| Author |
Topic |
| Eryne
Intermediate Member
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Chilliwack, BC
Canada
570 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 10:13 AM
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Does anyone have any comments about stoves like this one?
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/HikingCamping/StovesFuel/Stoves/PRD~5015-690/primus-gravity-ef-ii-lpg-stove-with-piezo-ignition.jsp
I think this might be an improvement since it should increase the stability of the stove and allow for warming the canister to improve fuel efficiency. But, since it has more parts, it may be more fidgety. I don't like fidgety stoves because I don't want to f*&k around with them when I haven't yet had coffee, or when my fingers are cold, or when the weather gods are punishing me for squishing spiders or complaining about the water on the trail.
So spill - should I fork over 83 bucks for increased cooking stability? Or should I stick with my beloved Primus Express LPG stove? Or should I hire a backcountry chef?
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1007 Posts |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
874 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 11:43 AM
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Eryne: no idea.
Liemrod: Inverted stoves like the Windpro II vapourize the fuel at the burner where it does not cool the remaining fuel.
Vertical stoves like the MSR PocketRocket vapourize the butane inside the canister. Unfortunately the vapourization cools and condenses the remaining fuel and leads to depressurization.
edit: spelling |
Edited by - weedWhacker on 07/20/2012 11:49 AM |
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1007 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 12:25 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by weedWhacker
Unfortunately the vapourization cools and condenses the remaining fuel and leads to depressurization.
The way I understand it is that at colder temps the propane is needed in the canister to maintain pressure. If the canister is not inverted it vaporizes at the top and is burned off too quickly. Inverted, the canister provides liquid fuel which is why stoves with inverted operation tend to have a heating coil to vaporize the fuel close to the burner. |
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| Eryne
Intermediate Member
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Chilliwack, BC
Canada
570 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 12:58 PM
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Inversion is neat. I have seen pictures where the canister is placed in a pot with water to moderate fuel temperature, thereby increasing efficiency.
My question is, can you set this stove up pre-coffee when your fingers are numb? Or maybe I mean can Dru set this up to make me my coffee? |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
874 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 1:01 PM
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Liemrod: We might be saying the same thing in different ways.
Here is a good explanation:
http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/FAQ_Mixtures.htm
Eryne: I use my MSR PocketRocket well below 0 degrees. I melt a bit of snow in a metal cup, then place the stove in the cup for a few minutes to warm the fuel. Then the stove will run for 5-10 minutes which is enough to boil a litre of water.
That said, an inverted stove would be easier, faster, and more reliable, albeit a bit heavier.
But to answer your main question: "Which stove would be better" , - who cares? If Dru is your coffee-bitch, give him an MEC gift certificate for $100 and tell him to pick whatever he needs; as long as your coffee is brewed perfectly everytime you demand it.
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Edited by - weedWhacker on 07/20/2012 2:44 PM |
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| Eryne
Intermediate Member
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Chilliwack, BC
Canada
570 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 3:00 PM
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I don't f'n care about using the stove at any particular temperature. I wonder if anyone using such a stove has constructive comments about it's stability and/or the ease or difficulty of putting the pieces together.
Weedwhacker - you suck! I think you should go make some comments about how someone is safe/not safe/not doing outdooorsy things correctly since they are doing it differently than you on some other thread.
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
874 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 3:05 PM
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| touchy ... |
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 Manitoba's misadventurin' bushwhackin', dog sloggin', dehydratin', beer drinkin' biggie - who's eager to peak bag Mt Currie in a dress
Squamish
5040 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 4:19 PM
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I have that stove Eryne. Works well, very stable and I have no complaints. I haven't used it in the cold but who really likes being out in the cold anyway? Oh, the piezo thingy busted after the first year.
And don't squish spiders! Geez you're just asking for trouble.
