USE Discount code SURVIVALPREPPER for 10% off any stoves and accessories CANADIAN PREPPERS STORE / Premium Survival/ Emergency Equipment canadianpreparedness.com/
I'm a long distance throu hiker. I only use a Vargo wood stove and Trangia alcohol burner. This gives me multiple fuel sources, a wind screen, and they are ultra light. My pot, stove, burner, spoon, scrub pad and lighter together only weigh 13oz. After a long day of hiking I enjoy sitting down to a small fire while I cook my meal.
You mentioned the greatest prepper of them all at 9:35.....we need another classic video by the one and only All American Prepper.....ya better believe it !!!
This video was wonderfully shot. I’m a fire box man myself when I’m out hunting/camping/fishing. A Coleman top burner on the 1 pound tanks when I’m in the ice shack for cooking a hot lunch.
The isobutane is actually a really good stove for that reason, throw a 6 pack of those canisters in the truck and you are good for a couple months of cooking at least!
@@CanadianPrepper Yeah that’s kind of like one of the possible definitions of preparedness. We do the work now, rather than later when it’s damn near impossible. LOL. A bird in the hand is worth two in the God knows where. LOL.
@@CanadianPrepper i have used all of these and all but the wood burner in ‘operational’ environments. The order of convenience and price is the same order I preposition them for use. I got the wood burner a few years back and keep it withe tablet stove to start fast then continue with local fuel (charcoal, coal, alcohol) in my bugout/automobile kit. The liquid fuel is best if you are going to be in a longer term site e.g. for SAR disaster relief, etc. you are right that the butane is boss if you are moving fast and need to hit it and get it for tea or soup, etc. but the empty canisters suck less only than packing out your own poop.
@@CanadianPrepper i will say sir that you can get an adapter that the propane can be attached to. Personally multi fuel stoves are superior. You can use any fuel
I would guess having 2 or more of these on hand for redundancy is key in an SHTF scenario. I have 8 ways to cook food or boil water, only 2 of which rely on home utilities.
@@scoutndad1941 lol I don't blame you Scout...you can never have enough. I don't think anything will sound off the wall if we get into a true SHTF... we'll be glad we bought an extra 100 of anything 🤣. Ijs
One thing to Note,,, the XGK is also a High Altitude stove,,, MSR also makes a “Below Freezing” pump. So, in certain circumstances,, the XGK is a power house that out preforms them all,,,!!!! Great review. Joshua
Thank you VERY MUCH for this EXCELLENT comparison of popular stoves. WELL DONE! I have found that the Esbit stove does a fine job boiling water for Mountain House, freeze-dried meals. The fuel tabs do not spill and can be stored for (at least, in my experience) three years. Additionally, the fuel tabs can be used as emergency fire starters. The isobutane stove worked very well in the backcountry, and offered the luxury of simmer/warm-up/reheat. I have been fortunate enough to find cook-sites that were out of the wind. Exposure to even a light wind would, IMHO, compromise any stove to some extent and could easily cause a dramatic increase in cooking times. Again, THANK YOU for this EXCELLENT COMPARISON! 😎👍👍👍
Sterno for me. Still use it when I go ATV camping. Works in any weather condition. Not good for boiling large amounts of water, but can be done for smaller amounts. The secret to success is to use a pot designed for Sterno style fuel; thin wall, low profile pot with lid. It's old school but it works evey time. Think cans over Mountain House type food.
A few months ago I picked up a folding TOBWOLF Stainless Steel Folding Camping Wood Stove. Works great for me, packs flat, burns like a Rocket Stove, and no need to carry fuel.
Agreed most of the time wood fuel is something you can find for such a small stove and keep in constant supply of, cant say the same for any of the other stoves. And its charcoal can be used for other important things such as filtering water.
@@australianwoman9696 Amazing and even more amazing is that you mention stinging nettle. Thank you so much for talking about it. I take it every day for health reasons. So many uses for nettle. Very nourishing as a food source. Just so happens I bought two bottles of the capsules today as it can be hard to find when you want it from a store. Worth the time and effort to grow for sure. Never heard of it being used as a substitute for rennet. Love hearing about that and ya I wish I could see that being made. Thank you for your reply and info, loved it.
Welp. Not gonna lie. After days of freezing in Texas during that storm and taking turns keeping a fireplace running, I'm really liking that firebox versatility compared to the others. Really appreciate the video 👍
Obviously wood is the best survival fuel, its renewable during a shtf situation and you dont have to buy/store/carry a ton of it like you do the others.
You have to process it(dry it) You need more storage. You also have to go to the trees. You have to go outside. It isnt really obvius for some like me. Because i see radiation all over the place.
@Billy Lazer well, you wouldn't be in the forest then, would you? You can (almost) always find some wood to burn for fuel, even if its pulling a few pieces out of the wall from a building your scavenging.
@@keywestalert6329 radiation? Most people do not have access to a bunker to keep then from radiation in the event of a nuclear attack. The firebox runs on several different types of fuels too. Look up the firebox channel and see the video. I have used wood from fallen branches, wood pellets from the store, matchlight charcoal, hickory wood from the grilling section of home depot. It also runs on mini propane, or alcohol burner.
After watching this, pulled out my Biolite2 camp stove to give it a burn and charge. 1 1/2 medium Tim hortons cups worth of pellets gave me 43 minutes of high burn on the lowest fan setting with additional 10-15minutes of heat and small flame off the coals until they are ash. . I think that’s amazing especially with the flame it can put out with the fans and on top of that charge electronics by burning wood is pretty cool as well. And yes Tim Hortons cups is a form of measurement here!
I have a BioLite wood burning stove and a Jetboil Micro Mo gas stove, and I like them both. I use the BioLite wood stove for extended stays in the Backcountry and the Jetboil for quick day or weekend trips.
@@joey9697 lol. I also have the BioLite solar panel so I have unlimited power and all the free bio mass to use. I am getting into bike camping, and recently purchased the Burley Coho XC bike trailer. I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time on my bike in the forest for the foreseeable future.
Good video. If I were operating in a purely survivalist environment, I would go for the fire box. It's portable and does not require manufactured fuels.
Great combination.Trangia Alcohol burner in the Firebox. It is designed to use it in addition to wood. When you run out of alcohol you use wood. Or extremely long term you build a distiller.
Get a 5 gallon bucket and a insulation insert for it. Drill a hole on the side, put ice in and, put a fan on top. RUclips AC bucket, they work I just built one.
