The Ti-Tri Caldera Cone -- The Ultimate Ultralight Stove System?

[hikin_jim]

Is the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone the ultimate ultralight stove system?
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aQayANF5W8g/TxuZlnIuavI/AAAAAAAACtU/9m2douE6YKs/s800/P1090725.JPG

Hyperbole? Am I being a little "over the top?" Maybe. But maybe not.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RrCLHO9DWdM/TxuZm3k0wSI/AAAAAAAACtc/1M88YI7Pp2k/s800/P1090726.JPG

When it comes to stoves, there's usually a reason behind what I say.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dd-zG2Lib4I/TxuaA98iygI/AAAAAAAACvk/FAhTuPCrOjU/s800/P1090742.JPG

So, come along and let's have a look at the ultimate ultralight stove system, the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone (http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2012/01/ti-tri-caldera-cone-ultimate-ultralight.html)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ldSX71rasE/TxuZpLuKQUI/AAAAAAAACtk/KwLkYgM_oIw/s800/P1090728.JPG

HJ

[hikin_jim]

I've updated my blog post so that it now has the weights of all components listed.

Have a look: the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone (http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2012/01/ti-tri-caldera-cone-ultimate-ultralight.html)

HJ


(http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2012/01/ti-tri-caldera-cone-ultimate-ultralight.html)

[Spokes]

Hikin_jim, I took a look at the Trail Designs webpage (http://www.traildesigns.com/stoves/cones/caldera-3-fuel-wood-burners) trying to figure out the differences between the Classic, Sidewinder, and ULC model of the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone and got aggravated at the poor description. They really need to find a way to make it easier for customers to decipher between the 3 models. A simple comparison graph would do wonders!

So, from what I gather the Sidewinder model is the only one that's able to fit inside your pot?

[Rasty]

The sidewinder and the ulc fit inside your pot. The sidewinder is for short and wide pots. The ulc is for tall and narrow pots. There is a fourth choice called the fissure which fits inside a tall narrow pot but has the effeciancy of the full size caldera cone.

I am going for the fissure (custom made) to fit a snowpeak solo mini pot set with the inferno set up.

The only wish would be an adjustable alcohol burner.


Hikin_jim, I took a look at the Trail Designs webpage (http://www.traildesigns.com/stoves/cones/caldera-3-fuel-wood-burners) trying to figure out the differences between the Classic, Sidewinder, and ULC model of the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone and got aggravated at the poor description. They really need to find a way to make it easier for customers to decipher between the 3 models. A simple comparison graph would do wonders!

So, from what I gather the Sidewinder model is the only one that's able to fit inside your pot?

[Wise Old Owl]

I really think a good question here for the newbies is you would not want to get this stove and not travel with a knife.... Quick removal of the bark before starting in WET WEATHER would be an important first step...

How do you feel about this... And are swiss up to the task or not.... Honest opinions... What I mean by that - don't post if you think a knife is unnecessary.. It will fall on deaf eyes....

[Spokes]

....... And are swiss up to the task or not...

Watch Hendrick boil water:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJuA7b9GqME&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[hikin_jim]

Hikin_jim, I took a look at the Trail Designs webpage (http://www.traildesigns.com/stoves/cones/caldera-3-fuel-wood-burners) trying to figure out the differences between the Classic, Sidewinder, and ULC model of the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone and got aggravated at the poor description. They really need to find a way to make it easier for customers to decipher between the 3 models. A simple comparison graph would do wonders!Ah. So it's not just me? :) Yeah, I feel the same way. I'm going to pass your comments on to the guys at Trail Designs. I really do think they need to beef up their descriptions of the products, and why aren't PDF's of the directions available for download?



So, from what I gather the Sidewinder model is the only one that's able to fit inside your pot?Both the Sidewinder and the ULC will fit inside the pots that they were designed for. It's a nice option. The "classic" Cone will not fit inside a pot.

However, the classic isn't so bad. I roll it and store it in a plastic Ziploc container so it doesn't get bent up in my pack. I can get quite a lot into a plastic ZipLoc container. All of this:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2dUozlzEmcg/TngDb0DB64I/AAAAAAAADb8/CTauZhUhCDI/s800/P1040698.JPG

Packs down to this:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jCRv1Dx7b6o/TngDHy0F44I/AAAAAAAADa8/oJxkccuggPM/s800/P1070970.JPG

And the Ziploc acts as my bowl.

There is also the Fissure which you have to custom order. The Fissure is basically a classic cone that disassembles into two pieces (an upper piece and a lower piece) so you can fit it into a pot.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

The only wish would be an adjustable alcohol burner. I don't know if you saw it, but I recently posted about the FeatherFire (http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2012/01/featherfire-alcohol-stove.html) which is the best adjustable flame alcohol stove that I've yet seen. The FeatherFire, like the 12-10 stove that comes with a Caldera Cone is a chimney type stove. The FeatherFire works pretty well inside a Caldera Cone.

