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REI MSR XGK EX multi
fuel stove
337g Ø10x14cm $149.95
After I used my alcohol stove (see below) for many
years on my motorcycle travels I decided to get a petrol stove/gasoline stove, but I
wanted to keep using the pot
set of the alcohol stove. The complete set, as I'm using it, is Ø18x8cm
and weighs 970g + fuel bottle.
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A petrol stove/ gasoline stove
clearly has the advantage that one always carries petrol/gas on the
bike anyway, so there is no problem to get fuel for the stove. If
you run out of petrol/gas with your bike you can also pour the
content of the stove fuel bottle into the motorcycle tank, and so
maybe make it to the next petrol/gas station. After
lots of researching on the internet and reading of countless stove
reviews I came to the result that I should buy the XGK EX from MSR.
There are many cheaper multi fuel stoves, and some of them get good
reviews, but this one packs small, simple to use, and reliable. It
works as well in sub freezing temperatures, and in high altitudes.
This stove is probably not the best choice for
gourmet chefs, as it is nearly impossible to regulate. On or off,
but when it's on then it cooks really quick. It is relatively loud,
but even the "WhisperLite" is not much less noisy.
Some think that petrol stoves/gasoline stoves
give off a lot of sooty smoke. It only smokes during the warm up and
while burning out, when it is on temperature it does not smoke.
One pumps pressure into the fuel bottle, and opens the valve until a
little fuel sprinkles out. After closing the valve again one ignites the fuel sprinkles, and
waits until the fuel is nearly burned out, then one opens the valve
again ad lets the stove burn until the flame turns blue. All this
takes less the 2 minutes. Up to the time when the flame turns blue the
stove gives off sooty smoke, therefore one puts the pot on only
after the flame is blue. When one is done cooking, one takes the pot
off the stove, and then closes the valve. Then one best puts the
still burning stove to the side, as it will start to give off sooty
smoke again, until the petrol/gas in the stove and hose is burned
out. If one uses the stove as described before, one won't have a
problem with the sooty smoke. The pots will become black after a
while, but that is just normal when cooking with a open flame.
Many also believe that the food would taste
like petrol/gas, that is absolutely not the case.
Conclusion:
I'm very pleased with the stove, and can absolutely recommend it.
Certainly not cheap, but a stove that works and lasts.
The MSR XGK
EX multi fuel stove is also available at Amazon.com.
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REI MSR Fuel Bottle (20oz) 142g (with
pump 208g) Ø7.5x25cm $17.95 The
petrol/gas stove does not come with a fuel bottle, it has to be
bought separately. The shown pump (in the bottle) does come with the
stove.
The fuel bottle is available in several sizes, 11oz - 0,33l, 20oz - 0,6l, 30oz - 0,9l.
I bought the 20oz bottle, and one filling lasts for more than one
week for two persons (coffee in the morning, and a real mean for
dinner).
Conclusion: The aluminum fuel bottle is
light, but very strong. Therefore it is often used for spare fuel
instead of a jerry can.
The
MSR Fuel Bottle
and MSR pump are also available at Amazon.com.
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Globetrotter Trangia
Storm Stove Set 1030g Ø21x8cm Euro
65,95 For many years I carried this
stove on my motorcycle travels. I was and still am very happy with
the small packing size, as it is a large set, but fits perfectly
into each other.
In Germany denatured alcohol is easy to get
and cheap, but in many other counties it is much harder to find. So
I once had to use rubbing alcohol, with 97% alcohol it burns of
course, but it give off a huge amount of sooty smoke.
Alcohol has another disadvantage. The warmer
it is, the more alcohol vaporizes, and then the stove works better.
But this also means that if it is cold the alcohol is hard to
ignite, and then it burns with only a small flame. It can be
annoying to first heat up the alcohol with a lighter until it then
finally ignites.
The burning time of one filling is only about
8 minutes, which is enough to heat up a can of food, but it is too
short to really cook. Of course one can refill the stove, but it is
a bit awkward, as the alcohol immediately starts to boil in the hot
stove.
Conclusion: Really not a bad stove, but
for me the combination of a petrol/gas stove and this pot set is the
perfect combination.
A similar Trangia
Storm Stove Ultralight
is available at Amazon.com.
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REI MSR Wind shield 45g 14x14x0,5cm
$9,95 Even the best camping stove
looses part of its power at even a small wind. Therefore a wind
shield is a important accessory for every stove.
This wind shield really just is a stronger
aluminium foil, but it works just fine. Even after many times of
bending and folding the foil has not broken or ripped.
Conclusion: This wind shield works just
fine, it is small and folds down to nearly nothing. It is not cheap, but
it is worth it.
This wind
shield
is also available at Amazon.com.
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