I have a Crux, and it appears that you did not open the Crux up to full capacity. Spin that valve open more and see what happens. The Crux is usually makes more noise than that at full throttle. But I agree that both are great stoves.
I looked at the two and decided on the Optimus Crux Lite. It comes in lighter and a smaller volume in my pack. At the end of the day, backpacking weight and space takes precedence over 60 extra seconds of cooking time. Used it on a few backpacking trips the past couple months and so far no issues. Maybe over the next year or two, could have a different opinion.
For the life of me I can't figure out the rush everyone gets in when camping. Before leaving the 1st thing I do is to toss the watch in a drawer. On the trail it is slow and sure while enjoying everything especially the piece and quiet. No difference in camp , it's the piece and quiet I look forward to. The quieter the stove the better. That's why I like alcohol or wood stoves ( especially a combination of both ) , you can't get much quieter then them. If I had to use a gas stove due to a burn ban then it would have to be the Optimus Crux. Thanks for the test and showing the difference between the two.
ah, negatory sir :). Let me explain: The btu is a measurement of how much heat is required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. So without getting into the algebra of it all, if the optimus boils water in two minutes and some change at 10 thousand btu's, and the msr boils water in one minute and some change at 8 thousand btu's than the msr is more fuel efficient, as the pressure produced by the canister is a constant rather than a variable in the equation due to both canisters being unused. (good call there luke) That is to say that the post burn mass of the canisters is derivative of the btu's relationship to the boil times. hope this helps explain things in lamens terms without sounding all snobbish by writing out equations ect :)
Not everything that comes out of the factory is in perfect condition and therefore the BTU figures are theoretical for perfect condition, that is another reason I would weigh the canisters before and after.
I have used both stoves and found both to be great stoves for boiling water. I do think the Optimus does better for actual cooking because the burner head spreads the flame out under my pots and pans. My pocket rocket concentrates a very hot flame right in the center. If you are only boiling water for freeze dried meals, this wouldn't matter. You really can't go wrong with either one.
In nature, I do not look at the minute. I do not like rocket sounds in nature. My choice would be clearly the Optimus Crux. Greetings from Northern Germany. Bernd
I have had the Crux for quite a few years now and use it on a regular basis. I have never had an issue with it's performance and I bought it as a space saver since it is so compact. Thanks for the test, but I'm sticking with the Optimus for now.
The stove you use depends on the environment your in. For stealth use solid fuel (Silent.) For general camping, Canister or White gas (I use a 35 year old Optimus 8 Stove from my boy scout days, and for bushcraft,I use a "Bushcooker Lt I" from Four Dog Stove (Best Bio stove I have ever used.)
You know when I am in nature i prefere the quiet over one saved minute. 😅 I am out there in the first place to relax and not to hurry. Thx for a good video
Fun reading the comments, I do have a pocket rocket 2 but it sends me deaf first thing in the morning and when the neighbors hear it they expect a cup of tea in their tent's, stealth is the way to go!
Luke I find all of these comparisons amusing as being retired I NEVER expect anything to rush especially myself and I just bought a cheap micro stove all of $8. and if I EVER end up solo Camping it will be for at least 3 days and close to home due to my health so nothing will ever be rushed. I love great food and tonnes of fuel for my stove as I ordered an adaptor for my stove to convert it into Butane which is MUCH cheaper than Propane mizes in those stubby canisters!!
The crux turns up much higher than you turned it. My experience with the crux is it gets funky when you try to turn it down, it will need to be monitored or it goes out. I’ve used the crux for a couple years making lunch n coffee at my toolbox, it’s a little bit of a pain to warm up some soups but boiling 2c of water for coffee takes only a couple min with the optimus pot with the heat diffuser. When you have 30min for lunch and don’t want to wait for a microwave, I can make a soup with minute rice or noodles and coffee in less than 10min.
I have the Optimus and an original Pocket Rocket and it seems for the Optimus a lot of the heat goes up the sides of my Toaks 750ml so I turn down the flame. The PR is more centered so tends to work better for me. Also, my Optimus constantly slowly throttles down so it'll turn off if I don't keep turning it up. Weird thing.
I agree with the other comments. I want to know the fuel efficiency of each. Most all of us like the muscle cars but is the Optimus a Prius. Let us know
I have the original MSR pocket rocket and love it. I have had no issues with it at all and that is also having Scouts use it as well. There is no better durability test than to let some 10-18 yr old boys get a hold of gear and use it, test it, and play with it. The boys are my guinea pigs when it comes to testing new gear.
Boil times aside, how much does each weigh ? How much fuel was used to reach 212f ? A slower to boil stove may be more fuel efficient. Add quiet operation as a feature, the outcome may be different .
