AntiGravityGear Alcohol Stove (Pepsi-style)
Owner Review by Shawn Wakefield
March 5, 2009

Reviewer Information

Name:	Shawn Wakefield
Age:	39
Gender:	Male
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	165 lb (75 kg)
Email:	shawn@wakefieldsoft.com
City, State, Country:	Tishomingo, Oklahoma, United States
Date:	March 5, 2009

Backpacking Background: I started camping and backpacking about 25 years ago as a teenager in the Boy Scouts. I have more recently gotten very interested in backpacking again, and I really enjoy going lightweight now. My wife and I take frequent backpacking trips together, and our kids (all under 13) go occasionally. We like to hike in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas for short trips, but enjoy Wyoming and Colorado for longer trips.

Product Information

Stove and optional primer tray

Manufacturer:	AntiGravityGear
Year of Manufacture:	2008
URL:	http://www.antigravitygear.com
Listed weight:	0.4 oz (11 g)
Weight as delivered:	0.35 oz (10 g)
Height:	1.65 in (42 mm)
Width:	2.56 in (65 mm)
MSRP:	$12.00 USD
Material:	Aluminum
Color:	Silver (some of soda can printing may still be visible)

Product Description

The stove comes by itself when ordered individually. If ordered as part of a kit, some optional accessories may be included. The basic shape looks like the bottom 1/3 of a soda pop can.

The stove is an alcohol stove, designed to burn denatured alcohol. The stove has no moving parts, and is composed of 2 pieces that have been fitted and sealed together with epoxy and silver heat tape. The center of the stove is open on the top, and this is where up to 1 oz (30 ml) of denatured alcohol is poured into the stove before lighting. On the outside of the stove, around the middle, are a series of pin sized holes – 24 in all. As the fuel warms and begins to vaporize, the side holes become jets where the burning fuel forms a ring around the stove.

Field Use

I have carried the stove on many trips over the last 9 months. It has been on multi-night backpacking trips, as well Boy Scout camping trips – since I am an adult leader (Scoutmaster). It has been used in light rain, under sunny skies, during the day, and at night. Since most of the trips were in the central United States, elevations were all less than 3000 ft (914 m) during my use of the stove.

View of side jets

The stove is simple, so it works the same and works well every time. I typically need to boil 2 cups of water at a time. I first fill my 0.9 L (0.95 qt) pot with 2 cups (0.47 L) of water and cover it with the lid. Next, I set the stove on the optional primer tray (0.3 oz / 8 g). I put a few drops of fuel in the primer tray around the base of the stove, then I pour 1 oz (30 ml) of fuel into the middle of the stove. Next, light the stove and the primer tray. It takes about 20 seconds for the stove to get hot enough to vaporize the fuel and for the jets to light around the outside of the stove. Once the outside jets have ignited, I place the pot of water directly centered over the stove. Since the pot rests on the stove top, no pot holder or other support is necessary.

On a warm day, with temperatures around 60 F (16 C), it takes about 5 minutes to boil 2 cups (0.47 L) of water with the 1 oz (30 ml) of fuel. Obviously on warmer or cooler days, or with very cold water, these burn times would change slightly.

I always boil water in my cook pot, and then mix meals in a Ziploc bag, so I don’t need to simmer or cook on low heat. This stove is on or off; there is no adjustment for the flame level or heat output.

The only real issue that I found was related to stability. If the cook pot is very large, then I have to be careful to balance it carefully on top of the center of the stove. It would not take much of a nudge to dump the pot off onto the ground.

The primer tray is not necessary, but gives the stove some stability. Also, having a few drops of fuel in the primer tray, helps the stove’s side jets to ignite more quickly. As with any stove, a windscreen will improve the efficiency and help the stove to perform better.

Since the stove is constructed of 2 nested soda cans, durability is quite good. I carry my stove in a small plastic container that came in the Stove Set from AntigravityGear. This protects the stove, and fits nicely into my cook pot.

Often, the simplest solution is the best, and I think that is certainly the case with this lightweight stove from AntiGravityGear.

Things I like:
1. Lightweight
2. Low cost
3. Compact

Things I don't like:
1. Stability not great with a large pot
2. Can’t simmer or slow cook (might be an issue for some)

Summary

The alcohol stove from AntiGravityGear is a lightweight stove that burns denatured alcohol. It is easy to setup and use, and it does not have any moving parts to break or wear out. I could not ask for anything more to heat water.