Ultralight Stove System?

[DannyS]

I'm in the market for an ultralight stove system for 3 season use, I'll be buying Rogers remote gas set-up for the 4th season. I've never looked at these before and wouldn't know where to begin, so I'd like to save time and energy by drawing on others experiences. If you could point me in the right direction with which are the best brands and what are their positives and negatives that would be appreciated.

[Onestepmore]

Preferences for the type of fuel you wish to use will be helpful for people to give advice

Alcohol fuel stoves or those that utilise hexamine tablets would generally be the lightest - the lightest in this group are probably the MYOG ones
There are some light canister stoves too, Fire Maple Hornet (e-bay), Optimus Crux Lite (easily available) etc
Some areas allow you to burn solid fuel (wood)
Some stove stsyems such as Trail Designs caldera cones allow you to use various fuel types

Do you need a pot as well (which I am assuming since you have said 'stove system') or just the stove? Some custom systems are only made for one particular pot. Or do you want flexibility in wich type of cooking pot you wish to use. This of course depends on what you'll be cooking - are you just boiling water for hot drinks and to reconstitute dehydrated food and make rice/pasta/couscous etc or do you wish to be able to 'cook' some things - fry/grill/even bake!?
Using an insulating cozy (again lots of MYOG designs on you-tube etc) around your cooking pot or ziplock bag will decrease the amount of fuel you use

There have been many discussions here regarding cooking systems that people use - some are happily obsessed Stoves are fascinating.
So maybe do some seraches too within the website?

[DannyS]

Preferences for the type of fuel you wish to use will be helpful for people to give advice

Alcohol fuel stoves or those that utilise hexamine tablets would generally be the lightest - the lightest in this group are probably the MYOG ones
There are some light canister stoves too, Fire Maple Hornet (e-bay), Optimus Crux Lite (easily available) etc
Some areas allow you to burn solid fuel (wood)
Some stove stsyems such as Trail Designs caldera cones allow you to use various fuel types

Do you need a pot as well (which I am assuming since you have said 'stove system') or just the stove? Some custom systems are only made for one particular pot. Or do you want flexibility in wich type of cooking pot you wish to use. This of course depends on what you'll be cooking - are you just boiling water for hot drinks and to reconstitute dehydrated food and make rice/pasta/couscous etc or do you wish to be able to 'cook' some things - fry/grill/even bake!?
Using an insulating cozy (again lots of MYOG designs on you-tube etc) around your cooking pot or ziplock bag will decrease the amount of fuel you use

There have been many discussions here regarding cooking systems that people use - some are happily obsessed Stoves are fascinating.
So maybe do some seraches too within the website?

Thanks for that I guess I wasn't as clear as I thought? I have a pot and with Rogers stove the total will weigh 180 grams, I'm not sure if it's worthwhile trying to go lighter or not?
I was thinking along the lines of a stove that would reduce the need for weighty fuel stores to be carried?
I'll check out some of the other posts as you suggest, I'm sure I'll find some good info there.
Cheers

[Mark F]

I expect that I will just use Roger's stove all year round and accept the minor weight penalty as I prefer gas (using a FireMaple 300T in the normal upright mode saves about 50g). The only way to really save any weight is to go to down the metho or esbit route with the attendant fiddle factor.

[Strider]

I wonder if Roger can supply his stove sans-burner head? That way you can just buy a FMS-300T and swap the burner head between the bases as required.

[DannyS]

I wonder if Roger can supply his stove sans-burner head? That way you can just buy a FMS-300T and swap the burner head between the bases as required.

Do mean to buy the FMS 116T model and then swap it? Or what?

[Strider]

I wonder if Roger can supply his stove sans-burner head? That way you can just buy a FMS-300T and swap the burner head between the bases as required.

Do mean to buy the FMS 116T model and then swap it? Or what?

No I mean if Roger can supply his stove without a burner head, you can buy a 300T (or 116T, up to you) yourself and use the burner head on Rogers base for winter, or on the standard upright base for the other 3 seasons.

[DannyS]

Oh I see what you mean, but to be honest I don't like the upright canister stoves, I haven't seen Rogers set-up up close, maybe that's a possibility though?

[Strider]

Just an idea...

[Mark F]

The 116T burner head uses a different thread to the 300T to connect the burner head to the valve unit. All future production by Roger uses the 300T burner. Really why bother for, at best, a $20 saving.

