I finally picked up a BRS 3000T as it is so light and well regarded and used by more competent individuals than myself ( @B_Reynolds_AK and @AK Troutbum come to mind) while also not being expensive. I was thinking of saving a about 1.5 ounces by swapping out my Soto Windmaster.
Soto.
78 g as carried (less 12 for bag). I use the triflex por support. The Soto is tall, but has a very reliable built in ignition and a regulator.
BRS.
29 g as carried (less 2 for bag). No ignition. Not regulated.
Test, bring 8 oz tap water to a rolling boil. Setting, my dinning room table.
Unless otherwise stated a Toaks 650 ml cup was used. No lid.
First test on the BRS, I realized I needed to collect more data and measure differently.
Start weight 10.0 oz
Time 3:02
End weight 10.0 oz
The first two were as I would adjust flame in the field.
BRS
Start temp 66.5 F
Start weight 312~ g
Time 2:57
End weight 309~ g =3 g used
Soto
Start temp. 63.6 F
Start weight 350~ g
Time 1:54
End weight 346~ g. =4 g used
Decided to try for faster boil by turning this up well past what I would use in the field.
BRS, not at max, but uncomfortably high with flames licking up the cut sides.
Start temp 60.2 F
Start weight 301~ g
Time 1:33
End weight 295~ g. = 6 g
Soto turned up to max. This flame and noise levere were still more comfortable than the BRS at less than max.
Start temp. 76.8 F
Start weight 335~ g
Time 1:20
End weight 330~ g. =5 g
I wanted to see if I could get more efficiency from the Soto by turning it down.
Soto
Start temp 61.3 F
Start weight 346~ g
Time 2:26
End weight 341~ g. =5 g
Conclusion, not much meaningful difference in nice conditions.
Now, the question is how does wind effect them? I used a small fan set to high, generating an 8.0 mph wind at the burner location (measured with a Kestrel).
BRS wind test. Test stopped before reaching boil.
Start temp 69.9 F
Start weight 290~ g
Time 10:32 to reach 150 F
End weight 265~ g. = 25 g. (2.38g/min)
Soto wind test, better, but still struggling and stopped before reaching a full rolling boil (but a light boil was reached at about 17 minutes).
Start temp 69.4 F
Start weight 305~ g
Time 18:00, boiling, but not a full rolling boil
End weight 259~ g. = 46 g. (2.56g/min)
Hit 150 F at 5:06 minutes
Hit 202.3 F at 10:00 minutes
Put lid on at 14 minutes just to see if I could get to a rolling boil.
Switched to the Fire Maple heat exchanger pot.
BRS 8.0 mph wind Fire Maple pot
Start temp 72.8 F
Start weight 211~ g
Time 10:32 to reach 128.6 F
End weight 189~ g. = 22 g
Soto 8.0 mph wind with Fire Maple pot
Start temp 71.9 F
Start weight 259~ g
Time 2:07
End weight 254~ g. = 5 g
The Soto clearly wins in the wind, and the Soto paired with the Fire Maple pot is a champ (which matches my experience in the field).
If I modified the Fire Maple pot or the BRS so they fit together better, the BRS would do better. I might go back and modify the BRS to retest in wind with the Fire Maple pot.
I also think you can see the advantage of the Soto's regulator as the last test with the BRS involved turning it up to max, but burning less fuel than a similar test below max with a less empty and warmer canister. The difference is small enough to be measurement error as well though, so caution is needed in making any conclusions.
Weights
-Toaks 650 ml pot 63 g (no lid)
-Fire Maple pot 138 g (no lid)
-Fire Maple lid 28 g (fits the Toaks pot, better lid than what comes with the Toaks)
-Soto 79 g
-BRS 29 g
I think I would swap out the Fire Maple pot for the Toaks pot to save weight before I would swap the Soto out for the BRS. On short over nights, I will consider the Toaks pot as fuel consumption doesn't really matter. On longer hunts, my system will stay the Soto and Fire Maple.
Testing flaw's.
-used a kitchen scale for weights, so they are +/- 1 g. In perfect conditions the difference in fuel use could be a measurement error. But I think the trend favors the BRS.
-I measured the water by volume, and not weight.
-I tried to time for when the entire surface was covered in large bubbles, but would say time is +/- 4 seconds.
- I just set the flame by feel. This is more accurate to my use, but not as repeatable.
- I only ran each test once.
Before getting to the Soto Windmaster I used an MSR Pocket Rocket, Jet Boil Flash, Snow Peak GigaPower Stove Manual. The Soto is the only one I have been happy with using in field conditions. Primarily because most of my use is above tree line in wind and probably because I'm lazy with wind shielding.
