The Kovea Spider (KB-1109) Remote Canister Stove

[hikin_jim]

I know that Kovea is sold openly in Australia (as opposed to the US where it is only sold under other brand names like MSR and Snow Peak). Perhaps this stove, the Kovea Spider, is well known "down under," but my first glimpse was in a catalog somewhere around January 2012. It immediately struck me as a stove worth having. What struck me most was that it was more like an upright canister stove (i.e. light and compact) rather than many of the other remote canister stoves which merely seemed like Shellite or kero stoves reworked for gas. I obtained one in June, 2012. I was not disappointed.

So, while perhaps I am preaching to the proverbial choir about a long-known stove, I thought I'd discuss in brief the Kovea Spider. It's a stove worth getting to know.

I've found it to be a really nice, compact stove.

The Monatauk Gnat (left) and the Kovea Spider (right)

I can get the Kovea Spider and a 110g canister of gas into either my 780ml Snow Peak pot or my MSR Titan kettle.

A Kovea Spider inside an MSR Titan Kettle

While it is very definitely compact, I'd like to see Kovea do more to lighten the 168g/5.9oz Spider stove. I'd like to see a good remote canister stove down between 115g and 140g (in the four ounce range), but this is such a nice little stove that it's hard to complain.

The diminutive Kovea Spider

There is a lighter, by about 21g (3/4 ounce), stove on the market, the Fire Maple Volcano (FMS-118), but there have been some complaints about the Volcano when in inverted canister mode, and I don't think the Volcano packs down anywhere near as small, and of course if one is willing to go to DIY solutions, one can go yet lighter. Still, I view a relatively light, compact, and well made stove like the Kovea Spider as an encouraging step in the right direction.

I have a more complete review on my blog: The Kovea Spider (KB-1109) Remote Canister Stove. Have a look if you like.

HJ

[ofuros]

Thanks for review jim.....& welcome back to the bushwalking forum.

.....via tapatalk.

[hunsta]

What is width of the grill when outstretched. I have a cheap micro burner that fits into a box just bigger than a box of matches. It has served me well for the last 4 years , however I would like a little more grill size

[hikin_jim]

Thanks for review jim.....& welcome back to the bushwalking forum.

Thanks, mate. I actually enjoy reviewing stoves. I hope the review is of value.

With respect to the Kovea Spider, I think Kovea has hit a nice "sweet spot" between price, compactness, quality, and weight. You can get lighter with the FMS-118 Volcano, but the quality isn't there, and it doesn't fold up as compactly. The price is basically the same between the two, but I think the build quality and design of the Spider wins hands down.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

What is width of the grill when outstretched.

The pot supports extend out 6.5cm from the center of the burner.

HJ

P.S. I added a table listing all of the radii of the stoves shown in my blog post. Thank you for the question.

[Strider]

The price is basically the same between the two, but I think the build quality and design of the Spider wins hands down.

But what about that narrow burner?

[hikin_jim]

The price is basically the same between the two, but I think the build quality and design of the Spider wins hands down.

But what about that narrow burner?

Do you mean in terms of the quality of cooking? I tried to address this issue in the blog post, but let me talk a little more about it here.

Take a look at this photo:


Notice that the burner angles the flame outward. Unlike some small canister canister stoves whose flame resembles that of a Bunsen burner, the Spider's flame is well dispersed. I'm recommending this stove primarily for those who want a compact remote or inverted canister stove, but there's no reason that you couldn't produce some proper bush tucker on it. For more serious cooking, I might prefer the Windpro, but I think the Spider does surprisingly well.

HJ

[Onestepmore]

your website is great - thanks for posting about this one

[hikin_jim]

Thanks, my pleasure. I've actually been looking forward to sharing this one (the Spider). I think it's a real find.

HJ

[Mark F]

As I am rapidly becoming a stove tragic I was seeing who was offering the Spider on eBay. I somehow clicked the buy button on one from Autter&Chauvin in Korea for $60 posted.
I have also been investigating units to drain part filled canisters into another part filled canister - they seem to be breeding in my gear closet and I feel an eradication session in order. The Japanese ones are expensive ($60) and the web site is not buyer friendly . I found in this same sellers store under the G-Works category a unit to drain one screw thread canister into another - no more part used canisters - about $28 posted.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/G-WORKS-CARTRIDGE-EXCHANGER-V2-GAS-SAVER-DURALUMIN-ANODIZING-SAVE-GAS-/140900110733?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20ce4d118d#ht_7358wt_1041

Legal disclaimer. While I reserve the right to immolate myself in a manner of my own choice, I do not suggest that anybody else even contemplates the use of such a device.