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| piika
Intermediate Member
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
726 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2012 : 4:51 PM
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| I have the previous model of this stove and find it's easy to set-up and use (even with cold, wintery hands or gloves) and stable. This newer model says it was redesigned to be stronger and more stable, so yay. |
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Penticton, BC
Canada
89 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2012 : 10:55 AM
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I used the Gravity EF II for a couple of seasons. It was an alright stove, but found it too heavy and somewhat unreliable. The piezo ignitor melted together, and wasn't anywhere near as efficient as it should be. The stove is no more stable than anything else on the market, so if that's the major selling feature then look elsewhere.
Now I use a Snowpeak GigaPower stove and probably won't ever use anything else. It's super light, always lights (though I use a windproof torch style lighter), and boils a liter of water in less than a couple of minutes.
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/HikingCamping/StovesFuel/PRD~4011-642/snow-peak-gigapower-stainless-steel-stove.jsp?pdtTab=3#reviews
I resolved the stability issue by using the MSR universal canister stand, and also using the 1.4 L Primus Eta Power pot. The pot has a built in heat sink on the bottom, which I modified slightly to slide over the prongs on the stove. I also found this increased efficiency, as the flame basically saturates the heat sink. It's a bullet proof, lightweight, compact system that I absolutely love.
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Edited by - THE EDJ on 07/21/2012 10:56 AM |
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1448 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2012 : 12:47 PM
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If stability is your concern then adding a canister stand from jetboil, msr etc.
Bottom line canister stoves are the easiest to handle in warmer temperatures. When the weather starts to get colder then warming the canister becomes a necessity. Or having to use a canister stove that allows you to run the canister inverted and liquid fuel.
But as you said looking for non fidgety easy to use stove. Would depend if you where ok with lighting the stove as normal then flipping the canister when it was at temperature. If so then both the Primus Gravity EF II LPG and MSR WindPro II are decent stoves.
Not always the easiest decision but you can always buy it or rent it from MEC to try each one out.
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Satirical photoshop junkie who frolics in the mountains of the Chilliwack River Valley
Chilliwack, BC
Canada
6907 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2012 : 1:51 PM
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I use the Primus ETA power trail stove. The integrated stand is pretty stable.
The design increases efficiency with the stand serving as a windbreak and the pot has an integrated heat exchanger at ti's base for further efficiency. The windbreak can be removed to allow use of other pots/ frying pans. |
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| Eryne
Intermediate Member
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Chilliwack, BC
Canada
570 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2012 : 10:09 AM
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Thanks.
I have a canister stove with a little foot that sits on the bottom of the canister. What I really love about it is that I screw the stove to the canister, turn the know, and light it. There is almost no fiddly stuff.
What I don't like is that it stands quite high, so it can become unstable. And, since it is so tall, it is hard to shelter the burner from wind etc. so it's not all that efficient. When I saw the stoves that separated the burner from the canister I thought that's cool. It seems like it may be my next gear upgrade.
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
253 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2012 : 12:34 PM
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I have that stove (likely the previous version - about 4 years old) and it works well. One of the best things is that with the separated canister, you can put a windscreen around the stove and pot, and it makes it much more fuel efficient (and quicker, too).
Just as blackfly's stove, my piezo igniter thing stopped working after about a year.
My complaint about that stove is its a bit bulky, and if you squish it too much (for instance, when packing your bag), the folded legs deform a bit. I've done that a couple times, but then I've just gently bent them back. Other than that, for a canister stove, it's great. |
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Qualicum Beach, BC
Canada
1303 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2012 : 5:17 PM
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I switched from a canister mount stove to a remote canister stove years ago, for all of the above reasons of stability, wind proof & better burn in cold weather. Yup, my set up’s about 240 gms heavier than a canister mount stove, but the extra weight is worth it in my mind. My MSR Windpro stove packs nicely in my cook pot, with room for a few other odds & ends.
Brunton use to make an adaptor with legs that a canister mount type stove could mount on, with a hose to a remote canister. I think they stopped making it, but maybe someone else makes one now. It was an interesting concept and combined with a canister mount stove, was sill lighter (and maybe more packable) than my remote canister stove.
