Which Wood Burning Stove Do You Prefer?

[Hosaphone]

If I'm adding it up correctly, the Firefly with flexport, extra titanium floor, multi-fuel option, split-windscreen, and mini-grill is around 5 oz. QiWiz, can you confirm?

Certainly one can have an alcohol or esbit system for less than half that. However, it is still a pretty light option. For those of us who are PL (pretty light) rather than UL hikers, it looks quite attractive to be able to grill some meat the first night after a resupply. Of course, good fire skills make this much more practical.

Ditch the extra floor and you save some weight. I'm also not sure the multifuel option increases efficiency enough to make the weight penalty worth it vs a catfood stove + tinfoil wind screen (possibly also using the walls of the firefly in combination with tin foil to make like a double-walled wind screen).

Depending on how much the grill weighs, you should be able to get down to 4oz or less I think.

[QiWiz]

If I'm adding it up correctly, the Firefly with flexport, extra titanium floor, multi-fuel option, split-windscreen, and mini-grill is around 5 oz. QiWiz, can you confirm?

Certainly one can have an alcohol or esbit system for less than half that. However, it is still a pretty light option. For those of us who are PL (pretty light) rather than UL hikers, it looks quite attractive to be able to grill some meat the first night after a resupply. Of course, good fire skills make this much more practical.

Before I answer this great question, I'll just point out that you are adding options (MultiFuel, Grill, FlexPort, Split Windscreen) that are probably not entirely an Apples to Apples comparison with your UL Esbit or Alcohol kit. But I think that is the point . . .

But here are the weights (windscreen will vary depending on pot size; the one listed here fits my 900 ml Evernew kettle):

FireFly with FlexPort (new laser-cut version) - 2.55 oz
Titanium Mini Grill - 0.45 oz
Split windscreen - 0.40 oz
DualFuel burner and burner support - 0.75 oz

When I put them all on my scale at the same time, I get a total weight of 4.20 oz. If you wanted to get the lightest backup option, you could use my 2 gram UL Esbit burner rather than the DualFuel burner and get it down to about 3.50 ounces.

The notched titanium floor weighs 9 grams, same as the stainless steel mesh floor. If you wanted to take both, add 9 grams (about 0.3 oz) to your kit weight.

Imagine that: Wood stove, Titanium grill for your steak the first night out, backup burner and windscreen, for a weight penalty equal to about half a cup of water. Now we're cooking! (and skipping down the trail thinking of steak dinner).

[jeffmeh]

So 4.2 oz. with one floor (probably just taking the notched titanium and using the flexport for intake), and you get wood/alcohol/esbit capability with a grill. Of course you could take a UL alcohol setup for an ounce or two, but if you want to burn wood that's not a very onerous penalty, IMO.

Thanks QiWiz. I'm definitely considering one of the Firefly setups.

[jeffmeh]

Just ordered the Firefly w/ Flexport, Tyvek pouch, notched titanium floor, windscreen, DuelFuel burner with stand, titanium mini grill, and Evernew 900ml titanium mug….

Achilles will likely take it when he heads up to the Whites for the summer, but not before I get a chance to play with it.

[zelph]

I'm in the process of testing the Titanium Caldera Cone for a custom pot and so far it's 1st class. Check out Trail Designs Sidewinder. Made to do all three most common fuels. The high heat of wood fires has no affect on their cone closure. I'm impressed.

Trail Designs "Sidewinder"

[Durtydan]

great choice with the el-mini. got one a little over a year ago and it is amazingly easy to use and set up. Emberlit has my future business for sure

[QiWiz]

I'm in the process of testing the Titanium Caldera Cone for a custom pot and so far it's 1st class. Check out Trail Designs Sidewinder. Made to do all three most common fuels. The high heat of wood fires has no affect on their cone closure. I'm impressed.

I have not tried the Sidewinder, but I typically use the classic Ti Tri when I'm using either alcohol or Esbit as primary fuel (eg., above tree line out west), retaining the option to burn wood for backup in a pinch. When I have tried my Cone with wood as a primary fuel, I have not been as big a fan. It works, but I find that it is harder to start and maintain the fire and messy to deal with a soot-lined cone in the way that I like to pack up and carry it (compared to "box" stoves that fold flat like the FireFly, Emberlit, or Element). When burning wood as primary fuel, the cone stays home. Just my opinion.

[zelph]

I have not tried the Sidewinder, but I typically use the classic Ti Tri when I'm using either alcohol or Esbit as primary fuel (eg., above tree line out west), retaining the option to burn wood for backup in a pinch. When I have tried my Cone with wood as a primary fuel, I have not been as big a fan. It works, but I find that it is harder to start and maintain the fire and messy to deal with a soot-lined cone in the way that I like to pack up and carry it (compared to "box" stoves that fold flat like the FireFly, Emberlit, or Element). When burning wood as primary fuel, the cone stays home. Just my opinion.

Recent experimenting has me going in the direction of the Titanium Cones from TD. They made a custom cone for me (not a Sidewinder) I'm more of a DIY kinda guy that like to do things outside the box. My cone has excellent drafting abilities used in conjunction with the cross pot support used on top of the cone as seen in my video. The cone fits in the pot horizontal or vertical. I really like how small the Titanium can be rolled up and it doesn't get out of shape, the stuff is amazing. The dovetail closure on the cone is fabulous!

Vertical stack the wood and light from the top and let it burn downward for easy , one load boiling of 2 cups of water.

[zelph]

got an email today and thought I'd share a toot

I spent this afternoon comparing your Cobalt Soloist to the Batch Stove 2.0 (BS 2.0) and the White Box Stove (WBS). I tested each stove with 2 cups of water and 20 ml (2/3 oz) of denatured alcohol. I tested three different pots: GSI Soloist; GSI MicroDualist; and GSI Ketalist. What I found out is that your stove boiled two cups of water with 20 ml of alcohol in all three pots with flame out occurring a minute or so after the boil. The WBS and BS 2.0 boiled the two cups with 20 ml of alcohol for the Ketalist and MicroDualist with flame out happening less than 30 seconds after the boil. However, on the Soloist (smaller base pot) neither the WBS or the BS 2.0 reached a boil before flame out. They only made it to around 188 degrees Fahrenheit.


Speed to boil: the WBS was the fastest, BS 2.0 was close behind, and the Cobalt Soloist was quite a bit the slowest; however, had the most burn time after reaching a boil - approximately 60-80 seconds after boil. Still it typically had a boil in around 6 minutes which is very respectable.


My conclusion is that your stove is best all around. Works with 20 ml of fuel to boil two cups of water on all three pots. One thing I really like is that it blooms right away so I don't have to watch for the bloom and then put the pot on. I can put it on right away. I'm guessing that it has something to do with wick material you use between the body of the stove and stainless sleeve.


I'm looking forward to testing it in the field. Thanks again for building a great stove. I'm going to order another one as a back up in case you stop building them.


John

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My recent test of the Caldera Cone in the wood burning mode has me convinced it's a very worthy system.

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