I really hate 5 star reviews, there''s no such thing as a perfect product, I''ve used this stove for the past three years and I can tell you this, it comes pretty darn close.
First the GOOD:
* Very strong boiling power.
* Pretty light weight.
* Burns every fuel you''ll encounter during those high tracks.
* Very reliable, I have the repair kit but never needed it.
* Parts and service is always around the corner or a click away.
* Internal cleaning mechanism (Shaker Jet), very rarely you have to take it apart, when it gets clogged, just shake it and the cleaning needle hidden under the main jet does most of the work for you.
Now the (not so) BAD:
* The wind protector is just a heavy gauge aluminum foil.
* Flame control is problematic, it''s basically either full power or off.
* Need to change jets for some fuels.
* Pump assembly is made from plastic, it''s still in one piece but it feels unreliable.
One more thing, I don''t consider this a minus since all liquid stoves have this problem and that''s noise, they all sound like a jet engine running 3 feet from you.
TIPS:
For all you fuel burners, you need to protect the fuel tank and the pump assembly from scuffs and bumps so I just stuck the whole thing into a thick sock and that does the trick.
When you finish boiling or cooking, you close the fuel valve on the pump to turn the flame off. Don''t let the flame go out by itself, instead wait for the flame to turn yellow again and at that point blow it out like you blow out candles on a birthday cake. This way you will get the least amount of fuel deposits in the jet.
Simmering with this kind of On/Off stove:
The first thing is to buy a "Flame Spreader" or "Heat Diffuser" such as this one, it''s just a metal plate used to spread out the hot spots so the food doesn''t get burned. The cheap ones seem to be the lightest.
The second thing is a technique called "Feathering", you start buy not pumping allot of times like we normally do, but rather start with 3-4 strokes of the pump when the tank is almost empty to only one stroke of the pump when the tank is full (MSR says 2 strokes on a half empty tank), so the pressure in the tank stays pretty low. Now after you prime the stove, you have to open the valve just a little to get the right flame you need. It''s kind of tricky, but once you get the hang of it it''s a little simpler, though never as simple as getting a stove with true flame control. Every few minutes you need to add a stroke or two of the pump or the flame will go out.
As I said int the begining, this is a great on/off kind of stove, if you really need flame control for simmering/cooking but don''t want to sacrifice allot of boiling power or fuel diversity, you''d be much better off getting the Liquid fuels only Optimus Nova Plus or MSR® DragonFly (They seem to be the preferred choice, especially the Nova) or the Liquid and Butane stove such as Primus® OmniFuel Stove. The Nova Plus had problems with spare parts and awful costumer service, I don''t know if that''s still an issue, it''s a little heavier too but hey, there''s no such thing as the perfect product, right...
Weight including the pump:
MSR XGK 13.2 oz
MSR DragonFly 14 oz
Optimus Nova Plus 15 oz
Optimus Nova 15.3 oz
Primus OmniFuel 15.6 oz
Brunton Vapor AF 16 oz
Be aware, the bottle is not provided.
I also recommend a replacement for the pump as backup (MSR Standard Pump for Liquid Fuel Stoves) since this part is made of plastic, and for an everyday use seems unreliable.
Beside, the stove is just an excellent piece of technology.
Buy MSR XGK EX Extreme Condition Stove Now
The MSR-XGK EX stove burns like a jet engine. Yes, it is noisy. It will burn various fuels, including: diesel, kerosene, gasoline, and more. I''ve been using mine with gasoline at the moment. With no experience with this stove, I followed the included instructions, set it up, and had it operating in just a few minutes. Others have mentioned that the plastic pressure pump might be light duty. I found the pump to work fine. (The plunger does seem a little flimsy, but if you pay attention and use it properly it should go the distance.) The priming is easy, and once the unit is warmed up it burns with a blue flame. Have long matches or a good lighter to reach into the burn zone for initial ignition. Using the valve at the bottle, it''s not really possible to control the heat. Don''t plan on doing any gentle simmering. However, it will bring your pot to a boil in a hurry.
It comes with a nylon bag to keep everything neatly contained. There are two heat shields, one for beneath the stove, one to wrap around. The wrap around one is a bit unruly until you use it a few times (bring a clip with you to join the ends). There is also a little service kit that will come in handy for changing jets, cleaning, etc.
I put a two litre pot nearly full of water on this stove (from the Alpinist 2 System), and the unit was rock solid. The legs and pot holders are well built giving a stable platform to do your cooking. After cool down, breakdown is simple. I keep a small brush in my kit to whisk away small amounts of soot that may be there in an effort to keep things as tidy as possible. The less mess, the better for any piece of equipment.
This stove meets all the critical criteria for my hiking/survival kit. It''s compact, reliable, fairly light, rugged, and ready to go with a minimum of set up. Please note, you have to buy the fuel bottle separately. (I went with the 20oz because my trips are short.) It burns all the common fuels, which means flexibility to suit your location or situation. Most importantly, it has a strong history from a company that takes its products seriously. I have an HD video showing the unboxing, setup, and operation of this unit when it was brand new. You can find it on my YouTube channel: lenswork4, by searching for MSR XGK-EX on the channel. (Video was too long to fit here on Amazon. You see the MSR Alpinist 2 system on that video, too.)
Read Best Reviews of MSR XGK EX Extreme Condition Stove Here
MSR only deploys high quality products, and this stove is no different. I purchased it to be able to use various fuels (usually diesel is about the easiest for me to find where I operate) and this stove hasn''t let me down. It lights easily, heats everything I need, then packs into a small enough back for easy stowage and carrying. One downside, but this happens with ALL stoves, is that it gets VERY dirty. Your hands and gear WILL get soot on them when handling the stove, so take precautions and wipe it down as possible. But while conducting bush operations for multiple weeks, and having the ability to use kerosene, diesel and gasoline (even jet A1 fuel on one occasion) this stove is fantastic. BUY EXTRA BOTTLES! Buy 1 small bottle for stove use, then 2-4 large bottles for storage because NO bottles come with the stove. Just FYI.
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Took this on a trip to the snow with temperatures in the low teens and it worked perfectly! So glad I purchased it because butane stoves don''t work well at below freezing temperatures unless you warm the bottles first. I used kerosene with this stove, much cheaper fuel ($10/gallon). Great stove, would buy again!
I like to hike a lot and I find these convenient to hold a small water bottle. I clip one to each side of my day pack. I''ve used them many times and never have had an issue. I suspect like most rubber products, the rubber part may deteriorate if you leave them in the sun for an extended period of time. So far, I''ve found them very useful and if they do break down, I would buy them again. For less than $7 they work great!
