right now I am using a Jetboil Zip. I am going to make an alcohol stove and see how it is. I saw this on youtube. Has anyone heard of these Ion Micro Titanium stove. It says its the smallest canister stove in the world weighing only 1.5 oz

I've been using the same MSR Pocket Rocket for more than a decade now. It is reliable, convenient, does what I want it to do, and is plenty light enough for me. I even have a safe way to use a windscreen with it (located entirely above the canister itself), which improves the fuel efficiency quite a bit.

Snow Peak Gigapower Auto (piezo igniter) is my current choice. I like the Jetboil and MSR Windburner, but they're half a pound of overkill for my very simple menus. I also have used the Pocket Rocket and Micro Rocket, and they're both good; for some reason I can't quite identify, I just prefer the Snow Peak.

However, my all-time sentimental favorite is still my old Svea 123R. Far too inconvenient and heavy to be practical for the trips I do now, it sits, all clean and polished, on the bookshelf of a young man I taught to backpack in his teens, along with my hardback copies of every book Colin Fletcher wrote. Fitting, somehow, and the stove, books, and young man (who now lives three states away with a family of his own), warm my heart each time I think of them.

I've had 3 stoves, an Optimus 8r, an MSR Whisperlite, both of those burn white gas, still work and get used in the winter regularly. I even still use the 8r ice fishing and its 42 yrs. old.The Whisperlite saw near 20 years of service and went through a number of rebuilds and a pump replacement. The third and most used now is an MSR Micro-Rocket. It's done about 300 meals so far, so good. 2.6 oz. It's very stable and I've yet to lose a pot off it. I've even used it down to zero by keeping the canister in my bag, putting a square of Reflectix insulation under it and using foil as a windscreen and to divert some heat to the canister. Note!!!! Do not fully enclose the canister and stove and get the canister more than warm to the touch. Be very cautious how you construct a windscreen. I bring 2 stoves on a lot of our trips with a sled or 90 liter pack and snowshoes, they generally aren't more than 5-6 miles and we cook real food and totally enjoy ourselves.

I think the zip is a little heavy. 12oz I believe. I havent backpacked in 20 years. I just decided to get back into and starting to spend some money on ultralight gear. I do a lot of day hikes and finding out I am really missing out. I was thinking I need to ditch the jetboil

Same with us. Pretty nice, dependable little stove. My wife is a highly trained chef, and while we don't do much gourmet cooking in the backcountry, she still likes this little stove.

I use a Kovea Spider remote canister stove in the winter, and a Trail Designs Ti-Tri stove with esbit or an MSR Reactor 1L, depending on who I'm with and how long the trip is, the rest of the time. All work well for me.

I have been using a Snow Peak Giga for the past seven years. Before that I used a Svea 123 which was a replacement for a Primus 71L that I bought in 1954. For short trips I now use a Pepsi can alcohol stove.

I have been using a Snowpeak Giga which is simple to use and so far dependable. Prior to that I used a Brasslite which I still like but it is more bother. I still have fond memories of my Svea 123 which still works but is heavy and fussy.

I've only taken my stove on a couple of overnights so far, but I actually use it car camping as well, and I like the convenience of it vs. wood or charcoal for that purpose. It's a homemade V-8 can stove. I used these instructions. On a calm day, it works very well on it's own, but it really needs a windscreen if it's blowing at all.

It's not just the size/weight of the stove itself, but IMO best compare the overall cooking 'system'. Pot, windscreen, fuel bottle/canister, fuel type and associated efficiency, and ancillary stuff like matches/lighter, perhaps a fuel measuring cup for alcohol stoves, maybe a cozy ... the works. More complicated yet is to factor in how much you'll use the stove --- typically in terms of how many cups of water you'll heat (maybe or maybe not 'boil').

It's not easy to compare different types of stoves in terms of weight in a truly apples-to-apples basis, especially when you consider not just iso-butane and alcohol stoves, but others like esbit (solid fuel), wood/twig-burning stoves, white gas ...

My favorite stove is typically no stove --- and thus no pot, windscreen, stove, fuel container (or fuel).

I own these stoves and use different choices for different applications:
(1) some sort of generic snow peak canister stove (pizo-electric lighter broke so I removed it to save weight)
(2) kovea spider for mild winter use
(3) various alcohol stoves, typically now a 12-10 stove that came with my Caldera UL Compact system.

The Caldera UL Compact is a caldera cone variant that isn't sold anymore, dunno why as I like mine --- pretty efficient, packs very small, everything fits in the 850 ml pot.
http://www.guthookhikes.com/2011/10/caldera-cone-ul-compact-alcohol-stove.html

I use a Supercat or twigs and rocks for 1-4 night trips. I don't really cook though, just rehydrate food and make coffee, hot cocoa, oatmeal, etc.

