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#234792 - 10/30/11 11:35 PM Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
This week's stove is the Caldera Cone with 10-12 alcohol burner from Trail Designs.


The Caldera Cone with 10-12 burner is a stable, efficient, and wind resistant ultralight alcohol system that packs well inside a standard Ziploc container that doubles as a bowl.

Packed:


Unpacked:


Believe it or not, everything in the second photo is also present in the first.

I've written a review which is now available on Seattle Backpackers Magazine and there's a supplemental post with further information on my blog. Both can be accessed via this link.

HJ
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#234807 - 10/31/11 04:52 AM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: Hikin_Jim]
jzmtl Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/18/10
Posts: 530
Loc: Montreal Canada
Good read, thanks. I don't go on trips that needs stove often, but it's always a battle deciding which to bring, either heavy duty build like tank ones like omnifuel, or super light like my coke can stove. I don't do backpacking though so it's more of a gadget factor for me.

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#234837 - 10/31/11 04:25 PM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: Hikin_Jim]
CANOEDOGS Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 1853
Loc: MINNESOTA
clever but does fall into the gizmo category for me.i would go with a small Gaz burner and one of those small carts,but keep the reports coming they are always a good read.

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#234843 - 10/31/11 05:06 PM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: Hikin_Jim]
Basecamp Offline
Member

Registered: 11/08/07
Posts: 107
Loc: PNW
I'm not into liquid or compressed gas stoves anymore, but appreciate the design of this one that has a packable, focusing windscreen to minimize fuel waste and minimizes exposure of it's cooking vessel handles to heat.

I can tell from the photos if the windscreen is aluminum or stainless, but if you like DYI projects, I see a potential mod that will make it more of a multi-fuel stove system.

If you look at the assembled windscreen from the top and place the handle cut-out at the 12 o'clock position, consider cutting out two approx 3" to 3 1/2" (round or square) openings about mid-way up the wall at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions for the insertion of on-site fuels (sticks, crushed pine cones, etc). Then simply replace the cut-out portion of the wall with a slip-over aluminum foil wind skirt custom fit to the open stove for when you use the liquid-fueled stove.

It may give you more leeway for longer trips.

Nice stove, thanks for posting.

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#234848 - 10/31/11 05:50 PM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: jzmtl]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: jzmtl
Good read, thanks. I don't go on trips that needs stove often, but it's always a battle deciding which to bring, either heavy duty build like tank ones like omnifuel, or super light like my coke can stove. I don't do backpacking though so it's more of a gadget factor for me.
If it were going to be really cold, if I were cooking for multiple people, if I were doing real cooking, or if I were melting snow, I'd bring the Primus Omnifuel for sure. Beautiful stove, no question about it.

However, for fast and light trips, particularly solo trips, I'd go with the alcohol stove. I really like alcohol stoves on cool weather day hikes. A hot cup of tea with lunch or maybe even some hot soup really hits the spot. I like nothing better than to sit down by a nice creek when out on a day hike and brew up a cup of tea.

Late in the afternoon, as your energy level wanes and the temperatures drop, a cup of hot cocoa can be highly restorative.

HJ
_________________________
Adventures In Stoving

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#234849 - 10/31/11 05:54 PM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: CANOEDOGS]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: CANOEDOGS
clever but does fall into the gizmo category for me.i would go with a small Gaz burner and one of those small carts,but keep the reports coming they are always a good read.
In terms of weight, an alcohol stove like the Caldera Cone system will generally be lighter, but there isn't a radical weight difference between a small upright gas burner and an alcohol stove.

A Caldera Cone is however more stable than any upright small gas stove I've seen, and it is quite windproof whereas small upright gas stoves are notorious for being vulnerable to wind.

There's also very little to go wrong on an alcohol stove, and the near absolute silence of an alcohol stove is pretty cool. Talk about solitude in the woods!

HJ
_________________________
Adventures In Stoving

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#234850 - 10/31/11 06:20 PM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: Hikin_Jim]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
I just added some more photos and a technical appendix listing weights to the blog post.

HJ
_________________________
Adventures In Stoving

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#234867 - 10/31/11 10:30 PM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: Basecamp]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: Basecamp
I'm not into liquid or compressed gas stoves anymore, but appreciate the design of this one that has a packable, focusing windscreen to minimize fuel waste and minimizes exposure of it's cooking vessel handles to heat.

I can tell from the photos if the windscreen is aluminum or stainless, but if you like DYI projects, I see a potential mod that will make it more of a multi-fuel stove system.

If you look at the assembled windscreen from the top and place the handle cut-out at the 12 o'clock position, consider cutting out two approx 3" to 3 1/2" (round or square) openings about mid-way up the wall at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions for the insertion of on-site fuels (sticks, crushed pine cones, etc). Then simply replace the cut-out portion of the wall with a slip-over aluminum foil wind skirt custom fit to the open stove for when you use the liquid-fueled stove.

It may give you more leeway for longer trips.

Nice stove, thanks for posting.
Trail Designs, who makes the Caldera Cone, recommends their titanium version for use with wood.

The version I have is a little cheaper and is aluminum. Trail Designs does not recommend that any of the aluminum version(s) (there are a lot of different models) be used with wood fires for fear the cone may be damaged by the heat. The aluminum versions are recommended for hexamine (e.g. ESBIT) and alcohol use.

The Titanium versions can be purchased with all kinds of options including ones that turn the cone into a wood gasifier stove. Pretty cool stuff although wood fires are pretty restricted where I live.

HJ
_________________________
Adventures In Stoving

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#234956 - 11/01/11 11:00 PM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: Hikin_Jim]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
For all you DIY'ers out there, I added a video to the blog post on how to make a Caldera Cone.

HJ
_________________________
Adventures In Stoving

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#234979 - 11/02/11 10:40 AM Re: Stove of the Week: The Caldera Cone [Re: Hikin_Jim]
Chisel Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/05/05
Posts: 1563
Thanks HJ

I appreciate your articles and blog

One question please

Methanol is too "light" as a fuel. Isopropanol is too "heavy" and does not burn easily. How about if we mix the two in 50:50 mix ??

Will the methanol help make the isoprpanol burn cleaner ???

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