Hello All
All I am really finding is an option or two on the alpkit site here:
The non-stick stuff does not draw me either but not all of it is non-stick…
I have been trawling a bit on local sites too but I am really not finding much…
Mountain Mail Order (City Rock gear shop) have a shop in Cape Town and Jo’burg, but they also deliver nationally.
https://www.mountainmailorder.co.za/msr-alpine-2-pot-set-368211.html?cat=25427
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Hi all,
I’d like to know what you experienced hikers think of this set?
Thanks,
Paul.
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If all you’re ever planning to cook is 2-minute noodles, then maybe it will be okay, but I think you will end up looking for a bigger pot quite soon. If I were you, I’d rather go for something between 1-1.5L - something like this or this. I have the MSR Alpine 2 pot set and I’ll most likely never replace it.
Other than that, it looks like a great little cookset. If you’re only cooking for yourself, then maybe it’s just right. Stanley makes quality stuff. This guy did a pretty good breakdown of it and he quite likes it: Stanley Adventure Camp Cook Set Reviews - Trailspace
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Thank you Arno, I did look at a larger pot / set, but thinking just for myself, I’ll decide if this will do. Thanks for the review link too.
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Our family have been using these aluminium billy sets for years and they have never failed us. Can be used over the fire and also great for all types of hikes as it comes in three sizes and nests perfectly into each other. Only problem is that I have not seen it in South Africa for a very long time.
https://www.springfields.co.uk/categories/bushcraft-equipment/pots-pans/billy-can-nesting-set.html
If it works for you that is great but I would not use aluminium in any place closer to my body than by bicycle frame…just REALLY not good for you.
Arno’s links are now lost (over 2 years old)… but I was curious to hear from people who’ve transitioned to heat exchanger type pots - life the Jetboil / MSR Windburner systems
Fire Maple make a 1L one which as a stand alone buy in is reasnobly priced
https://www.capeunionmart.co.za/products/fire-maple-fire-fly-xk6-1-litre-pot/161626-0000.html
resurrecting an old thread as Im toying with the idea of buying a system for solo hiking (Most of my hikes I cater for 4 people so heavier kit and looking at reducing weight)
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@scubafrique I have the MSR Windburner and can definitely recommend it.
It all depends on your most frequent hiking areas. The focus of making your cooking system lighter should focus more on wind resistance (if you often hike in these circumstances). The windburner does exactly this, combined with a heat exchanger and radiant burner, its the most efficient stove on the market at the moment, surpassing the Jetboils in windy conditions. I do alot of fastpacking with a bivy setup in the berg meaning most of my meals are made in windy conditions, hence why this is my go stove.
If you are not frequenting these areas the specific pot (or similar) combined with a pocket rocket burner should be more than enough.
What sets the Windburner apart from the Jetboil is its use of Primary air combustion. It draws in all its air required for combustion at its base and therefore the flame chamber (below pot) can be completely shut. This gives it the renowned wind resistance capabilities. Whereas conventional stoves rely on the open flame to draw in secondary combustion air and can therefore not be sealed as this will cut of the air supply.
The windburner is extremely efficient, I use 1x110g canister over a 4day trip (Breakfast, Tea at lunch, Pasta Dinner). Therefore less canisters result in lower weight.
The windburner also has a pressure regulator, combined with the MSR Isopro canisters I have used it in temperatures down to -20°C with no problems. Other canister stoves refused to light under these conditions.
It has it’s downsides though:
- Can only use designated cookware.
- Simmering sucks…so no gourmet type hiking food. But it manages fine with some Pasta n Sauce after some practise.
- Pricey (Rather its a long term investment
)
If you are based in Gauteng and want to check it out first hand…give me a shout 
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Vivo, thanks - Im in CT
I’m torn… $245 is do-able, (but seems unnecessarily fiscally painful) however boiling a litre in 3 minutes using 8gms of fuel seems superb.
Canister wise Im using the Eiger 230 and 450 as well as the Cadac 500 butane Lannister’s depending on needs. 1x450 is better than 2x230’s
Most of my hiking is in warmer locations, not snow line stuff, but I do head higher occasionally and that West Coast wind really makes itself known.
I am literally revisiting my hiking food preparation options now, looking to move towards preparing my own dehydrated meals rather than buying them in.
As such Im now curious as to whether the Windburner will work or not. (Altitude wise I have a Coleman Petrol stove too, this is an absolute beast of a heating machine and works everywhere though weights a bit more and sounds like the launch of the apollo rocket! its amazing and can simmer.
My system needs two 1.5l+ pots, (Im also planning to forego my kettle)
So the order will be boil water - make coffee’s - set aside.
Pour remainder of water into 2nd pot
Prepare base for the meal (oil meat powders) in heating pot
Pour remainder of water from 2nd pot, add dehydrated foods and cook to temperature then let stand for a while.
