For Stove Freaks

[alanoutgear]

Hi Corvus,

I have about 20 stoves, mostly Optimus stoves starting from the late '50s with a model 80 (they were generally better then than they are now), but I also have some German Enders stoves, a couple of Phoebus stoves, and two fantastic Turm metho stoves whose design is just so good I don't know why they stopped making them in the 70s, and there's a couple of current Snow Peak stoves. The Turm stoves have a folding mechanism that incorporates an elevated fuel tank to provide slight fuel pressure in the burner that works like a treat.

My favourite stove at the moment is my Optimus Stella + gas stove. You can get them from the US for about $80, and they are light, reliable and easy to use. Typical of modern Optimus stoves though you need to complete the construction that Optimus should have done. There's an aluminium ring that strengthens the part that screws onto the cylinder, and it falls off the first or second time you use the stove. Araldite fixes the problem, but it would have been nice if Optimus had done it in the factory.

Turm Sport stove.jpg (7.64 KiB) Viewed 5413 times

Last edited by alanoutgear on Mon 16 May, 2011 10:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[corvus]

Great collection I only have around 14 now and I especially like your Turm one.
Question why the Optimus Stellar rather than the SP Crab especially as the Stellar does not have a heat exchanger and it looks like it weighs over 200 gm ?
corvus

Last edited by corvus on Sun 15 May, 2011 11:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Nuts]

News just in Corv: http://www.fire-maple.com/myWeb/EN/Prod ... 4&bigid=11 ... hows the allowance holding up

[Peaksnik]

Nuts,

It is very tempting at 98g but compared to the 100T it would require a windscreen (say +60g) where the 100T could do without and using an inverted canister would be a bit dodgy (dangerous!). But it still looks lovely.. . ..

I now wish that I hadn't revisited this thread

[alanoutgear]

I use the Stella because it's so quick and easy to use, and it seems to be really efficient in its heating and gas use. I can generally have water boiled while Trange users are still putting their stove together.

Attachments

Stella+ stove

Stella+ stove.jpg (6.64 KiB) Viewed 5348 times

[Nuts]

Hi Peaksnik, yes looks nice but yes no preheat, no wind shielding.

Theres a guy flogging some Bulin stoves on BPL that look like good value (though I like the big burner on my windpro better) $35 delivered :


http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... d_id=47657

1305366087_43110.jpg (48.16 KiB) Viewed 5345 times

[corvus]

Just bought one BL100-BS on eBay (outdoor portable foldable camping stove) $27.90 landed
Must not look at any more stoves/burners other than Vintage ones from now on as I guess this latest purchase will only be "bench tested" and sit in the box with all of the others but for under $30.00 how could I resist
corvus

[ninjapuppet]

couple of questions:

- with those remote cannister stoves, would you flip the cannister upside down only in really cold temps or every time you use it?
- Would you flip it over before lighting it or wait a few minutes before doing so?
- and do you leave the cannister flipped over tilted on its edge or use some sort of cannister holder to hold it upright?

hmm interesting.

[Bluegum Mic]

Hmm. I can't answer that as I've yet had the need to flip it. I have a kovea moonwalker and it lit first click of the button at -2 up Kosi and boiled the water without any noticeable change in performance. Not the lightest stove on the market (just under 300g from memory) but very happy with it. I believe though you flip the canister to light them if cold/having trouble as it gives a liquid feed. The rest I have no answers for

[Tony]

couple of questions:

- with those remote cannister stoves, would you flip the cannister upside down only in really cold temps or every time you use it?
- Would you flip it over before lighting it or wait a few minutes before doing so?
- and do you leave the cannister flipped over tilted on its edge or use some sort of cannister holder to hold it upright?

hmm interesting.

Hi Ninj,

I have been using a Coleman extreme liquid feed gas stove for a while and even in the coldest temps I light it with the liquid gas feed (with adapter or can be used with STD canisters).

When warmer the liquid gas turns to gas in the fuel line so starting with gas canister upside down makes is OK, the problem with having the canister upright then turning upside down is that you can have a flareup so some caution is needed, I think the expansion ratio of the liquid to gas is around 280 to 1.

Tony

[Maelgwn]

couple of questions:

- with those remote cannister stoves, would you flip the cannister upside down only in really cold temps or every time you use it?
- Would you flip it over before lighting it or wait a few minutes before doing so?
- and do you leave the cannister flipped over tilted on its edge or use some sort of cannister holder to hold it upright?

hmm interesting.

Hi Ninj,

I have been using a Coleman extreme liquid feed gas stove for a while and even in the coldest temps I light it with the liquid gas feed (with adapter or can be used with STD canisters).

When warmer the liquid gas turns to gas in the fuel line so starting with gas canister upside down makes is OK, the problem with having the canister upright then turning upside down is that you can have a flareup so some caution is needed, I think the expansion ratio of the liquid to gas is around 280 to 1.

Tony

Doesn't this mean you get a big yellow flame when you light it? Like priming a shellite stove. (As you are lighting a liquid - rather than a gas)

[Tony]

Doesn't this mean you get a big yellow flame when you light it? Like priming a shellite stove. (As you are lighting a liquid - rather than a gas)

Yes it can happen if it is very cold and the fuel line is full of liquid gas but it normally does not happen as the fuel lines are usually warm enough to vaporize the fuel, it does not get that cold here in Australia, the flareups that I have had (while playing with stove design) have usually been smaller and shorter than the flareups with my shellite stove, but as with lighting any stove it is always important to take care. I have put my Extreme and canister in the freezer at -20ºC and it has lit OK, a bit slow at first but once the pre-heat tube gets warmed even a little bit the stove operates normally.

Tony

[Nuts]

Just bought one BL100-BS on eBay (outdoor portable foldable camping stove) $27.90 landed
Must not look at any more stoves/burners other than Vintage ones from now on as I guess this latest purchase will only be "bench tested" and sit in the box with all of the others but for under $30.00 how could I resist
corvus

Thats funny, true to your heritage you managed to find a bargain... maybe... Hey they are selling pretty well on the BPL site, wonder if anyone there checked their ebay?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Camping-Backpacking ... 48406b3529

[corvus]

Go on Nuts place a bid you well may land it for $0.99 US + freight which would make it cheaper than mine at $27.90 AU landed

[corvus]

What about this one any owners out there ??
http://cgi.ebay.com/Multi-fuel-Camping- ... 3a580d6b25
corvus

[ninjapuppet]

This stove has an uncanny resemblance to an optimus nova but with the extra ability to operate on a cannister.

[Nuts]

I think you need help Corv
Anyhow, I guess the wallet will get a weeks reprieve.. you guys ready yet!

[Dale]

This has been a very timely thread for me. I've been pondering what stove to get for Winter camping and assumed a multi fuel or white gas stove was the only way to go. The remote / inverted cannister stove caught my attention and there are some great articles on BPL by Roger Caffin on these stoves(need a subscription to read):

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... cy_p2.html

I like the simplicity of canister stoves but was reminded of the cold weather issues on my last hike where my poor MSR Pocket Rocket coughed and spluttered in the morning. This delayed my morning coffee - which as a caffeine addict is totally unacceptable

I just ordered the Primus Express Spider Stove using bonus points on Moontrail

http://www.moontrail.com/primus-express-spider.php

I'll check back in after I give it a whirl in the cold weather !