MSR XGK Expedition Stove

MSR XGK Expedition

£80.00 plus fuel bottle

Burns: Virtually anything including petrol, kerosene, diesel, avgas, etc

Time to boil 1 litre: 4 mins 05 sec (unleaded)

Weight: 440g

The definitive expedition stove got even better when MSR revised the burner design after developing the Dragonfly. It's not subtle with no simmer control - it's either on or off - and burns with all the discreet charm of a low-flying Harrier jet, but it'll process virtually anything except gas and alcohol using the special MSR bottle as a pressurised fuel tank. The rigid fuel line gives the burner decent stability too and performance is generally excellent even at high altitudes and low temperatures.

A big plus with all MSRs is the Shaker Jet mechanism that lets you clean clogged jets with a quick shake of the stove rather than a full strip down, which is invaluable with dubious fuels. Having said that, the whole design is geared towards easy field maintenance, so it's easy to keep running smoothly. Included with the stove are a windshield and heat reflector plus basic tools, but a full expedition spares kit can be purchased separately.

Disadvantages include the plastic pressure pump which has been known to break and the lack of controllability - Jamie Oliver won't be raving over this one, but if it absolutely has to work, this is the one to go for.

Verdict: Still the world's best ever expedition stove for trips when stove failure simply isn't an option. Otherwise it's overkill and always burns the sprouts. Fastest stove we tested.

Any idea where the MSR web site is?

Used this product? Got any questions?

To contribute your own review just click on the contribute button on the left and follow the instructions. If you have questions you can mail us direct, ask Richard Gear or try a posting to our gear forum. It's your site.