I was using the windburner but the threads where it connects to the fuel somehow managed to pull out of the the stove portion of the item. I probably got 10 pots boiled off it before it broke mid hike. I told MSR about what happened when I contacted them and they wanted me to cover the cost of shipping to and from *some other company* that handles any of their warranty claims. I told them I would cover the cost of the 7/16ths UNEF threaded part plus cost of shipping to me but they said I would have to send it to somewhere to see if it _qualifies_ for their warranty coverage. Long story short, MSR is just a brand that doesn't have any involvement with the manufacturing of their own products. I bought the cheapest camp stove off Alibaba--shipped--for less than the cost of _possibly maybe_ getting mine fixed through some random company and harvested the part I needed out of the cheapo to fix it myself. Pretty disappointed that I paid above the cost of their competition just to keep their marketing-wankery-facade-of-a-company afloat. They're kind of like the Bose of hiking; looks great on the shelf and fails when it's time put their money where mouth is.
I have all three. I use my reactor for backpacking anything more than one night. It’s just a beast and it’s super efficient. A single small fuel canister gets me three meals a day for over a week. It’s barely over a pound and the stove and small can fits perfectly in the one liter pot.
I`m a kind of MSR Fanboy since more then 30 Years. I've had many different Stoves, but mostly from MSR ( 3 different Versions of the XGK Multifuel, a Whisperlite, 3 time the Reactor, etc. ); now I have this Windburner in 1L & 1,8L Version, as well as my beloved Reactor with 1L & 1,7L Pot, as well as the XGK newest Version. And I have to say quit honestly, that the Reactor ( especially with it's 1,7L Pot) is still much more Fuel efficient ( up to 25%) then the Windburner, and fare ahead above the Jetboils. Also the Reactor builds significant lower in its total hight, when operating as the Windburner, and I only use a stand underneath the Reactor, when operating in snow. The Windburner gets much to much Top heavy when in use with a full pot.....so it definitely need it's foot stand. And I also constantly read that the Reactor couldn't simmer......what is definitely NOT TRUE !! I use it since 2008 and never ever had a big problem simmering. But to be fair.....this kind of stove is not intended for fine queasiness cooking....... I use it mostly in north Scandinavia ( ICELAND ) under very harsh conditions, far away from gas supply or tech support. So it has to be reliable, very fuel efficient, easy to operate, less parts, that could be lost ( especially if they are small ) and weatherproof under all circumstances. Everyone asks for a build in piezo to be perfect..................BULLSHIT......I have never seen a Stove, that it's piezo is working properly for a longer time, if it will work at all. Try to get it operate in rainy wett conditions.....it will fail for sure !!!! So make yourself a favor and buy a small fire steel ......it couldn't`brake, and if it is weet or dirty.....wip it of with your shirt and it will work and start all kind of Stoves without a problem, even in heavy weather. So my kind of choice : The MSR XKG for deep winter long range trips without support, Reactor (1,7L Pot) for equal trips, but only between 1-3 weeks with temps down to -10 Celsius in a max. Short Trips up to 1 week or where steady gas supply is not a big problem......then take the Windburner. DONE :-) Just my 50 Cent
Hey man. So I just bought the Windburner. I haven't used it yet other than to boil water to test it. I don't think I want to spend the $70 for the MSR pan that is made for this. So I wanted to see if they made an adapter for a pan or pot. They don't. But I did find that Jetboil came out with one. But the diameter isn't much more than the burner itself. I'd rather have stability so I fabricated one myself. It has about a 7 ¾" span so I think it's going to work really well. My MSR pan is 8" so it'll be a good fit. I made it out of stainless steel so it'll last. I'll upload a short video of it soon in case anyone wants to make one. Hopefully MSR will come out with one soon. I don't think everyone wants to spend the money they want for the pan or the pot.
Good idea. Not having a pot support like Jetboil is the one thing holding me back from getting the Windburner. Look forward to seeing what you come up with.
@@davidcooper5790 Hi , you should also consider Jetboil Stash, 210gr, witch comes with a 0.8 L pot, and as a MSR PR, you can use other pot size, 2m30 to boil 0.5L . The pot includes a canister support, and a 100gr Jetboil canister or 110Gr MsR canister claps under the lid and all those including the burner, fit in the pot.
I found the Pocket Rocket to be awesome for it's size and what it can do. Got mine many years ago and it's still brilliant in it's class. Not good for cooking bacon or pancakes though as the heat print is very small. This means you get very concentrated heat in the centre of your pan but little just outside it. Pans and pots need even heat distribution so a wider flame source I've found.
Like anyone is gonna haul around bacon in a scenario you'd take a pocket rocket. The actual differences in these things is in the details of living with and using them for years on end. Put simply, a jetboil type is for coffee and dehydrated meals only with built-in cup bonus, for shorter trips in mild climates. Pocket Rocket if you have cooking needs beyond that. And if you venture into extreme cold/elevation and/or long trips you need to switch to liquid fuel. I have all and rarely bust out my pocket rocket or whisperlite. If I'm cooking "bacon", I'm bringing my Partner and a 5lb bomb.
Going on a solo mission this deer season and going to pack in far enough to necessitate staying over night. This was exactly the information I needed. Thanks!
I have a prototype Whisperlite International with one of the first Shaker Jets, also an XGK, both 20+ years old. Both were damaged in a fire and I need to repair/rehab them .
MSR Pocket Rocket... "has been arround for a couple years"... well.. More like a couple DECADES! LOL. Good piece of kit, but the wind kills it. And stability is not THAT great. Integrated systems such as the Windburner or the Jetboil are all the rage right now, and for a good reason. Messing arround with windscreens, clips and stuff like that to get a light screw on top stove to work decently when in the wind is a bitch... I bought an ultralight titanium stove last year and I am regretting the whole $14 I spent on it... I am going to sell all other stoves (quite a few) and get a Windburner. Cool video!
