on or off canister burner?

[stooboy]

Im thinking of getting a new stove, i currently have an ebay multiburner which ive been very happy with but i found out that im not so keen to carry petrol on my back, so tend to always use gas.

I was considering getting an optimus crux, as it seems like an ideal little companion to the gas canisters i normally use.

googling around some reviews, ive noticed people angling towards getting attachments that mean you are not cooking on top of the gas canister, and i never really considered this a problem, i guess from sale point of view selling a cable and legs is another ideal but from a practical view is it an issue ? i considered the cable another bit that can get lost and prefer the idea of just screwing straight onto a canister

are stoves that create a tower of canister, stove pot very prone to toppling over?

 

[Stuart69]

I like my MSR Windpro a lot. The remote cannister does make it much more stable. It's great in the wind too as you'd guess from the name

The cable ( I think you mean the gas pipe ) can't get lost, it's connected onto the stove all the time. You also get the benefit of inverting the cannister if you need to.

here's a link to a seller with a good price (no connection etc) Clicky

Edit: thought I'd better add to do the upside down thing at your own risk, it can be a bit dodgy

here's a quote about the MSR from the Zenstoves site .....

The Primus Himalaya manual states that one safe cold environment trick is to:

"Turn down the control valve as low as possible. Now hold the gas cartridge and turn it upside down slowly and very carefully. While doing so, you must never lift the cartridge higher than the stove itself to avoid a sudden burst of flames."

When asked via email if the MSR Windpro could operate with the canister upside down, a tech at MSR replied:

"Yes, you can turn the canister upside down when using the WindPro but you would want to use the same precautions stated in the Primus manual."

 

[g4ghb]

off canister every time!

far more stable and less likely to fall over! also if it's cold you can put the canister in a jumper or something to keep warm

 

[warthog1981]

I just use one of these to steady everything up

http://www.roughgear.co.uk/Product.aspx?product=105

cheers Russ

 

[bikething]

I just use one of these to steady everything up

http://www.roughgear.co.uk/Product.aspx?product=105

cheers Russ

I got one of those, but it only seems to fit certain makes of cannister

In answer to the original question - it depends what pot I'm using..
Small diameter - like an Alpkit MyTiMug then canister mounted is fine...
Larger diameter - zebra billy or a frying pan then remote mounted for stability and to avoid the cannister getting overheated by reflected heat

 

[Claudiasboris]

Hmmm....no option for both. In the past I always avoided on-cannister burners, prefering remote burners. I've had a Coleman Alpine for many years and it's served me very well. It is bulky though and I got an Optims Crux last year and I love it!

I also use cannister feet for stability and have to echo bikething on the size of your pan. I use an MSR Titan Kettle on the Crux, whereas I'd use any of my (many) pans on the Alpine.

I guess it depends on your intended use. I've quite happily used the Alpine for basecamp stove, but tend to use the Crux for lighter, quicker jaunts. It tends to stay in my walking bag as an EDC.

Hope that helps,
Claudiasboris

 

[Boreas]

I have an msr simmerlite stove. I assume when you say canister you mean the ones that you buy full and toss when empty? Anyway for your question I would say that off canister is better, with legs instead of a canister base it's much more stable on uneven ground. However, all folded up the on top of canister ones weigh less and take up much less space. Weigh what's important to you. I personally have lost too many dinners in the past camping to risk the unstable base.

My simmerlite runs off of white gas or naptha. I chose that because the fuel cans are refillable and last much longer for the weight (bought it for a long distance hiking trip) but take a little bit of time to get the hang of using. I've also heard that white gas works better in the cold than the disposable canister variety. I just mention this to bring to light that there are options in fuel as well.

 

[scanker]

I have a pocket rocket, which is an on-canister stove. One advantage that hasn't been mentioned of the off-canister stove is that you can use any sort of wind shield without fear of heating the canister. As has been mentioned, I think off-canister will be far more stable.

I think I understand what you mean about the "cable" getting lost. I can't remember which stoves it was for but I seem to recall seeing a conversion kit to convert an on-canister stove to an off-canister stove, so the hose and legs etc would be separate.

That said, the Crux packing down into the concave base of the gas bottle is a very clever bit of design.

 

[Nat]

I say off. More stable and you don't burn your hands when adjusting the flame.
This is what i use Coleman Alpine

 

[FGYT]

have a Epigaz micro some where is great and hides in little pockets

did have the Epigas Alpine think its in the loft some where but it didnt pack into my messtin so got little use

then Colman bought em out

for Civi use it dosnt matter to me you just match your pan and the limitations to the burner i dont think they do teh narrow 100gm canisters any more

used to use a Peak multi fuel on the M/bike as it used the unleaded out the tank if needed
now if im going to use a Zebra i will use my hobo stove and use what ever furel is suitable wood, hexi , meths, mmmmmmmmmmmm might look out the Alpine if its still about and take the legs off and make an adaptor plate in teh Hobo

ATB

Duncan

 

[EdS]

for quick brew up on day trips on canister - (Whisperlite clone) as it is smaller and it plus canister and folding cups fit in a pan.

For camping / cooking off canister as more stable. But then I prefer liquid fuel although the Omnifuel will take gas as well.

 

[rik_uk3]

Off canister in winter as gas performance drops in the cold and with 'off' canisters you can invert the can to boost performance.

I've never lost stove parts but for that matter I've never dropped my phone in a river which seems common with some bushcrafters

 

[stooboy]

thanks for the feedback good food for though and a few other options to consider on my list

I have found increasingly that the stove often does not come out the pack as ive mastered cooking on the fire, so its more of a backup use for me, although do fancy doing a few remote fishing trips where a fire would not be possible and would need to rely on a stove completely

 

[hoppinmad]

Hi
I use a base adapter with the crux when brewing for a few people at base ie for more stability with larger pots and the crux on a canister if hiking etc and find that it is a versatile setup

this adapter is a markhill which i belive is now discontinued but brunton make a similar thing

 

[Claudiasboris]

OOOOHHHHHH!!!!! Shiny accessories for the Crux. There's nothing I like better than a versatile setup!

Isn't Brunton the US distributor for Markill? It's strange that Markill discontinued the remote system, are there any problems with it?

Claudiasboris

 

[hoppinmad]

The brunton looks like it has a on/off tap at the canister attachment which the markhill does not have...this could be the reason that markhill have discontinued their stand...have noticed that tamerac outdoor are doing the brunton for 15 quid rather than the 25 quid I paid 2 years ago...I also have a coleman f1 stove which does not fit on the stand..the coleman stove flanges are a lot bigger than most stoves..so wont fit...which may also be the case with the brunton stand
regards
stu

 

[TallMikeM]

I was gonna say off, for all the reasons given above, but then saw that adaprtor kit posted above and thought you really can have the best of both worlds.

 

[stooboy]

I was gonna say off, for all the reasons given above, but then saw that adaprtor kit posted above and thought you really can have the best of both worlds.

thats my thoughts, carry without the adapter if i expcet not to use and carry it if i know i definatly will

 

[Boreas]

All of you guys using LPG non-refillable canister stoves need to see the light that is Naptha!

Refillable canisters, maintains as high a pressure as you want even if it's almost empty, Works in the cold, more bang for your grams, you don't have to bring more than one canister on long trips, you don't have to worry about bringing it to a special recycling plant, the metal canisters are reusable and environmentally friendly folks.

I have preached the word.

 

[FGYT]

yep Hobo now burns gas and is off canister
with a trangia burner

if some whats to leave me a Multi fuel burner in their will that would fit i think it should be the most veratile set around

ATB
Duncan