canister stove options

[Matt DeWitt]

So I have been picking through the site and alot of the canister stove reviews here are old 2-4 years old. Looks like the soto is top dog right now for micro regulation, size just over 2 oz and auto start, winning awards for 2010. True? For a small lightweight canister stove can I go wrong or is there anything else to consider? Other stoves? I just need some easy of use for the same for boiling water, and the simmer function doesn't look bad at all.

[Ken Thompson]

Roger was not too impressed with the Soto. How about the Monatauk Gnat?

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/monatauk_gnat_stove_review.html

I still love my Snow Peak Gigapower GS-100. 10 years and still going strong.

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Matt

Forgive me, but … thinking that because something is 2-4 years old it must be out of date is just sheer nonsense. I have a 40 year old Starrett micrometer which is still very good, and in use every day.

However, to the point. The Snow Peak GST-100 remains the Gold Standard in my book. They tried to discontinue it, but failed: consumer demand. I have 2 and use mine regularly.

Other good stoves are the later Snow Peak, the Vargo Jet Ti, the Montatauk Gnat, and some of the small Koveas.

Stoves to avoid … ah well. Anything which creates a pointy flame, like the MSR Pocket Rocket, can be bad news for your pot and dinner. Anything with long thin supports (again, like the MSR PR), is to be avoided too.

Cheers

[Steve S]

I purchased and started using the Snow Peak Lite Max stove this last season, and have been super impressed with its performance. Its super light, 1.9oz, and has a pretty full range from torch to simmer. I've also been very happy with its efficiency. Usually only .5oz of gas for a liter of water to boil. Really compact, and it has two ways to extend the arms so its very stable as well. Its really nice for a two person set up; thats why I got it, for when its my wife and I, and I also like it for my canoe trips. Reasonable priced at $55. Worth looking at for sure.

[carl becker]

I have about 15 days use with my Soto and no problems.

[John Donewar]

Matt,

I just purchased the Optimus Crux. I really like the compactness of this stove when folded up to be stowed away in your pack. Campmor has them right now for $44.97 plus shipping. :-)

BPL has a "5 year old" review of it posted.

It is a little heavier than the Gnat but I believe that its compactness makes up for it. I do find that the gas control valve is just a little touchy when set to a lower setting. It's not a real problem just so long as you are paying attention to what you are doing. After all we are using fire in our beloved wilderness areas.

Good luck with finding the perfect stove for you. ;-)

Party On,

Newton

Edited to correct pricing error. Thanks John S.

[Bob Gross]

I've found the MSR Pocket Rocket to be about perfect over the last ten or so years. In fact, I purchased another one this year as a backup.

–B.G.–

[Piotr Antkowiak]

+1 for MSR PR
It is very efficient. There is a very little difference between gas usage and boiling time if I use it only with windscreen and my titanium pot and use it as a combo with Jetboil PCS pot and its heat exchanger. But it is not so good if you want to simmer because of its candle shape flame.

[Brad Groves]

Canister stoves are pretty basic, not a lot to change from year to year. I like the Snowpeak GS-100 a lot, very stable legs, light, good stove. The Litemax is nice too. The Pocket Rocket has legions of fans; I don't like the stove at all because the pot supports are the flimsiest I've ever seen on a stove, and the supports are shaped so that pots are supported by 3 points, not 3 lengths of support.

But bottom line, the canister stoves are about as simple as you get, and harder to screw up than making mac n' cheese. Get a light one, and it'll probably work just fine.

[David Ure]

I sold my PR. The flame was far too concentrated, the pot supports weak and too narrow. I went through several before settling on the Gnat. Much wider burn area and much better pot supports. Lighter and takes up less space in my TI pot. Of course it is also over 30% lighter.

[James D Buch]

I replaced my Pocket Rocket with the Vargo Ti Jet. The reasons were the pointy flame and spilling a few dinners off of the supports.