@@alexwilliams9900 i saw DesertSun do this on his channel. Great option because most smaller fans are usb charged and you can use a portable power bank.
I've had excellent luck with a Storm Kettle wood cooking stove. It's bigger than the reviewed wood stove, and thus less convenient to carry, but still very portable. Storm kettle boils water very quickly. I've used mine for months at a time of camping out. Infinite fuel. I've also used all the other types and they each have their place.
One more thing I'd like to add for the Esbit stove. It's also stealthy in the sense that it barely puts off any light when you're cooking something. At least in my experience.
Question: re long-term storage: can these Esbit cubes dry out ? I mean, is the fuel in the cube structure, or is it in a liquid absorbed in the structure ???
For many years I used one of those stoves with the fuel bottle that takes different types of fuel. I hate how much the bottles leak! Constantly replacing the O rings. So I bought an isobutane stove and I have used it in -8°F and 20°F temperatures, and it’s worked just fine. With any fuel source, it’s best if kept warm and dry in cold situations. I’d like to add the firebox to my gear. That way I have multiple stoves for different times.
I love my Solo stove w/ the Solo pot 900. It's not shinny any more and well used over the past 4 or 5 years I've had it but still just fine. Works with fuel tabs and alcohol burner, best of all the bio fuel on the ground is free.
I have all of these and then some.... they all have their place. I tend to go with firebox and Trangia style when I go out for some reason. I prefer wood but if wood is wet, the Trangia always works.
I have used the same isobutane stove for the last 15 years. My stove is one of tiny two ounce backpacking ones and I use it for camping, fishing, picnics, hiking, and I've even cooked food on it at home.
Isobutane is good for small camping/hiking trips, light and get the job done. But I got the biolite campstove 2 last summer and I’m in love with it. Takes wood so the fuel on week long hikes is endless, plus has the added benefit of transferring fire heat into battery power for my headlamp, phone etc. I’d love to see you do a review on it!
One thing I have learned about being outdoors is you have to take your time. I found that when I'm in a hurry I fumble with things, overlook easier methods, I get tired quicker, and I open myself up to injury. I would use the firebox and take the time to make a proper fire.
I have a dozen stoves. And the one I prefer over them all is an open fireplace. Go figure. But it's better to have and not need than to need and not have. Can't wait till fishing starts back up here in Sask.
I like this video because it talks about different stoves and compares them to each other. I am reminded of the coleman dual fuel kerosene/gas stoves [which I just had to have ] as well, which work really well but can be messy. But if you have room and plenty of fuel work extremely well.
I use a esbit. have been using same one for over 10 years . and that's hard use. have used wood in it, alcohol, and the cubes, big trick is take a bit of foil and cut it to fit in open area/Side. acts as a wind screen and keeps more heat under the pot. makes its way more efficient. cubes burn for around 15 to 20 min with just that one mod.
A side-feeding titanium wood cooking stove is really the best for longterm cooking use. They have affordable models available on Amazon for under $50, and they pack perfectly flat and are extremely lightweight. If you want warmth, you need something with a chimney so it can be used in a tent, and that's where things get expensive. But the basic pyramidal titanium side feeder models work extremely well for most purposes. They're sturdy, they're stable, they don't clog up easily, and they don't rust.
In the use of the MSR Wind Burner®Personal Stove System. If you are schlepping fuel cans for a weekend get away. A table top burner using butane be just as effective and cost about the same. Something like the Coleman Tabletop Butane Gas Camping Stove. A larger cook top and very simplistic. If humping the gear isnt an issue. And it hits many of the criteria you list. Simple, quite and no smell. The only down side is larger cook surface means bigger cookware and you have to make more room ( Car, Truck or belt).. Keep up the good work!
The firebox can also use esbit tabs for a 7 us dollar attachment and comes readily usable with a trangia alcohol burning stove, making it the most versatile overall.
I've used a multifuel stove for a few years, travelling through different countries on a motorcycle/camping, I liked the idea that I could always refill it via the petrol tank on the bike. I also have a jetboil stove, use that for weekend camping, boils fast, I have refilled the small can via a larger one too. I have an Esbit and water bottle/metal mug stored in my truck too, just in case.
You can add it to the firebox and have a great combination. But, the title was for preppers. What a bought getting alcohol in an emergency? I use heat with my Trangia's and keep a supply on hand. The Trangia burner is very inexpensive.
Wood stove is my long term choice, followed by my whisperlite easy maintence in the field, i use aspen4 in it, that keeps for years, but unleaded fuel does not break down as easily as people think, you can find loads of accounts of people firing up coleman stoves ten years after last using, and still has the same fuel in the tank, but it will form crystals so needs filtering before use, unless you want to clog up the stove lol.
If possible could you do a show on indefinite life on foot , living the rest of your life out of a backpack how would you prepare today to walk out the front door tomorrow and never look back ? Thank you for all the good you do. Fort Worth Texas yeeyee
@@jakeaurod it is not my desire to walk away from the life I have right now, not at all . If and or , when the time comes in which a person has no other choice but to bug out. It may come a day when there's no other choice. Hopefully never will that day come, for any of us
I just picked up a couple of butane stoves from amazon and 1lb propane bottle adapters for each one. One is a bigger stove with a short hose that goes to the gas bottle, and the other is more of a pocket rocket style which is extremely loud compared to the bigger one, but makes up for that in portability. With a 20lb propane tank and a fill adapter for the 1lb tanks I'm pretty much set for a good long time even in the unlikely event I would have to use it exclusively for the foreseeable future. Both just sip propane, and after cooking meals on both for a week the propane bottle is still almost full. There's always the option for butane, but they run so well on propane that I would reserve that for the bug-out bag only.
As a long distance backpacker... nobody uses esbit stoves...everyone uses alcohol or canister stoves. The esbits take forever, you can’t “cook” over it, and they’re just awkward and inconvenient. Liquid whisperlite like stoves are heavy, stinky, and they have a lot of parts that break. I suggest using propane backpacking stove and refill the 1lbs tanks from stored 20lb bottles. You can use isobutane stoves with propane canisters with a small adapter.
