MSR Windburner

MSR Windboiler review

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I managed to land one of these pre-launch and have been using it for 3 seasons. This was the MSR Windboiler when it arrived and is now the MSR Windburner.

Regulars here will know that I love the MSR Reactor. It’s the most weather resistant and speedy canister stove I’ve ever used and was my first choice when heading out in winter. It did have a couple of flaws: the 1.8L version was a bit too big and heavy for the solo traveller and the 1.0L pot was too small to fit the stove burner in with a 100g canister without serious scratching on the titanium.   The Windburner was designed for solo use from the ground up, so on paper, potentially my new favourite stove ever.

MSR Windboiler

The radiant burner head is similar to that used in the Reactor. The pot is 1.0L capacity which is perfect for a dehydrated meal and a cuppa. The integrated cosy and handle caters for the Jetboil market and adds a little insulation and easier handling. There’s a new lightweight plastic canister stand, a lid with pourer and strainer and a plastic measuring cup/bowl that covers the heat exchanger when it’s not in use.

Out on the hill, it’s very similar to the Reactor to use, but better to pack. The pot will take the burner, a 100g canister along with the stand and the wee towel without any scraping or squeezing. The burner slots onto the cup easily and stays locked. A meal and a cuppa can be ready in a few minutes, which is always welcome. There’s no piezo ignition, but I carry a firesteel inside the pot and it always lights first time, even in windy conditions. Boil times are slower than the reactor, but still decent; I can have my dinner ready before I’ve finished pitching the tent, which is my general measure of acceptable time.  Other blogs will get the stopwatch out for these, but I can’t be arsed with that degree of stove geekery. Gas efficency is great, with a 125g cartridge lasting me 3 days on average, with multiple meals and cuppas each day. The lid is snug and the pouring action is good, so no unexpected lapful of hot water. The plastic grips on the burner make it easier to handle when it’s hot and the cozy with integrated handle is better than the Jetboil equivalent in that it stays in place when you use it.

MSR Windboiler

Downsides? Well, the wee plastic cup is too tight when it’s cold and you can’t get it off the base of the stove without significant brute force and annoyance. So much so that I had to take an ice tool to it on it’s third outing. I just leave it at home now. I’m told that’s resolved in the production version. The wee canister stand gets brittle in the cold too. I’ve reverted to using the MSR universal canister stand, which is wider and made of metal. Given how tall the stove is, more stability is a good thing. Additionally, the control is tricky. I found that when trying to slow things down to a less ferocious boil, it’s easy to turn the gas right off. Control of the valve is a little unforgiving at the bottom end. It’s a minor thing, but it did make me mutter a few times on cold nights when I was trying to simmer my chocolate pudding.

Has it replaced the Reactor as my favourite stove? Yes, I think it might have, just not with the same fanfare of trumpets as the Reactor. It’s not perfect, but it’s good to know that the weather will have no impact on your ability to get a cuppa. Having spend years messing about with windshields and the like, I like something that’s just simple. I suspect they may revise it further, but for now it goes in my pack every time. Recommended.

MSR Windburner

 

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