View Full Version : ThermoJet Microlite Alcohol stove
HeartWalker
12-14-2005, 16:22
Anyone have experience with this stove? Backpacking lIght rated it very high. I have a brasslite now but am not entirely satisfied with it. Thanks
SGT Rock
12-14-2005, 16:52
no personal experience, but the stove editor that wrote that did a very complete set of tests. You just have to decide if that stove does what you need it to do.
Lanthar Mandragoran
12-14-2005, 18:46
A number of people over at BPL have noted having very little response from the creator when they tried ordering. You might check out the 'reader reviews' section of BPL.
Seems like the guy is having production issues
I have had good luck with the thermajet stove as have a number of people who have borrowed mine. I found it to be easy to use, fairly fuel efficent, decent in wind, and it provides a very stable base for the my pot which many stoved don't.
Normally I use Sgt Rock's Ion stove when travelling solo because it is lighter, smaller, and a bit more fuel efficent in my experience, but the thermajet is better in more incidental conditions and the pot stand is much more stable.
Kerosene
12-19-2005, 10:20
...but the thermajet is better in more incidental conditions...Verber, can you clarify what you mean by incidental in this case?
Anyone have experience with this stove? Backpacking lIght rated it very high. I have a brasslite now but am not entirely satisfied with it. Thanks
from their own website specs:
Time to boil 16 oz of water 3 min 45sec*
& this is @ room temperature!
think i'll stick with my MSR POCKET ROCKET:D
Verber, can you clarify what you mean by incidental in this case?
Rain, strong winds, etc. Nasty weather.
--mark
Time to boil 16 oz of water 3 min 45sec*
think i'll stick with my MSR POCKET ROCKET:D
So what's the problem? Provided that it doesn't take forever to boil my water, I don't care that much about time. In the back country you should slow down and enjoy each momement. One advantage of an alchohol stove is that they are also very quiet. No roaring flame. The peace and quiet is well worth waiting a few extra minutes for my food to be ready.
When looking at stoves I am typically looking for something that is light. Light is base weight + fuel required for the trip. On most trips I have found alchohol stoves to be lighter than a canister stove. As a bonus, they are cheaper to operate.
So what's the problem? Provided that it doesn't take forever to boil my water, I don't care that much about time. In the back country you should slow down and enjoy each momement. One advantage of an alchohol stove is that they are also very quiet. No roaring flame. The peace and quiet is well worth waiting a few extra minutes for my food to be ready.
When looking at stoves I am typically looking for something that is light. Light is base weight + fuel required for the trip. On most trips I have found alchohol stoves to be lighter than a canister stove. As a bonus, they are cheaper to operate.
just quoting facts, verber!
my MSR POCKET ROCKET+ cannister=7oz. (according to MSR website)
& in 3 mins will boil a LITRE of water
the hikers i've encountered using alcohol stoves generally carry way too much fuel (added weight) & is very messy to deal with. Just an observation.!
Fiddleback
12-19-2005, 20:54
The under 4-minute time cited above is pretty good for an alcohol stove. FYI, most soda-can--style alcohol stoves have a weight advantage for 2-3 day trips. Beyond that, more traditional backpacking stoves and their fuel start saving weight over the alcohol stove. In comparison to the the 7oz mentioned above, my stove w/fuel (and fuel bottle) for two dinners and two breakfasts is also 7oz generally with alcohol to spare.
FB
just quoting facts, verber!
my MSR POCKET ROCKET+ cannister=7oz. (according to MSR website)
& in 3 mins will boil a LITRE of water
the hikers i've encountered using alcohol stoves generally carry way too much fuel (added weight) & is very messy to deal with. Just an observation.!
Ok... I didn't realize that you always post with a rather noticable typeface. Normally when I am using such a typeface I AM YELLING. I gather that's not the case for you.
I would say that the hikers you encounter carrying too much fuel & having a messy time haven't mastered using their stoves yet.
My style is to typically cook only my dinner. For me, the cross over point is around 10 days. Less than 10 days alchohol is lighter, more than 10 days a canisters better fuel efficency ends up being lighter. If I was cooking breakfast and dinner then my cross over is after 5 days (unless I am melting snow for water in which case I am typically carrying a white gas stove).
My breakdown looks like this:
My stove (Ion stove) + windshield is 1oz
For trips that are more than a weekend I use a lil nipper + micro nozzle which weights 1oz. The micro nozzle makes it easy to pour. I have never had a spill since I switched to the nozzle.
I use .5oz alchohol / meal which is enough for me to boil / cook 20oz of water (typically 8oz for tea, 12oz for food).
I sometimes carry an extra 1-2oz of fuel which also serve as an emergency firestarter and part of my first aid kit.Earlier I mentioned that I like how alchohol stoves are quiet. The other thing I like is that my stove and fuel is compact. I can get my stove, windscreen, pot stand, fuel, small bowl used for hot tea, tea bags, matches, nylon pot scraper, and eating utensils inside my .9L pot.
--Mark
Hana_Hanger
12-20-2005, 09:23
My breakdown looks like this:
My stove (Ion stove) + windshield is 1oz
For trips that are more than a weekend I use a lil nipper + micro nozzle which weights 1oz. The micro nozzle makes it easy to pour. I have never had a spill since I switched to the nozzle.
I use .5oz alchohol / meal which is enough for me to boil / cook 20oz of water (typically 8oz for tea, 12oz for food).
I sometimes carry an extra 1-2oz of fuel which also serve as an emergency firestarter and part of my first aid kit.Earlier I mentioned that I like how alchohol stoves are quiet. The other thing I like is that my stove and fuel is compact. I can get my stove, windscreen, pot stand, fuel, small bowl used for hot tea, tea bags, matches, nylon pot scraper, and eating utensils inside my .9L pot.
--Mark
Thanks so much for the hint of the Lil Nipper and micro nozzle.
I just got two alcohol stoves and tested them these last 4 days. Our group and my sons were mesmerized by them...great conversation piece as well. :p
Could you please share where you buy the Lil Nipper and micro nozzle?
Thanks
......................The other thing I like is that my stove and fuel is compact. I can get my stove, windscreen, pot stand, fuel, [/SIZE][/SIZE]small bowl used for hot tea, tea bags, matches, nylon pot scraper, and eating utensils inside my .9L pot.--Mark
Me too! :D
i store my stove, cannister, coffee, matches & utensil (spork) in my .9L pot.
p.s. sorry the FONT style (or size) scared you....i NEVER YELL!
Lanthar Mandragoran
12-20-2005, 10:11
Thanks so much for the hint of the Lil Nipper and micro nozzle.
I just got two alcohol stoves and tested them these last 4 days. Our group and my sons were mesmerized by them...great conversation piece as well. :p
Could you please share where you buy the Lil Nipper and micro nozzle?
Thanks
You can get lil' nippers at most outdoor stores. I think these (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/platypus-lil-nipper-spout-caps.html) are the nozzles he's referring to.
Alligator
12-20-2005, 10:45
You can get lil' nippers at most outdoor stores. I think these (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/platypus-lil-nipper-spout-caps.html) are the nozzles he's referring to.
And free shipping on those. I like to see that on small cheap items.