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AntiGravityGear
Universal Alcohol Stove Accessory Pack Initial Report
September 28, 2005
Thomas
Vickers
37 years old
Male
5 ft 11 in tall (1.8 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
redroach@pobox.com
Southeast Texas, Houston Area |
Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the
mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5
years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping
bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I
feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while
carrying the lightest load possible.
Manufacturer Information:
Manufacturer: AntiGravityGear
Website:http://www.antigravitygear.com
Contents:
8 fl oz fuel bottle
Primer pan
Windscreen
MSRP: $ 7.95 US |
Information From Tester:
Fuel bottle weight: 1.15 oz (33 g)
Fuel bottle capacity: 8 fl oz ( 0.24 l)
Fuel bottle color: bluePrimer pan
weight: .025 oz (7 g)
Primer pan diameter: 3.5 in (9 cm)
Windscreen weight: 1.15 oz (35 g)
Windscreen dimensions: 26.5 in x 4.25 in (67 cm x 11 cm) |
Expectations:
From the moment this test was announced and I went to the AntiGravityGear website, I was
excited about this item. It wasn't big or fancy, but it sure could be useful. From
experience, I know that these items are important, but not always worth the effort to
manufacture at home. As a hiker who uses homemade and professionally produced
alcohol stoves, I was happy to see that a company had finally filled a very important
niche for this type of gear: the accessory kit. From the website, the Universal
Alcohol Stove Accessory Pack looked to be pretty straight forward; a primer pan, a fuel
bottle, and a windscreen.
Arrival:
When the AntiGravityGear Universal Alcohol Stove Accessory Pack arrived in the mail I was
pleasantly surprised. The box was packed with items, some of which I did not expect
to be there, but were nice extras. The accessory pack included the primer pan, the
fuel bottle, the windscreen, and a fuel measuring cup. There were also instructions
for using the primer pan and alcohol stoves included in the package as well as a
card listing the items that comprised the accessory pack.
Description:
The primer pan is a small metal ring with the center cut out of it. Even though the
center is cut out, there is a raised rim around the center hole and also a raised rim
around the outside edge of the pan. There are equidistant indentations on the bottom
of the pan that serve as feet.
The fuel bottle is blue, plastic, and has a screw-off lid. The lid has a foldable
pour spout that flips out to dispense fuel and then folds flush with the top of the lid
when sealed. The bottle is approximately 1.75 in (4.5 cm) in diameter by 7 in (18
cm) tall. I would describe it as tall and slender, which I hope makes it much easier to
store in a pack than other fuel bottles I have used. Nested on top of the fuel bottle was
a small plastic fuel measuring cup. This item was not listed in the description of
the accessory pack given on the website, so it was a surprise, but a welcome one.
The cup has delineated measures on both sides. One side of the cup has marks measuring
from 1/8 fl oz to 1 fl oz. The other side of the cup is marked from 2.5 ml to 30 ml.
The measuring cup is flexible, which should allow easy pouring since it can be squeezed
into a shape more conducive to this task.
The windscreen is heavier and sturdier than aluminum foil (my usual windscreen material).
It is folded along all the edges so that they are blunt and dull, rather than
sharp. There are no holes punched in the windscreen, but I am assuming that this is
not necessary for the windscreen to work properly. It was folded in the shipping box
and I am also going to store it this way in my pack. This will allow me to carry it
easily and without worry.
Initial Impressions:
I am impressed with the quality of the items that came with the universal accessory pack.
They all appear to be quality items that are well made and useful. At this
point I am really excited about testing this gear. It appears to be very easy and
straight forward in it's use and if it is as durable as I hope, then it is going to be a
great addition to my pack.
TEST PLAN
Testing Location:
Southeast Texas
Altitude: Sea level to 250 feet (76 m)
Temperatures expected: 40 - 95 F (4 - 27 C).
Testing Activities:
Dayhikes
Weekend hiking/camping trips (1-3 days)
Cookware:
AntiGravityGear alcohol stove
Tester constructed alcohol stove
1 liter (1.06 US qt) titanium pot and lid
Test Strategy:
1. Does my homemade alcohol stove work with the primer pan?
2. Does the primer pan hold both stoves (Antigravity and homemade) without
"floating" occuring after priming fuel is added to the pan?
3. Do the 'feet' on the primer pan make it difficult to use on uneven surfaces?
4. Do the 'feet' hold the pan securely on level surfaces?
5. Does the fuel bottle leak? Does the lid screw on securely?
6. Does the 'flip up' fuel spout leak?
7. How easy is it to open the fuel spout and pour out fuel? Does the bottle need to be
squeezed to do this? Can the bottle be squeezed?
8. How durable is the fuel measuring cup? How easy is it to pour fuel from the cup into a
stove?
9. Does the windscreen fit around my cooking pot?
10. Does the windscreen help the stove in windy conditions? Non-windy conditions?
11. How well will the windscreen hold up to repeated folding and unfolding?
12. Will the windscreen work with my home-made stove and pot stand?
13. Can I fit the primer pan, windscreen, and fuel measuring cup inside my pot along
with the stove I am using? |
I want to thank AntiGravityGear and BackpackGearTesters for the chance to test the
Universal Alcohol Stove Accessory Pack.
Read more reviews of AntiGravityGear gear
Read more gear reviews by Thomas Vickers
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