UKC

Hi all, 

I need a new stove, and I am going around in circles. Please help me decide! My primary wants are:

1. Easy to use and doesn't fall over, aka minimal faff

2. Something that will work when it's windy and won't go out (this is my primary gripe with my current cheap stove)

3. Mostly use it to boil water for tea, pasta, rice, etc

4. May occasionally use it for cooking something like pasta and sauce

5. Weight isn't an issue

First, I thought just to buy a Jetboil, but then perhaps save some money and just get an Alpkit Brukit?? and then changed my mind to a Soto Windmaster plus a mug. 

Please help me decide! I can't stress enough that something that's minimal faff and can be used when it's windy is the most important to me. My budget is the less the better, but I will stretch to what is needed. However, I think anything above £150 is too much. 

TIA

James 

Soto Windmaster with the triflex adapter.  

Fire Maple Petrel G2 750ml pot.  

Relatively light and compact, good wind resistance. 

Pretty much exactly as Kai advised above but with a very minor tweak although I'm suggesting the smaller cooking pot at 600ml which might be a bit small, however the 600ml has a smaller diameter (97mm)

Firemaple Petrel G3 pot (600ml)

Clip on windshield (pots up to 11cm diam) https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/windshield-for-gas-stoves/

A lightweight *3 supporting arm* gas stove. Must have 3 arms to fit Petrel pot. Example https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/micron-iii-piezo-stove/

Plastic stand thing to clip under the gas canister to make it more stable https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/gas-canister-stand/

Alpkit Koro + 650mL or 900mL mug (or the Toaks 750mL). Fits inside + gas cylinder. There are very lightweight windshield options.

The Brukit is bulkier than that - I have both, and a 7 piece Toaks set I picked up in the US. You can make a very lightweight package of different sizes. There is a 550mL bowl in two sizes that fits around either their 750mL or the 1100mL.

All titanium, about £110 with a cheap windshield. Less in the frequent Alpkit discounts.

So it does seem that the soto seems to be the way to go. 

When I add everything up you get something that is similar in price to a jetboil, are we all saying that the performance is better with the soto? 

Thanks again for everyones advice. 

Does the clip on windshield work with the G2 and G3? 

Also does everything nest together nicely in the g3 or g2 pots, cannister etc

I recently bought this setup (coincidentally) and really like it, though I've only tried it out for 2 days of camping so far. Replacing a jetboil flash which is older and doesn't light without a lighter these days. I liked the flash, but prefer the squatter shape and more solid feel of the new setup (eg metal handle for pan, versus fabric handle). If you do decide on this though, try to buy the triflex first - I needed a couple of goes to get one successfully from amazon.com. the only place in Europe I could find was in Denmark and wouldn't post to UK. Cheaper ones on amazon.com were supposedly sent and then refunded after a few days. Had to buy one for nearly 30 pounds in the end, way overpriced. But still the whole setup cost about 120 pounds, jetboil would have been more. 

Looking at your criteria, they all match a Trangia.

It might not be at the cutting edge, but it would suit all of your stated requirements and wind just encourages them.  If meths is too much of a faff you can get a gas adaptor.

T.

I love my Primus Solo Lite, though I think it's been updated.  It's light, simple, reliable - just what you need.  I use mine all year and in some far flung places.  Best to cook in the shelter of boulders, dig a snow hole for the stove or in the lee of the tent to avoid winds.  It still boils in the wind though, just takes a bit longer.  

Having used both jetboil and pocket rocket previously I recently got a Soto as a backup. But it's so good (fast boiling but also adjustable down to a low simmer/built in pietzo lighter/great wind performance and solid build quality) that it's now my go-to stove.

I have not found the need for an additional windshield when using my G2 pot.  The integral heat exchanger combined with the Soto's built in windshield is enough, even in moderate winds (haven't used it in a gale.)  

Everything (stove and fuel) nests into the G2 pot.  

I've read a few less than favourable reviews about the Alpkit Brukit, and I say that as a fan of Alpkit. 

I've had a Jetboil for years, does what it says on the tin. I do use it almost exclusively as a water boiler though. Friends have the MSR version, apparently better.

Might be analogous to a Soto Wind master with triflex adapter, but cheaper and easier to buy

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/lightweight-and-compact-gas-stove-with-lighte...

Might be analogous to a Soto Wind master with triflex adapter, but cheaper and easier to buy

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/lightweight-and-compact-gas-stove-with-lighte...

Brukit seems fine to me to be honest.  Loads cheaper than a proper Jetboil too.

It's a badged version of the Firemaple one.

After it originally hit the market, I think it got quite a few bad reviews for both performance and quality. The one currently for sale may differ quite a bit from that original model though.

I have an MSR Windburner. If I am just after boiling water, it is my stove of choice. Not the lightest, but simple, robust and unaffected by wind. Wasn't cheap and seems to have only got more expensive in the intervening years! 

I don't have a heat exchanger pot but I would imagine they would do the same for a canister stove, namely they don't improve performance on a still day but make a massive difference if there is any wind.

The Fire Maple pot and Decathlon stove looks a great combo, I'd still take my Windburner though!)

I have a Soto Windmaster and some things I would add are - it seems to really use up the whole gas canister, which I was surprised at considering it's a screw on top. It's a bit taller than I'd like, but with a canister stand like the one linked above, it's fine. It's the only gas stove I've managed to really simmer well on, and in fact I've fried sausages gently on it. The pan is positioned so close to the flame that the centre gets incredibly hot, I've wondered if it would damage some pans/pots. It's been versatile, and convenient, I like it.

Quite possibly so. I've never had a problem with mine.

I think the main gripe was a very slow boil time compared to the Jetboil/MSR.

We have an original Jetboil and it's brilliant for boiling water if you want a travel kettle. Less impressed for cooking,  it's too narrow/deep so difficult to stir or clean. If replacing I would get the Alpkit copy for the price.

If I want to cook rather than jist boil water I'd use the MSR windpro everytime, it came with a lightweight windshield and has a much wider flame so works better with pans better than the Jetboil pan adaptor.

Fire Maple seem to keep banging out new stuff, and do a lot of OEM supply.

I have a 'Karrimor Alpine', bought maybe ten years ago, that is an FMS-118. Simple, cheap, stable, low profile, compact, light, preheat tube for liquid feed.

https://firemaplegear.com/collections/camping-stoves/products/fms-118-gas-s...