MSR/Cascade Designs used to be good. Now they suck. Some of their stoves actually had aluminum threads to connect to a fuel canister! Al is a soft metal and won't last. Only an idiot or a con man would use aluminum threads. I had one of their Hubba tents and a pole snapped in the middle of the night on the first week and ripped a large hole in the rainfly. No wind or anything. I was on the AT and was a week away from an outfitter to get a new tent. On another Hubba, I used it for a month with good luck. Next season the rainfly was more like a screen, it didn't even try to repel water. MSR said that their rainflys are "hydrophobic", ie the waterproofing does not like moisture and will degrade in its presence. Where i lived we only got 8 inches of rain a year. Humidity wasn't a storage issue. I have had three of their air mattresses. They don't last. One i bought in Tuscon, az on a bike tour. In less than a week it had delaminated, and wouldn't hold air. It was another week before I got to an outfitter. I also have one of their white gas stoves. It works well, but check out the price of the repair kit for the stove. I think that i paid $40 for a few o-rings and a wick. Who am I? I have a PhD in geophysics. I have covered over 26,000 miles on thru hikes, and over 75,000 on bicycle tours. I will never buy anything from MSR/Cascade Designs again.
1 person in the Alpine/ Yukon: Soto Windmaster and Ti Pot 2 People.... Windburner 3 people...Reactor with 1.7 Litre Pot 4 People...Reactor with 2.5 Litre Pot
Did you take the weight of fuel canisters after the test to determine the fuel used to see what stove was the most fuel-efficient stove? May just be me but don't really care on a backpacking trip if it takes an extra min to boil water, I can spare a min. I don't want to waste or carry extra fuel weight. Nice test, thank you.
flashman V I plan on doin another video to test the efficiency! Going to try and see how many liters each of them can boil with a 4oz canister. Should be interesting.
Thanks so much for this!! The reactor seems totally unknown out there but I recognised it once I saw it on the msr site. My one big deal breaker is how it doesn't clip into the burner, I think that's a massive thing because holding onto it means holding onto it all, and the alignment in theory would make it more efficient as an even contact of heat and more contact and such if that makes sense. Since you asked, I have a generic with piezo from Amazon for about 5 pounds gbt and the robens firemidge which is absolutely rubbish, especially in lower temperatures, I guess at 10 degrees c and lower. the generic I find absolutely reliable and easy to use but difficult to store, kinda clunky. It's about time I upgrade, and I'm thinking either the reactor, windburner or pocketrocket 2 deluxe which yes are all the same brand but genuinely do trump others, and the deluxe also does better in the colder temperatures-its about the same as my generic stove but about 15 grams lighter and more convenient folding/storage
If you're looking at something similar to the pocket rocket and an upgrade from your piezo, check out the BRS-3000T or Tomshoo Mini Pocket one-piece. They're super cheap on Amazon and great ultralight titanium options. Thats only if you're looking at a pocket rocket type stove though. If you're going for something more serious stick with the Reactor or Windburner.
@@homealone5087 hi mate, thanks a lot and especially for specifying the suffix thing on the brs, I realise there's a few variations :s so was struggling. I'm leaning towards the brs because it seems on par, and I intend on my own wind proofing but not sure how yet. I have what I assume you're referring to with the tomshoo, the only tomshoo stove first page of Amazon, and it's way better than any other stove I've had albeit wobbly on the stand thing, but I'm sure I got it for a fiver so I really dont care haha, it's certainly a backup for years to come once I've found a more sturdy smaller and lighter piece. The likes of the mar windburner and other one, well looking into that it seems on par with jetboil for a hell of a lot, but apparently there's a safety thing in which a pin or whatever prevents further use, and three times it activates means it'll need a return to msr, or a return each time but unable to revive after the third? I'm not sure but I'd hate for that to happen when I need it most. If I did get one for extreme wind, it would be in the future and if at present, rare id be exposed like that. at my skill level in the UK, there's few places I couldn't go for shelter like the Cairngorms but I'd still hate for my stove to fail me :( I really appreciate all that though mate and the effort advising :D it did help me decide
@@clevelandexplorer2221 no prob. Glad i could help. I own the BRS and use it quite a lot. I haven't used the tomshoo, but it looks exactly the same as the BRS. Im guessing its made in the same factory in China and they just slap different labels on it. As far as jetboil goes I'd definitely go MSR instead. The jetboils are popular, but the MSR are much more durable. The Reactor in particular is bomb proof and i hear their customer service and warranty is much better than Jetboil. Have you looked at the Primus OmniFuel? Thats an amazing stove. If the world was ending and I was heading for the hills thats the stove I would grab. It runs on multiple fuel sources (canister gas, white gas, kerosene, diesel and jet fuel), runs well at altitude, melts snow like crazy. Its a little heavier than other stoves, like 16oz, but they do make a titanium version that shaves it down to 12oz.
