comfortable and keep the wrists fairly well sealed. The hood is highly adjustable and can cover almost the entire face when needed, either with or without a climbing helmet. There is an adjustable drawcord in the bottom hem. The back of the jacket has a slight drop that comfortably covers the rear end. I used the jacket at temperatures down to just below freezing. I was very warm in all of my tests with only light insulation beneath the jacket, even when not moving in freezing rain and snow. It is generously cut so that it can be donned over other clothing at belays or when your activity level drops. I also used the jacket in a bivy sack on a 25 °F night with a 40 °F rated sleeping bag. I slept warm and comfortable all night. I appreciated the generous cut of the Fission as a sleeping garment; it was not constricting yet kept my hips covered all night.

Storm resistance

As the only jacket in our review suite offering a Gore-Tex waterproof shell combined with high loft insulation, it is no surprise that the Fission Belay Parka offers excellent storm resistance. I tested the Fission in a variety of late spring mountain conditions. Even so, I was not able to test the jacket to the limits of its storm resistance capability. I stayed completely dry and warm at 9,400 feet during a spring storm after exposure to several hours of freezing rain. The jacket easily repelled this storm and kept my face totally dry while hiking and scrambling. Arc’Teryx is noted for watertight zipper technology and molded zipper garages. I put these to the garden hose test to far exceed the water volume of any storm conditions you are likely to encounter. After a full 10 minutes of drenching with the hose, including continuous flexing of the zippers under the water stream, not a drop of water had entered at any point on the jacket. The highly adjustable hood leaves only the eyes exposed when fully closed, and the stiff hood brim gives good protection from rain and snow. The waterproof/breathable shell does reduce the jacket’s breathability relative to other garments in our review suite, but I did not experience significant problems with moisture buildup during my testing.

Usability

The Fission has a roomy cut and excellent articulation. I’m 6’4″ and my size XL sample easily covers my rear and layers over multiple layers. I could possibly even get by with a smaller size, saving a few ounces. The Fission evidences quality construction throughout and proved quite durable in my testing, with no signs of wear. A stuff sack is included with the parka.

Value

With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $475, the Arc’Teryx Fission Belay Parka is not for everyone. It is designed for serious winter conditions with a waterproof Gore-Tex shell and high loft insulation. When you consider that the Fission can replace both your primary insulating garment and your waterproof storm shell – at significantly less weight – and also consider the quality of the garment, the cost seems more reasonable.

Recommendations for Improvement

Although the Fission is primarily designed for serious alpine conditions, it will get plenty of use around camp. Hand warmer pockets would make the jacket more comfortable to use in more sedentary situations. In alpine conditions, this jacket will get exposed to rock, ice, and climbing tools – highly abrasive situations not faced by most lightweight gear. Reinforced elbows and wrists would enhance the durability of the jacket.

Overview

Even with its huge, helmet compatible hood and generous sizing, the DAS Parka is arguably the warmest jacket for its weight. At 24 ounces (680 g) the DAS still retains just about every feature one would want in a cold weather synthetic parka. It has excellent breathability – in my opinion a key feature to staying warm. I did my coldest field testing of the DAS on an October ascent of Mt. Rainer. Even when I was damp and sweaty from climbing I dried out quickly when I threw the DAS parka over me. This was crucial to staying warm on the mountain. While clearly designed for alpine climbing, it works equally well for backcountry skiing, snowshoeing and other cold climate endeavors. It is the winter parka of choice for a number of our staff.

In Brief

• The lightest synthetic jacket suitable for temperatures well below freezing
• Highly breathable inner and outer shells readily pass moisture so you quickly dry out at belays and rest stops
• Fully featured for alpine climbing
• Generous size to fit over everything
• Huge helmet compatible hood with dual drawcord adjustment
• Large number of pockets – three external, and two internal storage

Specifications

Warmth

At 1.3 inches of single layer loft (5.3 oz/yd² Polarguard 3D insulation), the DAS parka is arguably the warmest production jacket reviewed. It is certainly the warmest jacket for its weight. I did my coldest field testing of the DAS on an October ascent of Mt. Rainer. By October it’s close to winter conditions on Rainier. Mid-day summit conditions were 15 °F with 60 mph winds, gusting higher. You need a helluva jacket to stay warm in that environment. The DAS kept me warm enough at rest stops and belays. Another advantage of the DAS parka is its highly breathable shell that allows the rapid transfer of sweat and moisture from your damp clothing so you can take advantage of rest stops and belays to dry out as much as possible. Even when I was damp and sweaty from climbing I dried out quickly when I threw the DAS parka over me. This was crucial to my staying warm on the mountain.

I also used the DAS parka as part of my sleeping system. Rainier can be a wet place, and climbing a wet and sweaty activity. I chose a completely synthetic setup with the DAS parka, Mountain Hardware Polarguard pants and a North Face Cat’s Meow sleeping bag. The DAS parka and bag combination kept me comfortably warm even on the coldest and windiest nights around 0 °F (in a two-person mountaineering tent). I routinely went to bed with wet clothing and some extra wet socks and glove liners in my jacket. By morning everything was dry. Both my clothing and sleeping bag insulation stayed dry and loft did not deteriorate during the multi-day-climb.

The parka has a generously sized insulated hood that fits easily over a full-sized climbing helmet. The front aperture drawcord and horizontal volume control drawcord let you cinch the hood down to fit a bare head just as easily. The high collar made a good seal around my neck and lower face. The front zipper is backed by a webbing stiffened draft flap, and the handwarmer pockets are insulated on the outside by the 5.3 oz/yd² Polarguard insulation of the jacket’s torso. The uninsulated inner liner of the pockets does let some cool air in unless you have the hem drawcord cinched.

Storm resistance

The DAS has a light and very breathable outer shell fabric of 1.5 oz/yd² 30 denier high-tenacity ripstop polyester with a Deluge DWR finish. While it is not waterproof, it is water resistant enough to weather light and/or intermittent rain and snow. As an outer garment I found that the DAS kept me sufficiently warm and dry in everything but constant rain. The polyester shell with its excellent DWR absorbed little water and dried quickly.

Most people layer their parka on top of their other layers unless conditions are dreadful and then a waterproof/breathable shell goes on top. Again a key feature of the DAS is its highly breathable inner and outer shells that readily pass internal moisture through the garment so that you can dry out at belays and rest stops. For most activities and conditions this is much more important to your warmth than the weather resistance of the insulated jacket’s shell. If you are in very wet weather at near freezing levels, you may want to carry a light waterproof shell to layer over the parka or consider one of the two more waterproof parkas in our review suite, the Arc’Teryx Fission Belay Parka or the Mountain Equipment Co-op Magma Jacket.

Usability

At 1.5 pounds, the DAS was one of the lightest jackets tested; yet it has most features one would want on an alpine climbing jacket. It has a generous fit that layers over most anything you’re wearing. The medium length hem comes down to just cover my crotch and butt. The modified Y-Joint sleeves provide good articulation and freedom of movement and the hem does not lift while raising your arms. It has plenty of pockets – two insulated handwarmer pockets, a zippered chest pocket, and two capacious inside mesh pockets for drying gloves. It has a two-way front zipper that works well for your harness and belaying. The zipper pulls on the jacket are first rate and very easy to use with gloves. The simple elastic cuffs are just right, neither too tight nor too loose. They form a good seal but fit easily over the wrist and light gloves.

Value

The DAS Parka is a standout performer. It is light and warm while retaining just about every feature needed in a cold weather synthetic parka, including excellent breathability. While clearly designed for alpine climbing, it works equally well for backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, and other cold climate endeavors. It is a very good value at $259.

Recommendations for Improvement

The DAS design is pretty much dialed in. I think that the shell fabric is the right choice. I wouldn’t want a more waterproof but less breathable fabric. I would like to see the DAS use the slightly higher performing Polarguard Delta insulation; the choice could be made to shave a bit of weight or add a bit more warmth to the jacket and remain at the same weight.

Other than that, a backpacking version – where fabric durability is not as big an issue as for alpine climbing – could include a sub-1-ounce liner fabric to reduce the weight a bit. An alpine climbing version might benefit from some exterior reinforcements in high wear areas. Both versions would be a little more luxurious with a slight amount of inner insulation for the handwarmer pockets, although if it’s cold enough to wear the DAS you’ll likely have warm hand wear on.

