For the ultimate performance in basic water heating, a dedicated burner and pot system really can’t be beat. With this type of system, the components are optimised for working together in the most efficient way. The Jetboil Flash Personal Cooking System for many years has been dominating the solo backpacking industry. However, the competition has definitely heated up now that the WindBoiler Stove System has been released by MSR.
MSR has incorporated its super efficient radiant burner into the WindBoiler that it included with its Reactor Stove for winter and alpine users. Its enclosed design results in the wind not effecting the burner, which results in excellent efficiency in cold and windy conditions. Less fuel is also burned due to the efficiency so that more brews can be made from one gas canister than a conventional stove can. The Reactor has the drawbacks of having a large pot and burner, which makes it expensive and heavy.
MSR Wind Burner Windproof Stove System
For backpacking and weekend journeys. Laborious NODIS approved cooking pot Aluminium/boiler of MSR with integrated warmth exchanger. The pan can be utilized to serve meals in addition to drinking cup.Box Contents: Transparent, BPA-unfastened drinking and sieve lid/1 cup/1 Bowl Spa Cartridge StandCompatible with the wind boiler stove New SystemVolume: 1 LWeight: 244 g
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Price: £188.17
The MSR WindBoiler has removed all of the Reactor Stove’s drawbacks since the model costs just £110 and its weight it 440g, which compares quite well with the Jetboil Flash (431g and £105). However,the MSR stove does not have a piezo ignition which the Jetboil Flash does have.
The WindBoiler screws into a conventional gas canister the way they usually do and its 1 litre dedicate pot neatly slides into the top part of the burner. Several openings in the pan’s based have been provided by MSR to find the three pins on the burner, and that makes it a lot easier locking the pot into place compared to other similar stoves.
Like all of these designs on personal cooking systems the pot is very tall to maximize efficiency, which makes it a bit less stable compared to a lower-profile burner that gets attached via a hose to the gas. For increased stability, a plastic stabiliser food is provided by MSR. These days, other manufacturers provide this as well. There is also a plastic lid that neatly fits onto the top of the pan, and then you are all set.
When the WindBoiler is fired up it takes it a couple of second to really get going. The metal grid then starts to glow red. When the pot is placed on top while it has water inside, you will notice there very little heat is lost around the burner. You also don’t see a flame. The only way to tell that it is working is along the base of the pan you will see a visible orange glow, and enclosed design amplifies the roar of the burner.
After the water has fully boiled the pot can be removed from the burner. The synthetic insulation helps to make that a more comfortable process. However, the Jetboil’s insulation is more efficient so I have found that I do need to be more careful when handling the WindBoiler pot.
Final Verdict
A new standard has been set by MSR’s WindBoiler Stove System for this kind of stove. However, like all of the competitors, compared to lower-profile designs it is not as stable. Wider pans are also better to use for cooking instead of pure water heating.
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