I guess in lieu of simmering I would then turn it on and off on and off. but the pot does have a bit of insulation so maybe that’ll help.
( This doesn’t seem particularly feasible)
Ill get the pot above and see how it works out for me with the Aluminium wind shield (Will be great to loose that too) but I can absolutely see the benefit of the rapid boiling
Any idea if the Jet boil “simmers”? You tube research says no.
thanks again
Solid review right there! 
I guess the question with stove/pot becomes weight and time. Weight in terms of does the added efficiency overcome just bringing more fuel? If I gain 20% efficiency with a more aggressive stove or heat ex-changer for the added weight, does it differ from just bringing a larger or second canister? And that would shift over the length of a trip, alcohol stoves for instance hit a certain point (trip length or boil volume) where the weight savings lose out to higher energy density fuels like iso-butane.
Does how long it takes to boil a liter matter for you? Can’t say it really does for me, I can’t really tell the difference between 5 and 7 minutes in any real world situation. But think this all adjusts based on hiking style and location. If I was huddling in a cave in the Berg trying to get warm drinks into a large group of frozen people, sure.
I’m with @Vivo101 on wind protection as a primary thing. All of it is irrelevant if you just lose the energy transfer mid way. I’ve made a bunch of alcohol stoves over the last couple of years and they live and die by there windshield. To avoid having to carry anything too elaborate I found personally a combination of a wide pot base (Often difficult to get with smaller pots, as they build them vertical to hold canisters), a wind resistant burner head and using a butt pad as a wind shield does well for itself. Soto Amicus has been great for me, not available locally but MSR borrowed the design for the Pocket Rocket Deluxe.
I realize this is all balanced out by ease of use and differing requirements though. The Soto simmers pretty well, pizo works reliably, 4 prong stand over 3 feels more stable and fits in my pot alongside a 230g canister. Think this is all pretty similar for the PR Deluxe.
@scubafrique Could your second pot just be a 1L Nalgene which can handle boiling water? Feels like then it could play double purpose as a water bottle/hot water bottle. May be misunderstanding but at the moment one of your two pots just acts as a holder while you cook.
Hey Vivo101,
thanks for the info.
Santa came a little early (MSR Windburner Duo) but the elves are still going to wrap it up - I managed to sneak the instruction manual out (and Im actually going to read it!!!)
Ive a handful of various gas canisters, Eiger, Cadac and Camping gaz and they don’t mention the percentage blend of gas.
The Sales guy at Camp and Climb said there was no difference between Eiger and MSR to reflect the R159 vs 75 price difference for 230gm, save that it was imported and the MSR has a visual float capacity gauge drawn onto it.
Ive read the post on Gas canisters and through to the extensive links (adventures in stoving) but they don’t account for our retail conditions where we’ve no idea what percentage blend is in the canister’s.
What is apparent is that with the MSR windburner DUO (I don’t know about the rest, unlike Jet Boil - you can invert the canister hence reducing the impact of differing blended fuels burning off at low temperatures and as the canister empties allowing more efficient fuel burn.
Top tip - in cold conditions or at altitude invert the canisters (Or just always do it to get into the habit)
Big thanks to this site for the educational - happy that Ive brought into the windproof system - my principle reason is to boil water quickly using the lightest amount of fuel.
When Im heading to altitude/potential cold then Ill buy the MSR canisters. but for warmer weather, motorcycle camping and bush walks, its the Eiger 230 or Cadac 500gm canisters.
My standard off-canister Kovea stove will then be used for simmering (it can do Potjie’s) and the (Ha!) gourmet cooking!
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Morning all,
Not exactly as per the topic, but non the less, a point to bear in mind about cooksets.
Looking through the topics, I noticed pictures of both types of dixies… Now not to get into the technicalities of the differences between them, which cover materials / size / weight / durability…
So I unsucessfully spent a goodly amount of my free time yesterday searching for a picture of what I will try to explain, so I’ll give it a shot: -
ARMY DIXI AS PER SA ARMY ISSUE
"LOOKALIKE" ARMY ISSUE DIXI
Depending on your priority, (weight / cost / packsize / usefullness) both have their good & bad, and the debate can go on forever…
But for me, Other than they are utterly bomb proof, (2 years national service, incl. bush time & 5 * 3 month-post national service camps up North), the former has the distinct advantage that, by “lacing” the handles through each other, and holding the outer sides of the handles together, both dixies can be held in one hand… (That’s the picture I unsuccessfully spent time looking for - how to do that)…
Just a sideline… Alliminium melts @ 600 Deg C, and the temp in an open fire can range up to 900 deg C… The former set is made from durailium… Which s aircraft quality…Oh heck I’m getting into technical, not where I wanted to go…
SO BACK TO MY POINT
But if you play around with it you’ll “get it” (I’ll try & explain… Place the dixies as per the photo. The handle, nearest the other dixie goes between the wire of the other handle nearest the first dixi, and then the outer handles become a way to hold both)… I tried I tried explaining… Best you play around with it…
Oh and one other thing!.. LARGE freezer bags… Put your dixi inside the freezer bag, put the - already cooked- haha… Food in the plastic bag, eat, then reverse the bag inside out and wrap the remains in the bag… Keeps the dixi clean for next use… Just work carefully & eat with a spoon… National service trick…
Never tried this, but I’m 100 % certain if you use roasting bags, you could actually cook in the dixi in the roasting bag & keep it clean…
Mmmmmmmmmmm Interesting… Think I’m gonna try that & see…
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Bit of an update in the using the MSR Windburnber with various camping gas cylinders. Ive been curious to know the differences between the gas cylinders, and now commenting with reference to using the MSR windburner.
