Another stove selection thread

[RSD]

I've got different requirements to the other thread that is running at the moment

- runs on gas
- remote canister
- works well in cold conditions
- has piezo ignition switch for convenience (will carry other methods as a backup).
- not too heavy

[Strider]

FMS-100T?

[maverick]

I'm impressed with my windpro 2 doesnt have piezo but meets your other criteria. Only had it a week, but it puts out alot of heat especially in liquid feed mode.

[RSD]

FMS-100T?

Does the FMS-100T have the Piezo ignition?

[Strider]

FMS-100T?

Does the FMS-100T have the Piezo ignition?

No but it satisfies your other criteria very well. PI are often unreliable after some time anyway.

[jacko1956]

Why piezo anyway?
While it can be useful if it's fitted, at the end of the day you should always be carrying some other fire starter such as matches, flint or lighter anyway.
I would think built in lighter would be the least important feature in stove selection of any type.
It's not like when you're out there away from TV's and the rest you don't have the extra 10 seconds to light a match when you're cooking.

[PeteE]

I'd second Maverick with the MSR Windpro.
No ignition but the cannister can be inverted on both the original (mine) and the Windpro II which makes it useable in cold conditions or at altitude.
The difference is the WIndpro II has been modified to produce a more even fuel feed (but don't know what the mod is but think it just might be the cansiter holder at the end of the fuel line???).

I used mine at about 1800m elevation in around -3 in the Hooker/Landsborough wilderness area in NZ. It started to fart and splutter so I turned it upside down and it went pretty well thanks to the preheating tube, though still splutters every now and then so you just give the canister a shake and it flares up and settles down for a while. It comes with a nice windshield and is nice and low set for stability and had a generous pot holding width for pot stability. Cooking speed is pretty good and is fairly compact once folded up too. Nice bit of kit.

[RSD]

Why piezo anyway?

Simple convenience

While it can be useful if it's fitted, at the end of the day you should always be carrying some other fire starter such as matches, flint or lighter anyway.

I thought I had covered that off in my opening post when I said that I would be carrying backup ignition methods.

[jacko1956]

So I repeat... Why is it so important. Simple convenience is nice and I agree if two otherwise identical choices, go for it.
But as a criteria for selection surely it must rank last.
If the suggested stove has all other features sought....?

[RSD]

So I repeat... Why is it so important. Simple convenience is nice and I agree if two otherwise identical choices, go for it.
But as a criteria for selection surely it must rank last.
If the suggested stove has all other features sought....?

Because if I hadn't mentioned it then nobody replying would be thinking about it when they thought about what stoves meet my criteria. So far all of the replies have been for stoves that don't have it, but if someone replies with one that does then that gives me the two otherwise identical choices that you mentioned above. It's one of those "If you don't ask..."

[maverick]

The kovea moonwalker has piezo at about $100. Available at bcf.

[RSD]

I've been reading up on the Windpro II - it seems like a good option. It's supposed to fit inside a 1 litre pot and the MSR windshield is supposed to fit inside a particular pot as well. But a 1 litre pot can come in a variety of D x H dimensions so does anyone know which particular models they are referring too?

[PeteE]

They are most likely refering to their own designs (MSR). They have a variety. Chjeck this link: http://cascadedesigns.com/en/msr/cookware/category

I have the stainless set with the 1.5 and the 2 litre pots and the Windpro fits in the 1.5 with plenty of room so 1 Lt pot would be no problem.
The windshield can roll up pretty small, not much bigger than a permanent marker pen size. You could probably mould it around the 1 Lt pot if you wanted to.

I almost bought the Kovea but was a little too hefty for my purposes, but would be a very stable stove to use in the real world: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_s3-A7SJ3g

While you're at it, have a look at the WhisperLite Universal...another good option that fulfills all but the ignition and can run off liquid fuel if you ever need or want to: http://cascadedesigns.com/en/msr/stoves/simple-cooking/whisperlite-universal/product

Last edited by PeteE on Sun 22 Jul, 2012 9:37 am, edited 3 times in total.

[maverick]

The wind pro fits in my 1.5 and 1.3 litre msr pots. My msr whisperlite universal which is a multi fuel and remote gas stove needs a 2 lItre plus pot.

[RSD]

Is there any negative feedback for the Kovea Moonwalker apart from it being a little bit heavier than some others out there?

[PeteE]

A mate of mine bought one because it was cheaper than the MSR and he said it seems to go through more gas, but I expect that, since it has a high heat capacity (it can take a much bigger pot with more stability) people might tend to have it too high. You can tritate it to just enough using the flow knob (or whatever it is) and it might not be so bad, but I have no real world experience with this stove myself.

[Mark F]

You may like to check out the new Fire Maple FMS-118. Remote invertable canister design 146 grams. These have just appeared on eBay $50.00 including postage. I picked up a FMS-117T a couple of months ago (98 grams) - similar design in Ti but not for inverted canister use. I plan to merge the two into a 118T as the Ti legs/pot support should just swap across.

