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Editors -
Here's a BP candidate from new-to-BGT manufacturer PackaFeather.
HTML is here: http://tinyurl.com/plwh5xm http://tinyurl.com/plwh5xm
Plain text below.
~Bob
PackaFeather XL Ultralight Backpacking Stove
Owner Review By Bob Dorenfeld
Nov 20, 2014
Tester Bio
Name: Bob Dorenfeld
I'm an active hiker, snowshoer, skier, and backpacker. Home base is the
Southern Colorado Rockies, where I'll hike from 7000 ft (2100 m) to
alpine tundra, with desert trips at lower altitudes. Six to 12 miles (10
to 20 km) daily is my norm, with elevation gains up to 4000 ft (1200 m).
Many of my backpack trips are two or three nights, other trips are
longer, and I usually carry about 30 lb (14 kg). My style is lightweight
but not obsessively so - extras like binoculars, camera, and notebook
make my trips more enjoyable.
Email: geartest(at)sageandspruce(dot)net
Age: 56
Location: Salida, Colorado, USA
Gender: M
Height: 5' 6" (1.68 m)
Weight: 140 lb (64 kg)
Product Overview
Manufacturer: PackaFeather
Website: www.packafeather.com
MSRP: US$32.97
Stated Weight: 1.4 oz (45 g)
Measured Weight: 1.4 oz (45 g)
Fuel type: Alcohol
Fuel capacity: 2 fl oz (60 ml)
Materials: aluminum, brass, and stainless steel; plastic travel lid
Dimensions (in use): Cylinder 2.5 in (6.4 cm) high x 3.625 in (9.2 cm)
diameter
Dimensions (closed for travel): Cylinder 1.625 in (4.1 cm) high x 3.625
in (9.2 cm) diameter
Optional Accessory: Fuel Bottle Kit, US$3.79
PackaFeather XL stove: 5 parts, plus the optional Fuel Bottle Kit (at
left)
The PackaFeather XL cook stove is a simple and lightweight appliance that
uses alcohol fuel to heat water and prepare hot food while on the trail.
Out of the box there are five components, and one moving part. When in
use there are three stove components: a fuel cup, the stove body which
covers and vents the fuel cup, and the circular pot stand which sits on
top of the body. The moving part is a stiff wire handle attached to a
worm gear mounted on the stove body's side, and when turned it opens and
closes the metal band covering seven air holes in the body's side. A
fourth component, the snuffer cap, is used to help extinguish the stove
flame when no longer needed. Finally, the fifth component is a plastic
cap used to secure all of the stove parts when disassembled and stacked
together for storage and travel. The XL stove will burn almost any type
of alcohol, although fuels will vary in BTU output and performance.
PackaFeather recommends the XL for smaller-diameter pots, less than 4 in
(10 cm) as measured across the bottom.
PackaFeather also offers a second stove design and a number of optional
stove components. Reviewed here, in addition to the XL stove, is the
Fuel Bottle Kit.
Why an alcohol stove?
Sometime early last spring, while pouring over trail guides and maps
getting ready for the new hiking season, I wondered if I still needed my
white-gas camping stove. It's all I've ever used for backpacking, but
lately my trail cooking needs have become very simple: hot water for tea
or coffee, hot water for my home-made dehydrated dinners, hot water for
oatmeal in the morning. Hmmm, is there a pattern here? After looking at
some half-dozen models on the market, I settled on this PackaFeather XL.
Most alcohol stoves are lightweight, but the PackaFeather impressed me
with its clever design and operating features. Although alcohol fuel
will burn in any kind of metal cup, I wanted to have some control over
the flame. Plus, alcohol has several advantages over white gas and
compressed liquid fuels: it's safe around nylon and other plastics, has
very low odor, and it's easy to find at a wide variety of stores.
Field Performance
During the 2014 hiking season I used the XL stove on 12 backpack trips
for a total of about 30 days and some 50 uses (mornings and evenings).