Overview

The Integral Designs Dolomitti jacket is a lightweight 1.5-pound cold weather synthetic parka. It works well when belaying in the cold, hanging around camp, or spending a freezing night in a bivouac. While it can be layered under a roomy shell, its water-resistant and windproof Pertex shell and roomy cut make throwing it on outside of a shell a good, and convenient, option. The Dolomitti has many usable features including reinforced shoulders, elbows, and pocket covers, one-handed drawcords, generous pockets, and a warm, zip-off hood that can accommodate a climbing helmet or cinch down to a small breathing hole. This jacket is perfect for cold, humid environments and is well constructed.

In Brief

• Highly breathable Pertex shell with DWR sheds light rain, sleet, and snow, though it is not waterproof
• Over 1 inch of single-layer loft from Primaloft Sport insulation
• Removable, insulated hood
• Reinforced shoulders, elbows, and pocket covers
• Generous pockets
• High quality construction

Specifications

Warmth

The Dolomitti jacket kept me warm throughout my testing. When stationary in sub-freezing temperatures, I remained warm and comfortable, especially with the hood sealed. When wearing damp base layers in this same situation, the jacket quickly warmed me and helped to dry the inner layer. When hiking uphill with a 20-pound pack, in the same weather conditions, the jacket quickly became too warm. This is definitely not a jacket for aerobic activities but it does an excellent job keeping you warm when your heart rate is down.

One night I slept under a tarp wearing the Dolomitti in a severely underrated, 40 °F bag. There was a slight breeze and no precipitation with temperatures starting at 32 ° F and dropping to 25 °F through the night. To replicate a bivy situation, I wore only base and lightweight shell layers in addition to the jacket. Cinching the generous hood to a small opening, I settled in, and despite being a relatively cold sleeper, I slept warm throughout the night and awoke fairly rested. I would trust this combination to pass the night in colder conditions as well.

To regulate temperature, the Dolomitti has a full-length front zipper (with internal zipper wind cover), two single-handed waist drawcords, and a removable zip-off hood. It also features two one-handed hood drawcords that allow the user to cinch the hood down to a tiny opening like a sleeping bag for bivouac situations. The Dolomitti is cut medium-long and covers about half of the butt.

Storm resistance

The Dolomitti provided good weather resistance in the field. Although it is not a waterproof garment, the jacket performed well in precipitation, shedding drizzle and snow quite well. When the rain turned to downpour and slush conditions, the insulation did get wet but still retained the majority of its loft. (In another test at home, however, I found that more than half of the loft is lost when the jacket is completely soaked.) When a break in the weather finally came, the Primaloft insulation had retained less water than a Polarguard 3D insulated jacket and dried out more quickly. When subjected to rain and slush, the inner storm flap kept out the moisture as well as the rest of the jacket, despite the non-waterproof zipper. During times of freezing winds and blowing snow above the treeline, cuffs and hem drawcords sealed the jacket very well. The hood also did a good job in these situations but restricted vision significantly when cinched. When remaining stationary in the cold for long periods of time I stayed quite warm – this jacket was an excellent companion in these winter conditions.

In winter conditions of below freezing temperature with falling snow, I found hiking in moderate conditions of terrain and snow depth with a pack on to be quite comfortable in the Dolomitti. I was surprised at how well the insulation and shell fabrics transported moisture when my exertion level rose and I was sweating hard (e.g., snowshoeing uphill in deep snow). While the jacket was damp at the end of my climb, it had transported most of the moisture. When I stopped moving, the jacket dried fairly quickly. During another test on the same day, I soaked and wrung out a Capilene base layer and then put the Dolomitti over the top and found that after 15 minutes of hiking, the base layer had completely dried.

Usability

The Integral Designs jacket features two zippered external and insulated handwarmer pockets with Taslan-reinforced weather flaps and one large zippered inside pocket that can accommodate a 1-liter water bottle. The jacket has Taslan-reinforced shoulders and elbows and snug-fitting Spandura cuffs. The hood easily fits over a climbing helmet.

The Dolomitti jacket showed minimal wear after two months of hard testing. After several washings and soakings, the durable water-repellent coating had worn significantly but could easily be restored with an aftermarket product such as Revivex. While previous longer-term tests found that the Primaloft insulation lost significant loft over time (up to 25%), I did not experience any loss of insulation on this shorter test. However, durability of Primaloft insulation is a concern. During this test, I had no problem with shell fabric durability – it looks just as new as the day it arrived. The Pertex fabric is not designed for abrasion-resistance, but the Taslan reinforcements are in the right places to add to the life of the jacket. The larger YKK zipper never iced up and I appreciated its size for long-term reliability.

The sleeves of the Dolomitti are long enough for most activities but pull at the cuffs when the hands are raised overhead or arms are crossed and don’t allow hands to be withdrawn inside. The lack of articulation in the cut causes the sleeves to pull slightly at the wrists when bending at the elbows. Raising my hands overhead caused the jacket to pull up at the waist. The hood is cut like a sleeping bag’s and, while quite comfortable and warm when sleeping, doesn’t follow the head when turning. (This improved when wearing a climbing helmet because it created a more secure fit.) That said, when using the jacket for its intended purpose of belay situations, bivouacs, hanging around winter camps, and warming up during cold climbing sections, the jacket’s fit was just fine and allowed for all normal movements without being excessively baggy.

Value

The Dolomitti Jacket is an excellent performer. At just above 1.5 pounds, it gives a lot of synthetic warmth for its weight. It is also durable with well-designed features that make it quite versatile. Coupling these factors along with its moderate price tag makes it an excellent value.

Recommendations for Improvement

While I appreciated its roominess for layering over a shell, it was a bit roomy for my regular build. A more athletic cut in the torso would offer more warmth and still leave room for layering. The hood was very warm and spacious; a Velcro adjustment at the rear would allow adjustment for better visibility when using the jacket on the move.

Overview

The Wild Things EP Jacket fits in well with the lightweight philosophy – use the layering system to maintain comfort, and wear everything you have when it’s cold! Rather than taking a heavy cold weather belay parka, and exchanging it for another garment when the temperature or your exertion level changes, the EP jacket plus one or two mid-weight insulation pieces creates a versatile and lightweight system to stay warm and comfortable under most cool and cold weather conditions. By itself, the EP is a lightweight cool weather belay jacket with a marvelous Epic shell and water resistant zippers for wind and storm resistance. Worn over other lightweight insulation, the jacket is the centerpiece of a versatile cold weather clothing system.

In Brief

• Versatile, lightweight belay jacket, remarkably warm by itself
• Epic shell and water repellent zippers are highly wind and shower resistant
• Draw cords at hood and hem, plus elastic wrist bindings provide a snug seal
• Two zippered side pockets, plus inside zippered pocket provide good storage
• Good storm protection in a variety of conditions
• Remarkably breathable at low to moderate exertion levels in cool, windy conditions

Specifications

Warmth

The EP jacket is insulated with 1.8 oz/yd² PrimaLoft One which has a single-layer thickness of 0.3 inch and a warmth to weight ratio of 0.84 clo/oz (see Commentary on Sleeping Bag Rating Specifications (2004) (M) for more on the clo unit of measure). PL1 is not as lofty or as durable as Polarguard 3D or Delta but is better in damp/wet situations due to its low water absorbency (confirmed in previous Backpacking Light experiments (M). The insulation is quilted to the jacket’s lining in a parallel wavy pattern spaced about 2 inches apart. Both the shell and lining have a soft hand.

Worn over a base layer, the jacket is warm down to about freezing (stationary in calm air). However, by adding insulation layers under it, the EP Jacket can be the centerpiece of a versatile system to maintain warmth down to much colder levels. The EP has an Epic outer shell that is very good at deflecting wind and sealing in heat, contributing a lot to maintaining warmth. For hiking in cool weather, layers can easily be adjusted to maintain comfort. The front zipper is one-way, so can only be opened from the top for ventilation. The EP worked well over damp clothing in cool/windy conditions to keep me from chilling, but is not lofty enough for really cold weather.

