Stoves: SO vs Argali

[Confluentus]

In the market for a stove. Looking through previous threads on the subject of stoves on this forum, the impression I get is that the Lite Outdoors cylinder stove is a PITA to assemble and most people don’t like using it. SO stoves have a solid reputation and seem not too difficult to assemble. The Argali stove has been widely available for awhile now and is getting good reviews, and their setup video makes it look considerably easier to assemble than the SO stove (for approx the same price point too).

I’m wondering if anyone who has tried both the SO stoves and the new Argali have opinions on the ease of setup and functionality between the two offerings. The only downside to the Argali seems to be that it is not made in USA, and it’s a bit heavier for the same size. Unless it is not as user-friendly or functional in some other way?

I don’t believe there are any other stoves in this size/weight class currently on the market although I would be interested if there are. The similarly sized Kifaru is a lot heavier. Perhaps the Winnerwell stove is a contender as well?

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[406flyfish]

I’ve owned a SO stove. Worked great, no complaints. Haven’t personally used the Argali, but I’ve heard great reviews. I’m sure they’re fairly equal in burn time.

I’d probably purchase a SO again due to cost, customer service and weight. They are doing 15% off right now.

 

[Idaboy]

I have SO stove, no complaints, has held up good to set up/ tear down on backcountry hunts. Pretty light. Would error on going with larger size SO, for wood capacity and can hold a fair bed of coals for a few hrs. All these lightweight stoves need to keep restocking or they burn out pretty quick, so don't expect 4+ hrs of burn to keep you warm, maybe 2hrs at best. I like the SO square build so you can put cookware on if you want. It's awesome on cold morning to burn off the dampness in tent and at night to dry out any gear/layers before bed. We often camp with stock, so I have not packed this around on my back.

 

[S.Clancy]

Just FYI, Lite Outdoors setup isn't that difficult. I get my whole stove set up in like 5 min. They are lighter and cheaper than the other options

 

[ID_Matt]

I only can compare the lite outdoors and SO. The lite cylinder definitely takes a touch longer than the box style SO to set up. I would guess I can have my lite set up in 10 mins. Outside of set up time, the lite outdoors is cheaper, lighter, and because it is a cylinder it can be longer without sacrificing weight. Longer stove means longer sticks to burn which means less wood cutting time.

 

[JLeeC10]

I am debating the same two options as the OP. Based on comments here will consider the lite outdoors as well, but interested in anyone’s opinion who has experience with the Argali

 

[mnbuckfinder]

another vote for the lite outdoors stove. Love mine. I do not have experience with SO or Argali stoves though, so I can't say better or worse. just a fan of Lite Outdoors.

 

[3Esski]

same as above, really enjoy my lite outdoors stove. you can position the two top rods to hold a coffee cup or a pan to heat something up. Haven't used any other brands but don't see the need to try. I did try adding the baffle they offer and that was a nightmare, but otherwise happy with it.

 

[Mortar]

Appreciate this info. I’ve been doing the same research as OP.

 

[Staninator]

My friend and I used the Argali stove last month for a week and it worked great. The set and tear down were very straightforward, and the quality of materials is top notch. I personally liked the legs of the Argali stove as opposed to having 4 separate legs like the SO stoves. It held heat very well and the molded sides helped from warping like I've seen with other stoves. At this point, we're not looking at any other stoves.

 

[Poser]

I have a Lite Outdoors cylinder stove. I added it as a larger upgrade to an old TiGoat cylinder stove I've had for years. I'm no stranger to setting up cylinder stoves and have set up that TiGoat dozens of times. With the Lite Outdoors, I had no problem with the initial setup and burn and used it in a stationary camp for 4 days during a Nov hunt. After that initial burn, I have tried 3 times to reassemble the stove and literally cannot get the stove to stay together during setup. The whole thing just falls apart and I can't seem to force it together. Last time I spent 2 hours on it and was so frustrated I kicked the damn thing like a football. I went back to the much smaller TiGoat with no issues.