MSR Pocket Rocket 2 how many boils do you get out of a canister! Does it us more fuel? Now try a more reasonably priced stoves! I carry an alcohol stove as back up!!! My main stove is a D-Power! It allows you to cook in more uneven terrain! You can turn the canister up side down to get all the fuel out! And more! Like the comparison race! Thanks for taking us along!
A wider pot will capture more of the heat from the Crux. I have a Pocket Rocket 1 and a MSR WIndpro 2. The windpro burner is the same as the Crux for all practical purposes. My small pots work well on my smaller burner Pocket Rocket whereas the 6" pots on wide burners really shine. Pick the stove that matches your cookware.
By the way great video. I'm just before watching it today I was able to receive an anniversary gift for my wife which was the Optimus HE weekend system
Just received my rocket 🚀 2 today. I also use an msr superfly that I have been useing now for about 20 years great burner size for larger pans/frying pan. I LOVE MSR COOKWARE I STEAR CLEAR OF THERE TENTS ⛺️ THO. THERE THE MERCEDES BENZ/BMW OF GAS & PETROL STOVES DRAGONFLY LEGENDARY.
I had a chance to use both. Both are super light, both performs well and are comparable as of boiling time. However I do like Crux more - I am using it with the original Optimus windshield and a Optimus pot. I can put the 230g canister inside the pot along with the crux stove which makes the whole set more packable and saves the space in backpack. My friends are more keen to Pocker Rocket 2 and I honestly I cant really say which one is better. They are both super good!
having used a cheaper stove that was half the price for years I upgraded to the pocket rocket and I love how small it is, escpecially if you get rid of the case and carry it in a little bag. I mostly use it for coffee duties so appreciate the fast boil times. I nearly went for a jet boil but its kinda bulky and ive seen some that burn the plastic surround on the burner in winds.
Great test. Thanks. Very interesting. I wonder if the Optimus is better at simmering/slow cooking? Maybe the Optimus you have is defective? (great audio! btw.) I just tested my crux against my dragonfly and my crux boiled 16oz (500ml) water in 1'30" my dragonfly 1'57" 60' (18m) above sea level. Both at full blast. Lid on. Water starting temp. were the same.
Hello my friend very good your video I really enjoyed watching this video then gives us a sense of what he really gets hot stove more these videos don't have on RUclips congratulations and wish to do more videos making such comparisons a big hug Rafael of Brazil
Could you weigh the canisters before and after next time? If it's burning half the gas then there's not much between them (you could turn the MSR down for similar stats), but the Crux packs down way smaller I believe.
Although boiling water is a good consistent test, I prefer a stove that defuses the heat to allow for more cooking chores. Cooking tasks like frying or simmering require a controlled, defused flame avoiding the hot spot produced by many burners. For that reason I prefer the Optimus. If I were only going to boil water the Pocket Rocket 2 would be my choice but I like options.
I get 1:30 boil time for the crux using the HE pot. I also can cook rice in that same pot which means the simmer works better too. The pocket rocket and the jetboil are water boilers, I perfer the crux because it can boil, simmer and cook. I can't cook eggs on a jetboil or pocket rocket, the flame is too hot in the center of the pan. Only thing about the crux is, after 5 mins the pressure goes down so you need to turn it up.
It would have been nice if you had weighed the gas canisters before and after to see how much gas was consumed by the burners. I have the Optimus crux too and he groms like a tiger are you sure yours is 100% okay ?
I just got an AOTU stove off Amazon and the Toaks 750ml pot last week..So I immediately checked it out by trying a boil test, as I have seen on many RUclips videos. I dropped in 500 mL of water, sat the pot on my stove and set back with my stopwatch. Most of the videos I saw it took about 3 minutes or so to bring the water to boil, but when I checked it at the 2-minute mark there was a bright red spot, slightly larger than a nickel, in the bottom of my pot. Like the damn stove was going to burning through, but the water only had the little bubbles of an initial boil starting. I haven't seen that in any of these tests that people conduct. And it appears as if everybody cranks their stove up to full blast. I'm new to all this so I thought that's just what you did. Anyway, is that kind of bright red hot spot normal?
I have used several types of gas/iso fueled stoves and my questin is this. Of the two you tried in this video, what are the price range of these and the differences with respect to both ?
First off, all things being equal, each 8 oz container of water requires the same Btu input to bring to a boil. No debate about that period. As someone mentioned a Btu is the heat input required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Assuming the sea level elevation is the same , the water and pot are the same temperature at the start of test, the pot is the same dimensionally in each test run, the pot is always centered over the burner and the wind conditions and the energy density of the fuel (Btus/lbm) are the same then only things that can affect boil time are (1) stove burner efficiency and (2) fuel consumption rate (Btus/sec). The Pocket Rocket boiled water faster and if speed is the goal it's the one to buy. Read no further. Efficiency is a different matter. A true test for efficiency would be a careful measurement of fuel weight (lbm) before and after the tests. If the Pocket Rocket boils water faster and it used the same lbs mass (lbm) of fuel as the Optimus then the Pocket Rocket has a more efficient burner. If both the Pocket Rocket and the Optimus burners are equally efficient and the Pocket Rocket boils water faster then obviously the Pocket Rocket has a higher fuel consumption rate therefore the fuel canister for the Pocket Rocket will be lighter. My unscientific conclusion is that based on the noise of the Pocket Rocket I'd guess that it has a higher fuel consumption rate.