Ways to increase the jacket’s warmth are: 1) wear another insulating layer under it, 2) close the 28.5-inch full front zipper to its fleece chin guard, 3) raise the hood and snug it with two draw cord adjustors on the front, and 4) snug the waist draw cord with two adjustors inside the jacket. To increase ventilation, do the opposite. The cuffs have a simple elastic binding that makes a comfortable seal at the wrists, but does not provide any means to adjust ventilation. Two 6.5-inch zippered side hand warmer pockets are not fleece-lined. The back of the jacket is dropped two inches to increase coverage of the butt area. There are no pit zips or mesh vents.

The jacket’s hood provides excellent head insulation while wearing it in a sleeping bag.

Storm Resistance

I tested the EP Jacket on five backpacking trips in the Colorado Rockies. On the first day of summer I hiked a 12,600-foot ridge in 45 °F temperatures and 40 mph winds with intermittent snow and rain. On a 6-day 76-mile backpack on Colorado’s Continental Divide Trail, the EP Jacket provided daily shelter from wind, cold, and bugs.

The beauty of the EP jacket is its wind and storm resistant insulation, thanks to its Epic shell and water-resistant zippers. It had no trouble shedding wind-driven snow and graupel, or a brief shower. Extended rain eventually soaks through, especially at the seams. With a backpack on, the hipbelt seals the bottom of the jacket nicely. Without a pack, the jacket seals up snugly with all the zippers and draw cords pulled. The hood provided good face protection from cold and wind, and worked best with a billed hat or helmet since it has no bill of its own.

I don’t expect an insulated jacket to be as breathable as a windshirt, but I did find the EP jacket to be remarkably comfortable for hiking in cool/windy conditions. While hiking slowly up a 12,700-foot ridge carrying a 25-pound pack in overcast/windy 50 °F conditions, I stayed comfortable by adjusting the hood and front zipper openings. However, when the sun came out and the wind subsided, I quickly overheated and replaced the EP Jacket with a windshirt. On several occasions I put the jacket on over a damp hiking shirt and windshirt during breaks. It kept me from chilling in a stiff breeze, and my damp underclothing dried out quickly.

Usability

The smooth lining allows the EP to slide on easily over other clothing, including fleece. The side pockets are roomy and handy for storing an assortment of frequently used items. However, the pocket openings are a little too small. They are large enough to enter with light or medium weight gloves on, but not heavy gloves, and they are too tight to insert an 8-ounce fuel canister to warm it up in the morning. Draw cord adjustors on the hood and at the waist can be operated with medium weight gloves on, but are harder to manage with heavy gloves. The inside zippered pocket is useful for secure storage, and is sized to carry a 1-liter water flask.

The sculptured hood works well over a helmet or billed hat, with excellent head turning mobility and vision to the sides. The hood is also comfortable under a climbing helmet. There is no adjustment on the back of the hood, so without a hat or helmet on, it fits loose and significantly blocks vision to the front and sides. [Editor’s note: the 2005 version of the EP has a three-way hood adjustment to address this issue.] One clever feature: the hood has a simple hook and loop tab and loop that allow you to secure the hood down when it’s not in use, so it doesn’t flop over your head when you bend over. According to product information, the jacket packs into its own pocket, but I found all of the pocket openings too small for the task. It is much easier to roll the jacket up into its hood.

This jacket is designed for layering. By itself it provides a lot of warmth without bulk in cool and breezy conditions. It is sized to layer over a base layer and one or more mid-weight insulation layers, giving it lots of versatility. The jacket length in back is 28 inches, sufficient to cover the butt and lower torso area.

The EP Jacket has set-in sleeves. Sleeve length was not quite long enough to withdraw my hands. Although the sleeves are an ample length (34.5 inches) in an arms-down position, sleeve articulation in an arms-up position is only fair. When I lifted my arms above my head or crossed my arms, the sleeves withdrew to about 1 inch above my wrists. Torso articulation is good: when I lifted my arms above my head, the jacket’s lower hem was still about two inches below my waist. Wearing the jacket over a 200-weight fleece jacket, my shoulders bound only slightly when crossing my arms.

Value

The EP Jacket is well made, fits well, and is very storm worthy and versatile. At $185, it is a fair value compared to other belay jackets we reviewed.

Recommendations for Improvement

I would like to see larger pocket openings to accommodate gloved hands and larger items. Also, it would be nice to have a large mesh pocket on the inside in addition to the zippered pocket. To reduce weight, I suggest using a thinner Epic fabric for the shell. Some durability would be lost, but lightweight backpackers are prepared to provide the TLC if manufacturers are prepared to provide lighter gear.

Overview

The Cirrus Hooded Jacket, upgraded for 2005, earns a thumbs up for cold weather warmth, storm resistance, and value. It provides quick insulation over existing clothing (dry or damp) for rapid warmth and chill avoidance. The hood is helmet-compatible, yet adjusts to fit over a winter hat or billed cap equally well. The new shell fabric is lighter and more abrasion and storm resistant than last year’s model, although it eventually wets through with extended exposure. The nicest change is the addition of pit zips, which significantly improves ventilation and temperature regulation. Other changes are: the elimination of the adjustable neoprene/Velcro tabs on the cuffs (in favor of a simple elastic cuff), and moving the secure storage pocket to the inside. The handwarmer side pockets remain at hip level, where entry is restricted by a pack hipbelt. Overall, the Cirrus Hooded Jacket is an excellent value at its comparatively low price of $160.

In Brief

• Attached, helmet-compatible hood with lots of adjustability
• Single-layer loft is 1 inch of Thermolite Micro insulation
• Pit zips for improved temperature regulation
• Lighter shell fabric is wind and water resistant, and more snag resistant
• Overall excellent value for its features, storm worthiness, and warmth
• Needs more storage! Raise the outside pockets to make them accessible while carrying a pack (or add a chest height pocket), and make the inside mesh pockets larger

Specifications

Warmth

The Cirrus Hooded Jacket has the thickest insulation (200 g/m² in the body and 150 g/m² in the sleeves) of the Moonstone Cirrus series and is suitable for cold weather applications. DuPont Thermolite Micro is a thin microfiber insulation claimed to provide maximum warmth at minimum thickness with more durability and compressibility than other thin insulations. Backpacking Light has not tested these claims.

I tested the jacket’s warmth in a variety of conditions: stationary in rain at 40 °F, hiking 3 mph on flat terrain in a snowstorm at 32 °F, hiking 3 mph on flat terrain with the jacket over a wet base layer at 0 °F, stationary at 20 °F with a 25 mph wind, stationary at 13 °F, hiking 2 mph uphill carrying a 20 pound pack at 0 °F, and walking 3 mph in a steady rain at 34 °F. I had no problem staying warm in any of these conditions – quite the opposite. The jacket is very comfortable for flat land activities, but quickly reaches its breathability limit on uphill, high-exertion activities. When I wore the jacket unvented while hiking uphill with a pack, the heat built up steadily to the point where I could not maintain my pace. Opening the pit zips and dropping the hood provided some relief, but not enough.

To sum up: the Cirrus jacket is plenty warm and has adequate breathability for low or intermittent moderate exertion at cooler temperatures, but too much warmth and not enough breathability for sustained moderate or high exertion activities. This is too much jacket for uphill backpacking except for very cold and/or windy conditions.

When I wore the jacket over a breathable Epic windshirt and very damp base layer after some hard sweaty exertion (1,500 feet of elevation gain at 2 mph in 6-12 inches of snow), it prevented chilling during a quick lunch stop at 20 °F, then allowed my under layers to dry on my descent over the next hour. On another occasion I soaked a cotton T-shirt with water and put it on, then donned the jacket and went for a walk on a 0 °F morning, and had no problem staying warm.

This jacket has a relaxed fit to allow layering under it. It easily fits over a fleece jacket, and even fits over a high-loft down jacket or vest with minimal compression. The back of the jacket is dropped 2 inches to give it sufficient length to cover the butt.

The Cirrus Jacket works well to extend the warmth of a light sleeping bag in a bivy sack. I wore the jacket over a heavy base layer in a 30 °F down sleeping bag inside a waterproof/breathable bivy, and slept warm as toast on a 24 °F night with heavy frost.