@@homealone5087 hey pal, yeah you did! I got my crappy fake stove out, it only lasted 40 seconds of flame idk why. I'll definitely get the brs!! I won't get the tomshoo though, it's not popular enough now I'm extra cautious getting this one, I appreciate it's the same factory more than likely but it's more than that, it's supporting the company and such :) if you watch Paul messengers take on it, made two weeks ago I believe as it happens, he explains the efficiency of fuel and calculated fuel price to be about half from the likes of mar, about 12 grams, to the jetboil of some sort with a conventional stove which used 5 grams and also faster I believe too. I've got so damn much fuel though over the years and a device so cheap to move fuel from almost empty canisters to one, I really don't mind about price at least for now. If I do eventually find the budgeting I may well go for the Primus I looked it up just then, wow it does look great and hugely versatile for use and fuel! Plus it's complete with windshield and such. I'll look into that more out of interest XD seems the designs old too, so reliable only updated to be more compact
This video is a little old but the pocket rocket he is using is first generation! 2nd Generation was a way better design! Which I bought back in 2016. First generations pocket rockets were no longer available for sale. 3 years before this video was posted! lol Well at least in big branch Outdoors stores. But a couple years ago or more, MSR released a Pocket Rocket Deluxe stove. This Is what he should be comparing to these other stoves. Pocket Rocket Deluxe boils water faster than Gen 2 Pocket Rocket. Anyone coming across this look at the Pocket rocket deluxe! It's the lightest widespread heat burner you can buy! So not just cooking with skinny pots/pans you can actually really cook real food! So fast boil water in a skinny cup up cook gourmet camping food on a frying pan:)
The Reactor I do not consider a camp stove. Actually, none of them are. Making disgusting freeze dried meals just sucks and I only do it when there is nothing else to make or eat. The Reactor is in its element melting snow and boiling water. That is about it. When I first started mountain climbing the XGK and Dragonfly is what we used. Now it is the Reactors we take with us. The windburner in those tall insulated pots.. Maybe for backpacking. Boiling water is what you will be using it for mainly, and making a mess for anything else. The pocket rocket? It is a super lightweight stove that you could use with almost any pot or pan. But there are better stoves for camping and for simmering if you want to actually make something more than boiling water. To me.. My pocket rocket is an emergency stove to bring along just in case. I like the new Windburner stove kits with the frying pan and 2.5 liter pot. That would allow you to actually cook a meal in them. But again, it comes down to what you can bring with you and not have it spoil while out for multiple days. We sea kayak and I will bring vegetables and other items to go along with the fresh fish I will catch and the other seafood I can forage along the shore. But I can store a small soft sided cooler in the boats. I will usually bring two Dragonfly's with us because I can boil easily and also simmer with them. For backpacking.. Any stove can boil water. I try not to eat the freeze dried shit as much as possible. Bring what you can that you actually like to eat and be smart on how long it will last without proper storage. You could easily go weeks without needing to use a stove while trekking through the wilderness. The nicest thing about hot water is making warm drinks and also putting a hot water bottle in your sleeping bag during a really cold night. If you are car camping.. Shit, go crazy and actually get yourself a good two burner camp stove that is stable and you can make awesome meals on.
Space for me is important (landscape photographer) and I've been using the Pocket Rocket for 20 years or so now with dried food (some good ones available too). Great space saver, open flame has other uses. Tried it with pots and pans once but due to concentrated heat source in middle of pan the food burnt in the middle and did nothing outside that. Not great in wind so have had to fashion some interesting wind deflectors over time, nearly burnt my pack up once.
Got a pocket rocket for a $1 at a garage sale. Used it for 12 yrs until I lost it. I can't tell u how many dang tip overs that stupid thing caused. Got a jetboil and love that it connects. And got a mini fuel tab/tinder as backup. But now want to get the Biolite 2 that charges phones with wood as fuel.
It must only be some that had the problem. Both my 1 and 1.7L pots have very sturdy handles. No issues at all. I still had them send me the free pot grippers. Why not. lol
Thank you for doing the testing. A detail that I found helpful is to know how much fuel was used to boil X liters of water and at what point the efficiency of the system offsets the added weight associated with boiling system components like the Heat exchanger. So if the Heat exchanger adds 5 oz of weight over another ligher weight less efficient stove system, the added weight may more than offset the efficiency gains over say, a 4 night, 5 day trip. Somethig to think about.
what brand are your glasses frames.. ive been searching for better frames and i like the look of yours. thanks in advance and i appreciate the comparison. i think im going to be getting the windburner.
Dominic Wilkerson I’ve used those before, I used to have an Esbit stove that was kind of like that. They are great. The Pocket Rocket would be worth looking at for chili or cocoa style cooking. You would love it. Thanks for the comment!
Great job! I have two questions. first, being what altitude were you at when running this test? The second, did you by chance weight the fuel systems pre and post-burn/boil? (thought was that the Reactor would also require more fuel to support its torch head/surface.)
Although I am four years late, I did enjoy this video. It is beyond me why guys wear their hats backwards. No, you do not look cool, it makes one appear as "not-right-bright backwoods Bubba guy on Deliverance." Do you realize it leaves a silly half-moon suntan on your forehead, and appears when not wearing a hat as well? Thus, not knowing the bill of their hat belongs in the front protecting their eyes is not cool. Heck, a while back I saw a husband and wife with their hats backwards holding their hands over their eyes blocking the sun, D'oh. Have backwards wearing hat folks lost all sense of reality?
Great video, pocket rocket, all round backpacking stove, but like all these type of stoves they need a wind shield to work efficiently. Wind burner just another Jetboil steal! The Reactor is without doubt just a snow melting beast. This obsession with boil times baffles me, I’m outdoors to enjoy my environment not clock watch! Pocket Rocket will struggle as the fuel reduces, whereas the Reactor, if memory serves, has a regulated burner so is probably the most efficient and is unaffected by reduced fuel levels. Hope that helps someone! Kind regards from across the pond. Clive in deepest Dorset 👍
Ah this is amazing, I love the detail and experience and such, shame you didn't have the 1l reactor. I've noticed a lot of comparison videos don't use windshields when facing the likes of the pocket rocket or other naked flames to the more protected jetboil or mar inclusive systems. May I ask why not that as an additional test, considering all shields are different? I think it would really help the naked flames. And on that note , have you any videos on windshields? I really need one but I want it to cover the flame, id love it to cover the canister and pot too for more heat-efficiensy and lasts better in the cold I imagine. My stoves are the rubbish robens firemidge and the cheapo Amazon one, very reliable just wobbly and stuff, hence the upgrade
Thanks for reaching out! I've heard good old fashioned aluminum foil is an easy, lightweight solution for a windshield. Simply wrap it around the base/flame area. Hope this helps. Cheers!
@@benmaundvisuals aye, I'm trying that buddy, I'm not one for gadgets all the time haha but one has really stood out to me, cone like but more portable than the caldera cone. Im wondering which is best, or if there's much of a difference. Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate you getting back to me :) I believe I've subbed you
@Cleveland explorer stoves direct mounted to isobutane often don't have windscreens because bad things happen when the canister overheats. The windburner., and jetboils get way more boils per ounce of fuel, but you pay for it in size and weight. Those are engineered to not blow up the fuel can, while shielding the burner.