I would carry the Optimus in an OP. As far as the PR goes love it. I normally just pour water in the bag and let it sit for a few hot cold its food... always carry your favorite brand of hot sauce.
Thanks for sharing. Pity you did not weigh the canisters before and after as the consumption is relivent. No reply necessary Take care Best regards Colin
Wipe the tanks to clear crud and water droplets. Weigh them. Do the burn to bring the water to a measured boiling temp. Perhaps allow them to return to ambient temp. Wipe them. Weigh them. Do a few rep's. That should give fair estimate of the fuel needed to boil a certain volume of water.
Buddy of mine has the Optimus with the Optimus pot and that thing boils 2 cups of water in just over a minute. Insane fast. Although I think the whole setup is a little heavy. EDIT: For some reason it did not seem like the Optimus was putting out the flame like my buddy's does. Something might be wrong with that stove.
Great test! I think you also need to consider the base of the pot used as with the crux it is much quicker at boiling with a wider pot (personal experience) and the Pocket Rocket is similar to the Primus Express in that the heat is concentrated in the centre of the pot. With a wide stove and a narrow pot there is much heat loss up the side of the pot. This is similar as a comparison between a Whisperlite and an Optimus Polaris, not sure how you would compensate for this scientifically but perhaps trying a broad pot with both stoves and averaging the difference may be a step towards it.
the canister will last for a while, but that will all be determined by how long you use it for cooking aswell as how high you have the flame set. yes you can remove the stove from the canisters, designed so that while it's in transit you dont accidently snap the valve and lose all your fuel.
Luke, great video and always informative. Would be interested in seeing how the Soto Windmaster OD-1RX stands up against your beloved MSR Pocket Rocket :) Windproof with a 11000 BTU output and a 4 pronged pot-holder option. This baby also comes with a Piezo starter and a regulator for altitude use!
I own the crux and I just boiled 800 ml of water in 1.47 min just cranked it harder than you.. however I hane to say that the crux flame when use it on low its crap! not constant and often shuts down.. not sure if mine has a problem though.. so my take is its great light and compact for boiling water in combination with its pot, but not reliable for cooking due to the not constant flame.
I've got the msr pocket rocket i live in the desert it work's graet like the case should do one on the cases on witch ones protect the stoves better then others I'm tryn to come up with my own channel i may do it just dont have the funds just yet
I have the crux with the terra weekend HE set. I also have the pr2. I think the crux/terra combo is faster. As the pr2 has not been in production as long as the crux then I would not expect as many complaints about the pr2 even if both stoves were equal in that department. Finally I don't think you opened up the valve on the crux or the pr2 fully. They both need about 3 turns to reach full throttle. Great review though. I agree with previous comments about weighing the gas carts.
I like your show however your show on vs with the crux and pocket rocket. One thing I believe you should have been part of the test is the fuel consumption on both stoves. Just saying so keep up the great work!
Match that Crux with the Optimus Weekender HE pot, and you have a quick, efficient, compact system. The Crux stove folds in half and fits into the concave bottom of a fuel canister!! How cool is that?!?
I have been trying Etekcity Ultralight I haven’t had any issues with it but MSR pocket rocket 2 is my choice but the Etekcity at Amazon is $10.99 all my use it’s pretty much reliable and boils water almost as fast
BRS titanium stove, less than $15 and I prefer it over my pocket rocket I got first. Mostly because I can't tell a difference in functioning but the BRS fits in my cook cup taking up no extra space.
nice test. I'd like to note that my crux have gotten some issues too :/ The "gas dialer" is malfunctioning, it seems like it's coming loose since I've had uneven gas flow, you set it at one spot, and it holds that spot for a second or two, then it starts to flutter up and down, the slightest nudge will set it back to normal tho... Time to check out the pocket rocket instead. Just my two cents. Great video as always luke :D
Thank you for sharing your experiences brother; it certainly sounds like the Crux has an issue. You should contact customer service and let us know what they say. - Luke
I personally don't care much for speed. I bought the Crux Lite mainly for the wide flame because I use the stove for cooking food and not just boiling water.
Seeing the difference listed as 1 minute and 20 seconds compared to 2 minutes and 11 seconds may not seem like much of a difference, but that's actually 61.5% faster, which makes it sound a lot more one-sided. I like using percentages in cases like this,for some reason, not really sure why. Thanks for the awesome review, Luke, and I agree big time with the findings. Even on equal footing, if there should ever be any, I think I'd choose MSR just because of the name, they've been around forever and you know they are going to make a well-built product. S&H!