[hikin_jim]

As I am rapidly becoming a stove tragic I was seeing who was offering the Spider on eBay. I somehow clicked the buy button on one from Autter&Chauvin in Korea for $60 posted.
I have also been investigating units to drain part filled canisters into another part filled canister - they seem to be breeding in my gear closet and I feel an eradication session in order. The Japanese ones are expensive ($60) and the web site is not buyer friendly . I found in this same sellers store under the G-Works category a unit to drain one screw thread canister into another - no more part used canisters - about $28 posted.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/G-WORKS-CARTRIDGE-EXCHANGER-V2-GAS-SAVER-DURALUMIN-ANODIZING-SAVE-GAS-/140900110733?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20ce4d118d#ht_7358wt_1041

Legal disclaimer. While I reserve the right to immolate myself in a manner of my own choice, I do not suggest that anybody else even contemplates the use of such a device.

Mark,

I'll be particularly interested in your impressions of the Kovea Spider since I believe you have the FMS-117t and FMS-118 stoves, yes? With your FMS-118 have you had any problems when running with the canister inverted in cold weather? There have been some reports of a "stuttering" or "sputtering" when run inverted in cold weather.

Those "G" works adapters are particularly interesting. One could get into a lot of trouble with them if not careful. They appear well made. I wish they had one for refilling Coleman Max/Powermax canisters from normal screw thread canisters.

HJ

[Mark F]

Hi Jim

I do have a 117 and a 118T . I am happy with them. Over summer the 118T got 20 days of use and performed flawlessly until the last day when it started to give a yellow flame. Just needed the jet cleaned. There was a small accumulation of dust on the sintered filter attached to the jet. I blew this off and it continues to work just fine. Whether this dust is from a canister or from the fuel line I have no idea but as long as you can remove the jet it doesn't seem to be a problem. The stove was mainly used un-inverted. When used inverted there was a small flare but not enough to cause any real concern. I have now pushed a bit of copper wire into the heater coil as suggested on bpl (only got it about half way). The flaring is now minimal but even unmodified I would still be happy to use it a tent vestibule.

Looking at the images of the Kovea I reckon a new set of supports should drop quite a bit off the weight. There seem to be other bits could handle a bit of lightening as well. Can't wait to have a play.

[KANANGRABOYD]

LOL - Monotauk Gnat!!????? - You mean Fire Maple, Macpac, Kathmandu et al.... I have one - awesome lil number ( espec in the Titanium version)

[hikin_jim]

LOL - Monotauk Gnat!!????? - You mean Fire Maple, Macpac, Kathmandu et al.... I have one - awesome lil number ( espec in the Titanium version)

Yes, pretty funny, isn't it just how many names that one stove is sold under. Don't forget that it's sold under the Olicamp brand as the "Kinetic Ultra." Where on earth did they get that odd name?

The real manufacturer is of course Fire Maple in China. Fire Maple calls the stove the "Heat Core," another odd name. Many people just call it by it's code, FMS-116t.

Fire Maple just came out with a new, even lighter stove, the "Hornet" (FMS-300t).

HJ

[hikin_jim]

I do have a 117 and a 118T . I am happy with them. Over summer the 118T got 20 days of use and performed flawlessly until the last day when it started to give a yellow flame. Just needed the jet cleaned. There was a small accumulation of dust on the sintered filter attached to the jet. I blew this off and it continues to work just fine. Whether this dust is from a canister or from the fuel line I have no idea but as long as you can remove the jet it doesn't seem to be a problem. The stove was mainly used un-inverted. When used inverted there was a small flare but not enough to cause any real concern. I have now pushed a bit of copper wire into the heater coil as suggested on bpl (only got it about half way). The flaring is now minimal but even unmodified I would still be happy to use it a tent vestibule.

Thanks for your thoughts. To me, Chinese remote canister stoves are still a little crude. I'm not trying to "put down" anyone who buys one (I've thought about it myself), but I'm just a bit leery of being out in cold weather a day or so away from civilization and having one conk out. There have been a number of problems reported with them. I'm a lot more comfortable with a stove whose designer and builder has a good track record with such devices.

Looking at the images of the Kovea I reckon a new set of supports should drop quite a bit off the weight. There seem to be other bits could handle a bit of lightening as well. Can't wait to have a play.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

HJ

[Mountain Rocket]

Thanks for bringing this stove to my attention. I have been looking for a light weight remote canister stove with a pre-heat tube for a while now.
I know Fire Maple make some cool ones but I try and steer clear of Chinese manufacturing. I know Kovea is Korea but I personally still prefer it.