The nice thing about the liquid fuel stoves is that a couple gallons of gas, that you'll keep and rotate for your vehicle anyways, will last a long, long time (or just store kerosene). Plus liquid fuel stoves are more efficient on an ounce-for-ounce basis on their fuel. Backpackers generally don't use them since the stove weight is too high vs cartridge for the typical 4-10 days, but if you're out for multiple weeks, that efficiency on the fuel side takes over. Also, there is far, far superior cold weather performance of liquid vs cartridge (iso-butane mix) fuels - check out the boiling temps of iso-butane & propane. Unless warmed, the iso-butane just sits in the cartridge, useless. The backpacker trick is to sleep with the cartridge in the bag on a sub-freezing night, so its warm enough to cook up breakfast. Another trick is to warm a bit of water right as you get started. Put that in a bowl, then set the cartridge in the bowl where the warm water gently warms the fuel, which will insure the iso-butane stays warm enough to be used. For the cartridge stoves, there are adapters that allow for filling of the backpack canisters, or adapters for the "green" 1 lb propane bottles to those backpacker types of stoves, and to refill the 1 lb bottles from the bulk propane cylinders. A few bucks spent on those insure that either backpack type stoves or 1 lb propane type stoves can access bulk propane stored fuel. Another less sophisticated and expensive option vs backpack stoves is a cheap 1 burner "Coleman" type stove that attaches to the 1 lb bottles. They're not nearly as useful for a foot based bug out due to weight and bulk. Just search "1 burner propane camp stove". As CP has noted, propane stores very well and is quite handy. For vehicle based bug out, or bug in, the "little buddy" or "big buddy" heaters run on propane, a cheap coleman 2 burner stove can cook for a family, a 20 lb bulk propane cylinder lasts a good long time. Paired with a liquid fueled stove, like the one shown, is a very useful set up. Great vid CP.
It should be mentioned that this presentation while very good & quite thorough only addressed boiling water. That's fine for drinking or instant prepared food that only requires rehydration. If you are going to be cooking real food the Esbit & Jetboil systems are all but useless. With the wood stoves like the Firebox or the excellent & affordable wood gasifier stoves & liquid fuel stoves such as the MSR universal multi fuel or many different alcohol stoves, you can use different sized pots & skillets & cook for longer periods of time. Think breakfasts, fresh fish or game, stews & soups. Even bread & biscuits. Also, don't forget the danger of a gas canister stove (isobutane or propane) with the canister attached directly under the burner. You can not use a wind screen if it's windy because the canisters may over heat & explode if contained inside a wind screen. Cheers all & happy, safe cooking outdoors.
I would say wood for a few reasons. A small wood stove made out of titanium will last a very long time, is crazy lightweight, cools off fast, and runs on small amounts of fuel. One does not have to carry a lot of fuel (can carry a little bit of things like birch bark or fat wood) to have a little dry wood. The black ash can be used for water purification.
Great video. As usual, good information and a good presentation without taking to long. My favorite is the Emberlit fireant. Can use esbit tabs or wood. And comes in titanium.
Those are great for bugging out, but if you plan to bug in, I think the Gas One is one of the best, so long as you get the 15,000 BTU with the 1LB hose and then also get the large propane tank hose. Then you can use butane, 1lb tanks and large propane tanks. Store a half dozen 10lb propane tanks like I have and even if the power and natural gas stop, you are good to go for quite some time.
Do you use any type of "volcano kettle"? I found them to be far better wood-burning solution thank these collapsible wood stoves. Since the fire is going inside the kettle, soot is also not an issue. On the other hand, you have mostly a kettle (with some addons you can use it to heat another pot, or after you finish boiling water use it as a separate stove). Definitely not something to be carried in a backpack, unless you're traveling in a group with one larger kettle (the one I have has 55 fl.oz. capacity). But for boiling large amounts of water (e.g. for disinfection or for cleaning or washing) I didn't find anything that's better.
I've got a gen2 firebox, brand new. Haven't even burned it in yet but I'll be doing that this weekend. INCH is the only way to go. get it and use it every time, even for day trips so it's all familiar when the time comes.
I live in a city and collect small sticks and twigs as fuel, my emergency stove is a small woodburber that sets up into a triangular shape and folds flat; it's old and kind of heavy even though it's small, but it is a great back up just in case. I keep the socks on my 3rd floor balcony to keep them dry and handy.
You missed a possible contender. There are stoves available that take both isobutane and liquid fuel. The added benefit is that because they have the heater coil you can run the canister upside down in liquid mode especially if its its too cold to vaporize correctly. Personally I prefer the multi-fuel stoves with a twig burner as backup. Don't really need a stove to burn twigs but it ups the efficiency. With the various adapters available I can use propane or butane instead of a canister and have the ability to burn most of the common liquid fuels.
Howdy Canadian pepper, on the fire box you forgot to mention that if you have a wind shield or even a rock behind it or something it would’ve fared much better and it would’ve probably been second place. Maybe even first place if it’s for overall survival. I haven’t used one and I do have a jet boil which I probably will prefer but all equal an equal.
Not sure why Nate. But seeing this made me feel better. Maybe the slight distraction from the doom n gloom and all the hate politics. I really enjoyed this. Thanks buddy. 😃 get all American prepper on with the acetaline blow torch! Lol!🤣
Prepping with such knowledge is invaluable AND does not take up space nor add weight. It may cost $ to obtain, yet knowledge is almost always worth having. It is the best investment thru life !
I have tested all these types of stoves. IMHO, Esbit gets a "thumbs down" - you truly get/don't get what you pay for. I recently got a wood burning folder and I am very impressed. You can also use it with an alcohol burner (no smoke/smell) or fuel tabs. I keep a compact ISO butane gas stove in my BOB, primarily to boil water for freeze dried meals, but also capable of pot cooking. Loud? Hmmm.
These might be good for backpacking and bugging out but for longer term you'll want some propane tanks. Propane doesn't degrade and tanks can store for a long time. Obviously you can't store enough to last you forever (unless you're rich) but most grid-down situations are temporary anyways. For wrol scenarios see; woodstoves.
The MSR stove is the best by far. You could also get other adapters for it. You can get the adapter that will allow you to use bulk propane. You could use it with the other sources of propane. And you can also go to the really inexpensive canisters that they use in those cheap Chinese butane stoves. By far you can use this stove with other fuels and other sources
Wood is better over all, since wood is found everywhere, as trees, paper or pallets. Gas is good, if you can find it, but there isn't a long term supply of it, but I might be able to drop a small canister in the burning area, but I'm not sure that's safe. I like my Biolite Stove, I believe I can use it long term, since it does cooking and boiling and can also use it to charge USB products like a two-way radio, external batteries, GPS, torches/flash lights, I've only used wood and dry grass in it so far, I'm looking to try solid fuel blocks next. I am not sure about liquid propellants in the biolite, as I'm not sure it's safe. It doesn't make a loud noise when the fan is active, but the down side is it gives off smoke. Other than that it's a good stove to cook and boil on, you'd have to build a bigger, classic camp fire if you need more warmth or wear warm clothing.
