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Gear Review: MSR Windburner Stove

WTA Team
|  
  • WTA Team

Editor: Cory

MSR Windburner Stove with Frying pan and Coffee Press

Editor: Cory McLaughlin

Just the Facts:

Combining award-winning Reactor® technology with the features solo travelers need most, the WindBurner Stove System is ideal for backcountry adventures and weekend camping alike. Its radiant burner and enclosed, windproof design allow the stove to boil water fast and operate in weather that leaves conventional burners in the cold. The integrated cookware with built-in heat exchanger efficiently transfers heat to the lock-on pot so you can enjoy a quick meal or hot drink after a hike, ride or paddle. The all-in-one system nests inside its pot for easy packing and assembly—leaving more time for you to enjoy your adventure.

  • Integrated System: Compact, all-in-one stove and cookware solution features a secure-locking pot/personal eat-and-drink mug with cozy.
  • Maximum Efficiency: Radiant burner and heat exchanger deliver faster boil times and more fuel efficiency than conventional stoves that use convective heat only.
  • Windproof Performance: 100% primary air combustion, enclosed design & internal pressure regulator work together to make stove virtually impervious to outside conditions.
  • Compact Design: Conveniently packs the stove burner, 4 oz. (110g) IsoPro™ fuel canister (sold separately), folding canister stand, and PackTowl® inside the 1.0L Pot. Extra full-sized bowl snaps onto the outside.
  • Modular Versatility: Customizable system works with optional cookware accessories, including the WindBurner 1.0L accessory pot, hanging kit and coffee press.

FEATURES

  • Lid with Drinking and Straining Ports
  • Insulated Cozy with Handle
  • 1.0L Pot with Heat Exchanger
  • Secure Connection with Stove
  • Ultra-Efficient Radiant Burner
  • Pressure Regulator for Consistent Performance
  • Full-Size Bowl: 16 oz. / .47L
  • Folding Canister Stand

Windburner® Skillet

MSR Windburner Stove Skillet

This skillet is the perfect solution for pan-frying, simmering and sautéing with your WindBurner stove. Featuring sloped sides for easy stirring and flipping, and an elevated design that disperses heat more evenly, this hard-anodized aluminum skillet turns your WindBurner stove system into a versatile, gourmet cooking machine.

For use exclusively with WindBurner Stove
Weight 8.5 oz / 240 g

Windburner® Coffee Press Kit

MSR Windburner Stove Coffee Press

Available for Windburner 1.0L and 1.8L pots, these coffee presses turn your Windburner Stove System into a rapid, windproof brewing machine. The presses feature a durable stainless steel strainer disc and a flexible perimeter gasket to seal out coffee grinds for the freshest, cleanest brew. The whole piece easily disassembles and lays flat for packing with the other components inside your system, so you never have to be without your coffee, whether you’re on the road or on the trail.

My Story:

Nothing is more important than water and heat when it comes to cooking most backpacking food. When it’s time to pull out the dehydrated meal, oatmeal, or coffee you need a way to heat up your water. There are more options available than I can even list but with that many options it is easy to get duped into buying a sub-par product. So what are we as outdoor enthusiasts to do? How can we be sure to choose the right setup? The answer is completely dependent on what your intended use will be. If you are looking for a compact all in one setup than the MSR Windburner stove should be at the top of your list.

The Windburner stove is a one stop shop for a person who needs to save space and conserve weight. This stove includes the burner, pot, lid, cup, and stand. This means that all you need to purchase is a fuel canister and you are ready to go. I chose to review the 1L version of this stove but it also comes with a 1.8L version for larger camps. I usually only hike with 1 or 2 people so for me this 1L version was the best choice.

Appearance

When I first opened the package I was very impressed with the appearance of this stove. After looking over each piece I assembled the stove and screwed on a fuel canister. I was a bit disappointed to see that this stove did not have an ignition system but it was not a big deal as any hiker worth their salt always has an ignition source of some kind. So, I filled the 1L pot with water lit the burner and turned it to full blast.

I was extremely impressed with the amount of heat it put off but what really blew me away was that it brought the pot to a full rolling boil in just over 2 minutes. The home test was complete and I was now ready to get this bad boy into the field.

The Trip

I had a great trip planned with my wife in which we were heading into the Enchantment area of the Cascade Mountains in Washington. We were in need of a good heat source and the Windburner fit the bill nicely. I has also received the coffee press and frying pan attachment for this great setup and I was hoping to fry up some trout while on the trip. Our hike went swimmingly and we were soon at our campsite with a growling beast in our stomachs. It was time to light the stove and get some water boiling.

MSR Windburner Stove in Action

The Test

Coincidently, the wind was blowing pretty hard up on the mountain; I was really excited to see how the stove, which carries a name that indicates it should work in the wind, would do. This bad boy handled its business in no time flat and we were soon eating a hot meal. I didn’t bring my stop watch to time the boil at the 6000ft level but it was not noticeably longer than my initial home tests. The thing just flat works.

In the morning I again lit the stove and heated some water. This time it was for coffee and I was eager to test out the Windburner Coffee Press. In my opinion French press coffee is about as good as it gets so I was very excited to get this pot brewing.

MSR Windburner Stove in Action

After boiling the water I added some of my favorite coffee grounds.

MSR Windburner Stove in Action

I assembled the press and pushed the coffee down far enough to be submerged.

MSR Windburner Stove in Action

I realized that I had forgotten to put on the lid on and so I corrected that issue and allowed the coffee to sit for about 10 minutes.

MSR Windburner Stove in Action

Victory was mine and the sweet nectar was soon burning my lips and clearing my head of its morning fog. The stove and press both work wonderfully.
I used this stove for the duration of our 3 day trip and it never skipped a beat. It boiled water without having any issues and helped to ensure that we had a hot meal every night.

MSR Windburner Stove in Action

My only regrets…

Sadly I have to report that while fishing was very good in this pristine alpine lake I was foolish and only kept one fish. I had forgotten to bring any oil and I was not very eager to attempt to fry a trout in a pan without at least some type of coating. So, I waited until the last night of the trip to cook the one fish that I had saved. I had put it on a stinger made of some scrap fishing line and when I went to retrieve it, the fish and I had a difference of opinion. He decided to break the line and swim away.

So, I did the only thing I could do and decided to fry some eggs and sausage in the pan when I got home. The picture below will show that it was not only delicious but worked perfectly. The heating was a bit concentrated in the center of the pan but overall not too hard to work with.

MSR Windburner Stove in Action

I had a blast testing this stove and I am absolutely sold on it and all the great accessories that I used as well. If you are looking for a compact all in one style kit then you need look no further than the MSR Windburner stove. Fine job MSR!

MSR Windburner Stove in Action

Find it here:

Cabela’s

Cascade

What could be done better?

Aside from wishing that this stove had its own ignition source I cannot find anything that I would really want to change. I am very happy with both the stove and the accessories and positive that I will enjoy many meals cooked up with this great stove.

I give the MSR Windburner Stove and the accessories a solid 5 Stars!

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