Caldera Cone better in the cold?

[John Klein]

Is the Caldera Cone better in the cold than just a Pepsi can stove with a windscreen? Perhaps the cone transfers heat to the stove allowing the alcohol to maintain the necessary temperature better.

Anti Gravity Gear is scheduled to be at the AT weekend at Amicalola the first weekend in March. That would be my chance to buy a Caldera Cone when I'm there. Right now I only use a Pepsi can stove when it's warm and a canister stove all other times of the year.

[JonnyWalker]

Caldera Cones aren't any more effecient in the wind. They are much easier to set up though. Thin enough foil will just blow away. I tested my caldera clone in 30+ mph sustained winds with rain and sleet a few weeks ago and it wasn't much slower than in the woodshop.

[Mountain Wildman]

I have the Caldera Cone For Snow Peak Trek 700, I haven't tried it yet, It is extremely cold here and I am not into winter camping, Last week was below zero.
The card with the system said the stove is tuned to the cone and you can't use just any alcohol stove with it. I also read that the Cone system was affected less by wind than any other type of windscreen set up.
Could just be hype though, I may go test it in my yard tomorrow and see how it responds to single digit temps.

[take-a-knee]

I have the Caldera Cone For Snow Peak Trek 700, I haven't tried it yet, It is extremely cold here and I am not into winter camping, Last week was below zero.
The card with the system said the stove is tuned to the cone and you can't use just any alcohol stove with it. I also read that the Cone system was affected less by wind than any other type of windscreen set up.
Could just be hype though, I may go test it in my yard tomorrow and see how it responds to single digit temps.

It is not hype, it is a LOT more efficient and wind resistant than a pepsi stove/ windscreen. With ANY alcohol stove though you need to warm your alcohol in your pocket for a while before you try to light the stove when it is much below freezing.

[Mountain Wildman]

Thanks,
I was gonna pick up a bottle of Heet to test it.

[Inwoods]

Better than what? I myself have never used a canister stove. However, this morning using the caldera cone I came to these results: air temp 32 degF. Fuel temp 32degF. Water temp 40deg. Pot, .9l evernew ti. 2 cups water. Fuel 3/4 ounce. Full rolling boil in 7.5 min, complete burn out in 9 min. BTW, it was quite windy outside today. I would hope to get boil times bet. 4 to 5 min in warmer temps, thus using less fuel. In my opinion only, these are quite acceptable results

[10-K]

I flip back and forth between my primus canister stove and caldera cone w/ esbit and gram cracker esbit stove.

Last hike I went on I took the CC and the wind was howling... I got a rolling boil on 1 piece of esbit and still was able to save about 20% of the tablet. That's about what I get any other time - I thought it was pretty good considering the conditions.

[take-a-knee]

I flip back and forth between my primus canister stove and caldera cone w/ esbit and gram cracker esbit stove.

Last hike I went on I took the CC and the wind was howling... I got a rolling boil on 1 piece of esbit and still was able to save about 20% of the tablet. That's about what I get any other time - I thought it was pretty good considering the conditions.

The only canister stove worth using in the cold is the MSR Windpro, it isn't worth the weight for one person when a caldera setup will get a boil in about twice the time, IMO. 3 min vs 7 min. People tout the Jetboil, most of them are shelter whores, get it out in the wind and it'll suck just like a pocket rocket, just not quite as bad. You'll still get boil times closer to that of a caldera setup instead of 3 min.