Optimus started up in 1899 and invented the portable parafin stove and MSR started in 1969.I have the MSR PR 2,I thought it was American made but no,made in Korea
The pocket rocket 2 doesn't require a windscreen. Also, those of you saying he should have weighed the canisters, that would have been nice yes, however the fact that the optimus utilizes more btu's means it's going to consume more fuel...
I've had the PR2 blow out during strong wind gusts but overall, it's very stable. In this video, the windscreen was used mainly for making the conditions as fair as possible. - Luke
If you're testing duration, you might want to check the two on max setting as well as low heat as one might be more efficient in one setting but not the other. Also, does anyone know how these would compare to the Jetboil?
how about flame pattern for more even cooking? say a man wants to make some pancakes on the trail. just guessing cause I dont own either of these stoves, but my guess would be the MSR would have more of a hotspot in the middle of the pan and cause your pancakes to burn in the middle. I could be wrong though. i know that is the issue I have with my etekcity aka cheapo Amazon stove.
Just because a manufacturer advertises something does not mean it is so. Who can determine if the btu's are correct? All things considered, more btu's should have caused the the water to boil faster.
Since you have experience with both, I would love to see a Vs of the Arcteryx Altra V. Gregory Baltoro. Two bags that you stated in their individual reviews were some of the best, would love to hear your thoughts on a head to head. Thanks!
Looking forward to it. I found a screaming deal on a new Altra 75 for around $275. So I'm trying to make the decision whether to keep it or look to the Baltoro since the Altra is a model from a few years back. Keep up the great videos, extremely entertaining.
Cmon are u kidding? I have a crux, I was surprised of the result I went to my kitchen and tried to boil 8 ounces of water... it took 47 seconds 😂😂, with a old canister almost empty... It seams u had some problem in your test
i use the brunton talon and its been fantastic, folds up super small and it compets with the msr and i paid about 30 bucks for it about 5years ago,but i think its been discontinued:’(
You didn't center the pot on the crux. That makes a big difference on small stoves.
I have a Crux, and it appears that you did not open the Crux up to full capacity. Spin that valve open more and see what happens. The Crux is usually makes more noise than that at full throttle.
But I agree that both are great stoves.
Gary's suggestion is a good one. I own the Crux and while I haven't timed it, it's definitely come in around 1:30 for a pot of water.
No the most clever guy en the world. The crux wasn’t even halfway to max
Was about to post the same note. The guy blew it.
open the Crux up and that will be a different outcome
I looked at the two and decided on the Optimus Crux Lite. It comes in lighter and a smaller volume in my pack. At the end of the day, backpacking weight and space takes precedence over 60 extra seconds of cooking time. Used it on a few backpacking trips the past couple months and so far no issues. Maybe over the next year or two, could have a different opinion.
For water only.... MSR for frying pan type cooking.. pancakes eggs etc ..Crux The Crux seems to have a more dispersed heating pattern
For the life of me I can't figure out the rush everyone gets in when camping. Before leaving the 1st thing I do is to toss the watch in a drawer. On the trail it is slow and sure while enjoying everything especially the piece and quiet. No difference in camp , it's the piece and quiet I look forward to. The quieter the stove the better. That's why I like alcohol or wood stoves ( especially a combination of both ) , you can't get much quieter then them. If I had to use a gas stove due to a burn ban then it would have to be the Optimus Crux.
Thanks for the test and showing the difference between the two.
Amen
They just want to boil water fast nobody likes waiting or fiddling with dinner for hours
Maybe the Optimus is more efficient in how much gas it uses. Weighing the cans at the end would determine that.
Alan Cooper the btu rating already determined the msr to be more efficient.
I agree Ken, but I still would weigh before and after for the time it takes.
I didn't see anything to support that claim. Only weighing the canisters at the end would determine that fact.
ah, negatory sir :). Let me explain: The btu is a measurement of how much heat is required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
So without getting into the algebra of it all, if the optimus boils water in two minutes and some change at 10 thousand btu's, and the msr boils water in one minute and some change at 8 thousand btu's than the msr is more fuel efficient, as the pressure produced by the canister is a constant rather than a variable in the equation due to both canisters being unused. (good call there luke)
That is to say that the post burn mass of the canisters is derivative of the btu's relationship to the boil times.
hope this helps explain things in lamens terms without sounding all snobbish by writing out equations ect :)
Not everything that comes out of the factory is in perfect condition and therefore the BTU figures are theoretical for perfect condition, that is another reason I would weigh the canisters before and after.
I have used both stoves and found both to be great stoves for boiling water. I do think the Optimus does better for actual cooking because the burner head spreads the flame out under my pots and pans. My pocket rocket concentrates a very hot flame right in the center. If you are only boiling water for freeze dried meals, this wouldn't matter. You really can't go wrong with either one.