@@Ethan-um7cp thanks dude, I appreciate it may seem daft wanting to cover so much but I totally planned on having plenty of ventilation so the heat is best regulated while protected and I understand too much heat on the canister blows up of course :) so I thought of having something like a cup with a hole for the stove, reflecting up and inwards to the pot, at least that would cover the efficiency of boil timing-probably not, but maybe even hanging it so there's no spills or knocking it over, but once I've become confident and if it works. I understand it's more weight though, but it's interesting to experiment and be creative :) tin foil, namely that of baking tins and such where thicker, are indeed grand to cut and use, very cheap and cheerful, and I'm trying things with that too
Much more important then the boiltime would be the consumption of fuel per liter of water to boil ! If I take my tours into the mountains or backcountry for 2-3 weeks with no possibility of refueling, I need to know how many canes of gas I have to carry with me. A stove, rhat only need 10 grams to boil 1 Liter of water, but needs 6 minutes, will be much better for me, then a stove with 12-15 gramms of fuel consumption, that only took 3 minutes for a rolling boil. Bye the way, you could simmer with a Reactor. It is a bit more tricky, but it will do. And I use my Reactor since 2012. Reactor Pod 1,7l is a bit more fuel efficient then the 1.0L as well. I have both pods. The Windburner 1.0l and 1.8l ( I have both as well) are a bit more compy in use. If you realy have to melt a large amount of snow over longer periods of time ( 1-2 weeks +) go for the MSR XGK II in combination with the 1.7L or 2.5L Reactor pod combined with the MSR Heat exchanger.........it is not light in weight, but will save you huge amounts of gasoline bottles, so its worth the extra weight. I used this combo when crossing the Highlands of Iceland in Winter ( -10 F) for 3 weeks. Cheers
Matthias Schnapka consumption of fuel might be “much more important” to you, but not everyone. Sounds like you already have all the stoves, perhaps test for yourself?! Cheers
The pocket rocket two is not faster than the original. But the Deluxe pocket rocket should be faster and way nicer than the other two. The boil time would be reduced if you used a pot with the heat conductor , like the other stoves had.
Great review,i like the Reactor system and probably that is what i will buy.How stable is the Pot on the stove, can resist at wind or you have to hold it as you boil or something? No secure mechanism as Windburner right? Is stable enough? Thank you
It is stable enough, especially with water or snow in it. It would take a serious amount of wind to knock it over. Correct, there is no locking mechanism like the windburner. Thanks for watching!
I bought the Tamron 28-75 (used for this video) and don't miss the Zeiss one bit. I discovered that primes do not work for my shooting style. With all the hiking I do, I simply don't have time to switch lenses in the middle of the trial. I can do both talking head and b-roll with the Tamron without the hassle of swapping. To my eye, I cant notice much difference in sharpness but I do miss the vibrance and wider angle of the Batis at times. Hope this helps. Cheers.
MSR quality control is horrible, both my Reactor 1.7L have same issues and they been only use for 2 weeks. You dont buy "premium" in this case, it just stupid price.
The reactor is junk. Don't waste your money. If overheated it will shut off the valve and this could be fixed only at factory!! It happened to me during backpacking trip and I had to cut the trip because of that. :((
@@benmaundvisuals I shipped the stove back to MSR and they reset the valve and sent it back to me. However, I cannot rely on the stove. I bought 2 pots for it (2.5L & 1.7L) so now I keep it for camping. How pity!
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #1 НАЧАЛО ПУТЕШЕСТВИЯ [Новый сезон] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/380Q7gLWGvk/mqdefault.jpg)
What stove system are you using?
Hi, I'm using the Msr Microrocket. Works great. :)
Excellent stove system! @@ericdalpe5402
I was using the windburner but the threads where it connects to the fuel somehow managed to pull out of the the stove portion of the item. I probably got 10 pots boiled off it before it broke mid hike.
I told MSR about what happened when I contacted them and they wanted me to cover the cost of shipping to and from *some other company* that handles any of their warranty claims. I told them I would cover the cost of the 7/16ths UNEF threaded part plus cost of shipping to me but they said I would have to send it to somewhere to see if it _qualifies_ for their warranty coverage.
Long story short, MSR is just a brand that doesn't have any involvement with the manufacturing of their own products. I bought the cheapest camp stove off Alibaba--shipped--for less than the cost of _possibly maybe_ getting mine fixed through some random company and harvested the part I needed out of the cheapo to fix it myself.
Pretty disappointed that I paid above the cost of their competition just to keep their marketing-wankery-facade-of-a-company afloat. They're kind of like the Bose of hiking; looks great on the shelf and fails when it's time put their money where mouth is.
Real Bill Nye reach out to MSR!
Msg wind pro II. Decent stove but not that efficient.
I have all three. I use my reactor for backpacking anything more than one night. It’s just a beast and it’s super efficient. A single small fuel canister gets me three meals a day for over a week. It’s barely over a pound and the stove and small can fits perfectly in the one liter pot.
I`m a kind of MSR Fanboy since more then 30 Years. I've had many different Stoves, but mostly from MSR ( 3 different Versions of the XGK Multifuel, a Whisperlite, 3 time the Reactor, etc. ); now I have this Windburner in 1L & 1,8L Version, as well as my beloved Reactor with 1L & 1,7L Pot, as well as the XGK newest Version.
And I have to say quit honestly, that the Reactor ( especially with it's 1,7L Pot) is still much more Fuel efficient ( up to 25%) then the Windburner, and fare ahead above the Jetboils. Also the Reactor builds significant lower in its total hight, when operating as the Windburner, and I only use a stand underneath the Reactor, when operating in snow. The Windburner gets much to much Top heavy when in use with a full pot.....so it definitely need it's foot stand.
And I also constantly read that the Reactor couldn't simmer......what is definitely NOT TRUE !! I use it since 2008 and never ever had a big problem simmering.
But to be fair.....this kind of stove is not intended for fine queasiness cooking.......
I use it mostly in north Scandinavia ( ICELAND ) under very harsh conditions, far away from gas supply or tech support. So it has to be reliable, very fuel efficient, easy to operate, less parts, that could be lost ( especially if they are small ) and weatherproof under all circumstances.