Gas Canisters are made up of different types of combustible gasses these are inside your cylinder in compressed, liquid format. These Canisters are sold at different prices…
The burner ignite’s the evaporated gas, not the liquid. These different gasses have a different evaporating temperature, which becomes relevant once the temperature drops at altitude (not so much different or relevance to most people camping below 5000m in Africa.) but its this converting to an evaporated gas that causes the cylinders to get cold, even frosting up on humid days.
One advantage of the MSR Windburner (over the Jet boil) is its ability to use gas canisters in an inverted position, so that the fuel in liquid form sits at the bottom of the canister, and readily supplies the stove with appropriately mixed gasses as it gets emptier and the gas mixtures evaporate at different rates (some gasses burn better at cooler temperatures hence the differing recipe’s) so you get a more consistent fuel mix feeding the stove.
Now my point, we the consumer don’t know what the percentages of these mixtures are so cant decide which to buy, or if there are any differences or which to use where…
I’ve tried the MSR, SUN and Cadac mixes, and in vertical orientation at in non-alpine conditions Ive not noticed the difference between them. so buy the cheapest.
However; inverted, the Cadac (of which I am a brand fan) on three separate occasions, the stove cut out and needed to be stripped “cleaned” with a blow and re-assembled I noticed a few tiny white spots of something which Im assuming to be the cause of the blockage and coming from the Gas canisters, which I did not experience with the other gas mixtures (that said Ive only used one MSR canister but imported and at twice the price, Im assuming is purer).
So my take away is that I won’t take Cadac Gas to altitude “end of” and I won’t be using it inverted.
At this stage I don’t have opinions on SUN gas yet at altitude, but will suit 90% of my needs given that essentially its the same price as the Cadac ones, until I experience the same issues.
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I’m glad you saw the light 
and made the investment, now to sit back and watch your fellow hikers struggle to boil some water in windy conditions 
Although the mixtures on the cheaper canisters are not stated by ratio, they all contain normal butane (N-Butane). As I mentioned in my post, Iso-Butane found in the more expensive canisters are far superior in colder conditions. But we don’t necessarily experience these conditions locally, as you mentioned and therefore the cheaper canisters will work just fine.
Inverting the gas canister actually feeds the stove system with liquid fuel, which is evaporated to a gaseous phase with means of a pre-heater and then ignited. This eliminates the issue of vapor pressure at lower temperatures. This same concept is used on liquid fuel stoves such as the MSR Whisperlite and Coleman Feather, but you need to provide artificial pressure to the canister with means of a pump, to feed liquid to the pre-heater. This is done by the gas pocket trapped behind the liquid, in an inverted gas cylinder, hence why you don’t need a pump.
My opinion is that there is incomplete vaporization of the liquid by the pre-heater on the cheaper canisters and some liquid makes it to the burners. It could be that lower quality propane/N-butane is used for the cheaper canisters.
Jetboil actually makes an inverted stove as well, called the Jetboil Joule, but it seems to be quite large and bulky.
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Jaxz,
This conversation is related to multi day camping off trail.
I do three types of camping, overloading off the motorbike or Landy in which case I use a heavier set up and braai grids etc.
Overnight camping where Im preparing three quick meals (Lunch tea/coffee) Dinner Breakfast & Lunch and multiple day camping, Kruger Trail, Fish River Trail, Tsavo East that kind of thing.
Multiple day trails I like to finish it without those cravings for something so prepare a balanced filling meal rather than focus on the carbohydrates and kilojoule intake for this you need to simmer foods. so rehydrate vegetable then add to Pasta rice noodles smash couscous
Ive (so far) not used the MSR with anything other than boiling water - then transfer it to coffee, or to a dehydrated bag preprepared meal, or to another pot to simmer on or a pan thats been used for frying on , so need two pots.
So far the MSR has only seen water and I find this works well for me. Not brought into Nalgene yet either.
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