Storm Resistance

The upgraded 2005 jacket’s shell fabric is 15 x 40 denier nylon ripstop with super DWR, much lighter than its predecessor which had 40 denier mini-ripstop fabric (1.2 oz/yd² compared to 3.1 oz/yd²). The new shell is similar to shells on other lightweight insulated garments – a balance between weight, storm resistance, and durability. With reasonable care, it performs and holds up well, but I would not recommend serious bushwhacking with this jacket.

I tested the Cirrus Hooded Jacket in cold rain, wet snow, and wind over different dry or damp under layers. The jacket’s water resistance is significantly improved with the new shell fabric. It shed rain and wet snow very well for about an hour, but eventually wetted-out, especially on the shoulders and upper back. After an extended walk in steady rain, I weighed the jacket and found that it had gained 12 ounces of moisture. Even when thoroughly wet, the jacket remained warm and dry inside, except for some leakage on the shoulder seam. The hood provided good face protection from cold and wind. The two-way front zipper has a storm flap behind it that kept water from coming through. The bottom hem drawcord helped to seal out drafts.

Usability

The sculpted hood easily adjusts to fit over a helmet, and adjusts just as easily to fit over an insulated or billed hat. With the hood drawcords properly adjusted, head-turning mobility is excellent with or without a helmet, but free head movement is slightly restricted when wearing a helmet and a pack. The sleeves are almost long enough to withdraw the hands. Sleeve and torso articulation with the arms lifted upward are both good, with no binding or exposure of the wrists or waist. When the Cirrus jacket is layered over a mid-weight fleece jacket, torso articulation at the shoulders is very good, and it does not bind when crossing the arms. The jacket’s smooth microfiber lining makes it easy to layer over other clothing, including fleece.

This jacket has simple elastic cuffs that replace the adjustable neoprene/Velcro tabs on the previous model which is an improvement, because the Velcro tabs were very abrasive to the jacket’s shell. However, the elastic band in the new cuffs is a bit tight to stretch over the tops of gloves, and it tends to twist within its enclosure, which is annoying.

There are two 7-inch zippered pockets on the outside with a brushed tricot lining for hand warming. They are large enough to warm an 8-ounce fuel canister. With a pack on, the hipbelt fits squarely over the side pockets, restricting stowage and access. On the inside of the jacket there is one 6-inch zippered security pocket and two stretchy mesh pockets (5 inches wide by 7 inches deep) for carrying snacks and a water bottle (a flat water flask works best). It would be nice if the mesh pockets were much larger so they could stow more items (like winter gloves, balaclava, helmet liner, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.).

The hood has a flexible bill and two drawcords to adjust the fit over different headwear. A drawcord on the back of the hood is fully extended when the jacket is worn over a helmet, and tightened when the hood is worn without a helmet. The front drawcord snugs the hood to your face for better weather protection and visibility. There is no provision to stow the hood when it is not being used, but tightening its face drawcord helps somewhat to hold it down. The “single-hand adjustable drawcords” at the waist and hood (total of three drawcords with five adjustors) actually require two hands to tighten or loosen, but they work well to seal in the warmth or provide ventilation as needed. The jacket is quite compressible, and fits easily into the provided 7 inch by 10 inch matching stuff sack.

The Cirrus Hooded Jacket works well in concert with the Moonstone Nitro shell, which also has a helmet compatible hood. However, the Nitro Jacket is slightly shorter.

Value

With an MSRP of $160, the Cirrus Hooded Jacket is an excellent value for the features, warmth, and utility it provides. At 1 pound 12.4 ounces (men’s large) this jacket is 4 to 7 ounces heavier than many comparable jackets, but it has more insulation and includes pit zips.

Recommendations for Improvement

With the upgrades made to the 2005 model, the Cirrus Hooded Jacket is now one of the nicest cold weather synthetic insulated jackets on the market. Following are a few additional improvements that would further improve it:

Use Pertex Quantum for the outer shell fabric.

For more accessible outside storage, move the hand warmer pockets above the hipbelt level, or add at least one large zippered pocket at the chest level.

Enlarge the inside mesh pockets to three times their present capacity to make room for gloves, hat, sunglasses, energy bars, water flask, camera, etc, etc.

Overview

The Enclosure Mountain Parka from Cloudveil provides a warm micro-shelter for the stationary backcountry adventurer. The parka has 7.6 oz/yd² PrimaLoft One in the body and 5.9 ox/yd2 PrimaLoft One in the sleeves, making it ideal to wear while belaying an alpine climb, eating lunch before dropping into sweet powder, or hanging out around base camp. The PrimaLoft One synthetic insulation has decent compressibility; the jacket stuffs down to about 300 cubic inches in volume, roughly the size of a volleyball. PrimaLoft One also absorbs much less water than down or other synthetic insulations, maintaining nearly all of its warmth when wet. The hood is well designed and keeps the neck and face areas warm and cozy, with or without a helmet, while maintaining good peripheral vision. The Enclosure is also a nice addition to a lightweight integrated cold weather sleeping system, allowing a much lighter sleeping bag to be used.

In Brief

• Cloudveil Cirrus Plus shell – lightweight and weather resistant
• Warm – 1.4 inches of PrimaLoft One single-layer loft in the torso
• Good fit and extra room for layers
• Lots of pockets – two hand warmer, three internal, and one chest pocket
• Durable and well-constructed – no wear evident from field testing
• At 2 pounds 4 ounces manufacturer’s claimed weight, one of the heavier jackets in this group

Specifications

Warmth

The Enclosure Parka has a healthy amount of PrimaLoft One insulation that kept me very warm sitting out on a cold November evening while I ate dinner – and dried out – after several hours of hiking. Hiking without a pack on flat terrain was tolerable for a short period of time, but the insulation is too thick to wear the parka during any type of activity. I quickly overheated wearing the Enclosure Parka while hiking with a pack, even in 25 °F weather. The combination of Cirrus Plus shell and thick insulation results in relatively poor breathability for this jacket. The hood and front zipper provide full head, neck, and face coverage.

The Enclosure is a nice addition to a cold weather sleeping system. I spent a 20 °F night in the backcountry wearing the Enclosure in a 32 °F rated sleeping bag and bivy sack and stayed warm and slept well the entire night.

Storm resistance

I tested the Enclosure Parka in a variety of early winter conditions in temperatures from the low 20’s °F to the mid 30’s °F. During a near-freezing wet snow/sleet storm, the parka took the chill off when I stopped for lunch and put it on over a base layer dampened by sweat from skinning to the top of a Cascade volcano. The internal draft skirt kept the cold air from creeping above my waist and the hood and chin area protected my face from the wind and cold. The wet snow/sleet eventually defeated the durable water-repellent finish. We suggest using the Enclosure under a waterproof garment during very wet weather. The Enclosure kept me warm even with wet insulation and it dried out quickly when the sleet subsided.

On another backcountry adventure, the durable water-repellent finish did a much better job of repelling the dry graupel falling with temperatures in the low 20’s °F. A waterproof garment was not needed to stay dry in these conditions.

When I wore the Enclosure Parka over a wet base layer and zipped everything up, the base layer dried over time and moisture was not noticeable on the inside of the parka.

Usability

The Enclosure Parka has a full front zipper and a high collar that covers the mouth region when fully zipped. A rollover zipper guard protects the face nicely with a fleece lining. An internal Lycra draft skirt keeps out the cold wind. The cuffs have a wide range of adjustability with Velcro closures. The hood fits snugly with or without a climbing helmet and can be tightened down with an elastic pull cord. The sleek design of the hood allows it to move with you as you rotate your head, maintaining peripheral vision. The sleeve length is just long enough to allow free range of motion without exposing the wrists. The zippered hand warmer pockets are insulated on the outside only and are not fleece lined. Hands can be withdrawn into the sleeves to provide additional warmth. The parka is well designed in the torso region, allowing a full range of motion without the hem riding up the waist or the shoulders binding. It has a trim fit without any coverage of the butt or thigh region. It is easy to put on and take off while wearing a base layer, outer shell, another insulating garment, or any combination of the three, making it very suitable for a belay jacket during a winter multi-pitch climb.