[DannyS]

Yes I agree!

[ULWalkingPhil]

Had an hour to spare this afternoon, so I went through a small selection of my many stoves and put together a few options.

I'll keep each post for the individual cooking systems.

The first below is my lightest system thus far, I use this if I want to go SUL.

[ULWalkingPhil]

The next kit I've put together is my Trail Designs Beer Keg Cooking system with an upgraded Titanium Windshield/pot holder. I can use either Esbit Stove or the 12-10 Alcohol stove with this kit.

Big advantage with this cooking system is the Caddie used to store the Cooking system is made of Heat Resistance, food grade quality plastic. I use this for both a bowl and cup.

[ULWalkingPhil]

The following kit is my Favourite, Heavier than the first two posted, but is very versatile, The smaller 10cm pot I use as a cup, the larger 12cm pot is used as my bowl to eat out of, This system I also use for dry baking, I'm sure many of you have seen my topics on dry baking here on the forum.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Add an extra 30grams for a wind screen to the above cooking system for Dry baking. There suppose to be a Carbon Felt Windscreen, forgot to add it.

The next system was my favorite prior to purchasing the above Dry Baking kit.

[ULWalkingPhil]

When I ordered my Batchstovez Dry Baking kit, The pots are individually handmade from Aluminium than anodized coating added. There was an option to purchase a Lid with the 10cm dry baking pot.

[DannyS]

When I ordered my Batchstovez Dry Baking kit, The pots are individually handmade from Aluminium than anodized coating added. There was an option to purchase a Lid with the 10cm dry baking pot.

Wow! thanks for taking the time to do that Phil, as per your advice yesterday I'm choosing between the Caldera Cone or TiTri system? I have an MLD 850ml mug that hasn't been used yet and I'll match it with with one of those two systems, if I hadn't already bought that mug I would have gone ahead and purchased the evernew 900 TiTri system, looks very nice! I read that you can pack the cones into the MLD mug with an overhang of 8cm, you can then use half the caddy to protect the exposed shield.
In your experience do you see any benefits in either system if I couple them with the MLD mug?
Also do you see any benefit in purchasing the inferno and wood burning options?
Cheers
Danny

[ULWalkingPhil]

When I ordered my Batchstovez Dry Baking kit, The pots are individually handmade from Aluminium than anodized coating added. There was an option to purchase a Lid with the 10cm dry baking pot.

Wow! thanks for taking the time to do that Phil, as per your advice yesterday I'm choosing between the Caldera Cone or TiTri system? I have an MLD 850ml mug that hasn't been used yet and I'll match it with with one of those two systems, if I hadn't already bought that mug I would have gone ahead and purchased the evernew 900 TiTri system, looks very nice! I read that you can pack the cones into the MLD mug with an overhang of 8cm, you can then use half the caddy to protect the exposed shield.
In your experience do you see any benefits in either system if I couple them with the MLD mug?
Also do you see any benefit in purchasing the inferno and wood burning options?
Cheers
Danny

I own the inferno wood burning option for my Sidewinder kit, so far I've never tried the system with wood. The biggest problem for me, all the national parks up here ban fires. There are a few parks you can have a fire, but you must take the timber into the park and not collect in the park, has to be collected outside the park and preferably timber that's treated, so I've heard.

Your MLD 850ml, I believe is the same as my Esbit Titanium Pot. Trail Designs makes a pot stand that is in two parts, which fits inside the pot, I can't remember what he calls them, might be worth looking into. If your allowed to have fires, I would certainly go for the inferno kit. It hardly adds any weight to your system.

[DannyS]

Great! I'll message Trail Designs tomorrow and enquire into the pot stand that comes in two parts, if it's available I'll be very happy. Yes we can have fires along the track I'll be hiking next month so I'll order the full kit. Thanks for the heads up Phil, much appreciated. You really can't beat experience!
Cheers
Danny

[ULWalkingPhil]

Great! I'll message Trail Designs tomorrow and enquire into the pot stand that comes in two parts, if it's available I'll be very happy. Yes we can have fires along the track I'll be hiking next month so I'll order the full kit. Thanks for the heads up Phil, much appreciated. You really can't beat experience!
Cheers
Danny

Is this the pot you have? This one is an Esbit pot, but I believe it's the same that MLD sells and many others, made by the same manufacturer.

