SuperStove For Optimal Backcountry Cooking – GWC Mag

Pros & Cons of Other Stove Systems vs SuperStoves

For comparison, the SuperStove referenced in this section is MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe + Olicamp XTS Pot

Original Jetboil Stash System vs SuperStove

Pros: Jetboil Stash System is slightly lighter weight and slightly more fuel efficient, but only in wind-free conditions. Best-in-class pot, same as FrankenStove. Truly an incredible, game-changing design. Bravo Jetboil!

Cons: Jetboil Stash System is incapable of boiling water in cold windy conditions, and boils more than twice as slowly as SuperStove in moderate conditions. It is not pressure regulated, half the BTU output, and has no built-in ignitor.

MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe Kit vs SuperStove

Pros: MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe Premade Kit has the best-in-class PRD burner, same as our typical SuperStove configuration.

Cons: MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe Premade Kit is more expensive, much heavier and bulkier pot, has a slower boil time, inferior fuel economy, no heat exchanger base, and performs much worse in cold windy weather.

MSR Pocket Rocket 2 Kit vs SuperStove

Pros: MSR Pocket Rocket II Premade Kit roughly the same weight and slightly less expensive than SuperStove.

Cons: MSR Pocket Rocket II Premade Kit is incapable of boiling water in cold windy conditions. It is not pressure regulated, it does not have a heat exchanger base, or built-in ignitor. It is much less fuel efficient, much slower to boil water, and has very little wind resistance.

Jetboil Flash vs SuperStove

Pros: Jetboil Flash has a lightly insulated pot.

Cons: Jetboil Flash is incapable of boiling water in cold windy conditions. It’s also more expensive, heavier, bulkier, boils slower in all conditions, is less fuel efficient, is not pressure regulated, and has poor wind-resistance despite the heat exchanger base.

Jetboil MiniMo vs SuperStove

Pros: Jetboil MiniMo has a similar wind resistance and fuel economy to SuperStoves as well as a lightly insulated pot.

Cons: Jetboil MiniMo is more expensive, heavier, bulkier, and slower boil time.

MSR Reactor vs SuperStove

Pros: MSR Reactor, in cold wind, has a similar boil time and fuel economy to SuperStoves. It also has potentially superior resistance to wind >5mph, but this is not covered in the scope of our testing.

Cons: MSR Reactor is incredibly expensive, the only stove more expensive than FrankenStove. It’s also heavier, bulkier, and has a slightly slower boil time and slightly worse fuel economy in all conditions.

Trail Designs Caldera Alcohol Stove System vs SuperStove

Pros: The Trail Designs Caldera System is much less expensive than SuperStoves. It is an alcohol stove system that is lighter weight on shorter trips because you do not need to carry a metal fuel canister, despite alcohol fuel itself being heavier.

Cons: Alcohol stoves boil water painfully slowly, are finnicky to use, and heavier on medium-to-long length trips when more liquid fuel is required.

Soto Windmaster + Titanium Pot vs SuperStove

Pros: Soto Windmaster + TOAKS Titanium 900ml pot is lighter weight and lower bulk than a StoveStove. Titanium is more durable. This combo used a similarly top tier burner to SuperStove with pressure regulation, cupped head, and pietzo ignitor. SWM is a great burner.

Cons: No heat exchanger base means worse fuel economy, slower boil time, worse wind resistance. Titanium has inferior heat transfer properties. Heavier system on medium-to-long-length trips when long term fuel savings overcome initial hardware weight savings.

BRS 3000T + Titanium Pot vs SuperStove

Pros: BRS 3000T + TOAKS Titanium 900ml pot is a much lighter weight system and 1/3 the cost.

Cons: BRS 3000T is incapable of boiling water in cold windy conditions. This system has a much slower boil time, significantly worse fuel economy, no heat exchanger base, no pressure regulation, and no built-in ignitor.