MSR Folding Utensils – Behind the Gear

Jun 21, 2013

Product Manager Steve Grind answers a few questions about the design and performance of MSR’s Folding Utensils. What is the advantage of a folding spoon, fork or spork? Folding utensils are popular because they collapse into a much smaller configuration for packing, and often provide an overall longer utensil that is more suitable for use with pouch-cook meals. And utensil length is important if you’re a freeze dried food aficionado, assuming you’d prefer not to spend your after dinner time cleaning stroganoff from your knuckles. Some people prefer rigid utensils for their simplicity and ease of cleaning—and there are some good, long, single-piece utensils available. I tend to take folding utensils on most trips, though, since I can pack each color-coded utensil inside its matching mug, thereby keeping the kitchen…

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Canister Stoves vs. Liquid Fuel

May 24, 2013

Photo Credit: Emily Polar Canister Stoves vs. Liquid Fuel Stoves – Which is Right for You? There’s no easy answer to this question – a lot of it comes down to the trips you’re planning and your own personal preference. Canister stoves have significant advantages in some situations and new, more efficient designs have made the performance differences less clear than they once were. Liquid fuel stoves remain the leaders on long trips, full winter conditions and travel where canisters may not be available. Stove Weight Canister stoves are the clear winner in this category – they’re almost always lighter and more compact than their liquid fuel counterparts. The numbers are easy to compare and they’re often the determining factor in a purchase decision. Unfortunately, these numbers don’t tell the…

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Reactor Stove System—Behind the Gear:

Apr 30, 2013

MSR Product Manager Steve Grind answers a few questions about the design and performance of the Reactor Stove System. Who was the Reactor Stove System engineered for? The Reactor is designed for folks who are heading outside into real and often challenging mountain conditions. That means cold, windy, and often space-constrained. Whether you’re tucked into a port-a-ledge on Baffin Island, or doing an ultralight traverse of the Sierras, this is a stove that performs when most other canister stoves will not. It is certainly an elite piece of gear, but it’s also amazingly versatile for people doing more moderate activities where the weather conditions might not always cooperate. How is the Reactor different from other stove systems on the market? One of our favorite anecdotes is a story we’ve heard…

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Trail Lite Duo Cook System—Behind the Gear

Apr 18, 2013

Who was the Trail Lite Duo System engineered for?  A lot of folks head into the backcountry in pairs—this is a super common arrangement that we like to refer to as the “Dynamic Duo.” The Trail Lite Duo system is designed for the adventurous twosome for whom weight and space are high on the list of priorities. It is not a minimalist, bare-bones system, though. It includes luxuries like double-wall insulated mugs and deep, usable bowls. This system is designed for people who want to do some simple cooking that often involves more than simply boiling water. How is the Trail Lite Duo different from other cookware on the market? The TLD is comparable in size and weight to the GSI Dualist, but that is about where the similarities end….

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New Video Alert! MSR Stoves: Liquid Feed Mode

Apr 3, 2013

Did you know that a MSR Whisperlite Universal or WindPro II stove can operate on canister fuel in liquid form? This allows the stove to perform much better in cold conditions and maintain higher fuel pressures over the life of the canister. Take a look at the new video above and see how it’s done. For more information on what fuel to use with your MSR stove.

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Liquid Fuel Stoves 101: Choosing the Right Fuel for Your Liquid Fuel Stove

Feb 15, 2013

By Steve Grind, Product Manager MSR Stoves & Cookware Despite the popularity of small, canister-fuel stoves, liquid fuels are still the best option for many people due to their unrivaled cold weather performance, low cost, lower environmental impact, and worldwide availability. But which of the many liquid fuels should you use?  If you have a multi-fuel stove like the MSR XGK-EX, DragonFly, or WhisperLite Universal, you have several fuel options to choose from.  Depending on where in the world you plan to use your stove, the options may vary from what you’re used to at home. Here, we’ll give you the pros and cons of the most common liquid fuels.

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My MSR Backpacking Stove Belongs in My Estate Planning

Feb 10, 2013

I bought my first MSR stove in 1993, soon after I started backpacking. A buddy and I just returned from a trip in the Southern Sierra where his stove exploded while we cooked dinner. I can’t say that we escaped unfazed. But, thankfully, we were unharmed. My friend’s stove was a cranky, burner-over-tank model from a well-known camping gear manufacturer. I was in the market for a stove at the time, and didn’t know what to buy. But our experience on that trip certainly narrowed the brand choices! Christine and I had yet to marry, but I already knew her to be a trustworthy source of gear information. Her backpacking debut preceded mine by several years, and she had already checked off some impressively long expeditions. She owned a Whisperlite…

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OutWild TV reviews the Reactor Stove System

Feb 5, 2012

OutWildTV gives a great review of the MSR reactor stove system on their website. They say the stove “is at the top of the pack in head to head comparisons with the competition”. And if speed, storage, and efficiency are things that you want in a stove system, then this is the one for you. Read more about the Reactor Stove System here:

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