For me the most important thing with an alcohol stove is how it performs in the wind. Where I go backpacking (Northern California) there is always at least a slight breeze and alcohol stoves are very sensitive to wind. That it why I like the Caldera Cone system because it is one of the most wind resistant alcohol stove systems out there. Although it helps if you refrain from accidentally stepping on the stove with your sizes 12s and crushing it like I did last weekend.

Last night I dug out my old Trangia stove and tried it with my Caldera cone on my stove at home. Of course it defeats the purpose of the Caldera Cone to use it with such a heavy stove, but I was surprised how well it worked. I always thought the Trangia was a charming example of Swedish engineering, and if you get caught short, you could always use it for a hockey puck. The thing is indestructible, unlike the "Pepsi Can" stoves. I may be using it until I replace my aluminum stove.