MSR Dragonfly

Tenthog
Reviewed: 19 October 2010

Versatile, super hot roarer burner stove

Nice flame control
Very hot on full power

Easily broken plastic pump parts
A bit bulkywhen folded up

I have both the Dragonfly and the Whisperlite, and always reach for the latter rather than the former. The Dragonfly is a bit delicate for rough use and the plastic pump parts are easily broken and can leave you without a stove on a long trip

Bigbananafeet
Reviewed: 27 January 2008

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!

Burns loads of different fuels, easy to light(with a little practise, great controlability meaning you can get really creative with your outdoor cooking, very efficient (Im sure I saw it in a gear test for Trail or TGO recently and was given top marks for fuel efficiency), Shaker jet needle thing keeps jet from being blocked, not affected by cold or altitude meaning you can get a brew on easily first thing in the morning. Seems very reliable, Ive had mine for several years now and its still going strong.

Its a bit bulky when packed and isnt the lightest stove around. Noise from the burner is a bit loud, Ive had some funny looks when on campsites. Price?

A great stove very powerful and has opened up my options for dinner to no end. Definitely has its place but I would look at the conditions your going to be using the stove in before you part with your cash.

Ian Blenkinsop
Reviewed: 25 October 2006

GREAT STOVE; EFFICIENT, MULTI-FUEL AND CONTROLLABLE

Multi-fuel means it's usable throughout the world with Petrol, diesel, or pretty much anything. The flame is totally controllable, which makes it similar to cooking on a gas hob. You can take your stew down to a proper simmer or a roaring flame for a quick fry. Great if you want to do some proper cooking!
Simple windshield is surprisingly effective.

Too big to fit into the small pot i use on solo trips, so i have to find somewhere else thats safe enough to stash it.
Surprisingly loud (bit of a petty complaint really.)
If you're inattentive and let the flame go out,you have to wait 5 minutes or so before you can re-prime it and get it going again.

An excellet multi-fuel stove, that with a little bit of attention and maintenance, gives you a great cooking facility.
Retailing at over 100UKP makes it a bit pricey, but it's a great bit of kit and it'll last forever.
See it in use at:
www.beatthebrochure.com/cycling_south_america

David Procter
Reviewed: 17 July 2006

FANTASTIC!

Speed, lightweight, efficiency, simmer control is very good. The amazing sound is worth the price! Feel the ground afterwards - it's like a radiator to warm your hands up on!

Can't really light it in your tent, not really a stove for novices.

I've just done the Coast to Coast walk and 2 of us used less than 1 Litre of unleaded cooking every night for the 2 weeks - amazing performance. The sound is not something to moan about - it is a sound to admire!
You have to remember to turn it off at the fuel bottle first in order to stop the fuel line having deposits left in that can clog it up.
I definitely wouldn't recommend lighting it in your tent, do it outside and then move it in, otherwise you may melt inside the tent!
Overall, very pleased and worth the money over an Omnifuel. Don't be fooled by the ability to burn gas - my mate has one and the performance with gas is shocking in my experience, especially at altitude.

Eric Smith
Reviewed: 03 December 2004

PROBABLY THE BEST, BUT BE CAREFUL !

Works with most things; solid construction; speed; spare part availability.

Needs a bit of care when lighting; price in UK.

After my cheapo Campingaz stove was knackered by baggage handlers I wanted something more sturdy, better quality and more flexible, so MSR was the natural choice. I couldn't face the UK price though, so I got it as a Buy Now from a US eBay shop for about $90 or £55 at the time, inc p&p, and at that price it's an absolute bargain.
It takes most fuels, but I didn't read the instructions properly and bought 90% alcohol in France for it, which it didn't like at all. It took ages to light before it even boiled a kettle and used a lot of fuel in the process. Once I put unleaded in it it was like a different machine, although the noise was a bit scary and attracted a lot of attention.
I couldn't have been lubricating the pump connector thing correctly, as after a few days a jet of flame shot out of it when I lit it, burnt the hairs off my arm, set fire to the hillside and scared the hell out of my family. The green o-ring was broken where I'd been forcing the connection in without enough lubrication, so the moral is RTFM and you'll get years of top quality use out of it.