Wood Burning Stove Stainless steel vs. Titanium

[spader]

Which is better? In what ways?
What wood burning stove have you?

I have an old cast iron type stove (very heavy and rusty) and stainless steel one (lighter, not rusty but tarnished).

Titanium stoves seem popular these days.
But they are more expensive too. Are titanium stoves worth the extra cost, if you are not back packing at all?

 

[bopdude]

Titanium takes on different colours when you heat them, if you're not hiking then stick with stainless and save some pennies, unless like me you have a kit addiction lol

 

[Decacraft]

I dont like the cost of titanium over stainless for the branded stoves (sometimes it's nearly double the price)
I have a folding firebox nano, and have been looking at the winnerwell backpack stoves but seeing how much they can warp in Ti I don't want that. For a basecamp I use either the outbacker stove i have or an old stainless bin cut down as a firepit if I am close to the car

 

[Pattree]

What are you using it for?
Cooking for how many?
How much water are you boiling at a time?
Are you looking for a heating/friendship fire or drinks and cooking only?
How important is fuel economy?

All this affects your choice of stove but I wouldn’t buy titanium kit even if I were still backpacking - that’s another thread.

 

[spader]

I have been looking at some titanium stoves for sale online stores, but couldn't quite see advatange points of them compared to lower cost stainless stoves.

They say titanium stoves are stronger than stainless stoves, but they tend to warp more easily than stainless stoves due to thinness of the the body material, and also most of them have glasses in the stoves which make them prone to break, which defeats the strength points.

They also claim titanium stoves are lighter to carry, but if lightness in weight was the most critical issue, then why not just carry some money, and go to restaurants and order the meals, and book a B&B for the night rather than carry any stoves at all?

 

[TheCraftedCarry]

I saw a lot of Youtube bushcrafters using titanium stoves, but couldn't quite see advatange points of them compared to lower cost stainless stoves.

They say titanium stoves are stronger than stainless stoves, but they tend to warp more easily than stainless stoves due to thinness of the the body material, and also most of them have glasses in the stoves which make them prone to break, which defeats the strength points.

They also claim titanium stoves are lighter to carry, but if lightness in weight was the most critical issue, then why not just carry some money, and go to restaurants and order the meals, and book a B&B for the night rather than carry any stoves at all?

Haha - Love the thought process.

I have one of the Ti Firebox's.

The *only* advantage I see over the Steel one is the weight saving.

In virtually all other categories, the Steel wins (strength, less prone to warping etc).

Unless you are hiking a lot, or really want to cut down the weight.... I don't see the benefit of the Ti models.

 

[spader]

Haha - Love the thought process.

I have one of the Ti Firebox's.

The *only* advantage I see over the Steel one is the weight saving.

In virtually all other categories, the Steel wins (strength, less prone to warping etc).

Unless you are hiking a lot, or really want to cut down the weight.... I don't see the benefit of the Ti models.

Yeah, that was my initial feeling on Titianium stoves, but was wondering if someone could come up with strong points for justifying their higher cost and hypes

I still feel that stoves are better with some weight, so they don't get blown over by some strong wind, or get kicked by the camper rushing in and out the tent or tarp avoiding possibility of fire get ending up in the open space for safety.

My cast iron stove is so heavy, it stays where it stands even in the hurricane.

 

[Decacraft]

I saw a lot of Youtube bushcrafters using titanium stoves, but couldn't quite see advatange points of them compared to lower cost stainless stoves.

They say titanium stoves are stronger than stainless stoves, but they tend to warp more easily than stainless stoves due to thinness of the the body material, and also most of them have glasses in the stoves which make them prone to break, which defeats the strength points.

They also claim titanium stoves are lighter to carry, but if lightness in weight was the most critical issue, then why not just carry some money, and go to restaurants and order the meals, and book a B&B for the night rather than carry any stoves at all?

Ah do you mean tent stoves? When you say they have a window it makes me think of the woodstoves with a chimney- in that case you can get folding ones and much lighter than the cast/stainless ones.
I have a outbacker vista and I'm not carrying that far- it's big and heavy. The Ti equivalents are foldable and packable so would be able to be carried further if you wanted a hot tent setup.

 

[TheCraftedCarry]

Yeah, that was my initial feeling on Titianium stoves, but was wondering if someone could come up with strong points for justifying their higher cost and hypes

I think it's the same for all outdoor gear when it comes to weight saving vs price....

The base price is usually pretty good "value for money", but this is also the "heaviest", whilst not really being that heavy.

You then get lighter and lighter (by grams) with the cost soaring as the grams are shed.

The premium on weight saving is huge, and very rarely worth it (exceptions will always apply!)

 

[spader]

Ah do you mean tent stoves? When you say they have a window it makes me think of the woodstoves with a chimney- in that case you can get folding ones and much lighter than the cast/stainless ones.
I have a outbacker vista and I'm not carrying that far- it's big and heavy. The Ti equivalents are foldable and packable so would be able to be carried further if you wanted a hot tent setup.

I suppose if you use the stoves mainly for back packing and field camping, maybe titanium stoves are worth getting for light weight and foldability.

Having read different ideas and points, I can see the point for different options. I was wondering the price difference of average 50% or more of stainless steel stoves would be worth paying for it.

 

[spader]

I think it's the same for all outdoor gear when it comes to weight saving vs price....

The base price is usually pretty good "value for money", but this is also the "heaviest", whilst not really being that heavy.

You then get lighter and lighter (by grams) with the cost soaring as the grams are shed.

The premium on weight saving is huge, and very rarely worth it (exceptions will always apply!)

Apart from light weight, portablity and foldability , are there other advanatges or points such as strength and durability of titanium stoves over stainless or plain traditional rolled steel ones?

 

[TheCraftedCarry]

Apart from light weight, portablity and foldability , are there other advanatges or points such as strength and durability of titanium stoves over stainless or plain traditional rolled steel ones?

I'm no metal expert, but my understanding has always been that TI is predominantly a weight saving measure.

Couldn't comment on the other points, but my suspicions would be the lighter something is, the less durable it is in the long term (that's a big generalisation, which won't apply to everything).

 

[spader]

I'm no metal expert, but my understanding has always been that TI is predominantly a weight saving measure.

Couldn't comment on the other points, but my suspicions would be the lighter something is, the less durable it is in the long term (that's a big generalisation, which won't apply to everything).

Me neither. Could it be the claim that Ti stoves are strong and durable in the sense that they won't corrode, rust or rot away like carbon steel stoves through long period time of uses such as 100+ years or more? Or having been left and stored in the rain and dampness in the outdoors for long time?

But being light and thin in the body structure, if they are tripped over or stood on, they would be crumpled or caved in, I would imagine.

 

[MikeLA]

Even hiking the extra weight is minimal really ( not that bad ) and do you also what to risk it warping/damaging in the middle of a few days out ruining your adventures.

 

[MikeLA]

Bomb proof kit is safe kit despite the weight. Just save weight elsewhere with dry food, less clothing etc.

Says I with hexi stove or gas stoves

 

[spader]

Would imagine alcohol or gas stoves would be far lighter, practical and convenient than any wood stoves for carrying in the backpack.