Most of my backpacking has been in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, as well as the desert in the southwestern US. I’ve gone winter camping several times, but I still prefer backpacking in the warmer months. Most of my trips are 2-3 days, but I have taken several trips of 5-6 days. This past summer, I was fortunate enough to have thru-hiked the 476 mile (766 km) Colorado Trail over 35 days. Recently, I have been leaning towards the lightweight side of the spectrum.

Product Information

Manufacturer: MSR (www.msrgear.com)

Year of Manufacturer: 2005

Listed Weight (Minimum): 13.2 oz (374 g)

Listed Weight (Packaged): 17.2 oz (489 g)

Weight as Delivered (stove): 10.5 oz (298 g)

Weight as Delivered (fuel pump): 2.3 oz (65 g)

Weight as Delivered (windscreen and reflector): 2.3 oz (65 g)

Fuel Types (GK jet): white gas, kerosene, unleaded auto gas, aviation gas

Fuel Types (X jet): jet fuel, diesel

MSRP: $129.95 US

Description

Included with the MSR XGK EX stove itself was a fuel pump, basic maintenance kit, aluminum windscreen and reflector, stuff sack and instructions in English, French, German, Dutch, Japanese, Italian, Russian, Czechoslovakian, and Spanish. The stove itself is quite a beast. When viewed from above, it’s triangular in nature, with the corners rounded. Each corner has a swivel for the pot supports and stove leg. Each pot support and leg swivels as a single unit until it projects perpendicular to the corner. Each stove leg has four small teeth at the end for stability. Each pot support has eight teeth for stability. The base of the stove itself is a solid piece of metal. Sitting directly on top of the metal is a small circle of a synthetic material designed to soak up priming fluid.

stove folded up stove unfolded

All three faces of the stove have two narrow slits, each approximately 1/8 in (3.2 mm) high. One slit is located where the face meets the base; the other is slightly above it. I assume these are intended as places to insert a lighting device for the stove. The fuel line extends from one of the lower slits. The fuel line outside the body of the stove is a plastic pipe surrounded by braided metal. Towards the end is a metal hook that secures the fuel line to the fuel pump. Inside the body of the stove, the fuel line is a solid metal tube. The fuel line leads to the fuel jet, which releases fuel into the burner cup. Sitting directly on top of the burner cup is the flame spreader.

side view of the stove

The fuel pump has a plunger on top to pressurize the fuel. Where the plunger joins the base is the control valve and receptor for the fuel line. The bottom half of the fuel pump consists of two lines. The grey, larger, and more solid line forces air into the fuel bottle, pressurizing it. The smaller clear line is the fuel outlet line. There is a small white filter on the end of the fuel outlet line to minimize contamination of the fuel line itself.

fuel pump reflector and windscreen

Field Testing

I've used the MSR XGK EX on several trips. These trips have been fairly evenly split between the desert of southern Utah and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Elevations have ranged from approximately 4500 ft (1400 m) to 8500 ft ( 2600 m). Temperatures have ranged from below 10º F (-12º C) to 65º F (18º C). I still haven't used the stove in an extremely strong wind, although I have experienced moderate winds. These trips have included several days of car camping, a six-day backpacking trip, and some shorter snowshoeing trips. On the snowshoeing trips, I used the back of my shovel blade as a platform to prevent the stove from sinking into the snow. Specific lighting instructions and descriptions can be found in my Initial Report.

The following are my overall impressions after my use of the MSR XGK EX stove:

1. Ease of Use – The stove is quite easy to use. I followed the easy-to-understand directions the first time I used the stove, and didn't look at them again. After only a few lightings, I had the priming procedure down pat and never had any flare-ups. The flame control valve is very simple to use, and a sputtering flame would announce that the fuel bottle needed pressurizing.

2. Temperature Control – As I mentioned earlier, the flame control is very simple to use. That said, I didn't have much luck keeping the flame at a "simmer" level. I was able to simmer for a brief amount of time, but it required constant adjustment of the flame control valve as well as constant repressurizing of the fuel bottle. This is definitely not a stove that can be set at a simmering level and left alone. Instead, this stove is more suited to the "boil, add, and stir" variety of meals, which is what I typically prepare. My typical temperature setting with this stove was "blowtorch," and it's pretty easy to find that setting. Most of my cooking was done with white gas; although I tried cooking with kerosene once. While I didn't measure the boil time, I found the performance to be fairly similar to white gas. I will most likely stick to white gas in the future. This is due not only to its abundance, but also to the fact that kerosene smell can be more difficult to wash off hands, clothing, etc.

3. Durability – This is one tough stove. It's rolled around in the back of my Jeep, tossed inside of my cook pot, banged around in my pack, and it still looks great. There are no dents and very few scratches.

4. Boil Time – I've found the manufacturer's listed boil time to be quite accurate. I boiled 32 oz (1 L) on a fairly still night, with a temperature around 30º F (-1º C). I used the reflector and wind screen. I was using white gas as the fuel. Shortly after 3 minutes, the water was bubbling slightly. By 3.5 minutes (the manufacturer's claim), the water was bubbling significantly. The water reached a rolling boil at 3 minutes and 45 seconds. Pretty impressive. As the MSR XGK EX is primarily an expedition stove, I also tested the amount of time required to melt, but not boil, 32 oz (1 L) of water from snow. Starting with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot, it took me 2 minutes and 45 seconds to get 32 oz (1 L) of water. The snow I melted was very consolidated Rocky Mountain snow. Of course, melting different types of snow and ice will affect the length of time required to get a certain amount of water.

5. Stability – The only time I would worry about a pot shifting or falling off of the stove is when myself or one of my friends bumped the pot, stove, or fuel bottle. The pot supports are fantastic, the the stove sits very low to the ground, making it extremely stable.

6. Fuel Consumption – The MSR XGK EX consumed 1.25 oz (37 mL) of white gas while boiling 32 oz (1 L) of water and melting the water equivalent of 32 oz (1 L) of snow. Over the course of my six day backpacking trip, I used 7.5 oz (220 mL) of white gas. I boiled water for every breakfast and dinner. I boiled water for tea during 2 of my lunch breaks. I used the wind screen every time, but did not use the circular heat reflector.

7. Maintenance – What little maintenance this stove requires is quite easy. The Shaker Jet keeps the fuel line very clean, and further minimizes any required maintenance. Disassembling and reassembling directions are clearly laid out in the instructions. Given the performance of the stove so far, I don't see maintenance being a problem whatsoever.

Conclusion

The MSR XGK EX stove has earned a place in my winter pack. It has proven to be indispensable when conditions necessitate the melting of snow or ice for drinking water. Due to the weight and bulk of the XGK EX, I can't justify bringing it on late spring, summer, or early fall trips. I prefer to travel as light as possible, and the XGK EX doesn't fit into the "fast-and-light" philosophy. This stove has proven to be very easy to use, very durable, and very easy to maintain.

Thank you to MSR and BackPackGearTest.org for giving me the chance to test this wonderful stove.

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