Everyone asks for a build in piezo to be perfect..................BULLSHIT......I have never seen a Stove, that it's piezo is working properly for a longer time, if it will work at all. Try to get it operate in rainy wett conditions.....it will fail for sure !!!!
So make yourself a favor and buy a small fire steel ......it couldn't`brake, and if it is weet or dirty.....wip it of with your shirt and it will work and start all kind of Stoves without a problem, even in heavy weather.
So my kind of choice : The MSR XKG for deep winter long range trips without support, Reactor (1,7L Pot) for equal trips, but only between 1-3 weeks with temps down to -10 Celsius in a max. Short Trips up to 1 week or where steady gas supply is not a big problem......then take the Windburner.
DONE :-)
Just my 50 Cent
Great input! Thanks for sharing.
Hey man. So I just bought the Windburner. I haven't used it yet other than to boil water to test it. I don't think I want to spend the $70 for the MSR pan that is made for this. So I wanted to see if they made an adapter for a pan or pot. They don't. But I did find that Jetboil came out with one. But the diameter isn't much more than the burner itself. I'd rather have stability so I fabricated one myself. It has about a 7 ¾" span so I think it's going to work really well. My MSR pan is 8" so it'll be a good fit. I made it out of stainless steel so it'll last. I'll upload a short video of it soon in case anyone wants to make one. Hopefully MSR will come out with one soon. I don't think everyone wants to spend the money they want for the pan or the pot.
Good idea. Not having a pot support like Jetboil is the one thing holding me back from getting the Windburner. Look forward to seeing what you come up with.
@@davidcooper5790 Here's what I came up with.
ua-cam.com/video/9YcxWU1KweA/v-deo.html
@@davidcooper5790 Hi , you should also consider Jetboil Stash, 210gr, witch comes with a 0.8 L pot, and as a MSR PR, you can use other pot size, 2m30 to boil 0.5L . The pot includes a canister support, and a 100gr Jetboil canister or 110Gr MsR canister claps under the lid and all those including the burner, fit in the pot.
I always found my reactor heated water to a boil faster in the morning than I was ready for it and withstood wind impressively well.
I like the msr wind-burner but I love the version that sits lower with the gas can not attached to the bottom. It’s good for cooking real food in
That's a great stove. Very versatile!
Exactly the video I was looking for...
Currently searching a stove for mountaineering.
Glad I could help. What did you end up with?
I found the Pocket Rocket to be awesome for it's size and what it can do. Got mine many years ago and it's still brilliant in it's class. Not good for cooking bacon or pancakes though as the heat print is very small. This means you get very concentrated heat in the centre of your pan but little just outside it. Pans and pots need even heat distribution so a wider flame source I've found.
Gotta love that pocket rocket! In terms of size, price, and reliability, it's hard to beat.
Like anyone is gonna haul around bacon in a scenario you'd take a pocket rocket. The actual differences in these things is in the details of living with and using them for years on end. Put simply, a jetboil type is for coffee and dehydrated meals only with built-in cup bonus, for shorter trips in mild climates. Pocket Rocket if you have cooking needs beyond that. And if you venture into extreme cold/elevation and/or long trips you need to switch to liquid fuel. I have all and rarely bust out my pocket rocket or whisperlite. If I'm cooking "bacon", I'm bringing my Partner and a 5lb bomb.
@@sam-ww1wk I think jet boil do all sorts of pans and pots for bigger meals. Could be good for car camping.
Going on a solo mission this deer season and going to pack in far enough to necessitate staying over night. This was exactly the information I needed. Thanks!
Whitey375 glad it helped. Cheers!
Great review. I have all of these and I prefer the reactor with their lowdown remote canister approach for stability.
For sure!
I have a prototype Whisperlite International with one of the first Shaker Jets, also an XGK, both 20+ years old. Both were damaged in a fire and I need to repair/rehab them .
MSR Pocket Rocket... "has been arround for a couple years"... well.. More like a couple DECADES! LOL. Good piece of kit, but the wind kills it. And stability is not THAT great. Integrated systems such as the Windburner or the Jetboil are all the rage right now, and for a good reason. Messing arround with windscreens, clips and stuff like that to get a light screw on top stove to work decently when in the wind is a bitch... I bought an ultralight titanium stove last year and I am regretting the whole $14 I spent on it... I am going to sell all other stoves (quite a few) and get a Windburner. Cool video!
miferna good info and thanks for watching. You’ll love the windburner! Enjoy!
locking the stove to burner is very important for my application,,,, wish the did the same with the reactor
Same...definitely a nice feature on the windburner
MSR/Cascade Designs used to be good. Now they suck. Some of their stoves actually had aluminum threads to connect to a fuel canister! Al is a soft metal and won't last. Only an idiot or a con man would use aluminum threads. I had one of their Hubba tents and a pole snapped in the middle of the night on the first week and ripped a large hole in the rainfly. No wind or anything. I was on the AT and was a week away from an outfitter to get a new tent. On another Hubba, I used it for a month with good luck. Next season the rainfly was more like a screen, it didn't even try to repel water. MSR said that their rainflys are "hydrophobic", ie the waterproofing does not like moisture and will degrade in its presence. Where i lived we only got 8 inches of rain a year. Humidity wasn't a storage issue. I have had three of their air mattresses. They don't last. One i bought in Tuscon, az on a bike tour. In less than a week it had delaminated, and wouldn't hold air. It was another week before I got to an outfitter. I also have one of their white gas stoves. It works well, but check out the price of the repair kit for the stove. I think that i paid $40 for a few o-rings and a wick.
Who am I? I have a PhD in geophysics. I have covered over 26,000 miles on thru hikes, and over 75,000 on bicycle tours. I will never buy anything from MSR/Cascade Designs again.
1 person in the Alpine/ Yukon: Soto Windmaster and Ti Pot
2 People.... Windburner
3 people...Reactor with 1.7 Litre Pot
4 People...Reactor with 2.5 Litre Pot
Great insight!
I love it how you talk about boiling water, melting snow and cooking BACON!