There’s a new stove from Japan, the Soto Micro Regulator, that MEC sells. It’s a canister mount stove, but has a fuel regulator in it’s stem that boosts the output of fuel in cold weather. See <www.sotooutdoors.com > for details.
One last tip, sleep with your canister and you’ll get a great first burn in the morning for coffee!
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
517 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2012 : 6:20 PM
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When my canister stove broke I replaced it with the inverted one. When the inverted one got busted (at the hose!) I went back to on canister burner. To be honest I did not find any difference between the two, not very scientific, I know, but it seems if there are differences they are negligible.
When cooking on a table the inverted is a bit more stable, ironically I did not find it that much stable when placed on the ground. The on-canister stove packs smaller.
Should I fork over 83 bucks for increased cooking stability? No
Or should I stick with my beloved Primus Express LPG stove? Yes
Or should I hire a backcountry chef? Of course!  |
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1 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2012 : 6:24 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by prother
There’s a new stove from Japan, the Soto Micro Regulator, that MEC sells. It’s a canister mount stove, but has a fuel regulator in it’s stem that boosts the output of fuel in cold weather. See <www.sotooutdoors.com > for details.
One last tip, sleep with your canister and you’ll get a great first burn in the morning for coffee!
I have a Soto Micro and I absolutely love it. Tiny, light and their regulator allows a more consistent burn until the very end of the canister. The integrated piezo ignition is convenient and works first click nearly every time. I can't comment on cold weather performance as I haven't tested it below 0 C yet.
I also use a "Universal Canister Stand" from MSR which makes balancing any vertical setup much easier. Well worth the $12 from MEC.
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/HikingCamping/StovesFuel/FuelAccessories/PRD~5024-127/msr-universal-canister-stand.jsp |
Edited by - granteezy on 07/23/2012 6:31 PM |
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Hope, BC
Canada
7094 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2012 : 6:50 PM
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I'd go with:
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/HikingCamping/StovesFuel/Stoves/LiquidFuel/PRD~5026-911/msr-whisperlite-universal.jsp
I'd buy a canister for high altitude and extreme cold, and bottles for low altitudes (majority of my hikes), and fill my own. By filling your own bottles with white fuel, there is less screwing around buying canisters from certain places, and it is more expensive buying canisters in the long run. Plus one could always throw in the environmental factors of the empty canisters. |
Edited by - AcesHigh on 07/24/2012 05:17 AM |
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Night owl posting,Subie driving, backpacking Dad who is perpetually trying to catch up to his kids on the trail.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2012 : 12:08 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by prother
I switched from a canister mount stove to a remote canister stove years ago, for all of the above reasons of stability, wind proof & better burn in cold weather. Yup, my set up’s about 240 gms heavier than a canister mount stove, but the extra weight is worth it in my mind. My MSR Windpro stove packs nicely in my cook pot, with room for a few other odds & ends.
Brunton use to make an adaptor with legs that a canister mount type stove could mount on, with a hose to a remote canister. I think they stopped making it, but maybe someone else makes one now. It was an interesting concept and combined with a canister mount stove, was sill lighter (and maybe more packable) than my remote canister stove.
There’s a new stove from Japan, the Soto Micro Regulator, that MEC sells. It’s a canister mount stove, but has a fuel regulator in it’s stem that boosts the output of fuel in cold weather. See <www.sotooutdoors.com > for details.
One last tip, sleep with your canister and you’ll get a great first burn in the morning for coffee!
I have one of the Brunton adapters and use it with a Crux burner for a compact set up. What I like aside from the stability is the ability to use a wind screen around the burner and pot. This dramatically improves fuel consumption if you are cooking with any kind of wind exposure. |
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Happy-Valley Goose bay, NFLD
Canada
32 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 11:26 AM
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Hi all
very simple question
does all fuel cans have a self-sealing valve
got a cheap one but do not say on the can
any help would be
great
thanks
LWM |
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Topic |
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Canister stoves that separate burner and canister