Here is a good thread that argues against me. https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/ul-fuel-efficient-cook-system.211835/
Soto.
78 g as carried (less 12 for bag). I use the triflex por support. The Soto is tall, but has a very reliable built in ignition and a regulator.
BRS.
29 g as carried (less 2 for bag). No ignition. Not regulated.
Test, bring 8 oz tap water to a rolling boil. Setting, my dinning room table.
Unless otherwise stated a Toaks 650 ml cup was used. No lid.
First test on the BRS, I realized I needed to collect more data and measure differently.
Start weight 10.0 oz
Time 3:02
End weight 10.0 oz
The first two were as I would adjust flame in the field.
BRS
Start temp 66.5 F
Start weight 312~ g
Time 2:57
End weight 309~ g =3 g used
Soto
Start temp. 63.6 F
Start weight 350~ g
Time 1:54
End weight 346~ g. =4 g used
Decided to try for faster boil by turning this up well past what I would use in the field.
BRS, not at max, but uncomfortably high with flames licking up the cut sides.
Start temp 60.2 F
Start weight 301~ g
Time 1:33
End weight 295~ g. = 6 g
Soto turned up to max. This flame and noise levere were still more comfortable than the BRS at less than max.
Start temp. 76.8 F
Start weight 335~ g
Time 1:20
End weight 330~ g. =5 g
I wanted to see if I could get more efficiency from the Soto by turning it down.
Soto
Start temp 61.3 F
Start weight 346~ g
Time 2:26
End weight 341~ g. =5 g
Conclusion, not much meaningful difference in nice conditions.
Now, the question is how does wind effect them? I used a small fan set to high, generating an 8.0 mph wind at the burner location (measured with a Kestrel).
BRS wind test. Test stopped before reaching boil.
Start temp 69.9 F
Start weight 290~ g
Time 10:32 to reach 150 F
End weight 265~ g. = 25 g. (2.38g/min)
Soto wind test, better, but still struggling and stopped before reaching a full rolling boil (but a light boil was reached at about 17 minutes).
Start temp 69.4 F
Start weight 305~ g
Time 18:00, boiling, but not a full rolling boil
End weight 259~ g. = 46 g. (2.56g/min)
Hit 150 F at 5:06 minutes
Hit 202.3 F at 10:00 minutes
Put lid on at 14 minutes just to see if I could get to a rolling boil.
Switched to the Fire Maple heat exchanger pot.
BRS 8.0 mph wind Fire Maple pot
Start temp 72.8 F
Start weight 211~ g
Time 10:32 to reach 128.6 F
End weight 189~ g. = 22 g
Soto 8.0 mph wind with Fire Maple pot
Start temp 71.9 F
Start weight 259~ g
Time 2:07
End weight 254~ g. = 5 g
The Soto clearly wins in the wind, and the Soto paired with the Fire Maple pot is a champ (which matches my experience in the field).
If I modified the Fire Maple pot or the BRS so they fit together better, the BRS would do better. I might go back and modify the BRS to retest in wind with the Fire Maple pot.
I also think you can see the advantage of the Soto's regulator as the last test with the BRS involved turning it up to max, but burning less fuel than a similar test below max with a less empty and warmer canister. The difference is small enough to be measurement error as well though, so caution is needed in making any conclusions.
Weights
-Toaks 650 ml pot 63 g (no lid)
-Fire Maple pot 138 g (no lid)
-Fire Maple lid 28 g (fits the Toaks pot, better lid than what comes with the Toaks)
-Soto 79 g
-BRS 29 g
I think I would swap out the Fire Maple pot for the Toaks pot to save weight before I would swap the Soto out for the BRS. On short over nights, I will consider the Toaks pot as fuel consumption doesn't really matter. On longer hunts, my system will stay the Soto and Fire Maple.
Testing flaw's.
-used a kitchen scale for weights, so they are +/- 1 g. In perfect conditions the difference in fuel use could be a measurement error. But I think the trend favors the BRS.
-I measured the water by volume, and not weight.
-I tried to time for when the entire surface was covered in large bubbles, but would say time is +/- 4 seconds.
- I just set the flame by feel. This is more accurate to my use, but not as repeatable.
- I only ran each test once.
Before getting to the Soto Windmaster I used an MSR Pocket Rocket, Jet Boil Flash, Snow Peak GigaPower Stove Manual. The Soto is the only one I have been happy with using in field conditions. Primarily because most of my use is above tree line in wind and probably because I'm lazy with wind shielding.
Here is a good thread that argues against me. https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/ul-fuel-efficient-cook-system.211835/
