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from Charlotte on 3/9/2008
Took this stove on a winter backpacking trip into the Grand Tetons in late Feb. Had difficulty starting it on the second day as it was very cold(shaking it had no effect). It was approx half full, I took it apart & refilled it, then pumped it up again & had to reheat the primer & was able to get it started. A companion had a new XGK & had no difficulty whatsoever using/lighting it & it boils water much faster but is much louder. Worried about the long-term with this stove even though it worked pretty well once it got going. There is only one temp control -on or off- as far as I can tell, once your water is boiling you cannot turn it down to simmer, it continues to boil fully.
from Glastonbury, CT on 1/3/2008
The stove fits into my cook kit nicely. With the priming necessary, it can be difficult to get lit; however, once going, it outperformed all the "canister" stoves on our backpacking trip (weekend of Dec 28-30, 2007 in Connecticut). I'll hold off my purchase recommendation until next outing.
My bsa troop and I always use these stoves. They may be the most reliable, but they re extremely unstable. Once, while I was priming the stove, the cord connecting the gas tank to the burner made the burner tip over, spilling the burning liquid fuel onto the ground. Talk about a safety hazzard. Instead of saving money in the long run by buying this stove, splurge and spend a little more on a simple propane stove that doesn't require too much prepping or tlc.