Firebox an use alcohol, fuel tablets, and pellets also besides just wood !!!! Plus the Firebox can hold all sorts of meats to cook, using a cannister you can bake items. The size storage is the best !!!
Great overview however for survival and general bushcraft, I think a woodburning stove that can be adapted for solid fuel, alcohol, wood pellets etc is probably best and the most versatile option
I keep a firebox nano with an adapter plate to burn esbit tabs in my emergency kit. That way I have the option of using fuel tabs if everything is wet.
I have in my INCH/BOB bag the solid fuel stove and foldable titanium wood stove, because they require the least space, and the weight of them is also good, but for some camping I doubt I would ever use them, the gas stoves are the best for occasions like that.
A good comparison .. thanks. I have versions of all four. The Esbit is more robust than it looks. I've had mine 50+ years (original military issue back in '68) and it's still in regular weekly use. Has 'loosened' up a bit .. nothing serious enough that I can remember after each use to tighten it up again. Anyway, the integral windshield that I've made for it keeps all nice and steady and also serves as additional pot supports. Fuel .. here in Switzerland, the Esbit Tablets are not freely available and are somewhat expensive, whereas Liquid and Gel-Based Alcohol Fuel is not (Brennspritus and Sicherheitsbrennpaste). Indoor Fondues using the fore-mentioned is a Swiss National Sport .. the fuel is available in Supermarkets, Convenience Stores, etc, etc and cheaper than the Esbit Solid Fuel. I keep a pack of Esbits Tabs in the Stove for 'just in case' with more stashed .. has been there at least 20 years.
A common misconception about the olden days is that they mostly used wood for fuel. I'm fairly certain that they mostly used charcoal since it is easier to transport/store (1/7 of the weight of wood) and is easier to manage and to light. Moreover it is more energy efficient (less trees consumed). Charcoal isn't that hard to produce at a large scale (coal miln). But since it burns more eficiently it recuires more oxygen to not produce carbon monoxide (a safety hazard in a cabin heating system). Evergreen charcoal burns faster and more intense, and is thus best for forging and for blast furnace fuel. Leafed wood char is best for cooking/baking.
It’s a very informative comparison. In my opinion canisters stoves are not necessarily a great option in cold environments and in high altitude, I certainly prefer a liquid fuel stove even if they are for the majority heavier and more touchy to ignite. The Esbit type are maybe good but I don’t really like the fishy smell of them. At the end the firebox is probably the best option first because beside wood you can use it with solid fuel, alcohol stove, canister type stove and liquid fuel stove so it’s by far the most polyvalent. One thing you might have mention is that to avoids constantly feed a wood stove you can preload it and make a top down burn which is more efficient and depending on the quality of the wood gives over 30 minutes of burn time. To me for any kind of scenario a wood burning stove is my first pick and the firebox is my ultimate choice over any other one. Thanks for your excellent work👍👊🇨🇦
USE Discount code SURVIVALPREPPER for 10% off any stoves and accessories
CANADIAN PREPPERS STORE / Premium Survival/ Emergency Equipment
canadianpreparedness.com/
No solar stove?
I have at least be of each source.
You just know what im thinking sometimes canadian
I can't believe you did this. It's exactly what I was thinking about. I have two of the stoves. Thanks for the great video.
This is exactly the video I've been looking for thanks.
I'm a long distance throu hiker. I only use a Vargo wood stove and Trangia alcohol burner. This gives me multiple fuel sources, a wind screen, and they are ultra light. My pot, stove, burner, spoon, scrub pad and lighter together only weigh 13oz. After a long day of hiking I enjoy sitting down to a small fire while I cook my meal.
You mentioned the greatest prepper of them all at 9:35.....we need another classic video by the one and only All American Prepper.....ya better believe it !!!
This video was wonderfully shot. I’m a fire box man myself when I’m out hunting/camping/fishing. A Coleman top burner on the 1 pound tanks when I’m in the ice shack for cooking a hot lunch.
If I’ve learned one thing in life,… It’s that convenience can be awfully damn inconvenient. It takes a hell of a lot of work to make things easy.
The isobutane is actually a really good stove for that reason, throw a 6 pack of those canisters in the truck and you are good for a couple months of cooking at least!
@@CanadianPrepper Yeah that’s kind of like one of the possible definitions of preparedness. We do the work now, rather than later when it’s damn near impossible. LOL. A bird in the hand is worth two in the God knows where. LOL.
@@CanadianPrepper i have used all of these and all but the wood burner in ‘operational’ environments. The order of convenience and price is the same order I preposition them for use. I got the wood burner a few years back and keep it withe tablet stove to start fast then continue with local fuel (charcoal, coal, alcohol) in my bugout/automobile kit. The liquid fuel is best if you are going to be in a longer term site e.g. for SAR disaster relief, etc. you are right that the butane is boss if you are moving fast and need to hit it and get it for tea or soup, etc. but the empty canisters suck less only than packing out your own poop.
@@CanadianPrepper i will say sir that you can get an adapter that the propane can be attached to.
Personally multi fuel stoves are superior.
You can use any fuel
@@keywestalert6329 I agree. MSR XGK rules.
We gotta get you to a million subscribers Nate. Probably the first prepper channel to reach it.
Thanks my friend we try!
Survival Lilly is about to bring home the Trophy 🥳
I would guess having 2 or more of these on hand for redundancy is key in an SHTF scenario. I have 8 ways to cook food or boil water, only 2 of which rely on home utilities.
@@scoutndad1941 lol I don't blame you Scout...you can never have enough. I don't think anything will sound off the wall if we get into a true SHTF... we'll be glad we bought an extra 100 of anything 🤣. Ijs
Wranglestar is already over a million subscribers
Been using Esbit for over 10 years, whatever else I got, I'll ALWAYS have and Esbit!😁👍🇺🇸
Thats good to hear, I personally find them to be painfully slow, but I like that the fuel never expires and is easy to pack
One thing to Note,,, the XGK is also a High Altitude stove,,, MSR also makes a “Below Freezing” pump. So, in certain circumstances,, the XGK is a power house that out preforms them all,,,!!!! Great review. Joshua
I own all of these stoves and 100% agree with your review
Thank you VERY MUCH for this EXCELLENT comparison of popular stoves. WELL DONE!
