gas – Three Points of the Compass

gas

Gear talk: Fire Maple Blade, Blade 2 and Volcano remote canister stoves

Three Points of the Compass looks at three similar remote canister stoves from Fire Maple- the FMS-117T Blade, FMS-117H Blade 2 and FMS-118 Volcano. These stoves range from three-season, to lightweight four-season, to heavier weight four-season options. There isn't a bad stove amongst them.

Cooking

Gear talk: Fire Maple Hornet II stove

The Fire Maple Hornet II canister top gas stove is intended as an upgrade to the popular smaller and lighter Hornet and is safer when used with wider pots and pans

Gear talk

Gear talk: changing the mantle on a Primus Micron lantern

The Primus Micron is a gas powered lantern with a mantle. Every now and then, a mantle requires changing. It isn't difficult, but can be a mystery to those new to the process.

Gear

Gear talk: the Primus Micron gas lantern, with steel globe

Winter is around the corner. Three Points of the Compass went rummaging through the gear locker to see what there was for lighting the long dark nights. An old favourite was found. Time to put it back into service.

Cooking

Gear talk: Fire Maple FMS-116 and FMS-116T gas stoves

Some backpackers prefer a wide burner head on their gas stoves. This feature can add both weight and bulk to a cook kit, but not always. Two canister top options from Fire Maple have proven themselves as reliable performers over the years, one is light and expensive, the other is heavier and cheaper, the choice is yours.

Cooking

Gear talk: the Fire Maple FMS-300T ‘Hornet’ gas stove

The Fire Maple FMS-300T gas stove is a well made product from a manufacturer with many years of experience in producing stoves. This particular stove has been on their catalogue for ten years now. In that time Fire Maple have sold tens of thousands of them and they remain a favourite for those looking for a truly lightweight small burner, specifically for heating water rather than cooking. In operation, the stove benefits greatly with protection from the wind and if treated with due care should perform faultlessly for many years. While not the cheapest, or the most efficient, or even lightest for that matter, the FMS-300T will fill a particular niche more than adequately.

Cooking

Trail talk: weighing fuel canisters

Three Points of the Compass believes there are two essential tools required when looking at fuel requirements for a backpacking trip. These are digital scales and a sharpie

Cooking

Gear talk: the G-Works Gas Saver Plus

The G-Works Gas Saver Plus is a handy little device for utilising cheap cartridges of butane, or gathering together the contents of almost empty canisters into one. Though simple to use, extreme care must be taken nonetheless.

Cooking

Gear talk: gas canister adaptors

Most backpacking stoves have lindal valve type connectors. Using an adapter opens up the possibility of using different canister types

Cooking

Gear talk: O-rings- check ’em!

Many of us will have managed to fit in a few weeks of backpacking this year and some gear might have been having a rough time of it. Beside cleaning, re-proofing and condition checking, think about including an inspection of the O-rings fitted to gas and multi-fuel stoves.

Cooking

Gear talk: The BRS 3000-T gas stove

The BRS 3000-T is possibly the smallest and lightest that a gas stove can practically be

Cooking

Gear talk: The Soto Windmaster gas stove

The Soto Windmaster has proved to be a reliable and efficient performer and is now a first choice for three season use

Cooking

Gear talk: The Flat Cat Gear Ocelot heat exchanger kit, with FMS-300T Hornet stove

The simple adapter plate from Flat Cat Gear enables a Fire Maple stove to be used with heat exchanger pots

Cooking

Gear talk: Kovea Spider KB-1109

As the temperature creeps down, it is time to use a gas stove admirably suited for winter use- the Kovea Spider

Cooking

Gear talk: the MSR Pocket Rocket 2

The Pocket Rocket 2 is one of MSR's most popular stoves, extremely suited to controlled simmering and rapid boiling of water while backpacking. It draws on the most successful design elements of two earlier products and has won both plaudits and fans.