UKC

That is lightweight for winter wild camping / bivi in Scotland and also for altitude trips up to 6000m?

All ideas welcome and what negatives and positives you have about the item!

Greatly appreciated.

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In reply to AdCo82:

I have an MSR Drgaonfly for that exact purpose and it works very well. Will burn literally anything. Though there are lighter MSR stoves (whisperlight and XGR I think) that would probably be more suited for your needs. Can't beat the Dragonfly on stability and flame control though!

In reply to crayefish:

Alternatively try the Primus Omnifuel, or Omnifuel Ti.

In reply to crayefish:
The dragonfly is a temperamental stove ( mine is ), go for the simpler MSR, will last u a lifetime

In reply to AdCo82:

I used to have an MSR dragonfly, it was the least reliable piece of kit I ever owned. It was prone to blockage, and on one memorable occasion the pump handle snapped off in my hand the first time I tried using it in the cold. Would not buy another under any circumstances.

Not all MSR stoves are as bad. The whisperlite international I borrowed once was far less prone to blocking up, and I hear their pumps have improved.

If I was looking now I would probably buy a primus omnifuel or optimus nova.

In reply to NottsRich:

Omnifuel Ti if weight is important, or Omnifuel if you want a bit more power.

Burns everything from gas (and you can invert the canister in the cold) through to Diesel. Primus own fuel (or coleman fuel) is the cleanest/best though.

In reply to AdCo82:

Have to agree with the Dragonfly comments. A few years ago wild camping in Scotland, my mate's packed up even though he had only ever used shop bought stove fuel. My XGK EX on the other hand, chugged away happily on diesel the whole time.

In reply to AdCo82:

I've got a Omnilite Ti which is true multifuel in the sense that it can use gas canisters and liquid fuel. It's very very good and the engineering is incredible (if you like that sort of thing!), even more apparent when you put it side by side with something like a Whisperlite.

I got mine for a really good price from Escape Route in Pitlochry, might be worth giving them a call while their sale is still on?

In reply to AdCo82:
If anyone wants to buy an Msr XGK EX I have one for sale. I bought it new for a trip to Peru last year that didnt happen due to injury so Id like to get some money back on it.
Its been used once only to test it,it comes with the pump,also a spare pump,spare jet and washers Also a MSR fuel bottle for it.
I`ll sell it for £75 the lot.
Im abroad at the moment but flying back Friday night and can do pictures after the weekend

In reply to rackandruin:

New Msr Whisperlite Universal is Brilliant gas/liquid
Bombproof think someone was selling one the other day
For £75 thats a bargain

In reply to AdCo82:

In order?

1. Primus Omni/Multi-fuel (gets #1 as can also be used with canisters)
2. New MSR XGK
3. Old MSR XGK
4. MSR Whisperlite International
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19. Trangia
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37. Hex tablet on hex stove
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93. Green sticks and a box of wet matches (eventually at least they will dry out)
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4,948. MSR Dragonfly - worst stove I've ever known. Would give it away, but I'm not that nasty.

In reply to Damo:

For what it's worth, I have had my dragonfly for getting close to 15 years and never had any issues with it , ive been really happy with it

In reply to climber34neil:


Yeah in 15 years I have had only one problem with mine... it only reaches 2/3rds power. But I just haven't got round to sorting it and being MSR pretty much everything can be fixed. And that's years of use on petrol and diesel.

There are few distinct differences, a short of basic differences:

Optimus Nova:
+ No need to change jet
+ Small
+ Good simmer control
+ All aluminium pump with a leather pump leather
+ Pump can be flipped upside down to clear hose of fuel and unpressure the bottle
- Only liquid fuels
- Expensive
- Magnetic tool can effect compass

Primus Omnifuel and Multifuel:
+ Liquid and gas fuels
+ Good simmer control (NOT on the multifuel)
+ All aluminium pump with a leather pump leather
+ Pump can be flipped upside down to clear hose of fuel and unpressure the bottle
- Expensive
- Jets needs to be swapped out when you change fuel.
- Connecting the hose to the fule pump can be annoying and sometimes fuel get on your hands, due to pressure changes.
- relatively heavy

MSR:
+ Less expensive
+ lots of models to choose from (some won't simmer well, some will)
- Only Liquid fuels (One of the newer whisperlights can take gas)
- plastic pump (the notches are know to brake off and rubber O-ring can fold up/rip more easily than leather.
- No really easy way to clear the fuelhose and depressure the fuel bottle.

In reply to tjin:





Never had an issue with my plastic pump or o-rings and it's had a fair bit of abuse to be honest.

Fuel bottle depressurisation is easy... unscrew the pump a little!

In reply to crayefish:

On my whisperlite international you can flip the bottle over to depressurise the bottle and clear the stove of fuel. Are other msr stoves not the same?

In reply to gethin_allen:
Really? My bottle never depressurises no matter the angle (which I consider a good thing when it's in my bag etc!).

Or do you mean opening the stove up while it's still connected? Yeah that would work but only if there is less than 3/4 fuel or something I would have thought judging by the length of the fuel pickup.

I just normally crack the seal and it does it. Simples.

In reply to gethin_allen:

I have not used any of the latest models of MSR, but the ones i used (XGK and Whisperlights, you could not inert the bottle.

Depressuring by unscrewing the pump, causes fuel to spray everywhere and there is still liquid fuel in the hose, which will leak out.

In reply to AdCo82:

A recent expedition to central Asia eschewed multi-fuel stoves in favour of a relatively simple & old fashioned petrol only design. Reports were favourable.

Their blog: http://britishmuzkol2013.wordpress.com/
Specifically: http://britishmuzkol2013.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/25kg-packs-in-45c-heat-in...

Disclaimer: It was one of my stoves they were borrowing.

In reply to davidbeynon: ahh... the Optimus SVEA 123R. That brings back memories. Not the fastest, not the lightest, but very reliable stove. Yes it will take worse fuel, due to the fact that it uses a wick to transfer fuel (don't run it dry, though).

In reply to tjin:

I like it because I would rather carry a few grams more than spend ages faffing around with a stove to make it work.

I use the same argument to justify my trangia usage on low altitude trips, though it's partially offset by the waiting for things to boil..

In reply to crayefish:

The fuel pickup pipe is angled to sit at the bottom of the fuel bottle (against the side of the bottle) with it sat on the one side. If you turn the bottle over by swiveling the brass pipe fitting in the aluminum block which clips into the pump, the pickup pipe is out of the fuel and only air escapes once whatever is in the piping is expelled.

I turn the bottle over when I want to turn the stove off and this clears and burns all the fuel in the stove body so it doesn't leak onto everything in my bag.