We mostly make bacon while car camping but yeah...gotta love that BACON!! :)
I enjoyed dealing with realdarkwebpin on telegram he’s the realest vendor
Thanks ! I'm buying the reactor because of your review here.🔥🏔️
Great to hear! You'll love it...enjoy!
Did you take the weight of fuel canisters after the test to determine the fuel used to see what stove was the most fuel-efficient stove? May just be me but don't really care on a backpacking trip if it takes an extra min to boil water, I can spare a min. I don't want to waste or carry extra fuel weight. Nice test, thank you.
flashman V I plan on doin another video to test the efficiency! Going to try and see how many liters each of them can boil with a 4oz canister. Should be interesting.
Thanks so much for this!! The reactor seems totally unknown out there but I recognised it once I saw it on the msr site. My one big deal breaker is how it doesn't clip into the burner, I think that's a massive thing because holding onto it means holding onto it all, and the alignment in theory would make it more efficient as an even contact of heat and more contact and such if that makes sense. Since you asked, I have a generic with piezo from Amazon for about 5 pounds gbt and the robens firemidge which is absolutely rubbish, especially in lower temperatures, I guess at 10 degrees c and lower. the generic I find absolutely reliable and easy to use but difficult to store, kinda clunky. It's about time I upgrade, and I'm thinking either the reactor, windburner or pocketrocket 2 deluxe which yes are all the same brand but genuinely do trump others, and the deluxe also does better in the colder temperatures-its about the same as my generic stove but about 15 grams lighter and more convenient folding/storage
If you're looking at something similar to the pocket rocket and an upgrade from your piezo, check out the BRS-3000T or Tomshoo Mini Pocket one-piece. They're super cheap on Amazon and great ultralight titanium options. Thats only if you're looking at a pocket rocket type stove though. If you're going for something more serious stick with the Reactor or Windburner.
@@homealone5087 hi mate, thanks a lot and especially for specifying the suffix thing on the brs, I realise there's a few variations :s so was struggling. I'm leaning towards the brs because it seems on par, and I intend on my own wind proofing but not sure how yet. I have what I assume you're referring to with the tomshoo, the only tomshoo stove first page of Amazon, and it's way better than any other stove I've had albeit wobbly on the stand thing, but I'm sure I got it for a fiver so I really dont care haha, it's certainly a backup for years to come once I've found a more sturdy smaller and lighter piece. The likes of the mar windburner and other one, well looking into that it seems on par with jetboil for a hell of a lot, but apparently there's a safety thing in which a pin or whatever prevents further use, and three times it activates means it'll need a return to msr, or a return each time but unable to revive after the third? I'm not sure but I'd hate for that to happen when I need it most. If I did get one for extreme wind, it would be in the future and if at present, rare id be exposed like that. at my skill level in the UK, there's few places I couldn't go for shelter like the Cairngorms but I'd still hate for my stove to fail me :( I really appreciate all that though mate and the effort advising :D it did help me decide
@@clevelandexplorer2221 no prob. Glad i could help. I own the BRS and use it quite a lot. I haven't used the tomshoo, but it looks exactly the same as the BRS. Im guessing its made in the same factory in China and they just slap different labels on it.
As far as jetboil goes I'd definitely go MSR instead. The jetboils are popular, but the MSR are much more durable. The Reactor in particular is bomb proof and i hear their customer service and warranty is much better than Jetboil.
Have you looked at the Primus OmniFuel? Thats an amazing stove. If the world was ending and I was heading for the hills thats the stove I would grab. It runs on multiple fuel sources (canister gas, white gas, kerosene, diesel and jet fuel), runs well at altitude, melts snow like crazy. Its a little heavier than other stoves, like 16oz, but they do make a titanium version that shaves it down to 12oz.
@@homealone5087 hey pal, yeah you did! I got my crappy fake stove out, it only lasted 40 seconds of flame idk why. I'll definitely get the brs!! I won't get the tomshoo though, it's not popular enough now I'm extra cautious getting this one, I appreciate it's the same factory more than likely but it's more than that, it's supporting the company and such :) if you watch Paul messengers take on it, made two weeks ago I believe as it happens, he explains the efficiency of fuel and calculated fuel price to be about half from the likes of mar, about 12 grams, to the jetboil of some sort with a conventional stove which used 5 grams and also faster I believe too. I've got so damn much fuel though over the years and a device so cheap to move fuel from almost empty canisters to one, I really don't mind about price at least for now. If I do eventually find the budgeting I may well go for the Primus I looked it up just then, wow it does look great and hugely versatile for use and fuel! Plus it's complete with windshield and such. I'll look into that more out of interest XD seems the designs old too, so reliable only updated to be more compact
This video is a little old but the pocket rocket he is using is first generation! 2nd Generation was a way better design! Which I bought back in 2016. First generations pocket rockets were no longer available for sale. 3 years before this video was posted! lol Well at least in big branch Outdoors stores. But a couple years ago or more, MSR released a Pocket Rocket Deluxe stove. This Is what he should be comparing to these other stoves. Pocket Rocket Deluxe boils water faster than Gen 2 Pocket Rocket. Anyone coming across this look at the Pocket rocket deluxe! It's the lightest widespread heat burner you can buy! So not just cooking with skinny pots/pans you can actually really cook real food! So fast boil water in a skinny cup up cook gourmet camping food on a frying pan:)
How much faster is the newer pocket rocket? Just curious...I can't imagine it being that much faster than the OG.
Good Job man, thanks.
The Reactor I do not consider a camp stove. Actually, none of them are. Making disgusting freeze dried meals just sucks and I only do it when there is nothing else to make or eat. The Reactor is in its element melting snow and boiling water. That is about it. When I first started mountain climbing the XGK and Dragonfly is what we used. Now it is the Reactors we take with us.
The windburner in those tall insulated pots.. Maybe for backpacking. Boiling water is what you will be using it for mainly, and making a mess for anything else.
The pocket rocket? It is a super lightweight stove that you could use with almost any pot or pan. But there are better stoves for camping and for simmering if you want to actually make something more than boiling water. To me.. My pocket rocket is an emergency stove to bring along just in case.
