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MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 7:52 pm
by hikin_jim
If anyone is interested, I have completed my review of the new MSR Windboiler.
Image

HJ

Re: MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:40 pm
by markskor
I don't get it...
Only boils water, (but does it very well), doesn't really simmer, cannot switch out other pots, heavy comparatively, top heavy/tipsy, cannot invert canister, expensive...
What am I missing?

Re: MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 7:59 am
by hikin_jim
markskor wrote:I don't get it...
Only boils water, (but does it very well), doesn't really simmer, cannot switch out other pots, heavy comparatively, top heavy/tipsy, cannot invert canister, expensive...
What am I missing?
Only boils water? Well, the Jetboils are typically used only to boil water, and they seem to have sold all right.

Heavy? Depends on what you're comparing it to. It's within one ounce of all of the other MSR and Jetboil 1.0 sized products. If you're comparing it to a stand alone burner, then yes it's heavy.

Tipsy? Not at all. It's very stable. Check out the tip testing I did in this post here.

It's a good stove. I don't think everyone is going to want one, but for those who want a good integrated canister stove or those who want amazing windproofness, this is a really good choice.

But whatever. I don't sell stoves, I just report on them. :)

HJ

Re: MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:24 am
by richlong8
Interesting review. I have been using the MSR MicroRocket, and use no wind protection, and have been pretty satisfied with the performance, but this system might actually save me a few ounces because of the built in cook set, if I eliminated my cookset. I wonder how much fuel is actually saved- if the stove is efficient enough, over the course of a longer trip(10 days or more), it might mean leaving a 4 ounce fuel canister at home. I mostly just boil water these days anyway.

Re: MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:50 pm
by markskor
hikin_jim wrote: Only boils water? Well, the Jetboils are typically used only to boil water, and they seem to have sold all right.

If you're comparing it to a stand alone burner, then yes it's heavy.

It's a good stove. I don't think everyone is going to want one, but for those who want a good integrated canister stove or those who want amazing windproofness, this is a really good choice.
If only for boiling water and heavier than most...why?

Agreed that it may be a good, solid, easy-to-use stove and many have purchased these JetBoil type stoves but IMHO, there are many other canister stoves sold that are far less expensive, lighter, can simmer, and have the capacity to invert the gas canister. For me, having the ability to cook/simmer and that extra 1/2 pound matters, especially when solo. Interesting that many first-time JMT hikers seem to buy them - not so much the experienced PCTers though.

BTW, I do enjoy the quality reviews...well done and keep up the good work!
Mark

Re: MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 1:20 pm
by maverick
Thank you Jim for posting this in-depth review, I am thinking about getting a new
stove, so this comes at a good time. Interesting info about the Sol line being
discontinued, any idea/guesses why Jim?

MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 1:58 pm
by AlmostThere
markskor wrote:
If only for boiling water and heavier than most...why?

[/quote]

that's what I keep asking people who like the jet boil. It never made any sense to me. I warn folks not to cook then watch them burn a knorrs into the pot and ruin it trying to scrape it out....

For windy places the MSR does look like an improvement tho. i set up a tarp once as a windbreak for my friend and her Jetboil when it blew out every time she lit it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:40 pm
by longri
If it's that windy, why not cook inside the tent?

It looks like a well built stove. I think there are a lot of people who want a push button stove that just boils water.

Hiking Jim, what were the fuel consumption figures? I only saw comparative values in the review.

Re: MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:28 pm
by The Other Tom
I have an aversion to cooking in my tent. I know people do it but I don't want to take the fire risk....

Re: MSR Windboiler – Completed Review

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 6:42 pm
by hikin_jim
richlong8 wrote:if the stove is efficient enough, over the course of a longer trip(10 days or more), it might mean leaving a 4 ounce fuel canister at home.
That's exactly the line of reasoning I discuss in the section on Wind Testing. I present an spreadsheet there. If you have Excel, you're welcome to a copy of the spreadsheet. You can run your own numbers and see what makes the most sense.

HJ