Multi fuel, canister or Trangia?

[Callumhiking]

Hey guys, I'm experienced hiker but I'm having difficulties trying to find a light weight but durable hiking stove. I've use Trangia, Kovea and 360 degrees products also been on trips where friends have used Jetboil and the like. I'm on the market for a new system but can't decide if I should try something new like a MSR Dragonfly, Soto Muka for the multi fuel capabilities if I find myself wanting to do a trip in the snow and just because it turns out to be cheap buying white gas from the hardware store. Anyway what do you guy recommend I do for a solid long lasting cooking system? That's also light weight and doesn't require too many extras for it to work.

 

[bbeaudette]

I have some experience with an MSR multifuel stove. It’s true that it will run cheap white gas or anything you feed it. But not nearly as well as if you feed it the expensive stuff from MSR. Which is not that easy to find. But the cold weather-altitude benefit is real. But with canisters if you keep them warm ish they work well enough. I found a solo Primus stove with a cup that locks on not unlike an MSR reactor. It works awesome. Lights easy and the isobutane canisters last a quite a long time. Mostly because it’s efficient and boils water quickly.


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[Callumhiking]

I have some experience with an MSR multifuel stove. It’s true that it will run cheap white gas or anything you feed it. But not nearly as well as if you feed it the expensive stuff from MSR. Which is not that easy to find. But the cold weather-altitude benefit is real. But with canisters if you keep them warm ish they work well enough. I found a solo Primus stove with a cup that locks on not unlike an MSR reactor. It works awesome. Lights easy and the isobutane canisters last a quite a long time. Mostly because it’s efficient and boils water quickly.


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What sought of meals do you bring with you?

 

[bbeaudette]

Most rehydrate type stuff. Mountain House or Heathers Choice. Plus I really like hot drinks so I pack hot chocolate, coffee, cider and cammamile tea for evenings (I know that’s not spelly correctly) so essentially I really just need a system to boil water quickly.


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[*zap*]

If you go canister you can get an adapter to burn 1# propane bottles if it is cold.

 

[Callumhiking]

Most rehydrate type stuff. Mountain House or Heathers Choice. Plus I really like hot drinks so I pack hot chocolate, coffee, cider and cammamile tea for evenings (I know that’s not spelly correctly) so essentially I really just need a system to boil water quickly.


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What stove do you have the most experience with?

 

[tlkaetz]

I would highly recommend the MSR Reactor.

 

[Brendan]

If you want cheap white gas - buy a used MSR Whisperlite setup from the classifieds here or off Ebay to test it out. if you don't like it - sell it. Mine is over 20 years old and still going, even though I primarily use a Primus canister now.

Can't go wrong with MSR or Primus. Stay away from Jetboil.

 

[Lawnboi]

What are you looking to cook with the stove. Multi fuel stoves have thier place for sure, but being light and simple isn’t one of thier positives.

That said if your cooking in the cold, attempting to actually cook, or going for a very extended trip, multi gas is a good option. They take more to light, you have to pressureize the fuel, need a wind screen, all around more work to make a meal, but they work below freezing, and support bigger cookware and the dragonfly specifically is great for simmering.

It gets no simpler or lighter than a screw on an go canister stove, but performance can lack depending on where your cooking, the temp, wind all can have a great effect on particular systems.

You just have to weight what your doing, and when your doing it. If your camping in the winter, and have to melt snow I don’t see how you can go wrong with a multi fuel. If your cooking complicated meals a dragonfly would work great. If all you need is to boil water in temps mostly around or above freezing I’m sure you could make a canister work.

 

[Phaseolus]

I used a Trangia for years, with it’s integrated windscreen and pot it served me without fault for years. It is difficult to get really good fuel for it though which is critical. They are foolproof and have nothing to break or plug up. I now carry a jet boil simply because it is lighter.

 

[Callumhiking]

What are you looking to cook with the stove. Multi fuel stoves have thier place for sure, but being light and simple isn’t one of thier positives.

That said if your cooking in the cold, attempting to actually cook, or going for a very extended trip, multi gas is a good option. They take more to light, you have to pressureize the fuel, need a wind screen, all around more work to make a meal, but they work below freezing, and support bigger cookware and the dragonfly specifically is great for simmering.

It gets no simpler or lighter than a screw on an go canister stove, but performance can lack depending on where your cooking, the temp, wind all can have a great effect on particular systems.

You just have to weight what your doing, and when your doing it. If your camping in the winter, and have to melt snow I don’t see how you can go wrong with a multi fuel. If your cooking complicated meals a dragonfly would work great. If all you need is to boil water in temps mostly around or above freezing I’m sure you could make a canister work.

Mostly dehydrated meals so all I really need is canister to boil water, I've been looking at the MSR pocket rocket to be the most viable option for me

 

[Callumhiking]

T

If you want cheap white gas - buy a used MSR Whisperlite setup from the classifieds here or off Ebay to test it out. if you don't like it - sell it. Mine is over 20 years old and still going, even though I primarily use a Primus canister now.

Can't go wrong with MSR or Primus. Stay away from Jetboil.

Thanks mate

 

[Napperm4]

I’ve got a canister stove and an older primus varifuel stove.

The liquid stove hasn’t made it out in quite a few years.

For dehydrated meals, soups & hot drinks I use the Soto micro regulator stove. Never had an issue using it at altitude or cold weather though as others have said - keep your canister in your bag or in your coat. I’ve had canisters frost up but never lost pressure before the water was boiling.

I love the weight and compact size. Solo I use a sea to summit x kettle and mug or snowpeak solo titanium set. With the wife or hunting partners I bring a 2L ever new titanium pot.

 

[Lawnboi]

Mostly dehydrated meals so all I really need is canister to boil water, I've been looking at the MSR pocket rocket to be the most viable option for me

Pocket rocket works. I think you will work out alright with a canister stove as long as your only boiling for meals and not in frigid cold. Lots of options in the canister world, and honestly I haven’t used all that many. Can’t find a reason to change something that works.

I do own a pocket rocket and can say it’s Achilles heel is the wind. If I were to do it over again I’d look at something that can withstand some wind.