You should have weighed the canisters. I'd sacrifice one minute if it used less gas
The msr is more efficient.
That doesn't make any sense. Its higher BTU rating will tell you it's a gas guzzler and longer burn times at high BTUs will always burn more fuel...
In nature, I do not look at the minute. I do not like rocket sounds in nature. My choice would be clearly the Optimus Crux. Greetings from Northern Germany. Bernd
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Bernd. I can definitely appreciate your perspective. - Luke
Just out of curiosity, what does "noise" matter?
I have had the Crux for quite a few years now and use it on a regular basis. I have never had an issue with it's performance and I bought it as a space saver since it is so compact. Thanks for the test, but I'm sticking with the Optimus for now.
The stove you use depends on the environment your in. For stealth use solid fuel (Silent.) For general camping, Canister or White gas (I use a 35 year old Optimus 8 Stove from my boy scout days, and for bushcraft,I use a "Bushcooker Lt I" from Four Dog Stove (Best Bio stove I have ever used.)
I'm loving this new VS series.. Digging it.. maybe expand it to include load out tests too! Let the debates on best load outs begin!!
You didn't turn the crux all the way up, I've been using it for over 5 years and it usually boils 1 cup of water in just under a minute.
keep the Crux as a backup, how about comparing solar chargers that have the same capacity
I like the space saving foldability of the Crux!
You know when I am in nature i prefere the quiet over one saved minute. 😅 I am out there in the first place to relax and not to hurry. Thx for a good video
Fun reading the comments, I do have a pocket rocket 2 but it sends me deaf first thing in the morning and when the neighbors hear it they expect a cup of tea in their tent's, stealth is the way to go!
Luke I find all of these comparisons amusing as being retired I NEVER expect anything to rush especially myself and I just bought a cheap micro stove all of $8. and if I EVER end up solo Camping it will be for at least 3 days and close to home due to my health so nothing will ever be rushed. I love great food and tonnes of fuel for my stove as I ordered an adaptor for my stove to convert it into Butane which is MUCH cheaper than Propane mizes in those stubby canisters!!
a minute or so difference.....I'd go with the quiet crux.
I'm an alcohol stove user which are no noise at all.
I'm a nomad full time and I agree with you on your info IF your a back packer which I'm not to old for that lifestyle. have a good day.
The crux turns up much higher than you turned it.
My experience with the crux is it gets funky when you try to turn it down, it will need to be monitored or it goes out.
I’ve used the crux for a couple years making lunch n coffee at my toolbox, it’s a little bit of a pain to warm up some soups but boiling 2c of water for coffee takes only a couple min with the optimus pot with the heat diffuser. When you have 30min for lunch and don’t want to wait for a microwave, I can make a soup with minute rice or noodles and coffee in less than 10min.
I have the Optimus and an original Pocket Rocket and it seems for the Optimus a lot of the heat goes up the sides of my Toaks 750ml so I turn down the flame. The PR is more centered so tends to work better for me. Also, my Optimus constantly slowly throttles down so it'll turn off if I don't keep turning it up. Weird thing.
I agree with the other comments. I want to know the fuel efficiency of each. Most all of us like the muscle cars but is the Optimus a Prius. Let us know
The BTU rating already describes this.
In the future I will do an efficiency test. Thanks for the input folks. - Luke
TheOutdoorGearReview you have entered into the black hole of boil tests....next alcohol and esbit!!! Ha!
@@TheOutdoorGearReview i realize this is a 2 year old comment but is there a video or even any info on the efficiency? i can't find it
I have the original MSR pocket rocket and love it. I have had no issues with it at all and that is also having Scouts use it as well. There is no better durability test than to let some 10-18 yr old boys get a hold of gear and use it, test it, and play with it. The boys are my guinea pigs when it comes to testing new gear.
Boil times aside, how much does each weigh ? How much fuel was used to reach 212f ? A slower to boil stove may be more fuel efficient. Add quiet operation as a feature, the outcome may be different .
MSR Pocket Rocket 2 how many boils do you get out of a canister! Does it us more fuel? Now try a more reasonably priced stoves! I carry an alcohol stove as back up!!! My main stove is a D-Power! It allows you to cook in more uneven terrain! You can turn the canister up side down to get all the fuel out! And more! Like the comparison race! Thanks for taking us along!
A wider pot will capture more of the heat from the Crux. I have a Pocket Rocket 1 and a MSR WIndpro 2. The windpro burner is the same as the Crux for all practical purposes. My small pots work well on my smaller burner Pocket Rocket whereas the 6" pots on wide burners really shine. Pick the stove that matches your cookware.
By the way great video. I'm just before watching it today I was able to receive an anniversary gift for my wife which was the Optimus HE weekend system
Just received my rocket 🚀 2 today.