The lowest altitude was at 5500 ft (1700 m), and highest was at 11,500 ft
(3500). Lowest temperature was 25 F(-4 C) and highest was 85 F (29 C).
Weather at my campsites varied from still to moderately windy (up to 15
mph (24 kph)), and from dry to humid and rainy.
I found the PackaFeather XL very easy to operate (much easier than a
white gas appliance). After unpacking the stove components, I could set
the fuel cup on a non-combustible level surface (flat rock, bare dirt,
thin piece of metal). But I wanted to combine a fireproof base with
windscreen, and I found that the XL fit perfectly inside an old Sigg
white-gas stove base (see photos below). Windscreens are essential with
alcohol stoves, since the non-pressurized flame is very sensitive to the
slightest breeze. I cut a piece of aluminum flashing to fit in the Sigg
base and to surround the stove. Since the non-totally-enclosed fuel is
also susceptible to being spilled, it's a good idea to protect the ground
directly under and next to the stove. The Sigg base does that while also
serving as a container for my entire stove system, including the XL, pot,
and lid. Any flexible aluminum windscreen can also be used to surround
the stove in place of a separate stove base.
Next, I pour 1-2 oz (30-60 ml) of alcohol into the fuel cup, then place
the stove body over the cup, with the fuel vent at the top. Then I
insert the wire-mesh pot stand using its three offset pins that insert
just one way into the stove body, where friction holds it fairly tight.
One more task: I need to open the side vents by turning the side-mounted
control rod about five times counter-clockwise to its fully-open
position. After waiting 30-60 seconds to allow some alcohol fumes to
rise, I'll dip a twig into the fuel, remove and light it, then light the
alcohol. I almost always get a satisfying low-volume whhuuummmppphhh.
But be careful: unlike white gas or other petroleum fuels, alcohol burns
with a practically clear flame in daylight (at night it appears more
bluish). I like to hold my palm down above the flame for a second to see
if it's burning. That's it - no priming or pressure adjustments. Also
note that this stove is silent when burning, nice when I'd rather listen
to the wild sounds around my campsite than the roar of a stove.
With the air vents fully open, I found that the stove generally takes
about six minutes to bring 1/2 L of water to a full boil. Times are
longer when the water is very cold, or when a breeze is disturbing the
flame. I use a titanium pot that's slightly wider than it is tall. It
helps to keep the pot covered at all times to conserve heat. Although it
takes a bit longer to heat water and cook than it would with a
pressurized stove, I don't mind the extra few minutes - after all, in a
beautiful wilderness campsite, what's the hurry?
To reduce the heat output, I'll just turn the vent control wire clockwise
a couple of turns. It'll take a minute or two for the flame to settle
down, and the difference is noticeable if, for example, I'm cooking
oatmeal and want to reduce the risk of it burning on the pot bottom.
(See photos at right) The wire's knob is sized right for my fingers
(even with gloves), and it's never hot to the touch. The worm gear works
well; PackaFeather recommends an occasional dab of mineral lubricating
oil (never cooking oil) to keep it operating smoothly. I've done that
twice over the season, and it does help.
Shutting down the stove is also easy: I remove the pot and completely
close the air vent, then place the snuffer cap over the heat vent hole,
holding the cap down lightly for about 15 seconds to make sure flame
pressure doesn't push it aside (the rubber sleeve keeps the cap from
getting hot on my fingers). Then I'll go about my business around the
campsite, and 5 to 10 minutes later the stove will be cool enough to move
or pack up.
How much fuel does the XL use? While I haven't measured very precise
amounts over all conditions, the stove seems to consume about 0.3-0.5 fl
oz (9-15 ml) for a full pot of water+dehydrated meal, and less fuel than
that to heat enough water for one drink.
How much fuel do I take for a 3-day backpack trip? Usually I'll fill one
375 ml plastic liquor bottle, and I almost always come home with one
third of it left over. I like to allow extra for spillage and in case I
make more hot drinks than planned.