The Enclosure has plenty of pockets: zippered hand warmer pockets, a single Napoleon pocket, an internal security pocket for stashing the oh-so-important route description, and two internal mesh pockets, one divided and one open, for storage with quick and easy access. The Enclosure Parka also has the option of stuffing into its own pocket for easy packing.

Value

The pre-production jacket I tested is well-made and held up well during field testing, showing no significant signs of wear. At $245, the Enclosure is priced comparatively with other jackets in this category. It is a very nice insulating garment for the price.

Recommendations for Improvement

The pre-production version of the Enclosure that I tested weighs less than the stated weight for the production models; even so, it had heavier insulation than most other jackets in this category. I would prefer a less bulky parka. I’d also like to see a DWR finish that sheds water and wet snow better, keeping the insulation dry longer. The hand-warmer pockets could be fleece lined to provide a little extra warmth and comfort.

Overview

The Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Magma jacket is an excellent value with a Gore Dryloft shell, well-constructed hood, and adjustability features that make it exceptionally storm resistant. It is warm, comfortable, and well constructed, but not oversized as some belay jackets in our review suite are. It has Primaloft One insulation and a removable, insulated hood. With plenty of other features such as four pockets, adjustable drawcords, zipper storm flaps and soft and warm pockets and collar, the Magma has quickly become a favorite of mine.

In Brief

• Gore Dryloft shell is exceptionally storm resistant
• Primaloft One insulation lofts to 1.1 inches single layer
• Removable, insulated hood
• Good fit, long sleeves
• Soft, cozy handwarmer pockets
• Plenty of storage with an external chest and internal storage pocket
• Not cut to fit over shells as a belay jacket

Specifications

Warmth

The Magma is a solid four-season performer with 5 oz/yd² Primaloft One insulation in the torso and sleeves. I measured 1.1 inches of single layer loft, comparable to all but the highest loft jackets in our review suite. I used the Magma on outings in the Catalina and Rincon Mountain ranges of southern Arizona. With temperatures in the 30s °F I was completely warm even when stationary. After hiking uphill only a few hundred yards I quickly became overheated. For downhill or flat hiking, I stayed comfortably cool as long as I kept the jacket partially unzipped. The Magma has several features for helping to control temperature including two easily operated drawcords – one on the hem, and another at the waist.

Storm resistance

The Gore Dryloft shell makes the Magma an exceptional performer in poor weather. The breathable shell is not listed as waterproof by Gore, but is nearly waterproof based on our hose tests. I performed a simple 10-minute hose test, soaking the shell with the full force of a garden hose. At completion, no discernible water had gotten into the insulation. By comparison, the insulation in other water repellent jackets was noticeably wet after this test. The removable hood on the Magma has a large, stiff brim to keep your face protected, and is easily adjustable. The hood fits over a large-volume climbing helmet (Black Diamond Half Dome), but mobility is slightly restricted. The hood cinches down easily to cover your face when weather deteriorates. The cuffs are half elastic, half Velcro, and can be closed down as tight as you like to keep out the spindrift or cold drafts. The main zipper has an internal storm flap.

Usability

I’ve got long arms, so good fit in the sleeves is one of the first things I look for in a cold weather jacket. The Magma does well here, with nice long sleeves that I can easily withdraw my hands into. Overall fit is good, although the cut is shorter than in some other jackets in this category; it does not cover my rear. The Magma is cut to fit over layers, but is not as roomy as some other pure belay jackets. This is beneficial in non-climbing situations, but might be a problem if you tried to slip it over a shell and other layers at a cold weather belay. Articulation is very good; the jacket does not ride up at all when arms are raised to shoulder height. All external zippers have pull strings for easy adjustment while wearing gloves. As mentioned above, the hood is easily removed with a zipper – a feature that I really like as the majority of my cold weather outings are not in full storm conditions. The hand warmer pockets are lined with a soft thin insulating layer that I found very welcome on several occasions.

Value

The MEC Magma jacket is an excellent value at $168 ($205 Canadian). With a Dryloft shell, the Primaloft top of the line insulation, high quality construction, and a removable insulated hood, it gives you a lot for your hard earned dollars.

Recommendations for Improvement

There is little to complain about with the Magma. My jacket came in a bit above the specified weight, so taking just a few ounces off this jacket to improve its performance to weight ratio would shoot it to the top of the line in high loft insulating jackets.

Overview

Weighing only 3.4 ounces (96 g), the Primus Micron is a mini-canister stove with some excellent features and good performance. It is one of the best performers among the stoves we tested in calm conditions, but requires shielding from wind for good performance in windy conditions. The stove comes standard with a piezoelectric igniter that is operated by a lever rather than a push button. I like its ergonomics, but the igniter usually requires several flicks to light the stove. The pot supports are sturdy and cleverly designed so the stove collapses down to a very small size. Flame control is by a short knob that is easy to reach and turn. The Micron’s flame adjustment occurs within one-third of a turn, but the control is precise. There is not much flame spread, so the stove produces a hot spot about 2 inches in diameter. In my field cooking tests, the Micron was up to every task I subjected it to, from melting snow to boiling water, cooking noodles, frying burgers, and cooking pancakes with a low constant flame. In lab tests the Micron turned in good boil times and fuel efficiency numbers under optimal conditions, but it stumbled in windy conditions. The Micron is especially sensitive to wind and loses a lot of efficiency without a windscreen. With proper wind protection, the Micron is an overall good performer and value.

Specifications

Usable Features

Compactness – The three pot supports on the Micron are cleverly designed so they fold down to a very compact shape and size. The collapsed stove easily slides into the 3-inch by 4-inch stuff sack provided, and can be packed into a small cook pot. It is one of the most compact canister stoves available.

Weight – At 3.4 ounces including a piezoelectric igniter, the Micron is very lightweight.

Ignition – The Micron’s “Easy Trigger” lighting system effectively integrates the piezoelectric igniter into the stove. Rather than a button to push, there is a lever that you push down.

Flame Control – The flame adjuster is a short (1.3 inches long) knob. I found it easy to turn with fingers reaching upward which kept my hand below and away from the burner. The Micron’s steel mesh burner is claimed to “spread the flame broadly for balanced heat distribution,” however I found that the flame goes straight up and spreads after it hits the bottom of the pot.

Pot Support – The Micron has a very clever design for the pot supports to collapse when not in use and to lock solidly into place for cooking. When open, the three pot supports angle downward towards the center resulting in only the outer one or two barbs contacting the pot. Nevertheless, a 2-liter pot “stuck” to this stove, and would not slide off even when I intentionally tilted the stove 30° or bumped it hard.

Options – None, the stove comes standard with a piezoelectric igniter and a stuff sack.

Ease of Use

Setup – Easy. Simply thread a fuel canister onto the stove, open the valve, and flick the piezoelectric igniter – 15 seconds max.

Lighting – The “Easy Trigger” piezoelectric igniter is ergonomically well designed. In warm, calm weather it is easy to light the stove with one to three flicks of the igniter. In a 12 mph wind, the stove required four to five flicks to light, but it did light. However, in cold conditions the stove was more reluctant to light; I counted 16 flicks at 47 °F.

Adjustment – The flame adjuster has four and a quarter turns, but only the first third of a turn is effective. Within that small range the stove adjusts from a slow simmer to full throttle, with no rebound or need to make subsequent adjustments.

Cold Weather Use – It is easy to attach a fuel canister and operate the flame control knob and piezoelectric igniter lever with heavy gloves on.

Cooking Performance

I took the Micron on June backpacking trips in the Colorado Mountains and camped on the alpine tundra surrounded by snowdrifts. Temperatures were in the high 40’s °F when I cooked my dinner and in the high 20’s °F when I cooked breakfast.

Capacity – The Micron can be used to cook for a group nearly as easily as it can be used to cook for one. The pot supports have sharp barbs that hold a larger pot well although it is important to center the pot on the supports and use a pot clamp to hold the pot while stirring, otherwise a large pot is a bit top heavy and unstable.

Versatility – The Primus Micron melts snow and boils water with ease. Assisted by its precise flame control, it can also be used to cook more exotic dishes like macaroni and cheese with hamburger, or pancakes. To cook pancakes, it is necessary to use a low flame, keep the fry pan balanced on the stove, and hold the handle while flipping the ‘cakes.

