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Ursa Design Clikstand S-1 Complete Cook Set
Field Report - October 22, 2004
Contents
Reviewer Information [return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: October 22, 2004
Product Information [return to top]
Manufacturer: Ursa Design
Model: Clikstand S-1 Complete Cook Set
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL: http://www.clikstand.com
Listed weight, Clikstand: 3.2 oz (91 g)
Listed weight, Windscreen: 1.1 oz (32 g)
Listed weight, Trangia Burner: 2.4 oz (67 g)
Measured weight, Clikstand: 3.3 oz (94 g), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Measured weight, Windscreen: 1.1 oz (32 g)
Measured weight, Trangia Burner: 2.3 oz (65 g)
MSRP: $51.95 USD
Features (from web site) [return to top]
- The Clikstand S-1 is a lightweight, collapsible, high performance pot-stand designed for use with alcohol burners or solid fuel tablets. It is precision Made in the U.S.A. from the highest quality tempered stainless steel for a lifetime of service. The S-1 has been optimized through extensive testing to provide excellent performance and ease of use in the field. It's three point design provides a stable, wobble-free platform for any size cook pot on any surface. When collapsed it will easily fit into a shirt pocket or small cook pot. It is ideal for backpackers, bikers, canoeists or anyone who needs an ultralight, reliable, compact stove. Weight: 3.2 oz. (91 g). Made in U.S.A. - Patent Pending
- Unique Windscreen designed to be used with the Clikstand S-1. It improves the performance of the S-1 by blocking wind and reflecting heat onto the cook pot. It rests on the small tabs that protrude from the corners of the S-1 making it very easy to use. When not in use it can be rolled up and placed inside of a cookpot or wrapped around a fuel or water bottle. Windscreen is made from ultra-thin tempered stainless steel for lightweight and durability. It is suitable for cookpots from 4.2-5.5 inches (108-140 mm) in diameter. Height: 2.5 inches (64 mm). Weight: 1.1 oz. (32 g). Made in U.S.A.
- Alcohol Burner made by Trangia® of Sweden. Trangia stoves have been used throughout the world for decades. They are loved for their ease of use and excellent performance. They have no moving parts to wear out or break in the field making them 100% reliable. No pressurized gas stove can make that claim! Trangia will never let you down. To use, simply fill with alcohol and light - that's all there is to it! No hoses, no valves, no pumping! Includes cap with o-ring and simmer ring/ extiguisher. Burner Weight: 2.4 oz. (67 g). Made in Sweden.
- An Evernew 0.9L Ti Pot was also delivered along with the Complete Set, to assist in testing.
Description [return to top]
Clikstand has some of the best close-up photos of gear I have seen on a website. Any details I may have missed in my descriptions should be readily answered by simply visiting their site.
The Complete Set, as listed on the web site, consists of the Clikstand S-1, windscreen, and Trangia burner. Ursa Design was kind enough to include an Evernew 0.9L coated Titanium (Ti) pot for this test, as both the Clikstand and windscreen are said to be optimized for this particular pot size.
Overall:
The various bits and pieces fit together without much wasted space. I have added a small plastic measuring cup used to fill the stove, and a bandana to protect the coating on the inside of the pot.
Stand:
The Clikstand S-1 consists of three (3) identical slip-together side pieces and a triangular “floor” that snaps into slots on the sides once they have been assembled together. The side panels have ventilation holes along the bottom edges, while the floor has vent holes around its perimeter and a single large hole in the center designed to fit the Trangia stove quite nicely. All four (4) pieces of the Clikstand are made from the same material.
Windscreen:
The edges of the windscreen are crimped over, presumably for strength, and both ends are folded over about ¼ in (6 mm), and can be slipped together to form it into a ring that is slightly larger around than the Evernew pot. The windscreen sits in tabs located around the outside of the Clikstand. When the ends are not connected, the windscreen can be coiled to fit inside the pot.
Stove:
The alcohol burner is an unmodified Trangia model, and is supplied with simmer ring/extinguisher and cap with o-ring. These two accessories allow the stove to be snuffed out and carried with fuel remaining in the stove, rather than needing to let it burn itself all the way out. It is an unpressurized design, with an inner wall and a series of small holes drilled around the perimeter of the top section.
Pot:
The pot is an unmodified Evernew model, and is constructed of Titanium (Ti), with a non-stick coating on the inside. There are embossed markings on the inside of the pot for 300 ml and 600 ml. The lid is made of the same material, although uncoated, and has a fold-down silicone coated ‘D’ ring handle mounted in the center. There are two silicone-coated wire handles that may be folded around the pot for packing, or folded out together to lift the pot.
For more detailed descriptions, as well as photos, please see my Initial Report.
Field Information [return to top]
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly. Almost all of these outings include a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures expected to be from lows around 30 ºF (-1 ºC) to highs around 95 ºF (35 ºC). Elevations will range from sea level to approximately 2,000’ (610 m). My girlfriend and I, who between us have 3 First Class Boy Scouts (ages 13, 14 and 14), are also looking into additional camping without the scouts, and the possibilities of beginning to do some AT section hikes in Pennsylvania as we recover from a recent car accident. Even though the troop brings cooking gear (i.e. two-burner propane stoves and huge pots), I plan to pack for these trips as I would on a solo or 2-person hike, in addition to what I need for troop camping, so that I can test the suitability of the set for this purpose, and to help introduce the boys to the lightweight concept.