Hopefully they are not too far away with something a smidge lighter

[hikin_jim]

Thanks for bringing this stove to my attention. I have been looking for a light weight remote canister stove with a pre-heat tube for a while now.

You're welcome, and I think the Kovea Spider fits the bill quite nicely. The pre-heat loop on the Spider, unlike on some of the Chinese stoves, works well. It's a really nice design that is not only lighter than most of the stoves in this class but is also quite a bit more compact -- far more compact than its Chinese counterparts.

I know Fire Maple make some cool ones but I try and steer clear of Chinese manufacturing. I know Kovea is Korea but I personally still prefer it.

Fire Maple is the best of the lot when it comes to Chinese stove manufacturers. Their FMS-116t (the Heat Core, which is also as has been pointed out sold as the Monatauk Gnat and other names) is actually a very nice stove about which I have no real complaint (it could be more compact, but that's hardly a design or manufacturing flaw). But when it comes to their remote canister stoves, particularly those that might be used for inverted canister use, it is clear that they haven't quite grasped what it is that they're about. Their fuel line, though it does go through the flame, is improperly designed and does not succeed in 100% vaporization of the fuel. People are doing after market modifications to make the stoves work better -- better not well. No thank you, not for me, not for a stove I'll be depending upon in winter conditions.

Hopefully they are not too far away with something a smidge lighter

Let us hope so. If the Spider sells well, and it is my hope that it will, perhaps they will be encouraged to pursue the line further. Perhaps unfortunately, much of the world only understands the little lightweight mount-on-top canister stoves. I hope there's enough understanding of the benefits of a remote canister stove that demand will indeed be great enough to support further product improvement.

I take it as an encouraging sign that stove manufacturers are all jumping onto the inverted canister bandwagon. Jetboil was I believe first with their Helios system. Then the MSR Windpro was changed to the Windpro II to facilitate inverted canister use. The Primus Express Spider was also introduced. Optimus has entered the fray with their Vega stove. Fire Maple has their FMS-118 Volcano. Edelrid may also have something. And of course the Kovea Spider. With so many companies entering the inverted canister "race," I think we'll have some real improvements to look forward to in the next few years.

HJ

[Nuts]

Looks like a good sturdy stove Jim, thanks for the review. We have some Windpro stoves and the later model. Always been pretty reliable though they seem to die with a breakdown inside the feed tube. Aside from that the only drawback they aren't the most compact, awkward shape when packed.

I'm, personally, looking for a winter stove but the legs appear the part to make these not a lot smaller. I'll do some reading but can you suggest the most compact remote can stove, is there anything commercially available set low enough to use in my 800ml caldera setup and pack inside the pot (for eg) (Apologies, i'll bring it back on topic if there's no easy answer : ))

[Mark F]

Nuts - to answer your question we really need to know the height from the ground to the pot support of your caldera setup. The the Fire Maple 117/118 has a height of 70mm (only stoves I have measured) but this could be reduced a little as there is a gap between the base of the burner and the ground of 5mm. There will be a minimum for this measurement due to the need to get the gas mixing with air, but some designs place the mixer tube horizontally. If you have access see Roger Caffin's latest article on BPL.

The real difference in compactness comes from two factors.
1. Leg designs that fold to nest together (Kovea Spider, MSR Windpro) rather than compact to form a smaller diameter circular shape (Fire Maple compacts to a unit 90mm long and 80mm diameter).
2. Burner diameter. Kovea has a nice small burner that still spreads the flames compared to the Fire Maples (50mm dia) and even larger the MSR Windpro (the burner head looks like the one on the Superfly which is 70mm diameter).

[hikin_jim]

Looks like a good sturdy stove Jim, thanks for the review. We have some Windpro stoves and the later model. Always been pretty reliable though they seem to die with a breakdown inside the feed tube. Aside from that the only drawback they aren't the most compact, awkward shape when packed.

Yes, that's my chief complaint with the Windpro II -- it's awkward to pack.

And therein lies my excitement with the Kovea Spider. It's much more packable. I don't know if you read the full review on my blog, but both it and a 110g canister of gas will fit in either my Snow Peak 780ml pot or my MSR Titan kettle 850ml pot. I can't be 100% sure, but I think it should fit in your 800ml pot.

I'm, personally, looking for a winter stove but the legs appear the part to make these not a lot smaller. I'll do some reading but can you suggest the most compact remote can stove, is there anything commercially available set low enough to use in my 800ml caldera setup and pack inside the pot (for eg) (Apologies, i'll bring it back on topic if there's no easy answer : ))

The Kovea Spider is the most compact remote canister stove I know about although I must admit that I haven't seen the Primus Express Spider first hand.