I like the new Windburner stove kits with the frying pan and 2.5 liter pot. That would allow you to actually cook a meal in them. But again, it comes down to what you can bring with you and not have it spoil while out for multiple days.
We sea kayak and I will bring vegetables and other items to go along with the fresh fish I will catch and the other seafood I can forage along the shore. But I can store a small soft sided cooler in the boats. I will usually bring two Dragonfly's with us because I can boil easily and also simmer with them.
For backpacking.. Any stove can boil water. I try not to eat the freeze dried shit as much as possible. Bring what you can that you actually like to eat and be smart on how long it will last without proper storage. You could easily go weeks without needing to use a stove while trekking through the wilderness. The nicest thing about hot water is making warm drinks and also putting a hot water bottle in your sleeping bag during a really cold night.
If you are car camping.. Shit, go crazy and actually get yourself a good two burner camp stove that is stable and you can make awesome meals on.
Very good points
Space for me is important (landscape photographer) and I've been using the Pocket Rocket for 20 years or so now with dried food (some good ones available too). Great space saver, open flame has other uses. Tried it with pots and pans once but due to concentrated heat source in middle of pan the food burnt in the middle and did nothing outside that. Not great in wind so have had to fashion some interesting wind deflectors over time, nearly burnt my pack up once.
Got a pocket rocket for a $1 at a garage sale. Used it for 12 yrs until I lost it. I can't tell u how many dang tip overs that stupid thing caused. Got a jetboil and love that it connects. And got a mini fuel tab/tinder as backup. But now want to get the Biolite 2 that charges phones with wood as fuel.
Ge In tip overs are usually due to user error. Jetboil is a great system...similar to the windburner. Enjoy!
@@benmaundvisuals I wish that were true. That's why I like the jetboil even though it's a little too big for me on long hikes.
The Reactor 1.7l pot currently has a safety recall on the handle.
It must only be some that had the problem. Both my 1 and 1.7L pots have very sturdy handles. No issues at all. I still had them send me the free pot grippers. Why not. lol
Thank you for doing the testing. A detail that I found helpful is to know how much fuel was used to boil X liters of water and at what point the efficiency of the system offsets the added weight associated with boiling system components like the Heat exchanger. So if the Heat exchanger adds 5 oz of weight over another ligher weight less efficient stove system, the added weight may more than offset the efficiency gains over say, a 4 night, 5 day trip. Somethig to think about.
MRo planning on doing something like this soon!
Need some of these stove in Jamaica
Ya man!
Great review.
Thanks.
Is there any difference in how much fuel they use, or is it linear to the burn time?
Definitely a difference, just haven't gotten around to figuring that out yet!
awesome video! fuel efficient wise...which would you reccomend, i understand diffrnt situations and variables..
Tough call....need to do a fuel comparison one of these days!
Very useful hints man!
Thanks Mate!
Hello Ben
Can I use a gas adapter and 1lb propane tank for the MSR Reactors Stoves? Ps. In an emergency, of course
Nice info. I wish msr didn’t have to use matches to light the flame.
That would definitely be a nice feature! Agreed.
I use a welding speaker flint n steel. Works well. Reactor.
what brand are your glasses frames.. ive been searching for better frames and i like the look of yours. thanks in advance and i appreciate the comparison. i think im going to be getting the windburner.
Hmmm I actually never used one of these. I have this little pocket solid fuel burning thing that works for chili or cocoa. I may have to get one.
Dominic Wilkerson I’ve used those before, I used to have an Esbit stove that was kind of like that. They are great. The Pocket Rocket would be worth looking at for chili or cocoa style cooking. You would love it. Thanks for the comment!
@@benmaundvisuals for sure. I enjoyed the quality that you put into the video with editing and proper camera control
спасибо! очень полезный тест!
How much of the slow boil time on the Pocket rocket comes from the fact that it's the only one not using a pot with heat exchanger?
Probably a lot. It is inefficient compared to the others!
This is a good review, awesome job!
Captain Cake thanks, Captain.
Thank you for this awesome video. Very helpful
Glad it helped! Which stove system did you end up going with?
Great job! I have two questions. first, being what altitude were you at when running this test? The second, did you by chance weight the fuel systems pre and post-burn/boil? (thought was that the Reactor would also require more fuel to support its torch head/surface.)
I was at about 200ft. I did not weigh the canisters but would love to test that in the near future!
I still don’t know what one to get, there hard to find in stock, maybe the reactor ?
Decisions decisions. Really just depends on your needs!
Although I am four years late, I did enjoy this video.
It is beyond me why guys wear their hats backwards. No, you do not look cool, it makes one appear as "not-right-bright backwoods Bubba guy on Deliverance." Do you realize it leaves a silly half-moon suntan on your forehead, and appears when not wearing a hat as well? Thus, not knowing the bill of their hat belongs in the front protecting their eyes is not cool. Heck, a while back I saw a husband and wife with their hats backwards holding their hands over their eyes blocking the sun, D'oh. Have backwards wearing hat folks lost all sense of reality?
Thank you!
Great video, pocket rocket, all round backpacking stove, but like all these type of stoves they need a wind shield to work efficiently. Wind burner just another Jetboil steal! The Reactor is without doubt just a snow melting beast. This obsession with boil times baffles me, I’m outdoors to enjoy my environment not clock watch! Pocket Rocket will struggle as the fuel reduces, whereas the Reactor, if memory serves, has a regulated burner so is probably the most efficient and is unaffected by reduced fuel levels. Hope that helps someone! Kind regards from across the pond. Clive in deepest Dorset 👍
Thanks for reaching out! Great information, cheers!
Ah this is amazing, I love the detail and experience and such, shame you didn't have the 1l reactor. I've noticed a lot of comparison videos don't use windshields when facing the likes of the pocket rocket or other naked flames to the more protected jetboil or mar inclusive systems. May I ask why not that as an additional test, considering all shields are different? I think it would really help the naked flames. And on that note , have you any videos on windshields? I really need one but I want it to cover the flame, id love it to cover the canister and pot too for more heat-efficiensy and lasts better in the cold I imagine. My stoves are the rubbish robens firemidge and the cheapo Amazon one, very reliable just wobbly and stuff, hence the upgrade
Thanks for reaching out! I've heard good old fashioned aluminum foil is an easy, lightweight solution for a windshield. Simply wrap it around the base/flame area. Hope this helps. Cheers!