HJ

[Spokes]

This is good stuff. I've always been critical of the bulky size of the Classic CC. The ability to roll up and store the Sidewinder inside your cook pot is a plus. Wonder what the performance difference between it and a fold flat Emberlit titanium stove is?

http://www.emberlit.com/buy.php

[cphobes]

Hikin_jim, I took a look at the Trail Designs webpage (http://www.traildesigns.com/stoves/cones/caldera-3-fuel-wood-burners) trying to figure out the differences between the Classic, Sidewinder, and ULC model of the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone and got aggravated at the poor description. They really need to find a way to make it easier for customers to decipher between the 3 models. A simple comparison graph would do wonders!

So, from what I gather the Sidewinder model is the only one that's able to fit inside your pot?

I agree their website was a challenge for me as well.

-Stephen

[hikin_jim]

This is good stuff. I've always been critical of the bulky size of the Classic CC. The ability to roll up and store the Sidewinder inside your cook pot is a plus. Wonder what the performance difference between it and a fold flat Emberlit titanium stove is?

http://www.emberlit.com/buy.phpThat would be interesting, wouldn't it? Hmm.

I have half a mind to do a wood stove "stove off," but I'm out of work right now and need to focus on job hunting. Argh. Still, maybe I can identify 5 of the top wood stoves and do some testing some weekend.

Some that spring to mind are:
Ti-Tri Caldera Cone with Inferno option (of course)
The Backcountry boiler
The Bush Buddy

What else is popular? I've heard of the Nimble Will (I think that's the right name). There's the Vargo hex. I'm blanking right now, but I know if I think about it, half a dozen names will come to mind.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

I agree their website was a challenge for me as well.

-StephenOK, I am definitely saying something to the guys at TrailDesigns. I'll let you know if they reply.

HJ

[4Bears]

Might want to throw one of these Bushcookers (http://fourdog.com/bushcookerlt-i/) into the mix, "Uncle Tom" (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=9956) raved about it, in his TJ while hiking the PCT or you can check a youtube vid from the Four Dog web site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEPd0cFOdvw&feature=related

At 2.5 oz it is light enough and from the vids i have watch seems less fussy than the Caldera Cone setup, IMHO.

[hikin_jim]

Might want to throw one of these Bushcookers (http://fourdog.com/bushcookerlt-i/) into the mix, "Uncle Tom" (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=9956) raved about it, in his TJ while hiking the PCT or you can check a youtube vid from the Four Dog web site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEPd0cFOdvw&feature=related

At 2.5 oz it is light enough and from the vids i have watch seems less fussy than the Caldera Cone setup, IMHO. I've heard of FourDog before. I'd love to add them to the mix. It's just a matter of arranging for a test unit for me to use for the evaluation.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/miscgreen/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Spokes http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/buttonsgreen/viewpost-right.png (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1246006#post1246006)Hikin_jim, I took a look at the Trail Designs webpage (http://www.traildesigns.com/stoves/cones/caldera-3-fuel-wood-burners) trying to figure out the differences between the Classic, Sidewinder, and ULC model of the Ti-Tri Caldera Cone and got aggravated at the poor description. They really need to find a way to make it easier for customers to decipher between the 3 models. A simple comparison graph would do wonders!

So, from what I gather the Sidewinder model is the only one that's able to fit inside your pot?





I agree their website was a challenge for me as well.

-StephenI talked to Rand at Trail Designs. He was actually very open to the idea. He posted an update to their FAQ as follows:
How do I decide which Cone to get?
First decision will be between the aluminum Caldera cones which only support alcohol and esbit or the titanium Ti-Tri cones which support 3 fuels (alcohol, esbit, and wood fires). The aluminum Caldera cones are less expensive but are limited to alcohol/esbit. The titanium Ti-Tri systems are more robust, will last longer, and support wood fires as well. If you only want alcohol/esbit fires check out the Caldera Cones (http://www.traildesigns.com/stoves/cones/caldera-alcholesbit-systems).....but if you want a sturdier system that will provide you a wide range of cooking options, check out the titanium TiTri (http://www.traildesigns.com/stoves/cones/caldera-3-fuel-wood-burners) systems.
Second decision is which system to choose in each category. The "Classic" Caldera or Ti-Tri come with a food grade plastic "Caddy" for storage and eating from. This is the most stable and efficient solution, but packs outside your pot. The "Sidewinder" system packs inside your pot sideways, so long as you are using a short/wide pot. The "ULC" packs inside the taller/skinnier pots, but is less efficient because so much of the pot is outside the warm confines of the cone.
Third, for a full breakdown on all our options in a chart format, check out our Comparison Chart (http://www.traildesigns.com/cone-comparison)

Notice the link to a comparison chart. I had seen the comparison chart before, but I think the chart makes a lot more sense in light of the above verbiage.