I don't know how high your Caldera set up is. I have, among others, a Sidewinder Ti-Tri cone for the 1300ml Evernew pot. With my Sidewinder, my pot doesn't fit all the way into the cone anymore; it sticks up about 27mm. My sidewinder is of course a fairly short cone. The Kovea Spider might well be a perfect fit with a full height Caldera Cone.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

I'm, personally, looking for a winter stove but the legs appear the part to make these not a lot smaller.

A picture being worth 1,000 words, I took another photo when I got home.

On the left is a 780ml Snow Peak pot. On the right is an 850ml MSR pot (Titan kettle). If I put the MSR Windpro II into either, that's all that will fit. But because of the clever compact design of the Kovea Spider, not only will the Spider fit but I can also fit in a 110g canister of gas -- now, that is compact.

HJ

[Nuts]

Hi Jim/Mark.

I was mainly looking for something that would be small enough to work under the caldera, given that the support point for canister top stoves (eg gnat) is focused on one small area and then is sturdy enough on even a small canister width I would have thought someone would have made a stove, lower, with narrower legs and pot arms, maybe at the expense of BTU's. Y'know for the Caldera army swapping from summer alcohol use :

Pics?

Windpro is a good height:

And fits in the pot (just and awkwardly):

But here's the problem:

And at 6.5cm radius the Spider would still be too wide.
I was, at one stage, thinking of cutting down the arms on one of these older windpro (they are useable with an inverted canister but not ideal)

[etrangere]

Mr Jim good to see you back. Being a fellow stove tragic I always enjoy your reviews. Would I be correct in saying the kovea spider is just the same burner head as the kovea ultralite titanium just placed on a different stand and connected to a remote hose??

[hikin_jim]

Mr Jim good to see you back. Being a fellow stove tragic I always enjoy your reviews.

I am not a stove tragic. There's a very good reason that I have each and every one of my stoves, a reason I will be most happy to explain to you... just as soon as I figure out what it is.

Would I be correct in saying the kovea spider is just the same burner head as the kovea ultralite titanium just placed on a different stand and connected to a remote hose??

An astute observation. The only obvious difference is that the mesh inside the burner head is a bit finer on the Supalite.


HJ

[hikin_jim]

Hi Jim/Mark.

I was mainly looking for something that would be small enough to work under the caldera, given that the support point for canister top stoves (eg gnat) is focused on one small area and then is sturdy enough on even a small canister width I would have thought someone would have made a stove, lower, with narrower legs and pot arms, maybe at the expense of BTU's. Y'know for the Caldera army swapping from summer alcohol use :

Nuts, you must have a Sidewinder cone or something, yes? You have the same pot (MSR Titan kettle by the look of it), and the Spider fits inside nicely in mine, but you say it wouldn't on yours. My cone is the "Standard" Caldera Cone.


It juts up a bit...


But not bad. A couple of mm.



It also fits in my Ti-Tri Sidwinder.


But it sticks out a bit there, maybe 2.7cm.

Still, I think it would do just fine as a windscreen and would add at least some efficiency to the burn.

The Ti-Tri cone and the stove fit in my 1.3L evernew pot just fine.


But a canister just won't fit with the cone inside. The pot is a bit too shallow, and you can't close the lid.


HJ

[Nuts]

hmmm, looks like a good option, works well, a good size for those larger pots. Mine is a fair bit smaller Jim, I doubt any remote stove would be small enough from the factory from the ones iv'e seen. The spider would be nice, perhaps i'd be better off with a larger cone or just making a windshield, probably a bigger pot as even a shield around the spider would leave a big gap around my pot.

[hikin_jim]

hmmm, looks like a good option, works well, a good size for those larger pots. Mine is a fair bit smaller Jim, I doubt any remote stove would be small enough from the factory from the ones iv'e seen. The spider would be nice, perhaps i'd be better off with a larger cone or just making a windshield, probably a bigger pot as even a shield around the spider would leave a big gap around my pot.

Yes, a bigger pot might work better with the Spider.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

As an adjunct to my earlier post, I just put up a blog post on cooking with the new Kovea Spider. Have a look if you like.



HJ

[Strider]

FYI - Amazon is selling these for AUD $64 delivered. Good price!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFP ... PDKIKX0DER

[Strider]

Got my stove today. Using standard butane I get some flame sputter when the canister is inverted. I let it warm up for a fair while first. Is any amount of sputtering normal?