MSR Windboiler Stove System
This camp stove is nearly as fast and fuel-efficient as the 2007 Editors’ Choice Award-winning Reactor—but 70 percent cheaper.
Brand: MSR Gear Reviews
Model: Windboiler Stove System
Output
In the time it took our companions to get their liquid-fuel stove primed, we were already drinking the coffee we’d brewed with the Windboiler’s French press kit (optional: $20; 1.3 oz.). How does it do the job for so much less money than its predecessor? Small design changes—like layers of mesh instead of metalized foam within the hockey puck-shaped burner—save money without significantly decreasing performance. The Windboiler’s boil times are slightly slower and fuel consumption slightly higher than the Reactor (which is still available), but at 2.5 minutes for 20 ounces of water, only the most dedicated second-counter will notice the difference. Gripe: Though the heat adjusts lower than with the Reactor, we still found it hard to get down to a true simmer.
Weather resistance
The pot’s aluminum “fins” protect the domed burner, enclosing the radiant heat source.
Bonus
The 1-liter pot is easier to get on and off the stove base than any comparable system we’ve used: We never splashed hot water on our hands trying to remove it.