I have found that the Esbit stove does a fine job boiling water for Mountain House, freeze-dried meals. The fuel tabs do not spill and can be stored for (at least, in my experience) three years. Additionally, the fuel tabs can be used as emergency fire starters.
The isobutane stove worked very well in the backcountry, and offered the luxury of simmer/warm-up/reheat.
I have been fortunate enough to find cook-sites that were out of the wind. Exposure to even a light wind would, IMHO, compromise any stove to some extent and could easily cause a dramatic increase in cooking times.
Again, THANK YOU for this EXCELLENT COMPARISON! 😎👍👍👍
Sterno for me. Still use it when I go ATV camping. Works in any weather condition. Not good for boiling large amounts of water, but can be done for smaller amounts. The secret to success is to use a pot designed for Sterno style fuel; thin wall, low profile pot with lid. It's old school but it works evey time. Think cans over Mountain House type food.
A few months ago I picked up a folding TOBWOLF Stainless Steel Folding Camping Wood Stove.
Works great for me, packs flat, burns like a Rocket Stove, and no need to carry fuel.
Well for a proper survival scenario it has to be wood .
Solar shouldn't be discounted, not every day is cloudy, and zero calorie fuel is powerful
@@australianwoman9696 And carbon is used to remove toxins and poison when taken internally.
Agreed most of the time wood fuel is something you can find for such a small stove and keep in constant supply of, cant say the same for any of the other stoves. And its charcoal can be used for other important things such as filtering water.
@@australianwoman9696 Amazing and even more amazing is that you mention stinging nettle. Thank you so much for talking about it. I take it every day for health reasons. So many uses for nettle. Very nourishing as a food source. Just so happens I bought two bottles of the capsules today as it can be hard to find when you want it from a store. Worth the time and effort to grow for sure. Never heard of it being used as a substitute for rennet. Love hearing about that and ya I wish I could see that being made. Thank you for your reply and info, loved it.
@@shadytreez Yes good point.
Welp. Not gonna lie. After days of freezing in Texas during that storm and taking turns keeping a fireplace running, I'm really liking that firebox versatility compared to the others. Really appreciate the video 👍
500K subscribers- congrats 🍾🎈🎊 🎉
Great Review Brother, I love all four Stoves, Great Job Sincerely Rick from Mo God bless you and your family
Obviously wood is the best survival fuel, its renewable during a shtf situation and you dont have to buy/store/carry a ton of it like you do the others.
Also, with the firebox stove, use the boil plate to direct the heat to the bottle. I boiled 16 oz of water in 3 minutes with mine.
100% shelf stable with fuel costs of $50 a cord vs. $50 a bottle? Even the lower fuel efficiency doesn't ruin that.
You have to process it(dry it)
You need more storage.
You also have to go to the trees. You have to go outside. It isnt really obvius for some like me. Because i see radiation all over the place.
@Billy Lazer well, you wouldn't be in the forest then, would you? You can (almost) always find some wood to burn for fuel, even if its pulling a few pieces out of the wall from a building your scavenging.
@@keywestalert6329 radiation? Most people do not have access to a bunker to keep then from radiation in the event of a nuclear attack. The firebox runs on several different types of fuels too. Look up the firebox channel and see the video. I have used wood from fallen branches, wood pellets from the store, matchlight charcoal, hickory wood from the grilling section of home depot. It also runs on mini propane, or alcohol burner.
I have the msr!! and have jused msr for 25 years all around the world Cold and hot climat.... perfect
After watching this, pulled out my Biolite2 camp stove to give it a burn and charge. 1 1/2 medium Tim hortons cups worth of pellets gave me 43 minutes of high burn on the lowest fan setting with additional 10-15minutes of heat and small flame off the coals until they are ash. . I think that’s amazing especially with the flame it can put out with the fans and on top of that charge electronics by burning wood is pretty cool as well. And yes Tim Hortons cups is a form of measurement here!
I have a BioLite wood burning stove and a Jetboil Micro Mo gas stove, and I like them both. I use the BioLite wood stove for extended stays in the Backcountry and the Jetboil for quick day or weekend trips.
Hahaha I just made almost an identical comment 🤦🏼 but I love the biolite
@@joey9697 lol. I also have the BioLite solar panel so I have unlimited power and all the free bio mass to use. I am getting into bike camping, and recently purchased the Burley Coho XC bike trailer. I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time on my bike in the forest for the foreseeable future.
Ghillie Kettle also a stove-esque option - boils water and can be used to cook as well! :)
Kelly kettle
thank you canadian prepper for the video!!! a prepper stove is good to have!! thanks!
Good video. If I were operating in a purely survivalist environment, I would go for the fire box. It's portable and does not require manufactured fuels.
Your videos are really excellent. You give a wide range of information and try to see things from a multitude of viewpoints. Well done!
Great combination.Trangia Alcohol burner in the Firebox. It is designed to use it in addition to wood. When you run out of alcohol you use wood. Or extremely long term you build a distiller.
Please do a prepping video on power outages in extreme heat. Basically the Texas summer version...
Step one: buy a generator
Get a 5 gallon bucket and a insulation insert for it. Drill a hole on the side, put ice in and, put a fan on top. RUclips AC bucket, they work I just built one.
@@alexwilliams9900 i saw DesertSun do this on his channel. Great option because most smaller fans are usb charged and you can use a portable power bank.
Thermal mass cooling look it up
Halfway to a million brother! I love to see it, you really deserve it👊
I've had excellent luck with a Storm Kettle wood cooking stove. It's bigger than the reviewed wood stove, and thus less convenient to carry, but still very portable. Storm kettle boils water very quickly. I've used mine for months at a time of camping out. Infinite fuel. I've also used all the other types and they each have their place.
I use my esbit near a small fire, I've also used a high heat 3 wick 72 hour survival candle under it to cook.
One more thing I'd like to add for the Esbit stove. It's also stealthy in the sense that it barely puts off any light when you're cooking something. At least in my experience.
