Emberlit Ti Fireant vs. Vargo Ti Stove.

[BladeScout]

I have a simple generic SS stove (above) which works just fine but as I like titanium and as its nice to be able to keep weight further down for when kayaking and/or hiking, Ive been looking at a Ti stove.

Im leaning towards the Emberlit, which seems to be good quality and users seem to like them well, so this is not one of those "Help me decide between two stoves" kind of thread.

Might be interesting though, to hear about a favorite camping/kayaking implement.

The Emberlit is a bit more expensive than the Vargo. Vargo folds into a nice compact package though.

Ive seen a vid on the 'tube about the hinge or locking mechanism/flange on the Vargo not quite being able to hold the parts of the stove closed. The guy fixed it himself, so no biggie, but should I say something about the two designs, the Vargo folds very flat and the design seems nifty BUT maybe not as solid a stove over years of hard use with the hinged construction and such - what say you?

On the other hand, I have several Vargo titanium items, cups etc - the quality has held up fine, handles and all.

Any Vargo experince out there - or users of both the Emberlit and the Vargo? Could be interesting to hear actual user experience.

 

[Anrkst6973]

Morning BladeScout, I speak only of my own experience, I have a vargo Hexagon that is 3...perhaps even 4 years old. My standard fuel is oak or hickory rounds cut to 3 app inches and batoned into blocks (they generally end up about the size of new magnesium blocks), it's easy to carry a small bag full when using state parks ect where collecting wood is forbidden. Further splitting and shaving of a block or 2 provides the start and feeding the ti hex blocks of hardwood for as long as I have owned it has caused only the most minor or warpage to some of the side panels. That hardwood gets ""fires of hades" hot, the lil thing has been literally glowing red for multiple hours on some winter trips. Just IMHO mind you but mine has never failed me.

 

[BladeScout]

Thanks much!

Good to know it works.

The warping is to be expected from the reviews, which I have read.

The above pictured (and cheapo) SS stove likewise has a warped panel. I tested it by firing up the stove and kept feeding it, till the stove was white hot and glowing.

I just wanted to see, how much heat it could take. Turned out I got bored before the stove quit on me!

Bottom line - a slight warping seems to be expected no matter the material (SS or Ti) and depending on use of course. The warping does not affect the use of my stove in the least.

 

[BladeScout]

.....nearly forgot; pics, man, pics!!

 

[Anrkst6973]

This was Jan-Feb 2016 on a day long kayak run. The Vargo is being used here with an alcohol stove (practicing our leave no trace ethic ) but you can see the discoloration that has happened over time.

 

[BladeScout]

The discoloration looks great IMO.

I have kayaking in mind for the stove as well.

I have a JetBoil Titanium SOL, but would like not having to rely on canisters.

 

[BladeScout]

Most recent pic fresh off the press of the SS stove in action

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[Anrkst6973]

I must offer an apology BladeScout, I did not really answer your original question. At the time I got my Vargo, emberlits were a little hard to find/come by so I got the Hex as a "backup plan" kind of deal. If I were picking one of the two, sitting side by side for sale today, I would get the Emberlits in Ti. Simply because ther are no moving parts, the way it hooks together is as fail safe as a product could be. Now "after the fact" or after I had been using my Vargo for a bit I did hear reports of the little compression clasp feature that holds the Hex in its upright form giviving way or coming un-clasped when hot. It had never happened to me personally but some trips I have taken were 4-5 days deep in the bush. I considered the fact that having a boiling hot pot of anything spilled on me while that remote would be very very bad. So, after a little experimentation I found a girls hair pin (or bobby pin)was just right for slipping thru the clasp. You can just barely see it in my pic above. I got a huge card of these at the five n dime, 50 I think for less than a dollar.one stays clipped to the stove and a spare in the stove bag. As I said, I've never had a failure, but it's a tip that might be used or passed on should you hear a complaint about the Vargo closure.

 

[BladeScout]

Not at all - no apology needed, sir.
Great info and it tells me that the youtube video I referred to (with one Vargo user having experienced a glitch with the door), wasnt a single instance and that I wasnt barking up the wrong tree ...even though your post describes more of a precaution than an actual failure of the stove.
Great solution with the hair pin - some times the simplest solution is the one which works best.
Thank you.