[DannyS]

Yes that's the pot, I sent an email to Trail Designs not long ago and was surprised to get a response already! They do have a system to suit this pot that will fit inside the 850ml pot, he did say however that because of the unusually long handles they have had to raise the pot slightly within the cone in order for it to fit. He also mentioned that they are in the middle of creating a new pot similar to the 850ml but with shorter handles that will fit the cone etc.... inside.
I just queried the efficiency of the fusion system and right now just got a response, I've decided to just past it here for your information;

So.....the Fusion packs in the pot and because of that you can eliminate the Caddy. It all depends on how badly you want to do that. The Fusion is a little funky to set up because you must use the stakes to run through the bottom cone to sit the pot on because it won't hang from it's upper lip like the Classic.....also the top cone sits on those stakes. So assembly is not as easy......and then if you want to do a wood fire or use an inferno, the stakes are in the way so you can only do that with the top cone.....so the wood fire volume is a bit smaller. But if packing in your pot is your #1 goal, then those shouldn't be too bad......and the efficiency is just about as good. If you're on the fence about packing in the pot as a real issue, the Classic is cheaper and easier and has a bigger wood firebox.

Rand.

Cheers
Danny

[ULWalkingPhil]

Yes that's the pot, I sent an email to Trail Designs not long ago and was surprised to get a response already! They do have a system to suit this pot that will fit inside the 850ml pot, he did say however that because of the unusually long handles they have had to raise the pot slightly within the cone in order for it to fit. He also mentioned that they are in the middle of creating a new pot similar to the 850ml but with shorter handles that will fit the cone etc.... inside.
I just queried the efficiency of the fusion system and right now just got a response, I've decided to just past it here for your information;

So.....the Fusion packs in the pot and because of that you can eliminate the Caddy. It all depends on how badly you want to do that. The Fusion is a little funky to set up because you must use the stakes to run through the bottom cone to sit the pot on because it won't hang from it's upper lip like the Classic.....also the top cone sits on those stakes. So assembly is not as easy......and then if you want to do a wood fire or use an inferno, the stakes are in the way so you can only do that with the top cone.....so the wood fire volume is a bit smaller. But if packing in your pot is your #1 goal, then those shouldn't be too bad......and the efficiency is just about as good. If you're on the fence about packing in the pot as a real issue, the Classic is cheaper and easier and has a bigger wood firebox.

Rand.

Cheers
Danny

I'm not sure what I would do, I suppose the caddy does have dual usage. Can be used to substitute your cup and eating bowl, which will save weight elsewhere. If I was planning on using wood as fuel, I would probably end up going for the cheaper Classic, just make sure it's titanium.

[DannyS]

Phil do you know how much the plastic caddy weighs? If it's not too much I'll order the Classic TiTri.

Thanks

[ULWalkingPhil]

Phil do you know how much the plastic caddy weighs? If it's not too much I'll order the Classic TiTri.

Thanks

Depends on the size.

I've got all 3.
The small is 70 grams
Medium is 78 grams
Large is 87 grams

[ULWalkingPhil]

I think I've got a huge stove fetish.
Does it show?

And I have more stoves arriving on Tuesday from the states.

I own at least 9 other stoves I've not mentioned.

[DannyS]

I think I've got a huge stove fetish.
Does it show?

And I have more stoves arriving on Tuesday from the states.

Yes it does
I could go the Classic, fit the cone in the pot and cover the exposed parts with half the caddy, either the lid or bottom half?

I know full well how fetishes start, I really have to exercise self control! I just finished selling off a fair amount of gear, I'm trying to keep to one system for 3 season and one for 4 season. It's not easy though

[DannyS]

Those caddys are heavier than I thought they'd be!

[ULWalkingPhil]

Those caddys are heavier than I thought they'd be!

Yes, i to was a bit surprised at the weight when they arrived in the post. Its not so bad, because they offer dual purpose. A container to store and protect your pot, a cup and bowl to eat out of.


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[DannyS]

I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and buy the evernew system complete, the one in your previous post? Save a bit of weight and packs into the pot!

[Onestepmore]

Trail designs always reply promptly to any queries, and their customer service is excellent.
Have fun!
Sounds like you're well on the way to a beautiful obsession