I also use an msr superfly that I have been useing now for about 20 years great burner size for larger pans/frying pan.
I LOVE MSR COOKWARE I STEAR CLEAR OF THERE TENTS ⛺️ THO.
THERE THE MERCEDES BENZ/BMW OF GAS & PETROL STOVES DRAGONFLY LEGENDARY.
I had a chance to use both. Both are super light, both performs well and are comparable as of boiling time. However I do like Crux more - I am using it with the original Optimus windshield and a Optimus pot. I can put the 230g canister inside the pot along with the crux stove which makes the whole set more packable and saves the space in backpack. My friends are more keen to Pocker Rocket 2 and I honestly I cant really say which one is better. They are both super good!
having used a cheaper stove that was half the price for years I upgraded to the pocket rocket and I love how small it is, escpecially if you get rid of the case and carry it in a little bag. I mostly use it for coffee duties so appreciate the fast boil times. I nearly went for a jet boil but its kinda bulky and ive seen some that burn the plastic surround on the burner in winds.
Great test. Thanks. Very interesting. I wonder if the Optimus is better at simmering/slow cooking? Maybe the Optimus you have is defective? (great audio! btw.)
I just tested my crux against my dragonfly and my crux boiled 16oz (500ml) water in 1'30" my dragonfly 1'57" 60' (18m) above sea level. Both at full blast. Lid on. Water starting temp. were the same.
MSR all day. Weight and snow testing? Along with altitude? Great post
I've used the MSR just about everywhere;
subzero conditions in the winter and at 14,000ft. It rules! - Luke
Hello my friend very good your video I really enjoyed watching this video then gives us a sense of what he really gets hot stove more these videos don't have on RUclips congratulations and wish to do more videos making such comparisons a big hug Rafael of Brazil
Could you weigh the canisters before and after next time? If it's burning half the gas then there's not much between them (you could turn the MSR down for similar stats), but the Crux packs down way smaller I believe.
Although boiling water is a good consistent test, I prefer a stove that defuses the heat to allow for more cooking chores. Cooking tasks like frying or simmering require a controlled, defused flame avoiding the hot spot produced by many burners. For that reason I prefer the Optimus. If I were only going to boil water the Pocket Rocket 2 would be my choice but I like options.
I turn my pocket rocket down to make less noise. I’m not in a rush. It will boil in just over three minutes and save fuel and get the job done.
I get 1:30 boil time for the crux using the HE pot. I also can cook rice in that same pot which means the simmer works better too. The pocket rocket and the jetboil are water boilers, I perfer the crux because it can boil, simmer and cook. I can't cook eggs on a jetboil or pocket rocket, the flame is too hot in the center of the pan. Only thing about the crux is, after 5 mins the pressure goes down so you need to turn it up.
Which one lasts longer?
It would have been nice if you had weighed the gas canisters before and after to see how much gas was consumed by the burners.
I have the Optimus crux too and he groms like a tiger are you sure yours is 100% okay ?
I just got an AOTU stove off Amazon and the Toaks 750ml pot last week..So I immediately checked it out by trying a boil test, as I have seen on many RUclips videos.
I dropped in 500 mL of water, sat the pot on my stove and set back with my stopwatch.
Most of the videos I saw it took about 3 minutes or so to bring the water to boil, but when I checked it at the 2-minute mark there was a bright red spot, slightly larger than a nickel, in the bottom of my pot. Like the damn stove was going to burning through, but the water only had the little bubbles of an initial boil starting.
I haven't seen that in any of these tests that people conduct. And it appears as if everybody cranks their stove up to full blast. I'm new to all this so I thought that's just what you did.
Anyway, is that kind of bright red hot spot normal?
I have used several types of gas/iso fueled stoves and my questin is this. Of the two you tried in this video, what are the price range of these and the differences with respect to both ?
First off, all things being equal, each 8 oz container of water requires the same Btu input to bring to a boil. No debate about that period. As someone mentioned a Btu is the heat input required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Assuming the sea level elevation is the same , the water and pot are the same temperature at the start of test, the pot is the same dimensionally in each test run, the pot is always centered over the burner and the wind conditions and the energy density of the fuel (Btus/lbm) are the same then only things that can affect boil time are (1) stove burner efficiency and (2) fuel consumption rate (Btus/sec). The Pocket Rocket boiled water faster and if speed is the goal it's the one to buy. Read no further. Efficiency is a different matter. A true test for efficiency would be a careful measurement of fuel weight (lbm) before and after the tests. If the Pocket Rocket boils water faster and it used the same lbs mass (lbm) of fuel as the Optimus then the Pocket Rocket has a more efficient burner. If both the Pocket Rocket and the Optimus burners are equally efficient and the Pocket Rocket boils water faster then obviously the Pocket Rocket has a higher fuel consumption rate therefore the fuel canister for the Pocket Rocket will be lighter. My unscientific conclusion is that based on the noise of the Pocket Rocket I'd guess that it has a higher fuel consumption rate.
you should weight the 2 canister
I would carry the Optimus in an OP. As far as the PR goes love it. I normally just pour water in the bag and let it sit for a few hot cold its food... always carry your favorite brand of hot sauce.
