View Full Version : Snow Peak Lite Max Stove
Hi, curious if anyone has experience with this stove - the reviews are good but then the company wouldn't report bad reveiws ;).
Any recommendations would be appreciated....txs. :-?
Tried and true.........ezbit solid fuel stoves. Cheaper too!
Forgot to mention.... no "real" moving parts, no O-rings to break or replace, no sleeping with alcohol containers, no leaky fuel canisters, no fragile parts, self storing, and can even second as a small wood stove.
gravityman
01-24-2011, 15:15
As long as you like your food luke-warm, esbits are great! Now if you actually want to boil something...
Okay, that's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but he was looking for a review, and you told him esbits are the ONLY thing worth having. I disagree, but can see the value if you are a solo hiker. Just a word of warning, that they aren't the hot heat source most people are use to and if you hike with anyone else they aren't a weight savings.
Gravity
Old Hiker
01-24-2011, 15:18
Tried and true.........ezbit solid fuel stoves. Cheaper too!
Picked up a couple packages of Esbit tags - are they SUPPOSED to smell like thru-hikers or did I just get a bad batch?!?
JaxHiker
01-24-2011, 15:30
Well, I'll try to actually answer your question. :)
I have and love my LiteMax. It's currently my main stove when I'm not playing around with alcohol. It works very well and it's hard to beat the 1.9 oz weight. Of course you have to consider the canister as well but it's little more than carrying other types of fuel. It's very fast and can get your water boiling quickly.
The only warning I have is to be careful when attaching it to the canister. I guess the threads are touchy and I managed to strip mine after just a couple of uses. I sent it back to REI and they sent me another one. They also said I wasn't the first. Since then I've been slow and careful and haven't had another issue. I've had mine about 2 years now.
Forgot to mention.... no "real" moving parts, no O-rings to break or replace, no sleeping with alcohol containers, no leaky fuel canisters, no fragile parts, self storing, and can even second as a small wood stove.
You don't understand what a canister stove is. It ain't white gas. None of what you said applies to any iso-pro canister stove.
I looked at the Lite Max and went with the Giga instead, partially due to cost and partially due to the pot supports. Just didn't like the look of them - reminded me of the pocket rocket, which I sold and replaced with the Giga. There seems to be some difficulty with the threading on the stove causing problems with detaching/attaching to the canister (some reviews I read reported they got replacement stoves for that reason).
Kerosene
01-24-2011, 15:59
You don't understand what a canister stove is. It ain't white gas. None of what you said applies to any iso-pro canister stove.Now, now, let's be civil, and let's also focus on the OP's question.
I'm a long-time iso-pro canister user (SnowPeak Giga) and have dealt with leaking canisters (actually "spitting" canisters as you screw the stove on/off) and fragile parts (namely the flame adjustment stem and piezo ignition). Gipsy was putting in an unsolicited vote for an alternative, one which I don't see as a direct replacement for a canister, but Esbit tabs are great for backup purposes and basic, low-volume boiling in sheltered conditions.
I haven't made the jump to the LiteMax yet, as it didn't seem worth the weight savings (0.5 oz) until my Giga gives up the ghost.
You are correct Gravityman, I totally went off subject. I apologize.
The hand may be quicker than the eye, but the mouth is often FAR faster than the brain!
Happy Hiking