The Ti Jet is really nice with a broad flame base and of course some small decrease in weight due to the inclusion of a couple of titanium pieces. It packs much better in a specially made silnylon stuff sack that fits into small nooks and crannies really well. Goes inside my "dining bag" which has lighters, long Ti spoon, artificial sweetner, small knife and a couple of more dining related items.

[Don Meredith]

+1 on the SnowPeak LiteMax

I replaced a Pocket Rocket with this one. Both are great stoves but I'd give the nod to the SnowPeak for better stability and control. I've use mine with a Trapper, SP600 and SP700.

DM

[Piotr Antkowiak]

Kovea Supalite Titanium is my second choice. It is lighter than MSR PR (2,11 oz) and it is realy efficient too. The pot support is studier.

[Ole Saether]

+1 on the Soto

[John S.]

Campmor has the optimus crux lite at the 34 buck price, not the folding optimus crux. Both are labeled hot deals.

[BER —]

I used to use the SnowPeak LiteMax. Great little stove…but I had some issues with warping of the thin fold out titanium pot holders with a larger pot on a group trip. Changed to the Vargo Jet-Ti. Same burner head as the SP, but pot holders are solid without a fold out joint. Much sturdier. The stem is a bit heavier than the SP, though not by much.

Still love my MSR Windpro for all around use. Very stable, wide burner, good with both small and large pots, and ability to invert canister in the cold. But heavier still than the others and less compact.

[Ken Bennett]

I bought the Coleman F1 Ultralight based on reviews here on BPL. Very light, great output, and great wind resistance.

[Andy Anderson]

I picked up the BRS-1 Observer off of ebay for $18 shipped. It is a clone of the MSR pocket rocket. 3.11 oz on my scale. Definately worth $18. Search ebay for BRS-1 Observer. Fast shipping too!

[Nick Gatel]

Forgive me, but … thinking that because something is 2-4 years old it must be out of date is just sheer nonsense. I have a 40 year old Starrett micrometer which is still very good, and in use every day.

---

Yes, us old timers continue to use things we bought long ago. My Central dial-indicator and micrometer are both still in great shape, although no longer used daily.

I still use my first slide rule an AcuMath 400 I bought in 1960, as a young lad. There is a Picket Engineering Slide Rule somewhere in the garage too. And I bet a lot of folks here have no idea what I am talking about… anyway, back to stoves.

I have had many canister stoves, and for solo use the GST-100 is hard to beat. It does do poorly in wind, but a SP windscreen that weighs almost as much as the stove (2 oz) does a great job. There are many posts here on building windscreens. I also have a SP Lite Max and it is a good stove also.

[James holden]

stoves havent changed very much in the last few decades … sure theyve gotten a bit lighter and a bot more efficient … but theyre not all that different from what messner and whittaker used

the basic design of the Arcteryx Alpha SV hasnt changed much in the last decade … its still one of the premier severe weather hardshells

[Scott Truong]

I also bought a Coleman F1 Ultralight based on reviews. The thing is like a flamethrower. I have yet to use it at full power.

The thing I liked best about it and some may not like it for the exact reason, is that it breaks down into 2 parts. Which for me makes it easy to stow/pack into my pots. I didn't find putting it together very difficult, but am conscious of not stripping the threads when screwing together. Also the supposed wind resistance and lower height vs the pocket rocket were additional points that sold me on the Coleman. But both models pretty much work the same and weigh next to nothing.

Having said that, a lot of people seem to like the Snowpeak Giga Power stoves. I might have chosen this one because it has 4 supports vs 3 (which would be a plus). But the selling point, to me, is it is suppose to have very very low CO2 emissions and would be handy if cooking in a tent (I try never to do that, but who knows…). There's a review somewhere on BPL testing the emissions of various popular stoves.

[Curt Peterson]

To the OP – I have a Vargo Jet-Ti and a Gnat that I'm thinking about putting up on the gear swap. PM me if you're interested.

[Matt DeWitt]

I went with the soto stove. Got it today and getting some fuel tomorrow. I will let you guys know what I think if i will keep it or not.

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