Gear

Hi, I was trying to get my Omnifuel back in action after a long hiatus - the pump tends to dry up if not used or immersed in fuel in the tank. Anyway, curse the d***** thing, it's leaking from some place it shouldn't (behind the connection joint between the pump and the hose) so I'm not taking it up to Scotland in June.

My Trangia is the stove of choice for car and kayak camping but I want something light for a little backpacking we've got planned - the Sutherland Trail. Seems to me I should either get a little sit-on-top burner like the Pocket Rocket (nice price) or the folding Crux (nice folding feature) or perhaps, all things considered, spring for a Primus EtaPower EF. Downside is giving more money to Primus, but upside would be great stability, great integration with a pot that is just the size I want (2.1L) and I shall have to trust the reviewers on the efficiency of the setup and the idea that overall, it's a lightweight option since I'd have to carry my pots and a windshield and I'd still be concerned about the thing tipping over if it were just a sit-on-top burner.

Any thoughts, anyone?

 I'll go quiet and just read and take it in and try to keep my  mouth shut, but I'll be most interested. I hate buying camping gear that turns **** on me in the middle of nowhere...

Ta.

Try the Primus spider - maybe not your desired brand name but it's lightweight and stable.

I have it's bigger brother so to speak, the Gravity EF II - I'm very impressed with it ! It's such a simple design, so hopefully not much can/will go wrong with it...

Good luck with your search !

We have a very light sit-on-the-can and also a remote can stove.  The former goes when we're counting grammes to the extent we're less interested in cooking, the latter goes if we merely want quite light but fancy convenience and utility in use rather than in carrying (out of the boat it's a gas trangia and damn the weight).

The remote can (a Primus Gravity EF) gets more use.  It's much more stable, you can invert and shake the fuel to squeeze the last out of a can and it's easier to shield it from the wind if you're outside.  For me that's worth the extra weight, but if all you want to do is boil a bit of water a couple of times it's not necessarily worth it.

Clicky for my OM review.  If it disappeared I'd probably replace it like for like.  The piezo ignition is shite, but then IME most piezo ignitions are about as reliable as the modern banking system so not something that really bothered me.

(Our sit-on-top is an OD titanium Camp 3, but as far as I can tell they're not made any more).

Pete.

Thanks, all. I hadn't spotted the Primus Gravity, that looks like a good choice to me, large base and stable. I don't do much solo camping, I'd like a 2L pot. In fact I got an Eta-something free with my Trail sub, and gave it away. It looked too much like the GPO Tower to me. The Gravity is simple, pre-heats and there are no concessions to liquid fuel use. The Ethelred and the lighter Primus Spyder look a bit lighter and smaller than I'd want to cook with. I agree with Peter about piezo, you have to carry a backup anyway.

Hi,

I have a crux and use it with a remote base adaptor when using larger pots for added stability, which gives the best of both worlds, ie canister or remote mount, and makes a versatile cook system

regards

Stu

Do you mean by 'remote base adaptor'  the little foldout plastic legs that Primus (for example) sell?

ta

I would avoid the Crux, but the Crux Lite is great.  I had serious issues with the former, which may have been resolved, including wobbly burner head on 3 models and in the first one, an inability to simmer but with flames coming out of the air inlet port instead, with none coming out of the burner.  A novel experience...  I'm not alone in this experience - you'll see other threads here on this. 

Whilst I like the foldability of the Crux, the benefit does not compensate for the extra weight - assuming the other points are now rectified!

But the Lite is really nice, and I can't fault Optimus's customer services.  I have several of their stoves, including the Nova, which is superb. 

Hi,

No not the primus leg things, the canister mount stove screws onto the base adaptor and a hose to the canister, half way down page on this link  http://zenstoves.net/Canister.htm , markhill dont make them anymore , but brunton and a few other manufacturers do them.

regards

Stu

I'm a bit down on all these petrol stoves, I sent back two Optimus Novas which loosened and wobbled, then broke a third one by tightening it well beyond where I should have stopped. A mate of mine had trouble with the unique Optimus connection twixt pump and hose, and his leaked and leaked. Now my Omnifuel leaks from behind that connection too, most probably because it's all dried out inside from lack of use. But those little rubber seals, they're always vulnerable.

I only use petrol stoves when I have to, for 3rd world bike touring. I'm happy to pay extra for butane gas but bemoan the lack of recycling.  Perhaps I'll have to explore ultra-light meths burners for backpacking, as that's a great, and very clean fuel.

I'm a big fan of the coleman F1 stove lit, it is very small and lightweight, strong and cheaper then the MSR pocket rocket.

http://thesecretcamper.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-journey-into-realms-of-lightweight.html

rob dixon 2 wrote (see)

I would avoid the Crux, but the Crux Lite is great.  I had serious issues with the former, which may have been resolved, including wobbly burner head on 3 models and in the first one, an inability to simmer but with flames coming out of the air inlet port instead, with none coming out of the burner.  A novel experience...  I'm not alone in this experience - you'll see other threads here on this. 

Whilst I like the foldability of the Crux, the benefit does not compensate for the extra weight - assuming the other points are now rectified!

But the Lite is really nice, and I can't fault Optimus's customer services.  I have several of their stoves, including the Nova, which is superb. 

The "wobbly" burner head is now sorted on the new models, although mine's the old wobbly one and it has never caused me a problem. I think there is a tendency with some folk to over-egg the wobbliness; it's miniscule and I think you'd need to be a bit of klutz for it to be an issue in real use.

For me the foldiness does compensate for a tiny bit of extra weight. I detest having my stove seperate from my pot.

Different strokes, eh.