Because of its small burner, the Micron produces a distinct hot spot about 2 inches wide in the middle of a cook pot or fry pan. This is not a problem for boiling water, but it makes frying more of a challenge. A very low flame is required for any delicate cooking (like making a sauce, sautéing vegetables, or frying pancakes) to avoid burning.

Wind Effects – Primus claims that the Micron has a “wind resistant burner,” but I found it to be just the opposite. The Micron is especially susceptible to direct wind compared to the other stoves in our review suite, both in lab tests and field tests. The wind simply blows the flame away. Its performance in wind is boosted by a windscreen. Under breezy conditions I cooked using a windscreen that surrounded about three-quarters of the stove. The bottom of the windscreen was set on three rocks to raise it off the ground about 2-3 inches. I frequently felt the canister with my hand to make sure it was not overheating. (See our companion articles FAQs About Canister Stoves and Fuels and Homemade Canister Stove Windscreen for tips on safe use of windscreens with canister stoves.)

Heating Efficiency

The Micron boils water quickly in calm conditions, but boil times increase significantly in direct wind. It had one of the fastest boil times recorded in the Backpacking Light lab tests under optimal conditions: 3 minutes 25 seconds to boil 1 quart of water at full throttle. It was also one of the most fuel-efficient stoves in our tests; only 13.2 grams of fuel were required to boil 1 quart of water at full throttle and 10.8 grams using a moderate flame. These numbers place it among the top four stoves for optimal conditions. However, the Micron did not perform well in a 12 mph wind without a windscreen. In direct wind, it heated 1 quart of water only 46 °F in 10 minutes. When protected with a windscreen, the Micron boiled water in 5 minutes 06 seconds, only about a minute longer than the best performing stoves.

See Lightweight Canister Stoves Test Report for more detailed results of our heating efficiency tests on this stove, and all the canister stoves in our review suite.

Durability

This stove is ruggedly built and collapses to a very small size that can easily be inserted into its small stuff sack or a small cook pot. No maintenance is required, but it is important to keep the stove’s canister connection clean to avoid clogging the jet.

Value

The Micron is a good value at $53: it has a compact and rugged design, it comes with a piezoelectric lighter, it is light weight, is designed ergonomically, and has excellent fuel efficiency.

Tips and Tricks

Because of its poor performance in wind, I recommend using some type of wind protection with the Micron. See our companion articles FAQs About Canister Stoves and Fuels and Homemade Canister Stove Windscreen for tips on safe use of windscreens with canister stoves.

Recommendations for Improvement

The piezoelectric igniter could use some refinement; it often requires many flicks to light the stove.

Overview

The Snow Peak GigaPower mini-canister stove is available in four configurations (with or without titanium components, and with or without auto-ignition) to meet most users’ preferences. It collapses to a very compact size. The stove has four pot supports (rather than the usual three) that fold out to provide a stable, flat, grippy surface. Lighting the stove with the piezoelectric igniter on the auto-start model often requires several tries, and the igniter is cumbersome to operate with gloved hands. Although the burner provides good flame spread, it requires several re-adjustments to get the stove to the desired flame level. The GigaPower performs quite well under calm conditions, but I found it very sensitive to wind. Using a windscreen improved its performance, but there was still impairment by apparent turbulence within the windscreen used in laboratory testing. I found the stove quite capable of melting snow, cooking a complex meal, and frying pancakes. However, the stove’s flame creep required several adjustments of the controller to obtain a constant flame. Overall, the GigaPower is a good value and a capable performer if used with wind protection.

Specifications

Usable Features

Compactness – The four pot supports fold together and the long flame controller wing folds up to collapse the stove into a tiny volume that slips into a provided 2 x 1.2 x 3.5 inch plastic case. I rate this stove as very compact.

Weight – Titanium components reduce the weight of this stove by 0.75 ounce over the equivalent non-titanium stove. This weight savings more than offsets the weight of the piezoelectric igniter. However, the plastic storage case weighs 0.8 ounces.

Ignition – The piezoelectric igniter is a horizontal push button type.

Flame Control – The stove’s flame controller is a long (2.2 inches) wing that places your hand well away from the burner. The burner is dome-shaped with flames emerging from the side and curving upward. The flame spreads evenly across the bottom of the pot.

Pot Support – The four pot supports are sturdy and lock into place with the weight of the pot. They create a 3-inch square area of support, and each arm has a 1-inch length of contact with the bottom of the pot. The serrations are fairly smooth. I was able to tilt the stove 30° or give it a solid bump without the pot sliding off.

Options – The stove is available with and without titanium components and with or without a piezoelectric igniter (four models). The manual stove (GS-100) weighs 3.25 ounces and costs $39.95, the auto ignition stove (GS-100S) weighs 3.75 ounces and costs $49.95, the titanium manual stove (GST-100) weighs 2.5 ounces and costs $64.95, and the titanium auto ignition stove (GST-100A) weighs 3 ounces and costs $74.95.

Ease of Use

Setup – Very easy. Simply extend the pot supports, screw on a fuel canister, and light the burner. A gripe: the flame controller wing must be opened one-quarter turn for it to collapse and fit into the plastic storage case. The next time I attach a fuel canister, I invariably forget to close the valve, and a rush of gas reminds me to do so.

Lighting – Under cool conditions it requires several tries with the piezoelectric igniter to light the stove, and sometimes I have to resort to using a match. When it’s warm one flick usually does it.

Adjustment – The flame adjuster has two full turns lock to lock, but all of the adjustment is in the first quarter-turn. Within this short range the stove adjusts from a low simmer to full throttle. The flame adjuster has significant rebound, meaning it partially bounces back when you release it. It also has a problem with flame creep, requiring several re-adjustments before the flame level is constant.

Cold Weather Use – Wearing winter gloves, I find it easy to attach the stove to a canister, but a shield on the piezoelectric igniter button makes it hard to push with a gloved finger.

Cooking Performance

I took the Snow Peak GigaPower on backpacking trips in the Colorado Mountains in early June and camped on the alpine tundra surrounded by snowdrifts. Temperatures were in the high 40s °F when I cooked dinner and in the high 20s °F when I cooked breakfast.

Capacity – The GigaPower is small but capable. It can readily cook for one or a group of four. The stove will easily handle a 2-liter pot (or larger) but the pot must be carefully centered on the stove for stability.

Versatility – The stove had plenty of BTU’s to melt snow for water. I cooked spaghetti for dinner using two pots, one for cooking the noodles and one for rehydrating the sauce. The stove accomplished all tasks just fine, although the flame adjuster required some fiddling to maintain a low flame for simmering. I cooked pancakes for breakfast, which required a low constant flame. Again, it took several adjustments to maintain the desired flame level.

Wind Effects – The GigaPower is particularly sensitive to wind, which blows the flames away from the pot. I was able to light the stove in wind, but its efficiency was greatly reduced. Without a windscreen I would have had a difficult time doing any cooking at all.

Heating Efficiency

In the Backpacking Light lab tests, the GigaPower stove had the lowest performance in direct wind, warming 1 quart of water only 27 °F in 10 minutes. Even with a windscreen, the stove’s performance was impaired somewhat, apparently due to turbulence, with a boil time 3.5 minutes longer than the best performing stove. My observations in the field agree with these results. In contrast, under optimal conditions, the GigaPower had a fast boil time (4 minutes 19 seconds) and was among the four best stoves for fuel efficiency.

See Lightweight Canister Stoves Test Report for more detailed results of our heating efficiency tests on this stove, and all the canister stoves in our review suite.

Durability

The GigaPower is sufficiently rugged and durable to withstand normal backpacking use. No maintenance was required, but it is very important to keep the fuel canister connection clean to avoid clogging the jet.

Value

The GigaPower is available in four configurations to meet most everyone’s preferences. The titanium manual stove weighs only 2.5 ounces, which is the lightweight champ in the group of stoves reviewed. The basic non-titanium manual stove costs only $39.95. The GigaPower is lightweight, fuel efficient, compact, and durable. However, its lack of precise flame control and sensitivity to wind are serious drawbacks. Compared to the performance of other stoves we reviewed, the GigaPower is only a fair value, although with good wind protection, its value increases to “good.”

