View Full Version : Caldera Cone still king?
My first alcohol stove was the Trangia with a clikstand and homemade windscreen. The thing is phenomenal and efficient but weighs A TON! Recently I made a cat stove and used it with my windscreen and AGG 3Cup pot to decent result. It's very very light, less efficient then the Trangia with Clikstand and the pot was never very stable on the stove on a very minor gradient. Worth using just for the weight for the most part and idiot proof construction.
On to the reason of the post.... I have been eying the Caldera Cone system for efficient freezer-bag cooking. I remember reading around 2009 how the Caldera Cone was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I have not heard much as of late. Is this stove combo still one of the best in class for alcohol stoves? I am really looking at weight, stability, and efficiency.
I was planning on purchasing it from AGG as it comes with the caddy storage container. What is the approximate weight of the burner, caldera cone, and caddy? Can you fit the 5oz alcohol container in the caddy with the stove,etc?
Answer to one of my own questions.
Approximate weights:
Cone: 1.09 oz. (30.90 g)
Stove: 0.52 oz. (14.74 g)
Fuel bottle: .60 oz. (17 g)
Filler cup: 0.05 oz. (1.42 g)
Caddy: 2.83 oz. (80.23 g)
All: 4.00 oz. (113.39 g)
The caddy is most of the weight... stove and cone is only slightly heavier then my homemade gizmo.
I find the Caldera way too bulky. Sure it folds flat but it's still too bulky. I use the standard windscreen made from that funky tin stuff. Works great.
The Caldera Cone has evolved into a family of products.
full cones/half cones, aluminium,titanium...
Take a good look at the site :
http://www.traildesigns.com/ (http://www.traildesigns.com/)
possibly the point that most like about the cones is the balance between ease of use, fuel economy,speed, safety (not tippy...) reliability (not wind affected) .
You can do better with some on some points but hard to beat over all of them.
Franco
Got any extra roof flashing laying around? Then make your own (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VerP7-aiEBw).
Yes you can make your own.
However do keep in mind that the Trail Design burner is optimised for the cone.
(I tried many commercial and my own stoves, none matched the 10-20. I can get faster or use a bit less fuel but I can't boil 2 cups of water in 6-7 min with just over 1/2 oz of fuel * with the others as I do with the 10-20...)
Also keep in mind that the cones have a Titanium dove tail coupling. So it just snaps in place without deforming after repeated use.
Of course some use clips or other solutions but the Trail Design version is rather elegant and works.
Fuel : I found out that the most economical way of doing it is to put more fuel than you need, so around one ounce for me, then snuff the flame out as soon as you get the water hot enough for your coffee or a roaring boil to re-hydrate. I use a snuffer to do that. Let it cool down , than turn the stove upside down ito the snuffer and transfer the leftover into the fuel container)
Franco
I have the Caldera for the snow peak 700. I've used it for 2yrs(around 600 miles worth). Great system. If I were going to purchase another one for just solo trips, it would be the keg system.
Think I am going to order me a caldera cone. It's pay day!
SunnyWalker
04-23-2011, 20:50
I just received a Caldera Cone (for GSI Soloist pot). It came with stove, bottle for fuel, measuring cup, the Cone, and a little gizmo you can put in your bottle to suck up fuel (little plastic gizmo, like a plug with a little hole in it), directions, plastic caddy to store it all in. Caddy is a plastic cylinder container you place the cone in with stove, etc. It's so very light.
Trailbender
04-23-2011, 23:13
Esbit tabs are a lot simpler, and better.
RadioFreq
04-25-2011, 14:03
I have one. I love it. But if you spend anytime on the trail it (like all your other gear) will be subject to some abuse. Too much abuse and it can lose its ability to remain locked together using its tabs and slots. The fix is very simple....bring a paper clip. Slide the clip over the tabs/slots. Problem solved.
Esbit tabs are a lot simpler, and better.
You bet, and the esbit stove is several times lighter than any alcohol stove.
Esbit rules for any trip of length IMO, assuming you're boiling water.
I have one. I love it. But if you spend anytime on the trail it (like all your other gear) will be subject to some abuse. Too much abuse and it can lose its ability to remain locked together using its tabs and slots. The fix is very simple....bring a paper clip. Slide the clip over the tabs/slots. Problem solved.
appreciate the tip.
traildesigns
05-09-2011, 15:38
I have one. I love it. But if you spend anytime on the trail it (like all your other gear) will be subject to some abuse. Too much abuse and it can lose its ability to remain locked together using its tabs and slots. The fix is very simple....bring a paper clip. Slide the clip over the tabs/slots. Problem solved.
Sorry for coming to this thread late. Did want to make one note on the comment. The "tab and slot" closure design was part of the original Caldera Cone that was end-of-lifed about 4 years ago. The current design has two dovetail joints that lock together and won't come apart in use.
Rand :-)
Also, be sure to check out the Sidewinder set-ups. The Sidewinder system will fit inside the cookpot, so there is no extra room needed inside your pack for the cone system and the pot! I just got the Evernew 0.9L Ti pot and will hopefully get one of the Sidewinder set-ups to go along with it soon...