MSR Reactor

We are planning a trip in May or June (weather/snow dependent) around Mt. Rainier between 11,200 and 7,200 feet and thought a lighter simpler stove system than my old XGK or Whisperlight might be wanted.

So I did a simple test of the MSR Reactor 1.7 while waiting for the gate to open at Longmire this Sunday (it finally opened at 11:15 - the plow drivers must have not even started until after 9:00, because there was no plowing until after the Nisqually bridge and they were still working on the road higher).

I wanted to test how long it would take to melt snow and bring it to a boil. Below is my data.

Elevation: 2800 feet
Temp: approximately 25 F
Wind : calm to slight breeze
Fuel: 110 gram canister Snow Peak Isobutane Propane Mix (85%/15%)
Canister started at the temperature of the car - so pretty warm
Stove was placed directly on the snow covered parking lot - no attempt made to insulate the canister
Snow: Fluffy powder

The stove lite very quickly and well using just a Magnesium/Steel Striker (slightly lighter than a bic lighter and works when wet) www.lightmyfire.com/products/sparking-fi...sh-firesteel-20.aspx

We melted the snow without any liquid water in the pan. I was hoping to get 4 boiled liters and 6 "warm" liters - enough for 2 people for cooking and drinking for a full day

1st Boiled Liter - 7:45 minutes
2nd Boiled Liter - 11:40
3rd Boiled Liter - 13:55
4th Boiled Liter - 13:56
5th Liter - warm - 7:30
6th Liter - cool - 4:40
7th liter - ran out of fuel.

I think the burn times were much shorter in round one due to the temperature of the fuel.

If I ran this test again (for worst case scenario), I would have let the fuel come air temperature before starting and would have boiled 1 liter of water first and then 3 liters of warm water and then another 1 liter of boiled water to simulate "Dinner - water for tomorrow - breakfast".

I think I could have increased the efficiency by insulating the canister from the ground or putting it in a shallow bowl of water. Warming the canister in my jacket would also have increased the efficiency, but I wanted a worst case scenario. MSR ISOPRO fuel (80/20) may also have made a difference.

Not as impressed as I thought. The Jetboil claims 6 liters boiled from snow or 10 liters melted from snow per 100 grams. The Reactor was less than the "claimed" Jet boil numbers, but it took a long time to move from 32 degree water to 212 boil, so I could see the Reactor melting more than 10 liters per 100 grams.

I think 100 grams of fuel per day per person for melting snow should be enough with a cushion.

Still lighter than white gas and a lot easier.

If I do a second test or after the trip, I will post more results.

Not as impressed as I thought.  The Jetboil claims 6 liters boiled from snow or 10 liters melted from snow per 100 grams.  The Reactor was less than the "claimed" Jet boil numbers, but it took a long time to move from 32 degree water to 212 boil, so I could see the Reactor melting more than 10 liters per 100 grams.

If you spent some time with a jetboil in alpine conditions I think you'd be significantly more impressed by your test results. I'd happily trade my jetboil for your reactor so you could run a similar test 

If you spent some time with a jetboil in alpine conditions I think you'd be significantly more impressed by your test results. I'd happily trade my jetboil for your reactor so you could run a similar test 

That makes me feel a little better.

Do you have the "regulated" Jet Boil. I think it is the "sol". I wonder how much difference that makes?

It's all about keeping the canister warm. On longer trips, we often keep one canister in an inner pocket while the other one is burning. Switch after every other pot. The stove body cools quickly, especially in the cold, so switching isn't very time consuming. Careful when re-lighting after the swap; there can be a 1-2 second burp of flame. With careful attention in sheltered conditions, we've gotten reasonable performance below 15F.

We've planned to use a warm water bowl, but haven't tried it yet. A friend uses the lid from a large margarine/butter container with success. If you're not heating it, then setting the cartridge on the snow (once the cartridge temperature drops below freezing) can actually warm it slightly.

On weekend overnights, we use about one 220 g canister between two people. In summer/spring conditions, where we're not making hot water bottles for sleeping bags, etc., we probably do a little better.

Great stove - Coming from a trusty Whisperlite, I'd dawdled between an XGK and the Reactor. For large groups/long trips/lots of melting, I'd still consider the XGK, but for most of our trips, the Reactor gets it done. It's simple, and simple is fast.

For summer trips, the Jetboil can win on weight concerns.

I have used both the Reactor and a Jetboil and while the Reactor is faster to melt snow/bring water to a boil and does better in wind the Jetboil wins for me as it's much more stable when hanging. I'm sure there's got to be a mod you can make to lock the Reactor burner to the pot but without that ability it's too easily tipped.

The water dish Charlie mentions is actually the bottom 1" of a 2lb, 13oz margarine tub. It fits inside the pot with the stove, and when you add warm water to it you can hear the fuel in the canister boil and the stove pick up.