Tips and Tricks

It is important to provide wind protection to obtain good performance and fuel economy from this stove. Read our companion article FAQs About Canister Stoves and Fuels regarding the safe use of a windscreen with a canister stove. Also, we are not fans of piezoelectric ignition for cold weather; they never seem to work when you need them most. Snowpeak might consider the cost and weight savings from skipping the piezoelectric ignition.

Recommendations for Improvement

I detected a significant amount of rebound and flame creep in the flame adjustor. A flame adjustment mechanism that provides more precise control of the burner would be a welcome change. Also, the stove’s dome-shaped burner provides good flame spread, but it also seems to make the stove more sensitive to wind. Some re-configuration may be in order to improve wind resistance. I would also like to see the GigaPower redesigned so that the stove can be stowed with the valve closed.

Overview

Editor’s Note: Author and Backpacking Light Staff Editor Blake Morstad was killed in an avalanche on New Years Day, 2005. We are pleased to present this review, written by Blake before he died. For more information about Blake Morstad, please view the Blake Morstad Memorial at BackpackingLight.com.

The Primus TechnoTrail has a fast boil time and widely spaced pot supports that provide a stable platform for larger pots, making it a good two-person stove. It has an ergonomic flame control knob and our test sample included the optional piezoelectric igniter for easy starting. On the down side, it weighs almost twice as much (6.7 ounces, 190 grams) as the mini-canister stoves we tested, folds down into a bulkier package, and is on the high end for fuel consumption of the stoves in our review suite.

Specifications

Usable Features

Compactness – Although the stove’s pot supports rotate around the burner head to one side and nest together in a folded down position, the stove remains bulky. A die-cast support for the piezoelectric igniter is immovable and adds to the stove’s bulky storage size.

Weight – This stove is on the heavy side compared to others in its category. A stainless steel valve body accounts for most of the weight of the stove, contrasting with other stoves using lighter weight aluminum and titanium for the valve body. The piezoelectric igniter adds 1.8 ounces to the stove’s total weight because of the addition of the die-cast support. The photo shows the valve body and other parts of the stove.

Ignition – A piezoelectric igniter lights this stove effortlessly.

Flame Control – A large ergonomic knob is easy to turn and is positioned so your fingers do not get burned. The pot supports hold the pot about 0.75 inches above the burner, which allows a wider flame spread. The burner head has ports directed to spread the flame to the cooking surface. As a result, this stove is able to accommodate a 6-inch diameter pot. However, because of a wide flame spread, a 2-inch diameter cool spot is created under the pot. While this is common for canister stoves, the size of this cool spot is larger than for other stoves.

Pot Support – The pot supports spread from the burner head 2.5 inches and easily support a cookpot. Small perforations on the stabilizers provide a measure of grip to secure pots. While the stove provides a stable pot platform, some movement was detected where the stove mates to the canister.

Ease of Use

Setup – It takes approximately 20 seconds to completely set up the stove, including rotating up the pot supports, swiveling them around the burner head into a locked position, opening the flame controller, and then lighting the stove with the piezoelectric igniter. Disassembly proved to be just as fast, which included unlocking the pot supports by pushing a metal tab and folding the supports away. Some practice is required for a fast setup time since the pot supports need to be moved in a certain order or they tend to bind.

Lighting – Every time the piezoelectric igniter button was pushed, a solid arc was produced at the burner head. The igniter button is easy to operate. A well-placed thumb helps to steady the stove while pushing the button.

Adjustment – The large flame-control knob is clearly labeled with large plus and minus symbols. The knob allows precise flame control.

Cold Weather Use – The flame-control knob and pot support tab are of sufficient size to be operated with winter gloves.

Options – The only option available for the TechnoTrail is the piezoelectric igniter, which adds $5.95 to the base stove price and 1.8 ounces to the weight.

Cooking Performance

Capacity – Due to its wide flame spread, the TechnoTrail is well suited for a two-person cookpot (1.5 liters or larger), providing heat to the edges of the pot. When a one-person cookpot (0.9 liter or less) is used, a significant amount of heat escapes around the pot bottom and is wasted.

Versatility – With superb flame control, this stove is well suited to simmering, frying, and baking tasks. As mentioned, the wide flame spread creates good heating at the edge of the pot; however, a large cool spot in the center creates a noticeable temperature difference. This is a factor to keep in mind when preparing food that is not stirred, such as when baking.

Wind Effects – Because of the distance the supports hold the pot from the burner head, wind can affect the performance of the TechnoTrail more than some of the other canister stoves we tested where the pot is closer to the burner head. The pot supports provide some measure of wind protection near the burner. Lighting the stove under breezy conditions was not a problem as the piezoelectric igniter was unaffected.

Heating Efficiency

The TechnoTrail has a boil time comparable to other canister stoves we tested, lagging others by only a few seconds under optimal conditions. However, this stove trailed others in fuel consumption, which may be attributed to the wide flame spread and the burner head to pot separation. While the TechnoTrail is able to output enough heat for fast boils, it does not do this as efficiently as the other stoves.

See Lightweight Canister Stoves Test Report for more detailed results of our heating efficiency tests on this stove, and all the canister stoves in our review suite.

Durability

The TechnoTrail has a beefed up design compared to other canister stoves, for greater durability. A die-cast housing protects the stove’s valve and piezoelectric igniter. The pot supports are sufficiently thick to withstand a reasonable amount of bending. The three pot supports nest together, which is a durable storage method. The manufacturer cautions that the O-ring at the canister interface needs to be inspected and replaced if needed to ensure a leak-proof fit.

Value

While it has a fast boil time, this stove consumes more fuel than many of the other stoves we tested. Also, this stove is a heavyweight at 6.7 ounces, weighing about twice as much as the mini-canister stoves we reviewed. It folds up and compacts nicely for a larger burner stove with wider pot supports. With its ease of use, good durability, and fast setup, the TechnoTrail is a decent value for its relatively low price of $39.95 with piezoelectric ignition ($34 without) making it a good buy for two-person cooking.

Recommendations for Improvement

It seems that the piezoelectric die-cast housing could be redesigned allowing for a more compact enclosure. The stainless steel used for the valve body could be replaced with a lighter material or trimmed down in size to shave off a few grams. Also, I noticed that the valve body to canister interface has some play. A tight mate here would add to the overall stability of the TechnoTrail.

Overview

The MSR PocketRocket is a simple, lightweight, and inexpensive stove. It puts out a tight flame that boils water and melts snow quickly, and its Windclip Windshield feature helps it perform well in light wind. The PocketRocket is one of the better performers in our review sample in windy conditions, especially with an external windscreen. Its relatively small flame pattern keeps it from being among the best for frying or baking. A pop out wire flame adjuster precisely adjusts from torch to simmer. The stove body has a stout construction of steel and aluminum, but pot supports are relatively flexible and don’t stand up to abuse. Its low price of $39.95, strong performance, and light weight (3.1 ounces/87grams) make the PocketRocket a favorite for those on a budget.

Specifications

Usable Features

Compactness – The PocketRocket is somewhat bulky compared to the other mini-canister stoves we reviewed; the pot supports rotate toward the stove instead of folding together like some others. It comes with a triangular case that measures 4.5 inches long by 2.2 inches wide which fits into a MSR Titan Kettle but not an MSR Titan mug.

Weight – At 3.1 ounces, the MSR PocketRocket is a lightweight stove. Its simplicity, e.g. pot supports that simply rotate up, helps keep the weight down. It features an aluminum base and steel construction elsewhere.

Ignition – The PocketRocket doesn’t have a piezoelectric ignition option and must be lit with matches or a lighter.

Flame Control – The flame controller has a long pop-out wire adjustment. Flame control is accurate and effective and can be easily adjusted while wearing gloves without getting too close to the flame. The flame is tight and concentrated in an area of approximately 2 inches. The PocketRocket features the integrated “Windclip Windshield,” a tripod metal plate attached to the burner. The Windclip effectively blocks side winds, protecting two-thirds of the burner in light winds and helped the Pocket Rocket boil water faster in wind than many of the stoves we tested.