Thanks for sharing.
Pity you did not weigh the canisters before and after as the consumption is relivent.
No reply necessary
Take care
Best regards Colin
Wipe the tanks to clear crud and water droplets. Weigh them. Do the burn to bring the water to a measured boiling temp. Perhaps allow them to return to ambient temp. Wipe them. Weigh them. Do a few rep's. That should give fair estimate of the fuel needed to boil a certain volume of water.
Buddy of mine has the Optimus with the Optimus pot and that thing boils 2 cups of water in just over a minute. Insane fast. Although I think the whole setup is a little heavy. EDIT: For some reason it did not seem like the Optimus was putting out the flame like my buddy's does. Something might be wrong with that stove.
Great test! I think you also need to consider the base of the pot used as with the crux it is much quicker at boiling with a wider pot (personal experience) and the Pocket Rocket is similar to the Primus Express in that the heat is concentrated in the centre of the pot. With a wide stove and a narrow pot there is much heat loss up the side of the pot. This is similar as a comparison between a Whisperlite and an Optimus Polaris, not sure how you would compensate for this scientifically but perhaps trying a broad pot with both stoves and averaging the difference may be a step towards it.
How long do those canisters last? Can you disconnect them after each use? I've always used campfires for heating water...Thanks!!!
the canister will last for a while, but that will all be determined by how long you use it for cooking aswell as how high you have the flame set. yes you can remove the stove from the canisters, designed so that while it's in transit you dont accidently snap the valve and lose all your fuel.
Chaucer, Thank's, So after you heat up your water, the stove can be unscrewed from the canister, without the remaining fuel leaking out?
Luke, great video and always informative. Would be interested in seeing how the Soto Windmaster OD-1RX stands up against your beloved MSR Pocket Rocket :) Windproof with a 11000 BTU output and a 4 pronged pot-holder option. This baby also comes with a Piezo starter and a regulator for altitude use!
Why do you have the pocket rocket directly centered and not the crux?
How important is the quality of those micro stoves, if you can wait and aren't going for speed.
I would like to see the Silverfire scout stove vs Solo titan stove. Both are bio stoves.That would be a great video.Thanks,Jeff
I own the crux and I just boiled 800 ml of water in 1.47 min just cranked it harder than you.. however I hane to say that the crux flame when use it on low its crap! not constant and often shuts down.. not sure if mine has a problem though.. so my take is its great light and compact for boiling water in combination with its pot, but not reliable for cooking due to the not constant flame.
I've got the msr pocket rocket i live in the desert it work's graet like the case should do one on the cases on witch ones protect the stoves better then others I'm tryn to come up with my own channel i may do it just dont have the funds just yet
Great review. Side by side review is always fair. Can you adjust the flame of Pocket Rocket?
you sure can M Sato! - Luke
Which stove used less fuel per boil
Plot twist. Can you review stop watches and which is easiest for measuring time it takes to boil water?
I have the crux with the terra weekend HE set. I also have the pr2. I think the crux/terra combo is faster. As the pr2 has not been in production as long as the crux then I would not expect as many complaints about the pr2 even if both stoves were equal in that department. Finally I don't think you opened up the valve on the crux or the pr2 fully. They both need about 3 turns to reach full throttle. Great review though. I agree with previous comments about weighing the gas carts.
I like your show however your show on vs with the crux and pocket rocket. One thing I believe you should have been part of the test is the fuel consumption on both stoves. Just saying so keep up the great work!
How does it compare to the Snowpeak gigapower? Thanks for the video.
Match that Crux with the Optimus Weekender HE pot, and you have a quick, efficient, compact system. The Crux stove folds in half and fits into the concave bottom of a fuel canister!! How cool is that?!?
I have both of these and prefer the MSR.
What transfers heat better, titanium or stainless steel?
I think a better variable to find out would be fuel use per minute. I bet it is directly proportional to the heating speed.
I have been trying Etekcity Ultralight I haven’t had any issues with it but MSR pocket rocket 2 is my choice but the Etekcity at Amazon is $10.99 all my use it’s pretty much reliable and boils water almost as fast
My question would. be which uses the most gas the quickest.
BRS titanium stove, less than $15 and I prefer it over my pocket rocket I got first. Mostly because I can't tell a difference in functioning but the BRS fits in my cook cup taking up no extra space.
