Wasted 80 bucks on an ultralight camp stove that died after 2 trips

Bought this tiny titanium stove off an REI clearance table thinking I was being smart saving weight. Thing worked OK the first trip but second time out the fuel valve just stopped turning. Tried fixing it with a wrench and the whole thing cracked on me. Stuck boiling water over a twig fire that night while my buddy's $30 Coleman worked fine. Anyone else have bad luck with the ultralight gear that costs more but breaks faster?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamieh7623d ago

Yeah that 80 bucks stings. I've been there with a Soto Amicus actually, which is supposed to be the budget reliable one. My valve started sticking after a few trips too, and I learned the hard way that those tiny titanium stoves have really thin metal around the threads. A little dab of grease on the valve stem before each trip can help prevent that, but you shouldn't have to baby a stove that costs that much. Also if the whole thing cracked from a wrench, that titanium is probably a lower grade alloy that just can't take much torque. Your buddy's Coleman is heavier but at least it'll probably outlive both of you.

aaron19723d ago

Used to be one of those guys who swore by titanium for everything. Thought the weight savings were worth any trade off. But seeing stoves crack from normal use and threads wearing down that fast changes the math completely. A few ounces lighter doesn't matter much when the stove fails on day two of a week long trip. Your buddy's Coleman might weigh a pound more but at least you can beat it against a rock and it still works. I'd rather carry the extra weight than worry about babying a fragile stove every time I use it.