We bought the Soto Micro Regulator as it had great reviews and supposedly worked better at higher altitiudes/colder temps. At 2.6 oz we are quite pleased.

This thing gets 30 oz of 35-40* water boiling in just a few minutes without a lid on it. It claims 11,000 BTU output. It certainly was quicker than a Jetboil with less water.

Have to say that the Coleman Exponent F1 is a great little stove, weighs 2.7oz, boils a litre of water in 3 minutes and simmers quite well. Packs super small, fits in the small Evernew pot with the canister and the whole rig weighs in at just over 18oz.

For my crew dinner time is a big part of our backpacking. We dehydrate everything we can and package our own trail meals. Typically am cooking and making coffee for 3-5 adults so I usually take a my Jetboil Sumo Titanium - I think it weights 12oz as well as a large pot and an older Primus stove. If we are making a base camp and then day hiking then I also bring a coffee pot.

I have a Coleman Exponent multi-fuel stove. Its a bit heavier than some, but always got the job done. I actually just sent mine back to Coleman for a rebuild. Wasn't holding pressure anymore. Could have done it myself, but for as old as it was, it should get a once-over by someone who knows more about them than I.

I use either a Trangia or a SVEA 123R depending on my mood.

Esbit, tiny cook fires where allowed. Around the car, or in snow, Optimus Nova, Svea 123.

For summer vacations, I take a Trail Designs Caldera Cone and 12-10 stove or use a Starlyte stove with the CC. If fire conditions in CA are high, maybe the MSR Microrocket or as many know, maybe a classic MSR G or GK with yellow pump. Winter trips could be anything. A old Optimus 111 or if conditions warrant, a loud MSR GK or MF, I usually take two stoves in the winter to get some use out of my collection. I have some Primus 41 stoves and Radius 43's which work very well simmering with a roarer burner. Did someone mention stoves?
Duane

Over the many years I have used many different stove brands and type's. Right now for backpacking I use a Snow Peak GigaPower manual and for larger groups I use a MSR Windpro. I love them both and have used them for many years and many times with no troubles or problems.

I own a Primus Micron Ti canister stove (discontinued some years ago, but works fine). I also own an alcohol stove. Interestingly, every time I pack for a trip, I automatically grab the canister stove. It's a lot less fuss, boils the water a lot faster, and I don't have to worry about fire season restrictions.

Last trip(s) I used MSR DragonFly. Now, I am reevaluating my cooking kit (all of it - pot, mug, stove, etc) and my next trip will be with an Ecco stove (alcohol stove sold in Ebay, ask for Simmer Ring and Closing Cap - they are worth extra).
So far, I am carefully optimistic about the switch.

I used canister stoves before... They are comfortable to use, but I just don't like non-refuelable canisters, hate to throw leftovers out, hate inability to judge how much is left, etc.
I could use one on a dayhike though (I still have some leftover canisters from the times I played with it, so need to use them somewhere).

I have lugged around my MSR whisper light most of the time and played around with esbit cubes, alcohol stoves and even just using a cheap fold flat wood burner.

But lately I really like my jetboil its an all in one deal. I picked up the french press screen for it and now I have great REAL COFFEE with a minimal weight gain.

I know that it is far from an ultralight stove but I consider it almost a luxury after fiddling with other ultralight options.

Your scale can tell you exactly how much fuel is left in the canister! The canister has the weight of the fuel only (net weight) as well as fuel plus canister (gross weight). The difference is the weight of the empty canister.

Used canisters can be recycled, carefully. First, put the empty canister on your stove, open up the valve (outdoors!) and let it sit for ~20 minutes. Then punch a hole in the canister and leave it outdoors for another hour.

Like all canister stove users, I have a bunch of almost empty canisters, which I'll be taking on a car camping trip later in April.

This is my beef with them, not how to measure... I hate it when the glass is half-empty.

On a one night trip last year I ended up taking three almost empty canister. I was not going far and did not need a lot of food so extra canister weight was not a big issue.

Taking partly full or almost empty canisters is just standard operating procedure for those of us who use canister stoves. It is just how the system works. If you hate the idea of carrying 2 oz. of fuel in a canister designed to hold 8 oz., then those stoves aren't for you.

That's the part I could never wrap my brain around. I don't own a canister stove for that very reason. At least with my camp gas and alchy stoves, I can start with a full tank, and buy only fuel, not cartridges.
Canisters stoves always reminded me of propane torches or gas grills. Not user serviceable.
I own Svea 123, 123R, Optimus Hunter, Optimus Nova (favorite), and a plethora of other gas stoves just for the heck-of-it. Optimus has never failed me. Nor has Esbit.

