Working my way into ultralight backpacking, I needed a dependable, lightweight stove and cook system. I actually made some alcohol stoves on my own. Alcohol stoves are a favorite of ultralight backpackers because of their simplicity and minimal weight. These stoves weigh as little as an ounce or two and can really throw out the heat.
With the Caldera Cone System, Trail Designs has addressed a couple of the issues that I have with my DIY stoves. The DIY stoves are made from 12 ounce pop cans. They are light, and they boil water well. One drawback is their stability. Because of their small size, they are a bit tipsy. I have to be careful about placing the pot on top of the stove. If the stove and pot tip over, not only do the contents of the pot spill but also the flammable alcohol inside the stove spills. This presents a pretty big fire hazard. Second, a wind screen needs to be used with just about any alcohol stove. The Caldera Cone takes care of both of these problems.
Trail Designs Caldera ConeA clever yet simple design, the Caldera Cone is a sheet of metal which has been cut and shaped in such a way that it rolls up into a tube shape for storage, yet forms a cone shape when properly assembled. Assembly is fast and simple. Both ends of the metal sheet have a dovetail shape formed into the metal. Simply slide one dovetail into the other and a cone is formed. Caldera Cones are sized to mate with specific pots, and fit many different brands such as Evernew, Snow Peak, GSI, Toaks, Vargo, and more. I got the cone to fit my GSI MicroDualist pot. It fits my pot exactly.
Trail Designs made the cones to work in conjunction with their 12-10 alcohol stove. The cone is both a windscreen and a pot stand. In addition to the cone and the stove, a 5 fluid ounce fuel bottle and fuel measuring cup is provided with the Caldera Cone System, and the whole kit is contained in a food safe caddy. Even with everything inside the caddy, there is ample space available to put other items like spices, packets of oatmeal, or whatever else you would want inside. They don‘t recommend keeping fuel inside the caddy because most fuels are poisonous and you can eat out of the caddy if you wish. If you do choose to keep your fuel inside the caddy, you should place the bottle inside a sealed zip lock bag. The fuel bottle does have an O-ring in the lid, but changes in elevation will cause changes in air pressure and that can cause fuel to be forced out around the seal.
The Caldera Cone System that I bought weighs close to 7 ounces without alcohol in the bottle. The weight is going to vary a little depending on what size cone you get. Boiling times will vary based on water temperature, air temperature, elevation, and other factors. I was able to boil 800 milliliters, a little less than 3 ½ cups, with ease. The stove continued to burn for several minutes after the water came to a boil.
I am looking forward to using this stove on the trail this fall once the temperatures drop a bit. I bought my system direct from Trail Designs for $34.95. Trail Designs has other offerings on their website at www.traildesigns.com. Go and check them out, they are a great U.S. company making some great products.
– Mark