These stoves have a reasonably wide burner head and sit about 75mm high at the pot base so a 100mm wide strip of Ti foil works nicely as a wind shield (30 g). The pot supports nicely handle pots up to 2 litres. No piezo starter but I have never liked them and found them unreliable.
http://fire-maple.com/products_list.htm ... d=8&c_id=5

[Strider]

I plan to merge the two into a 118T as the Ti legs/pot support should just swap across.

You would be better off just swapping the FMS-118 heat transfer tube assembly onto the complete FMS-117T stove, as the FMS-117T uses titanium the burner assembly whereas the FMS-118 burner is stainless steel.

[ofuros]

All great suggestions so far....with or without piezo.
You could always add one of these to your cookset...a seperate piezo igniter

[Mark F]

Strider, I agree with your comment. Once I have them side by side I can work out what will give the lightest outcome. I think I may have been the one who discovered that the FMS-116T burner could be screwed onto the base of a MSR Superfly multi canister base. This was discovered after I tried to put a Pocket Rocket burner on the Superfly base and found the threads didn't match. I was a bit pissed off and grabbed my Gnat and tried it. Voila - it worked. Now my European walking stove.

There is a new Optimus Vega EN invertable gas stove which looks quite nice at around 178g but at 3-4 times the price no doubt, and one suspects may be built by Fire Maple anyway.

FIre MAple also appear to have a new super light weight stove in the FMS-300 but don't have any specs on it at the moment.

I think I'm becoming a stove junkie!

[RSD]

All great suggestions so far....with or without piezo.
You could always add one of these to your cookset...a seperate piezo igniter

That might work - and I could get a Fire Maple or a Windpro II then.

Decisions... decisions...

[Tony]

I have not had a great deal of success with cheap Chinese stoves and would stay away from them.

A stove that fits your selection criteria is the Kovea Camp 5, KB-1006, Kovea stoves are top quality and performers, my summer goto stove is the Kovea Ti Supalite (KB-0707), I am currently using this stove in winter in a modified form.

Tony

[Mark F]

Hi Tony

I agree with you about cheap chinese stoves but I believe Fire Maple is an exception. They are an OEM for several reputable and well known brands as is Kovea. My own experience with the 116T has been positive and I have not stumbled on any negative comment on the reliability of their stoves in reading several walking forums over the past few years. The reason they are cheap is that when purchased on eBay they have not passed through the hands of an importer, a retailer and possibly other intermediaries who would have lavished a hefty markup on the product. A $50 stove on an Australian retailers shelf would be $100 -$200 depending on the supply chain.

As an example I have recently fitted my home with LED lighting including the strip bench lighting. I was quoted $700 for 5 metres of strip lighting with transformer and dimmer by a local lighting shop. I bought the identical setup for $60 on the internet and it works flawlessly. The led strip is absolutely identical but in doing so I saw several other internet versions which did not pass muster.

[Tony]

Hi Mark,

I know Fire Maple are one of the better Chinese stoves, and I know many users who are very happy with them, especially the 116T, but my 116T failed me the first time I used it in the field, the jet became blocked, back home on inspection I put the blockage down to poor quality control in the manufacture of the jet. I have not used the 116T since I just prefer my Kovea Supalite which has never given me any trouble even though I am always pulling it apart and playing with it.

Tony

[RSD]

The windshield can roll up pretty small, not much bigger than a permanent marker pen size. You could probably mould it around the 1 Lt pot if you wanted to.

Are you referring to the MSR Windshield http://cascadedesigns.com/en/msr/stoves/stove-accessories/heat-reflector-w/-windscreen/product or another one?

Looking seriously at buying the Windpro II at the moment.

[ninjapuppet]

I also picked up one of those cheap $20 remote canister stoves that failed on you Tony. Ive been a little worried to rely on it myself after reading your experiences, but ive been lending it out it mates without gear. After maybe about 30 days usage, its been ok so far. Theres abit of pot luck involved i guess but you seem to be having a bad run with cheap stoves hey tony?

[ninjapuppet]

Looking seriously at buying the Windpro II at the moment.

Ialso was keen on the $100 windpro II but the MSR whisperlite universal was only $105 at e-omc a few weeks ago, which is only $5 more. Gives you alot more flexibility when traveling.
its currently $112 at basegear with their code, so thats something you could consider too.

[RSD]

Looking seriously at buying the Windpro II at the moment.

Ialso was keen on the $100 windpro II but the MSR whisperlite universal was only $105 at e-omc a few weeks ago, which is only $5 more. Gives you alot more flexibility when traveling.
its currently $112 at basegear with their code, so thats something you could consider too.

Any chance you can send the code to me?

[Strider]

All great suggestions so far....with or without piezo.
You could always add one of these to your cookset...a seperate piezo igniter

That might work - and I could get a Fire Maple or a Windpro II then.

Decisions... decisions...

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/KOVEA-Ignite ... 807wt_1185

[ninjapuppet]

That looks like one of those mozzie bite electric zapp things sold in kathmandu stores.