I'll often just use a nearly empty canister up cooking at home.

I do the same thing, and when its been a few weeks or months since your last trip, waking up and brewing a cup of coffee like you were in the backwoods really gets your day going. There is just something about that hiss from a stove that almost makes your coffee taste better in the morning.

The only time I'd take a partial canister is (1) I'm going only overnight or (2) my fuel calculatiions (based on tests on my patio in cold weather, using water stored in refrigerator) show that I need one full canister plus a partial one.

I use up the partials when traveling--unless it's pouring rain, I use my backpacking stove to cook my meals, whether I'm moteling or car-camping. Good way to use them up and save on restaurant bills. I have a trip to visit my daughter in California coming up, and hope to camp my way down and back up the coast.

When using a canister stove indoors, it's probably a good idea to crack open a nearby window, as carbon monoxide is involved.

Thats good advise just be sure to watch the wind. When my wife and i were in our first year of college we lived in a house for a few months with no stove we used my whisper light for about two weeks but its not very good for simmering so we went out and bought a Coleman white gas stove identical to the ones they made in the 60's with two burners (still american made btw) and one day the flame went out and when i re-lit the stove i didn't notice all the raw fuel laying in the bottom. I was able to take the tank of and get it outside before it really flared up but the stove has some scars on it now . Just be very mindful when using any of these types of stoves indoors or even in areas that could be prone to a wildfire.

I'm still using my Powermax canister fueled Stoves -

Exponent Expedition twin burner - I have lifetime
supply of Powermax canisters and use it exclusively for Car Camping trips. 10,000 BTU per burner

Exponent eXtreme single burner - 14,000 BTU, 11-ozs

Exponent F1 UL - 16,000 BTU 2.5-ozs That's not a typo this thing cranks out the heat and beats all other canister stoves in sheer BTU power.

Giga Power - 10,000 BTU, 4.5-ounces with windscreen (Snow Peak) lives in home emergency cooler food kit.

Sold my original 1983 era Whisperlight stove with 3 large fuel bottles and new pump to a Boy Scout Leader in NYC for $50.00 ten years ago. And gave away a SuperFly stove both (MSR).

I still have several of the Xpert and Xtreme stoves. Not quite a life-time supply of canisters, but I have the Coleman adapters for each stove to use the standard canisters. They've held up on 6 Philmont treks and many Troop backpack trips. I like them.

I also have an MSR Whisperjet and a couple of alcohol stoves that get used on my own trips.

Currently using a basic version of the Jetboil which is about 4 years old. Did a test a found that I got 27-8oz boils out of a small canister. Tests were done at between 5 & 8,000 feet.
In order of appearance I've had: an Optimus 8R, Svea 123, MSR Whisperlite and an el cheapo canister job that I bought for a trip to the Grand Canyon.
Love the Jetboil!! It does about everything I need, easy to use and lightweight. Only drawback I've found is the empty canister thing.

Since I last posted on this thread, I've switched to a BRS-3000T. It's an el-cheapo import, but it only weighs 25 grams and it works well.

Coleman made it first, a safe metal puncturing device to vent out and properly dispose of their spent Powermax aluminum fuel canisters for recycling.

Recently Jetboil has their own version to puncture Steel canisters, REI sells them.

Key is attach canister to stove, open value all the way, light it (IF it will) and let it run down for a 5 minutes, BEFORE you puncture the canister.

I'd like to see all fuel canisters made of Aluminum instead of steel.

I use Vargo Hexagon wood stove and it's pretty good.

Trangia 100g/4oz, with 150g/6oz folding shield and a small skillet200g/8oz. As I'm not likely to be carrying more than 3 days of food due to the fact I like to go up hill, 3 days of meths is lighter than gas and more easily come by. And it cooks a great fried egg.

Jetboil carbon lite if I bring a stove. Never used the Ion but they look cool! I'd probably pack something to use as a wind barrier though. I like the everything in one convenience of jetboils.

I've never seen these before, love the idea of not relying on fuel. How many twigs do you usually have to collect/burn to boil 1/2 cups of water? Do you use it in the winter, if so do you bring fire starters to burn or hope you find dry wood?

The weight problem with canister stoves is not the stove itself, but those steel canisters that the fuel comes in. Heavy and they are still heavy when 3/4 empty.

There are problems with canisters, such as the need to take two when you’re not sure how much is left in one, that can cause you to to carry unnecessary weight.

