Should I go for simply an alcohol stove or a Caldera Cone?

Andrew:

I have two solo set up’s: alcohol and canister. I use the latter primarily for longer trips. My water boiling need per meal is 2 cups.

Alcohol Set Up

My stove is homemade with an integrated pot stand — simply a catfood can with the top lobbed off and a piece of wire cloth. You can also use the aluminum container from giant tea lights available at IKEA. Some folks use regular tea light containers but at just half an ounce capacity, fuel may burn out before water boils (re-fueling can be a nuisance). I use non-pressurized top burner because of my very narrow pot.

My pot is a FireLite 550 titanium mug/pot with lid

I like being able to fit my stove, aluminum windscreen, up to 3 oz. of alcohol fuel, BIC lighter, and a small towel all inside the pot. Both pot and foldable titanium spork are then placed into a small mesh bag and cinched up.

Canister Set Up

Stove – Snow Peak Gigapower canister stove
Pot – Snow Peak 600 single wall titanium mug/pot with homemade lid

Similar to my alcohol set up, I like being able to place everything inside the pot: stove, small fuel canister, BIC lighter and a small towel. The SP 600 is the smallest mug/pot that can house everything together. Click here for making a lid for the SP600.

Benjamin:

Thanks for the info and wonderful pic of your setup. I won't be getting into solo gear for quite sometime cause I live with my girlfriend and she will never pass up a backpacking trip. She's going to Israel for 3 or 4 months in a year though and at that point I'll have to be ready with all my solo gear. As far as cooking goes, I think really I would just buy a smaller pot, if even that. I suppose that if I'm not too picky than I'm already ready!

I think I'm going to go with the Brasslite Turbo II D. Although it is taller and thus less stable, which is making me hesitate…

Andrew,

What, if any, kind of mug do you use? It might be a nice idea to pick up a stove that would work with either your Evernew .9 (I've got one too) or a decent sized mug for solo travel. Something like a minibull might work better, though I've got a Thru-hiker and not had any problems gettting water to boil with the windscreen and foil lid. It might not be the most efficient though, hence the minibull suggestion.

Tom

Thomas:

I don't have a mug yet. I haven't needed one yet just cause I'm always with someone. I haven't really looked into mug choices yet, but I will probably get some kind of standard Ti mug.

I have a question about your evernew. I used mine the first time and the food got burnt so there is a burnt circle right in the middle. Have you had any food burn? Is there a safe way to clean a non-stick pan? Is there even a reason to?

It's from REI so I can always replace it. I didn't think it would burn on my first use..stupid eggs…

Andrew,

Honestly, I have no idea how to clean it out on the trail. I primarily use mine to boil water. While I've got the non-stick, it was bought used here on BPL, otherwise I wouldn't have taken the weight. However, mine shows no signs of burn marks anywhere on the pot.

As for the mug, I gravitated toward one very early for things like hot chocolate and such to warm me up during cold weather. Something like a Snow Peak 600 would work well for just a warm drink, or for cooking while solo. I've got a 450 and it's a bit limited on capacity. So far, it works for most stuff I need it to do solo…but I'm not sure how long my luck will hold out. Just don't go double walled on the mug if you want to cook with it. ;)

Tom

Alright, so I've narrowed down my stove choice to the whitebox stove and the brasslite turbo II D. I was wondering if anyone has experience with both.

I will be cooking mainly for two people in a .9 evernew non-stick. I don't really plan on simmering, and I don't think this will change. I want a stove that is simple, durable, and efficient. I don't want the caldera, although it's the most efficient, because I can't stand the thought of it being in my pack. I would like everything to sit in my cookpot.

Here's how I see it:

Whitebox stove: Half the price of the brasslite, nice simple stove, may need to add primer pan, reports of it taking 2 minutes! to prime! No simmer control, lighter

Brasslite: Expensive, extremely durable, simmer option, primes quickly, heavier

I think they are generally the same as far as boil times and both don't need a pot stand.

What is everyones experience with these stoves?

For me, I would just make my own out of a cat food can. But between the two mentioned, I think I would go for the Brasslite. No priming required. I like simplicity. As for the higher price, yeah, it's expensive, but it's a one-time payment, and the stove will last practically forever! You may want to check on Ebay from time to time if you are in no hurry.

I'll throw in my 2 cents and recommend the Caldera Cone setup combined with the Antigravity Gear 3-cup aluminum pot ($10 from AGG). The pot's dimensions make the required cone shorter than for any other pot I have found.

I also have a Thermojet Microstove and a White Box stove that I combine with the MSR Kettle, but much prefer the cone system. Though not as compact, there are some good ideas out there for transporting the cone system. I find the Caldera Cone system much more efficient and windproof, and the stove does not have to pressurize before placing the pot over it. I have used it at elevations above 6,000' and in a brisk wind and in temps down to the mid 20's. I find the White Box a real torch. It needs a bit of fuel to pressurize and once it gets going, the side burner system makes it tricky to lift the MSR Kettle, even using a pot lifter. I have spilled my pot more than once while trying to lift it off the stove.

