Certainly a modern gas stove is much more functional, especially when fuel availability is no concern. I've gone on weeklong backpacks with just a mixed fuel cylinder and a screw on stove and had no problem doing all the cooking I needed to. A gas stove is also more convenient to operate in my opinion, and the issue of sooting is moot. The solostove setup is expensive. When I think of how many little cylinders I could buy along with a stove for that much, it would make for an awful lot of camp cooking time. This is why I also keep gas stoves and plenty of fuel handy. I also have a collection of Kelly Kettles, various rocket stoves, and emergency fuel tab stoves, in addition to some limited knowledge on building fires for survival. I also have charcoal chimney starters that I've cooked on. I suppose my favorite is a 3 burner camp chef propane stove that generates 30,000 btu per burner, which I like to use at hunting and fishing camps along with a campfire. Not nearly as portable, but man, can it cook the grub!

The solostove is an option. I could rig up something quite similar using coffee cans and stovepipe; it wouldn't last as long to be sure, but it would also be pretty inexpensive. Actually, I think the design could be improved on some. But this was about the quest for knowledge; of direct experience for myself. Knowing I can make such a system work, and what it's apparent limitations are, we are hopefully enriched some.

As for campfire and survival fire construction, I believe this is akin to a Dakota hole setup, and I'm thinking one new additions might be the inclusion of a small piece of bent pipe inserted through the combustion pile that introduces heated air just above the embers. There appears to be something to this insofar as providing more thorough combustion and less smoke. I also have in mind some more design mods for a rocket stove I want to build someday.

I thought it worth the money to buy these units and give them a test so I would know and could share with y'all. Whether you might find the investment worth your hard earned $ is your call. All I can say is they appear to work as claimed, and will make a good addition to my preps, even if a bit expensive.