Nice review Jim.
The Xtreme is a rather unusual stove and I couldn't tell you the last time I took it backpacking or climbing. I usually take a lighter stove for one trip or a more robust stove for others. My Xtreme sees most of it's use in camp these days but it never fails to impress with it's ease of use (even in cooler weather) and it's ability to boil a lot of water quickly. In camp on cold days I'll run it at as low a simmer as I can manage in order to keep coffee hot so everyone can enjoy a second or third cup.
Another Xtreme owner!
They're actually pretty cool little stoves. They're fairly powerful, although you have to be careful if you really open 'em up; all that power is not without cost. They'll eat fuel at a pretty good clip.
If I were going into truly harsh, cold conditions, I'd probably take an XGK, but if it's cold and I need to do real cooking (where I need a good simmering stove), the Xtreme is a good one, and as you said, it is a really easy stove to use.
Interestingly, Colin Fletcher spoke highly of the Xtreme in his Complete Walker IV.
HJ
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