Question: re long-term storage: can these Esbit cubes dry out ? I mean, is the fuel in the cube structure, or is it in a liquid absorbed in the structure ???
@@vixuserid5518 as long as the seal isn't broken, you can store them a while. I don't think they dry out, though. I could be wrong on that
I heard those cubes have a strong unpleasant smell. That is why I have not purchased one
@@debrasolimine497 i mean, it doesn't smell like peaches and flowers but it's not super horrible. That's just me though
@@debrasolimine497 The fuel tabs have like a fishy smell to them which dissipates once they start burning. It's noticeable but not overpowering.
For many years I used one of those stoves with the fuel bottle that takes different types of fuel. I hate how much the bottles leak! Constantly replacing the O rings. So I bought an isobutane stove and I have used it in -8°F and 20°F temperatures, and it’s worked just fine. With any fuel source, it’s best if kept warm and dry in cold situations. I’d like to add the firebox to my gear. That way I have multiple stoves for different times.
The Esbit E-CS2350WN Cookset with a Trangia X2 Multifuel Burner works quite well.
Thank you for sharing. Those fuel tanks for the jet boils also last for ever
I love my Solo stove w/ the Solo pot 900. It's not shinny any more and well used over the past 4 or 5 years I've had it but still just fine. Works with fuel tabs and alcohol burner, best of all the bio fuel on the ground is free.
I have all of these and then some.... they all have their place. I tend to go with firebox and Trangia style when I go out for some reason. I prefer wood but if wood is wet, the Trangia always works.
I have used the same isobutane stove for the last 15 years. My stove is one of tiny two ounce backpacking ones and I use it for camping, fishing, picnics, hiking, and I've even cooked food on it at home.
you can get adapters to add to it to allow it to use coleman also, i got 2 of them and have them they work awesome
What brand and type
It's a Brunton, (the compass company) I don't think they make them anymore.
@@michaeldriggers7681 Oh,ok, thanks for the info. I may check it out and see if they do.
Isobutane is good for small camping/hiking trips, light and get the job done. But I got the biolite campstove 2 last summer and I’m in love with it. Takes wood so the fuel on week long hikes is endless, plus has the added benefit of transferring fire heat into battery power for my headlamp, phone etc. I’d love to see you do a review on it!
One thing I have learned about being outdoors is you have to take your time. I found that when I'm in a hurry I fumble with things, overlook easier methods, I get tired quicker, and I open myself up to injury. I would use the firebox and take the time to make a proper fire.
That is excellent advice more people should listen to. Slow, careful and deliberate will win the day.
#1 thing I learned: make sure to include wind protection in my gear. (Always use protection 😉😉)
I have, and like both the natural wood stove and the propane tank stove. I take both with me on camping trips.
I have a dozen stoves. And the one I prefer over them all is an open fireplace. Go figure. But it's better to have and not need than to need and not have. Can't wait till fishing starts back up here in Sask.
I like this video because it talks about different stoves and compares them to each other. I am reminded of the coleman dual fuel kerosene/gas stoves [which I just had to have ] as well, which work really well but can be messy. But if you have room and plenty of fuel work extremely well.
I use a esbit. have been using same one for over 10 years . and that's hard use.
have used wood in it, alcohol, and the cubes, big trick is take a bit of foil and cut it to fit in open area/Side. acts as a wind screen and keeps more heat under the pot. makes its way more efficient. cubes burn for around 15 to 20 min with just that one mod.
A side-feeding titanium wood cooking stove is really the best for longterm cooking use. They have affordable models available on Amazon for under $50, and they pack perfectly flat and are extremely lightweight. If you want warmth, you need something with a chimney so it can be used in a tent, and that's where things get expensive. But the basic pyramidal titanium side feeder models work extremely well for most purposes. They're sturdy, they're stable, they don't clog up easily, and they don't rust.
Thanks a lot! I was looking for a good stove for a while and didn’t know which I should get, thank you for the useful advice!
I have a few of these. As they say, one is none and two is one. Thanks for another great video.
In the use of the MSR Wind Burner®Personal Stove System. If you are schlepping fuel cans for a weekend get away. A table top burner using butane be just as effective and cost about the same. Something like the Coleman Tabletop Butane Gas Camping Stove. A larger cook top and very simplistic. If humping the gear isnt an issue. And it hits many of the criteria you list. Simple, quite and no smell. The only down side is larger cook surface means bigger cookware and you have to make more room ( Car, Truck or belt).. Keep up the good work!
Firebox nano also combines the esbit low drag option with the versatility of being able to use most all the different fuel options shown.
The firebox can also use esbit tabs for a 7 us dollar attachment and comes readily usable with a trangia alcohol burning stove, making it the most versatile overall.
I have used esbit stoves with twigs just like a firebox. It takes a little more work but it works.
Helpful comparison. Thanks.
I've used a multifuel stove for a few years, travelling through different countries on a motorcycle/camping, I liked the idea that I could always refill it via the petrol tank on the bike. I also have a jetboil stove, use that for weekend camping, boils fast, I have refilled the small can via a larger one too. I have an Esbit and water bottle/metal mug stored in my truck too, just in case.
One word: Trangia
You can always light that, even in a blizzard.
Couple with alcohol burner and you got disinfectant always in your backpack aswell.
You can add it to the firebox and have a great combination. But, the title was for preppers. What a bought getting alcohol in an emergency? I use heat with my Trangia's and keep a supply on hand. The Trangia burner is very inexpensive.
I too think that alcohol stoves should have been included. You can produce 180 proof grain alcohol with very little equipment or trouble.
Wood stove is my long term choice, followed by my whisperlite easy maintence in the field, i use aspen4 in it, that keeps for years, but unleaded fuel does not break down as easily as people think, you can find loads of accounts of people firing up coleman stoves ten years after last using, and still has the same fuel in the tank, but it will form crystals so needs filtering before use, unless you want to clog up the stove lol.
If possible could you do a show on indefinite life on foot , living the rest of your life out of a backpack how would you prepare today to walk out the front door tomorrow and never look back ? Thank you for all the good you do. Fort Worth Texas yeeyee
Good idea
@@jakeaurod it is not my desire to walk away from the life I have right now, not at all . If and or , when the time comes in which a person has no other choice but to bug out. It may come a day when there's no other choice. Hopefully never will that day come, for any of us
Ooo good idea!
Good one!
Watch The Book of Eli movie.
