Competition Makes Canister Stoves Better
A bumper crop of new canister stoves. From left to right. Soto OD-1R Micro Regulator, Snow Peak Lite Max, Monatauk Gnat, and Jetboil Flash. Competition to claim the title of lightest or fastest or best cold weather performer continues to result in better stoves.
I recommend three stoves. (1) The Snow Peak Lite Max canister stove for trips lasting 3 days or less where temperatures are expected to be 25 degrees or higher. (2) The MSR XGK EX multi-fuel for mountaineering expeditions, snow camping, foreign travel, in any temperature and all conditions. (3) For expected temperatures of 25 degrees and above on trips longer than 3 days, I would switch to the Jetboil system because it's higher efficiency requires less fuel which mitigates the larger size and weight.
For ultralighters, fastpackers and others that just want to boil water, canister stoves are almost perfect. I say almost because their achilles heel has been wind and cold. Improved design, mixed fuels and some tricks of the trade can help you satisfactorily operate down to 25 or 30 degrees. Screens and proper positioning can block the wind. Beyond that you better be using a bigger, badder hammer like the XGK. That has been the case up to now but a new stove from Soto claims to do a better job in cold temps thanks to a built in micro regulator that maintains a constant fuel flow. How cold and how much better does it perform? I don't know yet but I intend to find out
Oh, boy. I can hear the whaling and whining already. WHAT!? A better stove then the one in my pack? NO! Must get one. See what all the fuss is about. Take it easy folks. How about I line the top contenders up and see how they do in a series of tests. A head to head cannister stove competition if you will. That would be good, right?
Here are the particulars of what I will call Stage 1, The Kitchen Test. A fresh Jetboil Jetpower fuel canister, an MSR Titan Kettle (except for the Jetboil system), no lids, 77 degrees in my air conditioned kitchen, approximately 1500 feet ASL, room temp tap water for each boil, time starts when the kettle is placed at rest over the flame and stopped at a rolling boil, weights quoted are just the stove (w/o the fuel canister) according to a Stamps.com postage scale.
Here are the results of my unscientific kitchen test.
Monatauk Gnat
Weighs 1.7 ounces
Boils 8 ounces of water in 1:40
Boils 16 ounces of water in 2:31
Rated at 11,000 BTUs
Comments-Titanium makes it the lightest of this bunch and manufacturer claims that it is the lightest production stove on the market
Snow Peak Lite Max
Weighs 2.0 ounces
Boils 8 ounces of water in 1:56
Boils 16 ounces of water in 2:54
Rated at 11,200 BTUs
Comments-conical shaped burner seems small and concentrated in comparison to the Gnat and the Soto. This is the stove that I currently carry most often in my pack and the one to beat
Soto OD-1R Micro Regulator
Weighs 2.5 ounces
Boils 8 ounces of water in 1:41
Boils 16 ounces of water in 2:27
Rated at 11,000 BTUs
Comments-has a built in "stealth" igniter. Wide burner is screened well to protect against wind. Built in lighter works every time, the first time, which is a pleasant surprise based on my experience with piezo lighters
Jetboil Flash
Weighs 12.4 ounces without the cup lid
Boils 8 ounces of water in 1:07
Boils 16 ounces of water in 1:57
Comments-"system" approach is fast but heavy. Also has a built in piezo lighter. Much quieter than the other stoves, even at full throttle
Not definitive but interesting. I am headed to Rainier and will test them out in the open at Camp Muir. Then I will do a sub 30 degree test in a cold chamber/walk in cooler. After all that, we should have a pretty good idea of what's what.
Stay tuned for updates.
Wade Nelson
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Posted by Wade Nelson at Monday, June 14. 2010 
Categories: Food-Water-Cooking
Tags: snow peak lite max canister stove review canister stove soto micro regulator gnat canister stove test
Categories: Food-Water-Cooking
Tags: snow peak lite max canister stove review canister stove soto micro regulator gnat canister stove test
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