Test Information
I used the Raptor with several different pots, and two different kinds of fuel during the LTR phase, cooking meals for one to three people.
The reader will find a detailed description of the Raptor in my Initial Report, and more field information in my Field Report.
Cookpots: I used almost every pot that I own this summer. This included a Snow Peak 700 Ti pot, a Snow Peak 1400 pot, an MSR 2-liter pot, a Wal-Mart 'grease pot,' and a stainless steel coffee percolator (see photo at right, with my car-camping kitchen box).
The pots covered the gamut from narrow to very wide, and the Raptor was able to handle all of them. The fold-out pot supports worked with every pot that I tried, and were stable even with a full 2-liter pot. Given the tall design of the stove, with the burner on top of the fuel canister, I was always careful to hold the pot while stirring.
Fuel Canisters: I used the MSR IsoPro canisters (see photo) for the most part, and they worked well. I also used the small 4 oz (110 g) canisters from Jet Boil, which fit nicely inside my Snow Peak 700 pot. Given the warm weather, I was able to get plenty of heat out of both canisters, even down to the last few grams of fuel.
Given the summer weather, we got very good 'gas mileage' out of these canisters. One small canister cooked for two people for five days in June, but this was probably due to the very hot weather reducing our interest in hot meals.
Igniter: The Raptor features an integrated piezoelectric igniter -- turn on the gas, press the button, and it lights. This never failed to work, and made using the Raptor easy and fast.
Cooking: This summer I pretty much boiled water while on the trail, making freezer-bag dinners and morning coffee. I think we actually cooked one meal while backpacking, and maybe two more while car camping. I was mostly interested in quick, easy boiling, and the Raptor delivered.
