Solo stove/trangia combo vs. msr simmerlite

Wow.  Kind of like asking “What should I have for dessert, a meatball or a zucchini?”

Neither of them is ultralight.  Both will work.  Both are reliable stoves if you’re familiar with them and have used them recently.

While other alcohol stove setups are very light, the Trangia burner isn’t very light and especially not with the Combo pots, windscreen, stove support, pot support, etc.

No white gas stoves are ultralight, but given that, the Simmerlite at 8.5 ounces (PLUS fuel bottle) isn’t as heavy as some.

White gas gains weight efficiencies the longer between resupplies  (because the fuel has among the highest BTUs/pound and the container weight can be low).  It is also more capable in cold, high elevations.

Maybe post with what your resupply looks like (you caching supplies, buying them in town, which town, or mailing them to yourself?) because then people could give their thoughts about availability of white gas versus the various alcohol options.

I’d lean towards the Simmerlite myself, especially if you have one single pot of water to boil per meal (so you’re only priming it once).  If you prefer doing 2 or 3 boils per meal, then the Trangia can be closed up between uses without the fuel overhead of priming the Simmerlite each time.

But my recommendation?  Can you spring for a $15 BRS-3000T and get a 4- or 8-ounce butane canister, depending on the length of your section?  Lighter, far easier to use, less messy than liquid fuels.

yeah, canister stove is easier

BRS-3000T has reported reliability problems by some people.  Make sure you use it a couple times to verify it’s a good one before going on your trip

Soto Windmaster has worked for me.  I haven’t heard any reliability problems.  It costs more and weighs 3 ounces vs 1 ounce BRS-3000T.

Many other good canister stoves

https://backpackinglight.com/upright-canister-stove-reviews-stovebench-tests-and-gear-guide/

^really good guide to stoves. I think the Fire Maple FMS300T makes more sense than the BRS-3000T if you want a small, simple compact stove. Jerry’s recommendation will likely be easier to use in the word and a little more efficient but it comes at the cost of size, weight and dollars.

There is no one best solution, of course. I don’t see any mention of location or conditions  are we talking summer or winter? Up high? Somewhere really windy? Melting snow? These factors would influence the recommendations you get.

Answering your original question and assuming we are talking summer hiking in the CONUS, I’d vote for a catfood can stove rather than either of the options you mention in order to save weight and keep things compact.

Personally, I have a Caldera Cone for an alcohol/Esbit for trips where that makes sense and a FM stove for situations where isobutane makes the most sense. Typically I don’t take any stove and just eat snacks all day but you might be a cooked meal kind of person.

Of your two, I’d use the Simmerlite. I had one. A VERY good WG stove. For a small weight penalty it’s a “real” stove.

But, as was pointed out, I’d find a way to afford a canister stove. You can certainly pick up something used or new for $30 or less.

The Olicamp is a great little stove for $30…

This is all great info. One detail I failed to mention is that i don’t want to use a canister stove due to the landfill footprint caused by throwing away those canisters. Unless I can find a scrap metal place that will actually take them after I have used the crunchit tool then I don’t want one. You all have been very helpful!

Another option is to use ESBIT fuel tablets with a BGET tablet holder from Zelph Stoves.

The BGET holder catches the liquid residue and lets it burn for much longer burn time and a safer stove in terms of keeping the residue from getting on the ground. A Caldera Cone with mating pot is the most efficient way to use ESBIT.