View Full Version : The FeatherFire Alcohol Stove
hikin_jim
01-21-2012, 15:58
There are a lot of good alcohol stoves out there. Finding ones that simmer well? Well, that's not quite so easy. Today, I'd like to look at the FeatherFire stove which not only simmers well, but does it on the fly without any change of equipment or having to take the pot off the stove.
The FeatherFire.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_WNCUGPT1zQ/TxEcvVoxRRI/AAAAAAAACQs/o5vBQJozhdI/s640/P1090539.JPG
In order to simmer, you have to have some pretty decent flame control. The FeatherFire does. Here's the high flame:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCokmcfBQgk/TxEeF6kd48I/AAAAAAAACV0/Oc3QUV7dGhQ/s640/P1090579.JPG
And here's the low flame:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tya_NZH4Yjo/TxEeFKwEaqI/AAAAAAAACVk/4tus0AjLQxQ/s640/P1090580.JPG
What's the secret? Please join me as I take a look at The FeatherFire Alcohol Stove (http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2012/01/featherfire-alcohol-stove.html).
HJ
Adventures In Stoving (http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/)
hikin_jim
01-22-2012, 10:04
Oh, yes, and you really can cook on it.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/--NARjWcTEjE/TxSuAABTj-I/AAAAAAAACgE/5yL301Ha-gk/P1090663.JPG?imgmax=800
HJ
Chaco Taco
01-22-2012, 10:36
HJ that is a fine looking stove.
My biggest issue with my stoves that I use, wasted fuel and having to burn off whats left! The flames get so high that I can't put it out. I have an MSR Titan Kettle. I will probably never have to get another pot, ever. Its the best most durable pot. Over 3000 miles on it and I can tell the pot stand will be perfect. The simmer feature is huge for me. Im sold. Thanks HJ for listing this one!
Chaco Taco
01-22-2012, 11:00
That XL looks sweet as well and answers the pot stand issue with the Feather
Rocketman
01-22-2012, 11:45
The whole thing is so light that setting it up and getting it lit in a wind can be a problem.
I put a small rock inside under those conditions to keep it from being blown over while getting it set up.
hikin_jim
01-22-2012, 12:20
HJ that is a fine looking stove.
My biggest issue with my stoves that I use, wasted fuel and having to burn off whats left! The flames get so high that I can't put it out. I have an MSR Titan Kettle. I will probably never have to get another pot, ever. Its the best most durable pot. Over 3000 miles on it and I can tell the pot stand will be perfect. The simmer feature is huge for me. Im sold. Thanks HJ for listing this one! No wasted fuel on this one. Just close the vents and pop on the little snuffer cap. When I say little, I mean little: 2g.
I cooked pancakes with it the other day. I filled it with about 2oz HEET. I ran it for at least 45 minutes. I still had about 0.75oz left, maybe more. I snuffed it, and then I vacuumed it all up with the PackaFeather cap, right back into the bottle. No wasted fuel.
I haven't used it, but check out their XL stove too. Looks like roughly the same stove but with better pot supports.
HJ
handlebar
01-22-2012, 15:38
I've been using mine since my 2008 PCT thru. Great stove.
hikin_jim
01-22-2012, 19:04
I've been using mine since my 2008 PCT thru. Great stove. Nice. How have the pot supports held up? Any problems?
HJ
handlebar
01-23-2012, 22:38
Nice. How have the pot supports held up? Any problems?
HJ
The pot supports have held out fine. The only problem I've had is when I've set up the stove on uneven ground and one of the pot supports slides out of position. The pots was a little unstable, but I never spilled dinner. There's a loop in the wire that of the pot support that fits against the bottom of the stove when in operating position and holds in place via friction. I suppose I could tighten it up with a needle nose pliers. In the meantime, I'm just a little careful about having a firm, flat surface to set the stove on. BTW, I use mine with a 1.3L Evernew TI pot.
I have the XL and especially like the fact that you can snuff it out and reuse any left over fuel. I believe it's also the most efficient of all my alkys. Oh yeah...you can also use Esbit type tabs with it. It's pretty sweet.
hikin_jim
01-24-2012, 02:22
The pot supports have held out fine. The only problem I've had is when I've set up the stove on uneven ground and one of the pot supports slides out of position. The pots was a little unstable, but I never spilled dinner. There's a loop in the wire that of the pot support that fits against the bottom of the stove when in operating position and holds in place via friction. I suppose I could tighten it up with a needle nose pliers. In the meantime, I'm just a little careful about having a firm, flat surface to set the stove on. BTW, I use mine with a 1.3L Evernew TI pot. Yeah, the pot supports are only held by friction. On uneven ground, if the pressure comes from the wrong angle, they can pop out. I know one other guy who has had the same problem.
But no problems with bending?
HJ
hikin_jim
01-24-2012, 02:23
I have the XL and especially like the fact that you can snuff it out and reuse any left over fuel. I believe it's also the most efficient of all my alkys. Oh yeah...you can also use Esbit type tabs with it. It's pretty sweet. Do you have any pics of the XL you can post? I've seen some pics here on Whiteblaze, but I'm looking for more.
And how does the top stay on the fuel bowl? Just gravity?
HJ
Would love to see a review on the XL if you get the chance, and a comparison on some different diameter pots.
Megapixel
01-24-2012, 03:48
I use this stove too. Highly recommended. And great customer service too!
Megapixel
01-24-2012, 03:49
I use this stove too. Highly recommended. And great customer service too!
that is, the XL version.
Megapixal, what pot do you use with yours? thanks
Megapixel
01-24-2012, 05:18
Megapixal, what pot do you use with yours? thanks
i'm using an evernew 1.9L titanium non stick with frying pan lid (sounds heavy, but not bad for 2 people) and love the versatility of the frying pan / simmer combo.
for my solo trip i will down size to the smallest i can find that still provides that fry pan lid.
hikin_jim
01-24-2012, 12:01
Would love to see a review on the XL if you get the chance, and a comparison on some different diameter pots. I think that's an excellent idea. I'm going to try to arrange that.
