Cook/Eat System

The reason that you have trouble finding the weight of a Caldera Ti-Tri stove is that there are multiple varieties. Each one is cut a little differently to support different cook pots. So, the finished titanium stove weight varies with its size.

–B.G.–

Surely there could only be a very few grams between models though?

Here's the weights for mine which is for a 1.9L Evernew. My scale isn't very good so all I have are .5 oz markings but these are pretty close.

Cone 2 oz
Inferno w/all components 2.5 oz
Titanium floor 1 oz

The Gram Cracker Esbit stove and the 10-12 alcohol stove are both under .5 oz. I always carry one or the other and a little fuel in case I camp above tree line. If I plan to, I leave the Inferno at home.

I bought it as a kit so I've always used the Inferno with it when burning wood. It raises the wood up onto a platform that allows better air flow. It works great.

If it sounds good to you, then you'll love it. The only negative with this setup is when we have a fire ban, like we do right now, I can't use it at all. Rocky Mountain NP says petroleum stoves only. The local National Forest office said only stoves with an off switch. So Pocket Rocket it is for this weekend. Too bad.

"The local National Forest office said only stoves with an off switch."

Get an old Bakelite control knob and epoxy it onto the side of a Ti-Tri cone. Then stencil on the words ON and OFF.

–B.G.–

Haha. Still nice and light, definitely at the top of my list! Soot from the wood fire isn't an issue? I'll always have the thru-hiker (if they are allowed during fire ban season over here, I'll have to find out,) or my Kovea Ti for when there is a fire ban :-)
Thanks everyone for your help as always!

The soot will depend a lot on the nature of the wood that you try to burn.

I reported on my Ti-Tri after I used it on a snow camping trip in early May. The only wood twigs that I could find sticking out of the snow probably had a lot of water in them. So, they burned, but it was a very steamy burn with lots of smoke. It left a thick deposit of creasote-tar all over the top of the cone and on the cook pot.

Maybe that would not have been a problem if I had very dry twigs or a different type of wood.

–B.G.–

Actually it's based on the Inferno insert: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=38016.

With a little tinkering most of the components will fit inside the 1.3L pot including the frypan.

Bailey

You may already know this, but will mention it just for the sake of those that might not. Burning wood, obviously, leaves some soot as Bob mentioned. The esbit tabs, I have heard, leave a residue of some sort. I have not used them, so do not know first hand. Alcohol stoves generally do not leave residue unless the fuel is impure. I have never had the problem with my alcohol stoves, though.

I baby my gear, and therefore do not like the soot. However I can certainly see the advantages of carrying NO fuel and using twigs and sticks picked up from the trail.

> Surely there could only be a very few grams between models though?

Actually, the smallest Ti-Tri cone weighs about 28 grams….and the largest weighs about 68 grams…..pretty wide swing. The Evernew 1.3 Sidewinder Ti-Tri weighs in at about 42 grams.

Rand :-)

"Soot from the wood fire isn't an issue?"

Depends on your definition of "issue". :)

It's not an issue for me. I just throw it in the stuff sack and clean it up a bit when I get home. I don't scrub it or anything. But I'm the opposite of Del as far as babying my stuff. Maybe a little too much so. If some soot bothers you, then skip inferno and possibly get one of the other cones.

Yeah…Esbit can leave soot. I have noticed I can wipe it off easy enough with a paper towel though. What I really don't like is the smell when it burns. But otherwise it is fine.

Real Esbit does not leave soot, which is a dry powdery stuff. It leaves a sticky residue with a fishy smell. However, it is not all that difficult to clean off if you have the right stuff.

–B.G.–

Soot = sticky residue

Exactly. ;-)

Esbit burns and leaves a dark sticky residue/coating which is normally called "varnish." Wood burns and leaves all sorts of stuff, but if it is a dry powdery stuff, it is called soot.

Maybe your Esbit leaves a dry powder, but mine leaves a varnish.

–B.G.–

I really baby my stuff too. Even my MSR dragonfly's and MSR flex3 sets get kept in their boxes while I'm camping. I like to make my gear last as long as possible and keep it in the best condition I know how. Soot from wood burning is only a residue though and should scrub off after a trip so I'm not too bothered by it.
We will always have plenty of time around the camp to get a little fire going and to take our time cooking and relaxing.
I really like the idea of only carrying a bit of alcohol as backup or just using it as an alcy stove during wet weather.
I'm far from proficient at lighting a fire suitable for cooking over but I love to learn new skills and think that I'd really enjoy the fact that it extracts you just that little bit extra from our modern lifestyles.

Edit:
I was just reading through this thread:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=38016

It seems that that the inferno is quite flawed?
Does anyone have any info on the regular ti-tri & inferno vs the sidewinder & inferno?

Re: your Inferno question, no, it is not flawed. The thread you referenced was on a one-off experimental-ish thing.

I own an Inferno and love it. It's by far the most effective and versatile wood burner I've used. Ti-Tri is absolutely my go-to, & the Inferno just makes it that much better.

Do you have the Sidewinder or the regular Ti-Tri.
The fact that the sidewinder or ulc options fit into the evernew 1.3L pot make it sound that much better again!

He wants to use it without the Cone. I guess so he can save 2 oz. The complete system can do all that. It's great when used as designed. I don't think I have any pictures of mine in wood burning mode. In regular mode it's not too exiting to look at as the pot sits down in the Cone. Here's one where I'm having a fire after cooking dinner burning wood. I'll get in a free plug for the Slinglight at the same time. :)

I use a sidewinder inferno with my 0.9 l evernew pot and in my view there is nothing better. I would love to use it in the high country in Victoria as there is no doubt that dry snowgum would be ideal, however, here in Scandinavia it also works. I have used Esbit and Metho with the stove and they are equal in terms of boil times but Esbit is pre measured. I wrote a little bit a while ago on the sidewinder here. Evernew 0.9l sidewinder

Also see my later post in which I used it on the trail.

I use the regular; half of a cut-off Gatorade-ish bottle is under an ounce and works great for holding it all together. My mug caps off the top.

Thanks Roger. The Sidewinder wasn't available when I bought mine. I have the full sized and am very happy with it but am thinking about switching to a Sidewinder in the future. I currently use the caddy that comes with it. It is 2.5 oz but I use the top as my mug so it's not that bad. But I wouldn't mind having the pack space back.

Benen, You can PM Rand (He posted on page 2 of this thread) for specifics about the different systems. He's the man behind Trail Designs.

The Sidewinder it is. All I can find about these products is good feedback so I am sure that I'll be very happy with it! Thank you all very much for your help as always! This is by far my favourite forum to visit. It is so active and full of members keen to help each other out.

Take care
Benen