What do you guys think? Helpful at all?

HJ

[Spokes]

Much better. The FAQ and comparison chart is a great addition. It's refreshing to see a company so responsive to customer feedback.

Thanks for taking the lead on this HJ.

[Franco]

Jim
The stove commonly referred to as the "Nimblewill Nomad" is actually called the Little Dandy Stove.
Franco

[hikin_jim]

Much better. The FAQ and comparison chart is a great addition. It's refreshing to see a company so responsive to customer feedback.

Thanks for taking the lead on this HJ.You're welcome. I found the addition helpful. I kind of had an idea before of what was going on, but now I have a much clearer understanding.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

Jim
The stove commonly referred to as the "Nimblewill Nomad" is actually called the Little Dandy Stove.
Francolol. I think Nimblewill Nomad sounds more manly, but I guess the stove is the important thing.

Thanks, Franco.

HJ

[Franco]

Jim
This is the Nimblewill Nomad, M. J. "Eb" Eberhart.
15038

Pretty sure he is not worried about manliness...
Franco

[river1]

This is good stuff. I've always been critical of the bulky size of the Classic CC. The ability to roll up and store the Sidewinder inside your cook pot is a plus. Wonder what the performance difference between it and a fold flat Emberlit titanium stove is?

http://www.emberlit.com/buy.php

I have used the emberlit Ti stove on my recent 6 day winter outing. The thing is awesome it boils water (3 cups of near ice water in about 12 minutes) and you can fry a over easy egg to perfection. All you need to do is gather up some twigs and brush nothing larger than 1/2 inch, stuff you can break up with your hands (3inch chunks) and just keep feeding the fire for as long as you need. My review this stove is, I found the best way to light it is with a candle and once it is burning don't cram it full of wood or it will smoke a lot. Also as your walking/hiking its best to gather small dry twigs when you see them and store them in a ziplock as when you decide to call it a day as you might not find ideal fire starting wood, however once you get this thing burning it will dry out any wet wood in a hurry. I'll try to post some pictures.

[kayak karl]

i think its a great stove, but i use the aluminum one. when i fall on it and smash it i don't fell as bad. and i have :(

[hikin_jim]

Jim
This is the Nimblewill Nomad, M. J. "Eb" Eberhart.
15038

Pretty sure he is not worried about manliness...
FrancoThank you, Franco, for that important update. lol. :)

HJ

[hikin_jim]

I'll try to post some pictures. That would be really cool to see it in operation along with any comments you might have.

HJ

[4Bears]

I've heard of FourDog before. I'd love to add them to the mix. It's just a matter of arranging for a test unit for me to use for the evaluation.

HJ

I would say contact them out there at FourDog's they seem to be pretty friendly folks, as most cottage industries tend to be, there are plenty of independent vids on youtube testing them. They seem to be efficient in all three modes. Thanks for all the info you provide in stoving Jim.

[hikin_jim]

I would say contact them out there at FourDog's they seem to be pretty friendly folks, as most cottage industries tend to be, there are plenty of independent vids on youtube testing them. They seem to be efficient in all three modes. Thanks for all the info you provide in stoving Jim.

If they're efficient in all three modes, then that's a really nice stove. The complaint I've seen about the Bushbuddy is that it's a bit of a kludge to use it with alcohol.

HJ

[4Bears]

If they're efficient in all three modes, then that's a really nice stove. The complaint I've seen about the Bushbuddy is that it's a bit of a kludge to use it with alcohol.

HJ
Don't know about the "Bushbuddy's, on the 4 Dog site their vid shows in real time with wood from match strike to boil in about 6.5 minutes, here are 2 vids showing use with alcohol and esbit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyD_z9eyPks&feature=autoplay&list=PL6E493B04821C3B9A&lf=results_main&playnext=2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5J3ygB2nf8&feature=autoplay&list=PL6E493B04821C3B9A&lf=results_main&playnext=3

[hikin_jim]

Don't know about the "Bushbuddy's, on the 4 Dog site their vid shows in real time with wood from match strike to boil in about 6.5 minutes, here are 2 vids showing use with alcohol and esbit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyD_z9eyPks&feature=autoplay&list=PL6E493B04821C3B9A&lf=results_main&playnext=2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5J3ygB2nf8&feature=autoplay&list=PL6E493B04821C3B9A&lf=results_main&playnext=3

Well, I'd definitely like to try one of the 4 Dog stoves. SO many stoves; so little time!

HJ

[hikin_jim]

I have used the emberlit Ti stove on my recent 6 day winter outing... I'll try to post some pictures.Did you ever get a chance to shoot some photos of your Emberlit? I'd love to see them if you get a chance to post them. It's a stove you know. :)

HJ

[cabbagehead]

The best stove depends on your trip's variables. I only cook cabbage.