I'm also a Caldera Cone fan. I have found that most stoves work well in the kitchen, but take them to the hills, add even a slight breeze, and watch the heat go every which way but up, and fuel efficiency go down. Wrap-around wind screens help, but you'll stay busy keeping ahead of shifting breezes. TD has it nailed. Fill it, light it, forget it. Come back when you see the steam.

My only issue is the filling part. I always have fuel left over. A tinfoil snuffer works, but the alcohol is hard to recover. I'd rather put in just what I need, and no more.

I would appreciate any tips on how to meter in 15, 25, or 35 ml consistently.

Thanks.

Use one of those small measuring cups that come with cough syrup or other liquid medicines. They weigh next to nothing and generally have markings for 15/20/25/30ml.

> I would appreciate any tips on how to meter in 15, 25, or 35 ml consistently.

Greg/All:

Thanks for the great comments on the Caldera! As to the "cough syrup" type measuring cup, one is included with each Caldera System along with the fuel bottle. Earlier measuring cups we shipped didn't have the graduation markings….they do now.

Rand :-)

I have been using the brasslite 1 D with my MSR .85 liter pot for quite a while now. It has never failed to boil 20 oz. of water with .75 oz of alky. It is the best for smaller pots in my opinion.

Andrew,

I was asking myself the same question about a month ago and this is what I learned:

Caldera Cone & Stove:
Boil time = 6 min. 15 sec. on both trials
Amt fuel consumed = 0.7 ounces on first trial
Amt fuel consumed = 0.4 ounces on second trial

Caldera Cone & Esbit:
hot in 10 min. 27 sec., boil not achieved.
1/2 tablet completely consumed

Click Stand & Trangia stove:
Boil time = 5 min. 5 sec.
Amt fuel consumed = 0.5 ounces

Caldera Cone with Trangia stove:
Boil time = 4 min. 55 sec.
Amt fuel consumed = 0.5 ounces

Unfortunately, I had misplaced my pepsi can stove and was not able to trial it. I added 30 ml of alcohol and weighed the stove. After achieving a rolling boil I snuffed the flame out and re-weighed the stove. I made a pepsi can stove this past weekend and will be experimenting again.

Rand, I received my measuring cup with my Caldera in October (great product) the measuring cup that came with it was destroyed with in the first 5 minutes I tried it out.
I used it to fill the stove, set down next to me and one of my scouts came up to see the "cool" new setup and stepped on the cup. There was nothing but 4 pieces left.
I've tried to replace it locally- none of the drugstores have anything like it. Rite-aid has a very small cup that is marked at 10 ml and might hold 20 ml but I can't find anything like what came with the stove.
I made one out of a stout clear plastic laundry cap. Not really UL for the size.
Anyone find local access for a measuring cup with out buying a bottle of Nyquil (don't need nor want the Nyquil- makes for an expensive little cup)?

First….just curious as to why this thread got kicked off again after a year.

Second:
Tad:

We buy the measuring cups by the 100unit "sleeve". Would be happy to send along a couple but the shipping would be kinda outrageous…..tell you what….you pay for the shipping….we'll send them for free! George Andrews at AGG has our stock….I'll give him a heads up.

Third:
Reginald:

Curious as to what you were using for your esbit test in the Caldera. That result is WAY off of everything we've done…..and we've burned pounds and pounds of esbit! :-) Were you using the GramCracker? If not….that may explain it.

Rand :-)

Reginald I am also surprised by your results, what size pot were you using? What size Esbit tablets were you using?

You may want to look at the comparison I did on my web page

Thanks

Tad, try your local pharmacist and ask if they have any measuring cups for you to have/purchase. I bought 4oz,and 8oz cough medicine bottles from mine here at home for less than a buck. They make great alcohol containers.

Roger,

Nice write-up! Thanks for taking the time. Did you try the BPL in the Caldera?

Todd

Thanks Todd

I did not test the BPL with the Caldera,but I assume the heights are about the same though so results maybe similar. However, sounds like another trip is needed. Probably early January.

Roger

WOW, this IS and old thread. I have to agree with the others that using Esbit with the Gram Cracker stove and 'wings' is by far the most efficient of the fuel systems I've tried (other than cansiters). However, as Rand points out, many other Esbit stands are not as efficient, so that may be the difference.

Rand,

I was using the FireLite Titaniium Esibit Wing Stove and Evernew .9L (short) pot.

Rand, how much would the shipping be? I know you would have to put them in a box to protect them.

Donna, I spent one whole afternoon going to all the local pharmacy's asking if they had a cup like the one I got from Rand, no luck. A didn't ask about a cough syrup bottle- I make the rounds again.

Thanks to both of you.

Tad:

Contact George Andrews at AntiGravityGear….he has all our stock and can give you an estimate on shipping. Can't imagine it would be more than a couple three dollars. You can find his email address on his website.

Rand