My intent for this report was to provide a comparison of burn time and fuel usage numbers for varying amounts of water in various pots with various windscreens. While this data has been compiled, it is currently unavailable to me as it was packed away – by someone else – for a home move just after I completed the testing. I will include this data with my Long Term Report. Generally speaking, though, I really like it.
Even without the data, however, I can report on the use of the Clikstand with different stove/pot/windscreen combinations. The other items used for this testing include: my own homemade windscreen, and the AntiGravityGear Mama’s Kitchen Cook Set. As soon as I locate my Grease Pot, I will verify its usability.
INTERCHANGEABILITY RESULTS
| STOVE |
POT |
WINDSCREEN |
RESULT |
| Trangia |
Evernew |
Clikstand |
Made for each other! |
| AGG |
Winscreen is larger, does not rest on stand |
| Homemade |
" |
AGG
2-qt.
(~2-L) |
Clikstand |
Pot is same diameter as Evernew, just bit taller. Able to use pot lifter. |
| AGG |
Windscreen same height, no interference. |
| Homemade |
Windscreen taller, but wider. No interference. |
AGG
3-cup
(~0.7-L) |
Clikstand |
Smaller pot. Need to watch placement on stand. |
| AGG |
" |
| Homemade |
" |
| Grease Pot |
PENDING |
PENDING |
| Tin Man |
Evernew |
Clikstand |
Stove is slightly narrower and slightly shorter, but still fits nicely in the stand. It does sit directly on the surface, where the Trangia 'hangs' from the hole. Trangia is therefore closer to pot. |
| AGG |
Winscreen is larger, does not rest on stand |
| Homemade |
" |
AGG
2-qt.
(~2-L) |
Clikstand |
Pot is same diameter as Evernew, just bit taller. Able to use pot lifter. |
| AGG |
Windscreen same height, no interference. |
| Homemade |
Windscreen taller, but wider. No interference. |
AGG
3-cup
(~0.7-L) |
Clikstand |
Smaller pot. Need to watch placement on stand. |
| AGG |
" |
| Homemade |
" |
| Grease Pot |
PENDING |
PENDING |
Things I am/will be looking for:
- Ease of use. This would be for all of the various components.
- Interchangeability. Can I easily swap out the windscreen, stove, or even fuel, to create another viable cooking system?
- Boil times for a given (identical) quantity of water in each pot on each stove, with each windscreen. Variables will include quantity of water, amount of fuel used, and type of fuel used, assuming I can track down some Esbit. This will help to determine which combination will be best for each situation.
- Efficiency. What different arrangements do the most with the least weight and/or the least fuel in the least time (time being least important, as I am generally not in a rush while in the field)?
- Effectiveness of the windscreen. Tested with different pot diameters. How adjustable is the windscreen, and how well does it pack into the set?
- Cleanability. This refers to all components.
- Packability. I generally carry a cut-off 1-gallon (~4-liter) plastic milk jug, which serves as a wash basin. I try to carry my cookware inside this basin, to have all kitchenware in the same place.
My findings so far:
- Ease of use. The Trangia is as easy to use as any soda-can stove I have ever used, albeit heavier, and the ability to snuff it and save fuel is nice. The windscreen seems about as basic as one can get. The stand itself goes together relatively easily, with a little bit of practice, but I have not yet used it with cold hands.
- Interchangeability. See table above for fit data.
- Boil times. Please see my Long Term Report
- Efficiency.
- Effectiveness of the windscreen. The windscreen has only one size. Any smaller and it would not fit around the Clikstand, any larger and it would not rest on the tabs. It packs easily inside the Evernew pot.
- Cleanability. All parts are hand washable, although I will not submerge the Trangia, nor wash it without the cap in place.
- Packability. Both the Evernew pot (with the Clikstand set) and the smaller AGG pot/cozy fit easily within my little basin, although not at the same time.
Things I like [return to top]
- Light.
- Compact.
- Good use of space.
Things I don't like [return to top]
- None yet.
Backpacking Background [return to top]
I started car/trailer camping with the family when I was about 5. I enlisted in the Army Reserve during my first year of college and spent 17 years fine-tuning my packing methodology - by the time I separated from the service, I was down to what I thought was a respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load. When my son started Cub Scouts, I brought my 60 lb (27 kg) ALICE pack for a weekend. We got to Boy Scouts in the Spring of 2002 and now camp monthly in locations ranging from the Chesapeake Bay area (flat and lightly wooded) to the Pocono Mts (flat spots hard to find and very wooded), in all seasons.
Lightweight (and ultralightweight) web sites, along with a day hike up Pikes Peak in July 2003, have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices. I plan to start doing more hiking/backpacking on our monthly Scout trips, taking along as many scouts as are willing, to a) get in shape (yeah, yeah, I know… round IS a shape), and b) determine what I really need to take along. I am relatively confident that I will be able to reduce my 3-season pack to 20 lb (9 kg), before food, fuel and water, by the time this season is over.
Thank you for your time.
Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy
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