I just picked up a couple of butane stoves from amazon and 1lb propane bottle adapters for each one. One is a bigger stove with a short hose that goes to the gas bottle, and the other is more of a pocket rocket style which is extremely loud compared to the bigger one, but makes up for that in portability.
With a 20lb propane tank and a fill adapter for the 1lb tanks I'm pretty much set for a good long time even in the unlikely event I would have to use it exclusively for the foreseeable future. Both just sip propane, and after cooking meals on both for a week the propane bottle is still almost full. There's always the option for butane, but they run so well on propane that I would reserve that for the bug-out bag only.
As a long distance backpacker... nobody uses esbit stoves...everyone uses alcohol or canister stoves. The esbits take forever, you can’t “cook” over it, and they’re just awkward and inconvenient. Liquid whisperlite like stoves are heavy, stinky, and they have a lot of parts that break. I suggest using propane backpacking stove and refill the 1lbs tanks from stored 20lb bottles. You can use isobutane stoves with propane canisters with a small adapter.
Wood stove! I use the Kelly kettle. Bit bulky but mega efficient. Built for life.
Kelly Kettle works very well and keeps the sight of fire, smoke to a minimum, and boils water using biofuel. Although may be bulky for some...
The nice thing about the liquid fuel stoves is that a couple gallons of gas, that you'll keep and rotate for your vehicle anyways, will last a long, long time (or just store kerosene). Plus liquid fuel stoves are more efficient on an ounce-for-ounce basis on their fuel. Backpackers generally don't use them since the stove weight is too high vs cartridge for the typical 4-10 days, but if you're out for multiple weeks, that efficiency on the fuel side takes over. Also, there is far, far superior cold weather performance of liquid vs cartridge (iso-butane mix) fuels - check out the boiling temps of iso-butane & propane. Unless warmed, the iso-butane just sits in the cartridge, useless. The backpacker trick is to sleep with the cartridge in the bag on a sub-freezing night, so its warm enough to cook up breakfast. Another trick is to warm a bit of water right as you get started. Put that in a bowl, then set the cartridge in the bowl where the warm water gently warms the fuel, which will insure the iso-butane stays warm enough to be used. For the cartridge stoves, there are adapters that allow for filling of the backpack canisters, or adapters for the "green" 1 lb propane bottles to those backpacker types of stoves, and to refill the 1 lb bottles from the bulk propane cylinders. A few bucks spent on those insure that either backpack type stoves or 1 lb propane type stoves can access bulk propane stored fuel. Another less sophisticated and expensive option vs backpack stoves is a cheap 1 burner "Coleman" type stove that attaches to the 1 lb bottles. They're not nearly as useful for a foot based bug out due to weight and bulk. Just search "1 burner propane camp stove". As CP has noted, propane stores very well and is quite handy. For vehicle based bug out, or bug in, the "little buddy" or "big buddy" heaters run on propane, a cheap coleman 2 burner stove can cook for a family, a 20 lb bulk propane cylinder lasts a good long time. Paired with a liquid fueled stove, like the one shown, is a very useful set up. Great vid CP.
Congrats on 500k. I'd add that the MSR multifuel stoves are very good in extreme cold temperatures.
It should be mentioned that this presentation while very good & quite thorough only addressed boiling water. That's fine for drinking or instant prepared food that only requires rehydration. If you are going to be cooking real food the Esbit & Jetboil systems are all but useless.
With the wood stoves like the Firebox or the excellent & affordable wood gasifier stoves & liquid fuel stoves such as the MSR universal multi fuel or many different alcohol stoves, you can use different sized pots & skillets & cook for longer periods of time. Think breakfasts, fresh fish or game, stews & soups. Even bread & biscuits.
Also, don't forget the danger of a gas canister stove (isobutane or propane) with the canister attached directly under the burner. You can not use a wind screen if it's windy because the canisters may over heat & explode if contained inside a wind screen. Cheers all & happy, safe cooking outdoors.
I would say wood for a few reasons. A small wood stove made out of titanium will last a very long time, is crazy lightweight, cools off fast, and runs on small amounts of fuel. One does not have to carry a lot of fuel (can carry a little bit of things like birch bark or fat wood) to have a little dry wood. The black ash can be used for water purification.
Great video. As usual, good information and a good presentation without taking to long. My favorite is the Emberlit fireant. Can use esbit tabs or wood. And comes in titanium.
I use my wood stove for grilling and to get that smoke taste, l love it 😘👍
The solo twig and a trangia alcohol stoves. Mid priced out high performance. A swiss surplus trangia is a great system.
I thought trangia was Swedish not Swiss. I have one and it's by far the best system for alcohol stoves in the wind. Takes a lot of space though
@@christopherrowley7506 You are quite correct... it is a swedish stove.
The size and weight are tough for light carry but well worth it for my needs.
@@Greg-mw5kh Yep me too. I live in Iceland where there are no trees and plenty of wind.
Good show, of different stoves. Thanks.
Hello from Greece CP and hello to ALL!
Those are great for bugging out, but if you plan to bug in, I think the Gas One is one of the best, so long as you get the 15,000 BTU with the 1LB hose and then also get the large propane tank hose. Then you can use butane, 1lb tanks and large propane tanks. Store a half dozen 10lb propane tanks like I have and even if the power and natural gas stop, you are good to go for quite some time.
Great channel. Thank you for all of your input!
Do you use any type of "volcano kettle"? I found them to be far better wood-burning solution thank these collapsible wood stoves. Since the fire is going inside the kettle, soot is also not an issue. On the other hand, you have mostly a kettle (with some addons you can use it to heat another pot, or after you finish boiling water use it as a separate stove). Definitely not something to be carried in a backpack, unless you're traveling in a group with one larger kettle (the one I have has 55 fl.oz. capacity). But for boiling large amounts of water (e.g. for disinfection or for cleaning or washing) I didn't find anything that's better.
My thought about the Esbit is that it sounds very much like something you could have in a BoB to a near and known location or to a picnic ^^.
For bug in preppers such as myself, I'll do one of each.
I've got a gen2 firebox, brand new. Haven't even burned it in yet but I'll be doing that this weekend.
INCH is the only way to go. get it and use it every time, even for day trips so it's all familiar when the time comes.
I live in a city and collect small sticks and twigs as fuel, my emergency stove is a small woodburber that sets up into a triangular shape and folds flat; it's old and kind of heavy even though it's small, but it is a great back up just in case. I keep the socks on my 3rd floor balcony to keep them dry and handy.