HJ
Thanks hiking_jim. Will be waiting for news of it.
handlebar
01-24-2012, 22:06
No problems whatsoever with bending of pot supports. They are a really stiff grade of wire.
hikin_jim
01-25-2012, 01:50
No problems whatsoever with bending of pot supports. They are a really stiff grade of wire. OK, good to know. Thanks.
HJ
Chaco Taco
01-25-2012, 10:24
ordering the XL for my LT hike
Jim,
Can this be used with a Caldera cone? I really like the idea of an adjustable flame as I do more than boil water for meals.
hikin_jim
01-25-2012, 11:41
Jim,
Can this be used with a Caldera cone? I really like the idea of an adjustable flame as I do more than boil water for meals. I've been asked that by several people. I think it should work just fine. The 12-10 stove that comes with a Caldera Cone is a chimney type stoe. The FeatherFire (or XL) is also a chimney stove, so the basic fundamentals are in place.
I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going on a night hike tonight, so I'll probably try it out then. I did a brief internet search, and I found some posts on forums where people had used a FeatherFire with a cone and had good results.
I'll report more soon.
HJ
This stove looks like a real winner. I'm going to copy the simmer design and apply it to my supercat (I'm a diy snob, and cheaper than a..........[whatever works for your imagination;)]).
hikin_jim
01-25-2012, 15:54
This stove looks like a real winner. I'm going to copy the simmer design and apply it to my supercat (I'm a diy snob, and cheaper than a..........[whatever works for your imagination;)]). Hey, if you're handy that way, why not? If you come up with something, post a few pics here. I for one am always interested.
HJ
149991500015001
1. All parts 2/3. Adjustable wind screen and snuffer
Everything except the windscreen packs into one part of the stove with the plastic lid sealing all contents. The little wire coming off the side adjusts the air flow via a worm screw.
Do you have any pics of the XL you can post? I've seen some pics here on Whiteblaze, but I'm looking for more.
And how does the top stay on the fuel bowl? Just gravity?
HJ
hikin_jim
01-25-2012, 17:58
Everything except the windscreen packs into one part of the stove with the plastic lid sealing all contents. The little wire coming off the side adjusts the air flow via a worm screw. Nice. Thanks for posting those.
OK, maybe that's why the fuel bowl and the combustion chamber aren't permanently affixed -- so the other parts can fit inside. That's pretty nice that the pot support fits inside the body of the stove. Hmm. Yep, I need to get one of these.
Thanks again,
HJ
149991500015001
1. All parts 2/3. Adjustable wind screen and snuffer
Everything except the windscreen packs into one part of the stove with the plastic lid sealing all contents. The little wire coming off the side adjusts the air flow via a worm screw.
Looks familiar: http://royrobinson.homestead.com/Cat_Stove.html
A definite improvement, but the basic idea is the same.
I made one back in 2001, with the simmer ring, and actually baked a brownie in a metal cup.
Chaco Taco
01-26-2012, 08:32
Wow, love the simplicity.
hikin_jim
01-26-2012, 18:27
Wow, love the simplicity.Yeah, I guess that's the trade off. DIY jobs are really super simple. The fancy ones like a FeatherFire are a lot easier to use, but they're not as simple.
I gotta say though that it sure is nice not to have to reach into where the flame is to adjust a simmer ring like I do on a DIY job or on my Trangia. With the FeatherFire, I don't have to take the pot off, and I don't have to physically adjust anything at the stove. HJ is happy camper. :)
HJ
I think I am sold, I am going to pick up the XL right now. Thanks for everyone's input!
Yeah, I guess that's the trade off. DIY jobs are really super simple. The fancy ones like a FeatherFire are a lot easier to use, but they're not as simple.
I gotta say though that it sure is nice not to have to reach into where the flame is to adjust a simmer ring like I do on a DIY job or on my Trangia. With the FeatherFire, I don't have to take the pot off, and I don't have to physically adjust anything at the stove. HJ is happy camper. :)
HJ
You are not going to be able to adjust the flame while the stove is on the ground with a windscreen around it. If you have the windscreen partially open the draft coming in will cause the flame to go off center and you will not be able to make the adjustment to simmer.
A simmer mode on the feather fire is one that causes the flame to be at a " flame liftoff" situation. In other words "easy to go out"
The stove is finicky. I've tested it to the max. I've tested it on trail and on bench. I've sold mine. Too many stoves (sometimes)
In other words the FeatherFire is a fair weather stove when it comes to simmering. Get a canister stove;)
hikin_jim
04-12-2012, 20:13
Interesting. I guess my experience of the stove is a little different. I just ran the control cable underneath the edge of the windscreen. The cable is less than a mm in diameter. I could see the flame shape through one of the vent holes in my windscreen. No problem.
HJ
Interesting. I guess my experience of the stove is a little different. I just ran the control cable underneath the edge of the windscreen. The cable is less than a mm in diameter. I could see the flame shape through one of the vent holes in my windscreen. No problem.
HJ
Easy to do on your picnic table or work bench;)
hikin_jim
04-13-2012, 15:40
Easy to do on your picnic table or work bench;)
lol. Yes indeed, you are right about that. :)
In this case, however, I was testing in a creek bed.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9AJP0AC_A8/TxEdTPV4NII/AAAAAAAACSs/d2ikYNLnoBc/s800/P1090554.JPG
The stove was well below eye level, but I could see in through one of the vents in the windscreen. I just ran the little control cable underneath the edge of the screen. Worked fine for me.
HJ