Hey, Jason - I've been reading in a lot of reviews that people are disappointed that the apparent volume of the Reactor pot is not the real volume - they're constantly pointing out that the max fill line is about 1 quart, and only allows the pot to be filled about half full.
Hey, Jason - I've been reading in a lot of reviews that people are disappointed that the apparent volume of the Reactor pot is not the real volume - they're constantly pointing out that the max fill line is about 1 quart, and only allows the pot to be filled about half full.
Any comments?
That is partially true. The 'recommended' fill line for boiling water is 1L (not one quart) and has a total capacity of 1.5L. Cascade Designs recommends the user only boil 1L at a time to avoid potential burns. However, this is entirely up to the user. The pot does say that the 'max fill' is 1L.
This is also similar to JetBoil recommending boiling only 16 oz. (2 cups) at a time verses the 1L capacity of their cup.
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Although I've not used the Reactor, I figured it was something like that. Seems like you'd especially want excess space in the pot for food that needs boiled. I know that I tried cooking a Lipton rice side dish in my Titan kettle once or twice, and found that if I didn't watch it like a hawk, it tended to boil over pretty easily because the pot was pretty full before I added any heat.
Sounds like, for a group that was adding boiling water to freeze-dried food in the foil pack, you could boil more than a liter - but you'd better be paying close attention to the boil, and to spillage from a too-full pot. (Tell those folks not to hold the bag while you pour the water in, huh?)
Just wanted to give you a chance to reply to the general tone of "we're getting shortchanged" that I was picking up from those reviews.
But im not sure if there is much difference between the Nova and XGK. Can somebody explain the difference between these two stoves for me? It sounds like they are both made for extreme conditions. I have looked into getting a MSR Pocket Rocket and storing it inside a GSI Dualist system. So far this looks like the best option. I just wish MSR made a small multifuel stove. ANy info on the Nova?
The Nova simmers, the XGK does not.
Go for the pocket rocket.
I own 2 Novas, 3 MSRs, a Coleman and a Primus - all liquid fuel stoves. Also a SnowPeak and a JetBoil, a BushBuddy and a number of alcohol stoves, plus a Primus Grashopper propane stove. 90% of my non-winter trips I use the SnowPeak, otherwise the JetBoil (heavy and finicky in cold). In winter it's almost exclusively the Nova+, though some experiences last winter with a remote canister stove and a heat exchanger pot will have me trying that more this winter.)
Again, all in all I highly recommend a simple canister stove - it will cover the vast majority of what you want for great convenience and minimal cost. The only reason to go for the liquid fuel stoves is if you're going on an expedition or melting large amounts of snow for water in winter. Even there I'd look at a remote canister stove, for convenience...
But im not sure if there is much difference between the Nova and XGK. Can somebody explain the difference between these two stoves for me? It sounds like they are both made for extreme conditions. I have looked into getting a MSR Pocket Rocket and storing it inside a GSI Dualist system. So far this looks like the best option. I just wish MSR made a small multifuel stove. ANy info on the Nova?
The Nova simmers, the XGK does not.
Go for the pocket rocket.
I own 2 Novas, 3 MSRs, a Coleman and a Primus - all liquid fuel stoves. Also a SnowPeak and a JetBoil, a BushBuddy and a number of alcohol stoves, plus a Primus Grashopper propane stove. 90% of my non-winter trips I use the SnowPeak, otherwise the JetBoil (heavy and finicky in cold). In winter it's almost exclusively the Nova+, though some experiences last winter with a remote canister stove and a heat exchanger pot will have me trying that more this winter.)
Again, all in all I highly recommend a simple canister stove - it will cover the vast majority of what you want for great convenience and minimal cost. The only reason to go for the liquid fuel stoves is if you're going on an expedition or melting large amounts of snow for water in winter. Even there I'd look at a remote canister stove, for convenience...
So, do you have a list of stoves you don't have. I bet it is smaller.
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The XGK is a simpler design than the Nova. I'm not sure why the XGK won't simmer, but it doesn't. I presume it's the valve design, but I've never bothered to find out. The Nova is more of a general use stove than the XGK for that reason.
I have both, but agree that for the average camper, a canister stove is much easier to use. I have a Primus Micron and a Coleman Xtreme. The Coleman is an orphan. You can still get them online, but one of these days the cartridges will be also be discontinued, so I can't really recommend it. My XGK is over 20 years old and I can still get parts for it from MSR.
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