You missed a possible contender. There are stoves available that take both isobutane and liquid fuel. The added benefit is that because they have the heater coil you can run the canister upside down in liquid mode especially if its its too cold to vaporize correctly.
Personally I prefer the multi-fuel stoves with a twig burner as backup. Don't really need a stove to burn twigs but it ups the efficiency. With the various adapters available I can use propane or butane instead of a canister and have the ability to burn most of the common liquid fuels.
I use an alcohol stove. I find it's the lightest weight, best for backpacking on a a trip for two or three days.
Yes, alcohol definitely should have been included.
Howdy Canadian pepper, on the fire box you forgot to mention that if you have a wind shield or even a rock behind it or something it would’ve fared much better and it would’ve probably been second place. Maybe even first place if it’s for overall survival. I haven’t used one and I do have a jet boil which I probably will prefer but all equal an equal.
Not sure why Nate. But seeing this made me feel better. Maybe the slight distraction from the doom n gloom and all the hate politics. I really enjoyed this. Thanks buddy. 😃 get all American prepper on with the acetaline blow torch! Lol!🤣
I love my portable wood survival stove. Don't want to name drop the one I have...it's rhymes with Polo.
Nathan, this was very informative. Thank you!
Island vibe music....digging it
Thank you! I always learn something from you! Hopefully I will never need that knowledge, but it’s sure good to have!
Prepping with such knowledge is invaluable AND does not take up space nor add weight. It may cost $ to obtain, yet knowledge is almost always worth having. It is the best investment thru life !
I have tested all these types of stoves. IMHO, Esbit gets a "thumbs down" - you truly get/don't get what you pay for. I recently got a wood burning folder and I am very impressed. You can also use it with an alcohol burner (no smoke/smell) or fuel tabs. I keep a compact ISO butane gas stove in my BOB, primarily to boil water for freeze dried meals, but also capable of pot cooking. Loud? Hmmm.
These might be good for backpacking and bugging out but for longer term you'll want some propane tanks. Propane doesn't degrade and tanks can store for a long time. Obviously you can't store enough to last you forever (unless you're rich) but most grid-down situations are temporary anyways. For wrol scenarios see; woodstoves.
The MSR stove is the best by far. You could also get other adapters for it. You can get the adapter that will allow you to use bulk propane. You could use it with the other sources of propane. And you can also go to the really inexpensive canisters that they use in those cheap Chinese butane stoves. By far you can use this stove with other fuels and other sources
Wood is better over all, since wood is found everywhere, as trees, paper or pallets.
Gas is good, if you can find it, but there isn't a long term supply of it, but I might be able to drop a small canister in the burning area, but I'm not sure that's safe.
I like my Biolite Stove, I believe I can use it long term, since it does cooking and boiling and can also use it to charge USB products like a two-way radio, external batteries, GPS, torches/flash lights, I've only used wood and dry grass in it so far, I'm looking to try solid fuel blocks next.
I am not sure about liquid propellants in the biolite, as I'm not sure it's safe.
It doesn't make a loud noise when the fan is active, but the down side is it gives off smoke.
Other than that it's a good stove to cook and boil on, you'd have to build a bigger, classic camp fire if you need more warmth or wear warm clothing.
Firebox an use alcohol, fuel tablets, and pellets also besides just wood !!!! Plus the Firebox can hold all sorts of meats to cook, using a cannister you can bake items. The size storage is the best !!!
Great overview however for survival and general bushcraft, I think a woodburning stove that can be adapted for solid fuel, alcohol, wood pellets etc is probably best and the most versatile option
Thanks another great video, respect from over the pond.
I keep a firebox nano with an adapter plate to burn esbit tabs in my emergency kit. That way I have the option of using fuel tabs if everything is wet.
I have in my INCH/BOB bag the solid fuel stove and foldable titanium wood stove, because they require the least space, and the weight of them is also good, but for some camping I doubt I would ever use them, the gas stoves are the best for occasions like that.
SUPER - Thank you !!!
A good comparison .. thanks. I have versions of all four.
The Esbit is more robust than it looks. I've had mine 50+ years (original military issue back in '68) and it's still in regular weekly use. Has 'loosened' up a bit .. nothing serious enough that I can remember after each use to tighten it up again. Anyway, the integral windshield that I've made for it keeps all nice and steady and also serves as additional pot supports.
Fuel .. here in Switzerland, the Esbit Tablets are not freely available and are somewhat expensive, whereas Liquid and Gel-Based Alcohol Fuel is not (Brennspritus and Sicherheitsbrennpaste). Indoor Fondues using the fore-mentioned is a Swiss National Sport .. the fuel is available in Supermarkets, Convenience Stores, etc, etc and cheaper than the Esbit Solid Fuel. I keep a pack of Esbits Tabs in the Stove for 'just in case' with more stashed .. has been there at least 20 years.
Thanks, as always, great video!
A common misconception about the olden days is that they mostly used wood for fuel. I'm fairly certain that they mostly used charcoal since it is easier to transport/store (1/7 of the weight of wood) and is easier to manage and to light. Moreover it is more energy efficient (less trees consumed). Charcoal isn't that hard to produce at a large scale (coal miln). But since it burns more eficiently it recuires more oxygen to not produce carbon monoxide (a safety hazard in a cabin heating system). Evergreen charcoal burns faster and more intense, and is thus best for forging and for blast furnace fuel. Leafed wood char is best for cooking/baking.
They used coal not charcoal
Finally 500k subs congrats man
It’s a very informative comparison. In my opinion canisters stoves are not necessarily a great option in cold environments and in high altitude, I certainly prefer a liquid fuel stove even if they are for the majority heavier and more touchy to ignite. The Esbit type are maybe good but I don’t really like the fishy smell of them. At the end the firebox is probably the best option first because beside wood you can use it with solid fuel, alcohol stove, canister type stove and liquid fuel stove so it’s by far the most polyvalent. One thing you might have mention is that to avoids constantly feed a wood stove you can preload it and make a top down burn which is more efficient and depending on the quality of the wood gives over 30 minutes of burn time. To me for any kind of scenario a wood burning stove is my first pick and the firebox is my ultimate choice over any other one. Thanks for your excellent work👍👊🇨🇦
The SilverFire Survivor rocket stove is an excellent choice for TEOTWAWKI.
Great video. Thx man.