Coleman Expedition Stove review??

here is a link……http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=9730-725&categoryid=2005&brand=

Hi John

Coleman have discontinued the Xtreme, which is really sad. The Xpedition model is the only one they have significant quantities of still in the warehouse, although the Xpert can still be found by searching. The Xpert is similar to the Xtreme, but with 4 legs.

I am biased: I think the Xtreme is the Gold Standard for winter stoves. I have two of them.

The Xpedition is basically two Xperts. If you want to do a 'little' MYOG you might be able to convert one Xpedition into two separate stoves. It would require a bit of machining though.

But if you have a large party, the Xpedition would be great.

Cheers

The Xtreme does look like a nice light weight stove (for a winter stove).

The Xpert:

The Xtreme:

I agree with Roger,

I think the Xtreme was the best winter canister stove I have ever used. I bought a bunch of Power gas to keep being able to use mine for years to come.

OK, so now the race is on for the first person to put the Xpert through a weight-reduction course. Those legs just beg to be drilled out for a start. Can it be converted to a 3-legged version.
Ah, the hours of fun!
Photos required!

Cheers
PS: also do a search on 'son of balrog' for Bill F's version.

thanks for the feedback!

just found on Coleman site, a adapter that allows the expert to work as inverted canister stove

Yep, it works. I have one.

Cheers

So, is the Coleman X series dead? I checked today, and neither the Xtreme nor now the Xpert is listed on their site; only the Xpedition dual burner is listed. I assume as soon as their stock of Xpeditons is sold out, the X series line will be effectively dead, yes?

How long do you think they'll continue to produce and sell the Powermax canisters? They'll face a declining market for a discontinued line that never really caught on in the first place.

Here's why I ask: I've got a line on a used Xtreme in OK but not great condition (one leg broke and was JB welded/wired back on). Should I buy it? My fear is that they'll be discontinuing the Powermax canister shortly.

Would I be better off buying another remote canister stove (Windpro, Helios, Fyrestorm, etc.)?

I realize this is an opinion question (unless you've got some "inside scoop" from Coleman), but actually that's what I'm soliciting: your (hopefully) informed opinions.

I'd hate to buy the Xtreme and then not really be able to use it, and it's resale value would, I imagine, be low, especially on one that's damaged like the one I'm looking at buying. Yes, I can buy the adapter and use regular canisters, but if I do that, what's the advantage of the Xtreme? Why not just buy a stove still in production?

Hi Jim,

Yes, the X-series is dead and nobody knows how long Coleman will produce the cartridges. That's not to say you couldn't lay in a supply of your own while they still do.

My larger concern is the safety of using a JB-welded stove, which strikes me as unsafe at best. I'd wait for one in good condition–they're not especially rare.

Cheers,

Rick

Sigh. It seems that the X series is dead for now.

However, I have been assured by Coleman that they will keep producing the Powermax canisters for many years to come because they want to keep faith with those customers who have bout the Xtreme and Xpert.

Now, just how long this enlightened attitude will persist I do not know, but I have found Coleman to be fairly reliable. The basic canisters are made in huge quantity for other uses (hairspray etc), so in a way the product line is a cash cow.

Yes, I do have a stock of canisters laid by. And yes, I am saving the empties just in case. You should note that the canisters are rated for single use only of course.

Cheers
Roger

Now, second question: alternatives to the Xtreme?

We do have some articles coming up which will cover this very well. But no one can wait for them … :-)

The Coleman Fyrestorm Ti is not well-known, but it is an excellent alternative, and it uses the common screw-thread canisters. Stove weight is the same, CO emission is low (see CO articles) and it is designed to work with an inverted canister. The screw-thread canisters are slightly heavier however.

There are several other remote canister stoves of various brands which can be used with an inverted canister, although they are not openly advertised as such. See also the article on Winter Stoves.

Finally, there are some of the more recent remote-canister heat-exchanger stoves (shootout review article coming too). However, they are a bit heavy, and the savings on gas are not that high.

Cheers

Rick: Yes, it is a pity. The lighter but very functional Coleman Powermax cartridges are really nice. The don't require a rig to turn them upside down, so you save a bit of weight there too.

Good point about the JB weld. It's "just" one of the legs, but who wants a spilled supper or worse, boiling water in your lap.

Roger: As always, thanks for your insights. Good to know that Coleman still feels some obligation to its customers. A lot of companies these day give you a blank look when the word "obligation" comes up. I'll be looking forward to the articles you mention.

Oh, and of course I would (ahem) never try to refill a canister, even if they probably would work half a dozen times perfectly safely and I had a stove that I liked that needed them and I couldn't buy more. I mean I just wouldn't do something like that even if it did make sense for me to do it and the corporate lawyers who told me not to were more paranoid than Charles Manson. So don't give it another thought. ;)