Pot Support – The pot supports are relatively flexible but are able to support a 2-liter pot with reasonable stability. The supports are grooved and angle slightly toward the center of the stove making it easy to keep smaller pots such as cups or kettles centered on the stove. However, the angled contact points provide only three points of contact on a larger, 2-liter pot. I needed to be very careful with placement of both pot and stove when using larger pots to keep them from slipping.

Ease of Use

Setup – The MSR PocketRocket is a breeze to set up. I was able to have the stove set up and burning in less than 15 seconds. The knurled aluminum base made it easy to attach the stove to a canister even when wearing gloves.

Lighting – The stove lights quickly with a lighter due to its large burner.

Adjustment – Flame control is extremely precise with the flip-out wing adjuster. The PocketRocket easily adjusts from a very high output to barely burning.

Cold Weather Use – The PocketRocket is easy to set up and adjust while wearing bulky winter gloves although the lack of a piezoelectric igniter may require you to take off the gloves to light the stove.

Cooking Performance

Capacity – The PocketRocket performed equally well when using a cup, kettle, or 2-liter pot. It boiled water quickly compared to other canister stoves we tested. However, I had to exercise caution when using a 2-liter pot to make sure it didn’t slip off of the pot supports.

Versatility – This MSR stove functions best as a snow-melter and water-boiler, performing these functions with ease and quickness. Its tight flame pattern is not designed for frying or baking, because it places the heat in one central area of the pot.

Wind Effects – The burner output is only from the top, protecting the flame from wind by blocking off the bottom and sides of the burner. The tight flame hinders the ability of the PocketRocket to fry or bake, but improves stove performance in windy conditions. Even during strong winds (replicated by using a fan turned on high), the Windclip kept two-thirds of the stove burning while the third facing the wind was blown out. The Windclip allows acceptable heating performance without a windscreen, although a windscreen boosts performance. The PocketRocket heated water to a higher temperature without a windscreen than most of the other stoves we tested, but its fuel efficiency in windy conditions was only average.

Heating Efficiency

In our lab tests, the PocketRocket performed better than most other canister stoves in its class. It boiled 1 quart of water in 3 minutes 26 seconds during optimal conditions and warmed 1 quart of water 106 °F after 10 minutes in a direct wind (only one canister stove in our test suite was able to bring 1 quart of water to a boil in the same conditions). It was in the average range for fuel consumption. In my own tests, the PocketRocket boiled 1 cup of water during high wind conditions with no windscreen in 5 minutes 35 seconds.

See Lightweight Canister Stoves Test Report for more detailed results of our heating efficiency tests on this stove, and all the canister stoves in our review suite.

Durability

The simplicity of the PocketRocket contributes to its durability. Its main body is constructed of steel and thick aluminum and is virtually indestructible. However, the pot supports were easily bent when I jammed the stove into my pack one busy morning. Although the supports were easy to bend back, one of the rivets loosened in the process, causing the support to flop around. Later, large pots wobbled slightly on the stove from the loose support. Squeezing the rivets with pliers did not fix the problem. No maintenance was required.

Value

At $39.95, the MSR PocketRocket is a good value. For this price you don’t get titanium or a piezoelectric igniter, but you do get lightness, simplicity, good wind performance, and excellent flame adjustment. More robust pot supports would increase the value of the PocketRocket.

Recommendations for Improvement

The pot supports are the weak point of the MSR PocketRocket. By attaching them at the base of the stove, they are long enough that a full pot can cause them to flex, and they can be bent by slight misuse. Constructing the supports out of a heavier material might help, but the most effective fix would be to move their attachment point to the stove head as is done on some other canister stoves. This would eliminate the leverage that causes them to flex, although it would also eliminate some of the stove’s simplicity. We feel that the increase in durability would be worth the tradeoffs of slightly increased cost or weight.

Overview

The Coleman PowerBoost is very well made and has a highly controllable wide, even flame, which is important for serious cooking in the backcountry. Its piezoelectric ignition is very reliable. At 5.0 ounces (142 g), it is heavier than many lightweight canister stoves. A significant drawback is its high fuel consumption when operated at full flame, but this can be improved significantly by operating the stove at a moderate flame level.

Specifications

Usable Features

Compactness – The Coleman PowerBoost is not as compact or sleek when collapsed as many other stoves in this category. It fits into a 1.3-liter Evernew pot, but does not easily fit into smaller pots.

Weight – At 5.0 ounces this stove is heavier than many other lightweight canister stoves. The Coleman PowerBoost has a rugged build and wide burner (2.7 inches), which add to the weight of the stove.

Ignition – The PowerBoost comes standard with piezoelectric ignition.

Flame Control – A folding wire loop flame controller provides precise control from simmer to wide open.

Pot Support – The pot supports are superior to most other lightweight canister stoves I have used. At almost 6 inches across, with over 1.5 inches of contact area on each support, they keep pots well over 2 liters in capacity, fry pans, and small pots such as the Snow Peak 0.6-liter mug stable.

Ease of Use

Setup – High quality workmanship in the canister threads and connection is critical to a long lasting, reliable canister stove, and here the Coleman PowerBoost excels, with brass threads and heavy aluminum canister joints.

Lighting – The Coleman PowerBoost has a piezoelectric ignition that is easily operated with a simple push button below the burner. I found it very reliable and easy to use.

Adjustment – The stove is easily adjustable, with precision heat control.

Cold Weather Use – The stove is easy to set up and use with gloves on. The only exception is the pot supports, which collapse into a stack and are difficult to separate while wearing gloves.

Cooking Performance

I used the Coleman PowerBoost on a series of short trips in spring and early summer in the mountains of southern Arizona. Ambient temperature while cooking ranged from about 30 to 75 °F. The weather was generally good on these trips, with mild winds on a couple of occasions.

Capacity – The pot supports work well with both small and large pots. The smallest pot I used was a 0.9-liter Evernew, and the stove worked fine with this pot. The wide burner makes the stove somewhat less efficient with smaller pots however, due to flame spillage around the circumference of the pot.

Versatility – The wide burner and good flame control make this stove particularly well suited for cooking that requires an even flame, such as frying fish or cooking pancakes. I found the stove much more effective at this type of cooking than other lightweight canister stoves I have used. When I cooked delicate items such as morning biscuits, I had fewer burnt food incidents than usual.

Wind Effects – I had only mildly windy conditions in my field tests, and these were easily handled with an aluminum windscreen. Wind effects on the PowerBoost performance seemed typical for canister stoves under these field conditions. In controlled tests performed by the Backpacking Light staff, the boil time for 1 quart of water increased only 43% under controlled wind conditions, making it fourth best of the nine stoves tested.

Heating Efficiency

Under optimal conditions, the Coleman PowerBoost boiled 1 quart of water in 3 minutes 23 seconds, third best of the nine stoves tested. When boiling only 1 pint of water, which is more typical for one-person use, the stove performed even better, surpassing all but one other stove. When operated at full flame, the PowerBoost has the lowest fuel efficiency of all stoves tested. Although I have no specific data to back this up, I think the wide burner, and consequent wide flame, may contribute to wasted energy when the stove is operated at full flame. Fuel consumption dropped significantly using a medium flame, putting it in the mid range compared to the other stoves in our test suite.

See Lightweight Canister Stoves Test Report for more detailed results of our heating efficiency tests on this stove, and all the canister stoves in our review suite.

Durability

The Coleman PowerBoost is exceptionally well made, with a rugged canister connection. No maintenance was required.

Value

Overall build quality, precise flame control, a high quality ignition system, and cooking versatility are the strengths of this stove. At $49.99 with piezoelectric ignition, it is an excellent value.

Tips and Tricks

As is clear from our tests, the key to effective use of the Coleman PowerBoost is to keep the flame at a moderate level, even when just boiling water. This will nearly double fuel efficiency based on our tests, but also lengthen boil time.

Recommendations for Improvement

Coleman would do well to investigate the fuel efficiency of this stove at full flame. There are several possible root causes for the loss of efficiency at full flame, and I have speculated above that with some pots a full flame may be too wide to be effective. Improved efficiency could make this stove the cook’s choice for a relatively lightweight canister stove.