Luke , a great Video again , can ya give me A time on how long the Canisters last, thanks
nice test. I'd like to note that my crux have gotten some issues too :/ The "gas dialer" is malfunctioning, it seems like it's coming loose since I've had uneven gas flow, you set it at one spot, and it holds that spot for a second or two, then it starts to flutter up and down, the slightest nudge will set it back to normal tho... Time to check out the pocket rocket instead. Just my two cents. Great video as always luke :D
Thank you for sharing your experiences brother; it certainly sounds like the Crux has an issue. You should contact customer service and let us know what they say. - Luke
How about comparing the MSR 2 to the Etekcity Mini Camping Stove.
I personally don't care much for speed. I bought the Crux Lite mainly for the wide flame because I use the stove for cooking food and not just boiling water.
How are you liking your crux lite?
MSR Rocks. I still have a Helmet and Orange Ice Axe from 1971 ish.
Seeing the difference listed as 1 minute and 20 seconds compared to 2 minutes and 11 seconds may not seem like much of a difference, but that's actually 61.5% faster, which makes it sound a lot more one-sided. I like using percentages in cases like this,for some reason, not really sure why. Thanks for the awesome review, Luke, and I agree big time with the findings. Even on equal footing, if there should ever be any, I think I'd choose MSR just because of the name, they've been around forever and you know they are going to make a well-built product. S&H!
Optimus started up in 1899 and invented the portable parafin stove and MSR started in 1969.I have the MSR PR 2,I thought it was American made but no,made in Korea
MSR was established in 1969; Optimus was started in Sweden in 1899. They know a thing or two about stoves, you betcha!
Great video good info what wind screen is that?
That windscreen comes from Solo but you can find cheaper on amazon. Do a search for aluminum windscreen. - Luke
thanks Luke like how tall it is. dig your videos your reviews are right on.
The pocket rocket 2 doesn't require a windscreen. Also, those of you saying he should have weighed the canisters, that would have been nice yes, however the fact that the optimus utilizes more btu's means it's going to consume more fuel...
I've had the PR2 blow out during strong wind gusts but overall, it's very stable. In this video, the windscreen was used mainly for making the conditions as fair as possible.
- Luke
If you're testing duration, you might want to check the two on max setting as well as low heat as one might be more efficient in one setting but not the other. Also, does anyone know how these would compare to the Jetboil?
The speed of different Water Filters would be interesting.
how about flame pattern for more even cooking? say a man wants to make some pancakes on the trail. just guessing cause I dont own either of these stoves, but my guess would be the MSR would have more of a hotspot in the middle of the pan and cause your pancakes to burn in the middle. I could be wrong though.
i know that is the issue I have with my etekcity aka cheapo Amazon stove.
That's what I was wondering. Very hot dead center. Maybe if you have a heavier thick bottom pan it works better but then you have a heavy pan.
Awesome video my Brother!
horn Hunter back pack. I just got the main bean xl .wonder your opinion
Hi Luke this is Lee have you ever thought of doing a review on maxpedition Xantha backpack ?
I agree with the other guys.....what is the efficacy difference...out weighs boil time maybe
Would you compare the Berghaus Vulcan II and the Sarma tst rp80 recon pack?
The shirt that your wearing verses another shirt in the same price range. Comfort, breathes (cooling) price and durability.
Excellent idea brother. I am going to make a note of that right now. - Luke
Just because a manufacturer advertises something does not mean it is so. Who can determine if the btu's are correct? All things considered, more btu's should have caused the the water to boil faster.
I don’t understand why someone would need, or want to boil water that fast? Like what hurry are you in that is so critical on the backcountry?
How stable would a canteen cup sit on these?
What video camera you use for this recording?
That would be the Canon Vixia G30. - Luke
MSR always...
You didn’t turn the crux up to max! Paleo hiking MD compared them and the Crux out performed the pocket rocket
What's the percentage of propane and butane on those bottles?
Because they're so close in BTU, I would like to see the crux and the coleman peak 1 go head to head.
Since you have experience with both, I would love to see a Vs of the Arcteryx Altra V. Gregory Baltoro. Two bags that you stated in their individual reviews were some of the best, would love to hear your thoughts on a head to head. Thanks!
Terrific idea! I'm making a not of this now. Thanks Andy. - Luke
Looking forward to it. I found a screaming deal on a new Altra 75 for around $275. So I'm trying to make the decision whether to keep it or look to the Baltoro since the Altra is a model from a few years back. Keep up the great videos, extremely entertaining.
Cmon are u kidding? I have a crux, I was surprised of the result I went to my kitchen and tried to boil 8 ounces of water... it took 47 seconds 😂😂, with a old canister almost empty...
It seams u had some problem in your test
Bullshit. Get a new watch.
I like these brother, more!
i use the brunton talon and its been fantastic, folds up super small and it compets with the msr and i paid about 30 bucks for it about 5years ago,but i think its been discontinued:’(
OMG!! Did i just SEE Luke MEASURE water into his cup??? There is Hope! :)
What about gas efficiency in between the pocket rocket and a crux