However, I’m not convinced that the empty weight is really a problem. I haven’t done actual weight measurements, but I’m thinking the two alternatives, alcohol and white gas, aren’t actually any lighter. The weight of a white gas fuel bottle, empty, is probably pretty close to the weight of a single empty canister. The weight of a plastic alcohol bottle is less than either, but add in the extra amount of acohol needed to produce the same amount of heat and you may be at the weight of the empty cylinder.

I also recognize the ecological concerns regarding disposal of empty canisters, but they can be recycled, which helps a bit.

I’ve been keeping track of the weight of fuel canisters for several years and for several brands including Snow Peak, Primus and MSR. The weights among manufacturers is remarkably close. For the “4 oz” containers, container weight is 3 oz. +/- 0.07 oz. The “8 oz.” size have a container weight of 5 oz. +/- 0.08 oz. My 500 ml. Primus white gas fuel bottle weighs a bit over 4 oz. So, for short trips there is a modest container weight savings with the small canister. Of course, the canister stove I use weighs 2.8 oz, light in comparison with any of the white gas stoves. And, the much reduced fiddle factor with canister stoves makes life a bit easier.

I like coffee and hot chocolate in the morning and herb tea with my dinner so I use more fuel than the average bear. I plan on about an ounce of propane per day. It would take at least 2-3 oz. of alcohol for the equivalent amount of heating. And, the hassle of firing up a white gas stove 2-4 times in the morning and again at night is a major PITA as well as using a lot of priming fuel.

I guess I’m happy to haul along a bit more fuel container, if necessary, in exchange for easier cooking, at least for 3-season use.

Me, too. Thanks for completing my thought, Pika - I knew I was going somewhere with, but I never arrived!

I have played with wood stoves a lot during day hikes and while I like the idea, for most of us it is not wonderful. I saw an analysis that said the weight advantage does not equal out until you have cooked 40 or so meals. I cook a lot, but how many of us are out for 40 meals without resupply?
Also, note this point well, although playing with them is fun, they are slow to get off the starting pad. A quick cup of coffee before starting is not in the cards. You need to sit and play and you always need a fire starter which further crimps the weight advantage.
Canister stoves are the ultimate in convenience, but the lightness of the stove is over turned by the weight of the canister.
Liquid fuels stoves are efficient but you have to be out for awhile to get past the weight of the stove.
I am going to try alcohol in a Trangia clone.

Well, I have some experience with canister stoves but a fair amount of it was with the old Bluet stove. My recent experience with the new tiny stoves is somewhat more limited. The weight of the canister is troubling to me. I think the answer if you are wedded to cansiter stoves, or at least the convenience of them, is to take the smallest new, unused canister that will get you through a trip. Of course I am not out as long as many of you. If the cost troubles you, I just figure despite my poverty that the cost of a canister is really not horrible since the cost of a weekend of backpacking is largely gas to the trailhead and my stove fuel.
I have used almost exclusively liquid fuel stove for many decades now, but the weight and fiddle factor isu not to be ignored. The fiddle factor can be reduced with experience, but there is still the weight of the stove. Admittedly, I have not tried any of the much lighter stoves that seem to be named after insects. That might skew things a little.
I am going to try a Trangia clone and see how it goes. The stove is light but it requires more fuel for a given amount of cooking Somewhere on this forum someone suggested two fluid ounces of alcohol for one full meal and a hot drink in the morning. But...here is a really big but...I always have a hot drink in the morning and often cook breakfast. (I am after all out there to enjoy myself.) I often cook a soup lunch and even when I do not, I want a hot drink for my break. (I mourn the passing of Cup-a-Soup.)
So the conventional wisdom may not work for me. I will try the Trangia clone on an overnight or two to see how much fuel I need. If it proves a killer on fuel, then I have to go back to liquid fuel or canister. I suspect that for up the four nights (the longest I will probably ever be out) it really may be a toss up between a MSR (or an MSR copy) liquid fuel or a canister stove with exactly the right size new canister.

Ive been using the outsmart titanium stove, its about 25grams. Its about as light as you can get. I have had zero issues with it. The stove and a can of fuel fit inside a 650ml cup, so it makes a nice package.

Here is the stove I have : http://amzn.to/2Csw47e

Todd,
I just read a favorable review on the Olicamp Ion Micro Titanium stove. If you like the safety and reliability and speed of a canister stove it looks like a real winner. The alcohol stove will work fine with a very good wind screen, but takes twice as long to boil a couple of cups of water. However, I am in the wilderness and relaxing time is relatively unimportant. I suspect the fuel consumption is roughly the same but that 5 or 6 ounce canister is dead weight you have to carry out. It is largely a personal choice and fun to experiment to see what you like.
Jim

http://www.outdoorgeartv.com/olicamp-ion-micro-titanium-stove-review