And what is the best fuel? I've only used methanol (wood alcohol),
either from the hardware store or as HEET (yellow bottle) from the auto
parts store. Other types that will work are ethanol, denatured alcohol,
and rubbing alcohol. But methanol has the highest vapor pressure,
meaning that it reaches full flame power more quickly that the other
types. However, I'm careful about keeping methanol off of my skin and
the ground, since it's very toxic as a liquid and can cause health issues
if absorbed in large quantities.
Packing up the XL stove is also an easy task (photos, above). Remove the
wire mesh pot stand and wrap it around the fuel cup, flip the stove body
upside down and drop the snuffer cap on the bottom of the stove body,
drop the fuel cup over the snuffer cap, then snap on the plastic cap.
Takes less time to do than to describe how to do it! I glued a piece of
foam to the bottom of the plastic cap to keep the parts inside from
rattling. For my complete stove kit, I drop the packed XL into my
cooking pot (the vent control rod easily wraps around into the pot), the
pot goes into its cozy, and that package drops into the Sigg stove screen
with the pot lid. My entire pot/stove package weighs 12 oz (340 g), and
a 3-day fuel supply in its container weighs 9 oz (255 g).
I've had only one mishap using the XL stove, and it was my fault. I had
filled the fuel cup too high near the brim, then knocked the stove which
caused the alcohol to spill and flare up. After quickly removing the
food pot, I just let the flame burn down in the next couple of minutes.
Except for some blackening on parts of the stove, no harm was done.
For dispensing fuel, I purchased the optional Fuel Bottle Kit, which is a
small-diameter stiff plastic tube attached to a cap with an O-ring (photo
at right). This cap will replace the original cap to almost any plastic
drink or liquor bottle. To use, just lift up the tube to a horizontal
position and squeeze the bottle to squirt the alcohol into the fuel cup;
it's very easy to direct the flow so nothing is wasted onto the ground.
As a bonus, the process is easily reversed to suck up extra fuel from the
fuel cup: I just squeeze some air out of the bottle, put the tube into
the fuel, and release the bottle. Very convenient!
Performance of the XL stove was excellent over the various conditions I
used it in. I have to be careful to site my kitchen out of the wind, and
choose or create a fairly level spot, but otherwise it's not too picky
about location. One caveat concerning reusing fuel (i.e. saving
leftovers from the fuel cup): I found that over time, the alcohol can
absorb water that condenses on the outside of my pot. This usually
happens when I heat very cold creek water. That extra water in the fuel
(alcohol is water soluble) definitely reduces the flame's heat, and
during one morning at below-freezing temperatures I never was able to get
my coffee hotter than lukewarm. I might have to replace my current pot
(very rounded bottom) with one that has a square edge to encourage the
condensing water to roll off to the ground instead of collecting through
the fuel vent and into the unburnt alcohol.
Concluding Thoughts
I am very satisfied with the PackaFeather XL stove. It's nicely made and
durable, even considering the thin and somewhat fragile materials it's
made of. A stove like this does warrant a bit of care, but it has
rewarded me with a reliable and very lightweight source of heat for
simple cooking and heating water. I've put a couple of dings and crimps
in it, but I can bend them out easily. The XL is easy to set up and to
pack away for transport and storage. I find it excellent for 3-season
backpacking use; for more demanding tasks, like melting snow, a white gas
or other type of pressurized stove would be a better choice.
Pros
- very lightweight
- easy to set up and pack down
- flame adjustment design works well
- good performance in variety of 3-season settings
- easy to light and to shut down (no priming)
- silent operation
- extra fuel can be saved for later
- good price (about half of a typical pressurized stove)
Cons
- lower heat output than petroleum-based pressurized stoves
- very sensitive to wind, wind screen is necessary
Reviewed By
Bob Dorenfeld
Southern Colorado Mountains