Pack Stoves

This is a review of Pack Stoves taken from the May 1994 issue of Backpacker Magazine

This review is reproduced without permission.



Weight                   Price   Setup  Lighting  Adjust  Stab   Tank Time        Maint  Dura    Overall

                                                  ment    ility  Boil Time        enance bility


Camping Gaz 470 HP 


Burner: 10oz             $37.95   4.5      4.5      4       3    2:15:00            3     4        3.5

Full cart: 2lb, 1oz      w/ piezo ignition $53.95                0:4:30-0:7:15



HI: simple, hot, inexpensive canisters    LO: poor flame adjustment, unstable, no windscreen




Epigas 3009 HP 


Burner: 12oz             $34.95   4.5       5       5       3    1:57:15          3.5    4.5       4.5

Full 250 cart: 1lb, 9oz  w/ piezo ignition $54.95                0:4:30

                          3.5oz cart. $3.95

                          7.5oz cart. $4.95

                         15.5oz cart. $8.95



HI: convenient, powerful, good system compatibility   LO: expensive cartridges, no windscreen




MSR Whisperlite 


Burner: w/pump &         $58.00    3        3       3      4.5   4:12:00           5    4.5        4.5

        screens: 13oz    includes tools, pump,                   0:4:30

        w/full 22 oz     screen, storage bag

        bottle:          Fuel bottles:

        2lb, 11oz.       $6.50 - $8.50



HI: powerful, durable, field maintainable   LO: difficult priming, poor flame control




Optimus Hunter 


Empty: 1lb, 10oz         $90.95    4        2       3       2    1:29:00          3.5   4.5        2.5

Full:  2lb                                                       0:6:30-0:12:15



HI: durable, simple, spare parts available   LO: prime-dependent, noisy, unstable




Peak 1 Apex II 


Empty: 1lb, 8oz          $65.85   3.5       3      3.5      4    3:30:30           2     3          4 

Full:  2lb               w/bottle.                               4:15-5:15

                         Screen:           $6.20

                         Maintenance Kit: $13.00

                         Kero Generator:   $7.00



HI: hot, simmers well, quiet   LO: complex, bulky, soft metal




Sigg Fire-Jet 


Burner: 1lb, 3oz         $92.00    4       3.5      3       4    6:05:30           4    3.5         4

1 liter fuel: 2lb, 8oz   Fuel bottles:                           0:9:45

                         1.5 liter -  $7.75

                         3.0 liter - $10.50



HI: simple, stable, innovative   LO: won't simmer, fragile fuel tube, moderate heat




Trangia 27-5 


Burner: 1lb, 1oz         $70.00   4.5       4      2.5     4.5   1:34:15          4.5   4.5        3.5

w/pots & gripper: 2lb                                            0:18:00-0:26:30



HI: packable system, great cookware   LO: poor heat, no flame adjustment, short burn time




Zip Ztove Backpacker 


Stove: 1lb               $54.00    5        3       2       3    0:10:00           2    3.5        3.5

w/pot & screen:1lb, 10oz                                         0:7:15-0:21:00



HI: packable system, low fuel cost, hot   LO: burns wet fuel poorly, poor repairability, requires tinkering





Setup considers how easy it was to get the stove assembled and filled using half-frozen fingers.

Lighting assesses how easy each stove was to coax to life, including priming, pumping, and general futzing around.

Adjustment measures ease of flame control and whether you'd char your fingerprints off fiddling with knobs.

Stability rates the hazard potential of balancing a large pot in a crowded tent vestibule or on a sloping site.

Boil Time states amount of time to boil a quart of water, from pan set-down to lid_blowing boilover on a heated and full-blast stove.

Tank Time measures fuel longevity from beginning of prime to flame disappearance, using manufacturer's recommended fill limits.

Maintenance judges scope and ease of field repair, cleaning, and part replacement.

Durability assesses whether such maintenance might be likely, and takes into account bending, denting, parts-loss, and projected life span.

Overall Subjective impression separate from the other parameters - not an average. Assets like compactness, convenience, and trail packaging figures heavily here.