@@benmaundvisuals aye, I'm trying that buddy, I'm not one for gadgets all the time haha but one has really stood out to me, cone like but more portable than the caldera cone. Im wondering which is best, or if there's much of a difference. Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate you getting back to me :) I believe I've subbed you
@Cleveland explorer stoves direct mounted to isobutane often don't have windscreens because bad things happen when the canister overheats. The windburner., and jetboils get way more boils per ounce of fuel, but you pay for it in size and weight. Those are engineered to not blow up the fuel can, while shielding the burner.
@@Ethan-um7cp thanks dude, I appreciate it may seem daft wanting to cover so much but I totally planned on having plenty of ventilation so the heat is best regulated while protected and I understand too much heat on the canister blows up of course :) so I thought of having something like a cup with a hole for the stove, reflecting up and inwards to the pot, at least that would cover the efficiency of boil timing-probably not, but maybe even hanging it so there's no spills or knocking it over, but once I've become confident and if it works. I understand it's more weight though, but it's interesting to experiment and be creative :) tin foil, namely that of baking tins and such where thicker, are indeed grand to cut and use, very cheap and cheerful, and I'm trying things with that too
Much more important then the boiltime would be the consumption of fuel per liter of water to boil ! If I take my tours into the mountains or backcountry for 2-3 weeks with no possibility of refueling, I need to know how many canes of gas I have to carry with me. A stove, rhat only need 10 grams to boil 1 Liter of water, but needs 6 minutes, will be much better for me, then a stove with 12-15 gramms of fuel consumption, that only took 3 minutes for a rolling boil.
Bye the way, you could simmer with a Reactor. It is a bit more tricky, but it will do. And I use my Reactor since 2012.
Reactor Pod 1,7l is a bit more fuel efficient then the 1.0L as well. I have both pods.
The Windburner 1.0l and 1.8l ( I have both as well) are a bit more compy in use.
If you realy have to melt a large amount of snow over longer periods of time ( 1-2 weeks +) go for the MSR XGK II in combination with the 1.7L or 2.5L Reactor pod combined with the MSR Heat exchanger.........it is not light in weight, but will save you huge amounts of gasoline bottles, so its worth the extra weight.
I used this combo when crossing the Highlands of Iceland in Winter ( -10 F) for 3 weeks.
Cheers
Matthias Schnapka consumption of fuel might be “much more important” to you, but not everyone. Sounds like you already have all the stoves, perhaps test for yourself?!
Cheers
Did you let the containers cool to same temperature before doing next test? The hotter burners would have had reduced time in subsequent tests.
Michael Florence yes, all systems were fully cooled before the next test.
The pocket rocket two is not faster than the original. But the Deluxe pocket rocket should be faster and way nicer than the other two. The boil time would be reduced if you used a pot with the heat conductor , like the other stoves had.
Thanks for the info, Mate.
Great review,i like the Reactor system and probably that is what i will buy.How stable is the Pot on the stove, can resist at wind or you have to hold it as you boil or something? No secure mechanism as Windburner right? Is stable enough? Thank you
It is stable enough, especially with water or snow in it. It would take a serious amount of wind to knock it over. Correct, there is no locking mechanism like the windburner. Thanks for watching!
if you want to save gas on pocket rocket, use much wider flat pan... instead of a cup
Great tip! Thanks
thanks
Welcome
Thanks.
You should’ve also had the pocket rocket dlx
Agreed. Couldn't get my hands on one, unfortunately!
Which one works better when it is windy is my concern?
shiftcon I’d assume the Reactor since it’s geared more towards mountaineering. It would be cool to do a test and see.
How do you feel about the BATIS 18 after several months' use
I bought the Tamron 28-75 (used for this video) and don't miss the Zeiss one bit. I discovered that primes do not work for my shooting style. With all the hiking I do, I simply don't have time to switch lenses in the middle of the trial. I can do both talking head and b-roll with the Tamron without the hassle of swapping. To my eye, I cant notice much difference in sharpness but I do miss the vibrance and wider angle of the Batis at times. Hope this helps. Cheers.
@@benmaundvisuals Thx! I just got one this morning which was the last few ones in Australia. I find it is a really good lense and I love it ! Cheers
ZHIHAO WANG you will love it!! Such a sharp lens. Enjoy!
Why pocket rocket with pot without heat exchanger ? test - sucks. Sorry for my english.
MSR quality control is horrible, both my Reactor 1.7L have same issues and they been only use for 2 weeks. You dont buy "premium" in this case, it just stupid price.
Must be the later runs of the pots. I got a 2012 reactor and the pots are great as is the stove.
Bad test! With the larger surface area of the reactor will win every time.
Yep, it’s a beast!!
Alexascard on telegram I think that you are the best Because your services are very fast
The reactor is junk. Don't waste your money. If overheated it will shut off the valve and this could be fixed only at factory!! It happened to me during backpacking trip and I had to cut the trip because of that. :((
Gregory Stein damn dude sorry to hear that. What did MSR have to say about that?
Yeh just happened to me so be warned. At least the wind burner gives you second chance!
@@benmaundvisuals I shipped the stove back to MSR and they reset the valve and sent it back to me. However, I cannot rely on the stove. I bought 2 pots for it (2.5L & 1.7L) so now I keep it for camping. How pity!
Paul Hudson that sucks man sorry to hear. I wonder if MSR has a solution or will replace these valves.
Gregory Stein reliability is key with this kind of equipment. MSR needs to do something about this if it’s been an issue with so many customers.
1st mistake was buying anything at rei. Most overpriced retail store out there.
Ge In it’s definitely a little more, but members get 10% back and their return policy can’t be beat.
@@benmaundvisuals give me a good ol army navy store any day. And I'm a lifelong rei member.