 

[knoefz]

I don't know if you're open to other suggestions? If not skip my post
You can't go wrong with either one you're looking at, but I'm very impressed with the stoves from MSP so wanted to point those out to you as an other option.
There are various reviews on the forums here and on youtube/vimeo.
I have the Core 4 myself, but smaller models are available as well (the Frag look very intersting imho).

Here's my Core 4 in use

And here in 'flame thrower' modus

You have many fuel options for the MSP stoves, beside wood, there's a fit for alcohol burners and for solid fuel tabs (Esbit) available too.

 

[BladeScout]

I don't know if you're open to other suggestions? If not skip my post
You can't go wrong with either one you're looking at, but I'm very impressed with the stoves from MSP so wanted to point those out to you as an other option.
There are various reviews on the forums here and on youtube/vimeo.
I have the Core 4 myself, but smaller models are available as well (the Frag look very intersting imho).

Here's my Core 4 in use
PIC

And here in 'flame thrower' modus
PIC

You have many fuel options for the MSP stoves, beside wood, there's a fit for alcohol burners and for solid fuel tabs (Esbit) available too.

Very much open to suggestions and thank you for posting these. Ive been poring over the MSP Core stoves since reading your post above.
Id forgotten all about the MSP Core stoves - excellent stoves IIRC from the reviews read a while back.
Prices for the MSP Core stove models which interest me, dont seem bad compared with Emberlit - though what might clinch it, is that Emberlit just offered me a 25% discount.

Your flame thrower mode is bigger than mine! - I now have flame thrower envy

 

[BladeScout]

Just now looking at the CORE FRAG stoves - man, all those MPS stoves are nice as well.

Any idea, which MSP ti stove would be comparable to the Emberlit ti stove?

And anybody able to post about the quality between MSP and Emberlit, pls (MSP panels seems a bit more thin)?

 

[knoefz]

Just now looking at the CORE FRAG stoves - man, all those MPS stoves are nice as well.

Any idea, which MSP ti stove would be comparable to the Emberlit ti stove?

And anybody able to post about the quality between MSP and Emberlit, pls (MSP panels seems a bit more thin)?

You should send forum member AngryDaddyBird a message, he's got many different stoves from all kind of brands.
I'm sure he can provide some more comparison info.

Also I'm sure I've seen a wall thickness comparison somewhere on a forum but can't find it right now.
I'll search some more later. Iirc the Emberlit and the Core stoves were not much apart in wall thickness.

Edit : found it

Her's quote from someone onwing many stoves:
Bushbox stainless steel 0,70mm
Campbells wood stove steel 0.40mm
Bushbox xl ti. 0.92mm
Emberlite steel 0.52mm
Emberlite steel China clone 0,52mm
Pico Grill 85 0.12mm
Tato Element. 0.48mm

I measure my Ti Core 4 stove at .020" or 0.55 mm

I've sent an email with a link to more info...

 

[BladeScout]

VERY useful info and thanks for going the extra mile:thumbup:

IIRC Ive read 'stove posts' by AngryDaddyBird - dude knows his stoves!!

 

[pinnah]

Another observation... I find my standard sized Emberlit Ti to be a bit on the small size. Takes a lot of work to keep it stoked and running.

I can't imagine the amount of fiddling that that FireAnt would take. Maybe this depends on local fuel. <shrug>

Untitled by Pinnah, on Flickr

 

[Anrkst6973]

Pinnah is or has a valid point on any "twig stove". My personal results are often based on those little hardwood blocks, once the fire is going a stuffing of those blocks last 30-40 minutes of super hot burn time. Where as collecting twigs,small limbs or other biomass fuel would mean less btu's and more feeding. I've no doubts about that. I myself am giving thought to getting an original Emberlit Ti. It has the cross bars at the top to add even more stability and I still vote that the way the Emberlit (and no doubt others manufacturers) hooks together is more durable, more fail safe, than any other way of making a breakdown stove.