woodmark0
2005-06-15 19:35:52 UTC
Brunton Optimus NOVA Multi-Fuel Stove
Owner Review June 14, 2005
Name: Mark Wood
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 11" (1.8 m)
Weight: 240 lbs (109 kg)
Email Address: woodmark0 at yahoo dot com
Location: Chenango County, NY U.S.A.
Backpacking Background
I grew up camping with my parents and have taken a few short
backpacking trips as well as two 10-day trips. My wife and I have
really gotten into hiking this year and our goal is to try to take one
weekend overnight trip every month through fall. We live near the
Catskills and the Adirondacks and wish to explore them in the upcoming
years. This means hiking on rather rocky, hilly terrain.
We try to purchase gear that performs well, while lowering our total
carried weight. As an engineer, I enjoy researching different gear
options in order to make an informed decision. My general base pack
weight is currently around 25 lbs.
Product Information
Manufacturer: Brunton
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL of Manufacturer: http://www.brunton.com
MSRP: $149.00 U.S. Dollars
Listed Weight: 15.1 oz (429 g) for stove and pump
Weight as Delivered: 15.4 oz (437 g) for stove and pump
Listed Folded Dimensions (HxLxW): 3.6 in x 4.3 in x 2.4 in (9.1 x 10.9
x 6.1)
Measured Folded Dimensions (HxLxW): 3.6 in x 4.5 in x 2.4 in (9.1 x
11.4 x 6.1)
Fuels Used: White gas, kerosene, diesel #1, auto fuel, jet fuel, and
others
Rating: 2850 watts / 9700 btu
Burn Time: Up to 2.5 hours at high output on one filling (15.5 fl. oz
/ 0.45 L)
Listed Boil Time (1 quart / 1 L of water): Down to 3.5 minutes
Item Description
The Brunton Optimus NOVA Multi-Fuel stove was originally designed and
built by Optimus but is now manufactured by Brunton. The stove is
constructed from sturdy stainless steel and brass and comes with an
aluminum pump, a 20 fl. oz (0.6 L) fuel bottle, a durable cordura
carrying case, a multi-tool for all field repairs and a small kit with
extra o-rings and fuel filter.
Some of the key features which really stand out to me are the ability
to burn multiple fuels with the same fuel jet, the ability for this
stove to simmer, and the flipstop aluminum pump. I know of numerous
other stoves which burn many fuels, but there is always the constant
struggle with changing out the jet. Not only is this somewhat time
consuming, but trying to change the tiny jets in the woods seem to me
like it would present a whole slew of problems (with the worst being
loosing either the jet or one of the small nuts needed to re-assemble
the stove). As far as simmering goes, I'm not in any way a gourmet
cook. However, I don't always like to simply boil water. To me, the
ability to simmer was a key feature of the stove. It seems like a
total waste of fuel to always run your stove on high and have to
remove the pan and its contents in order to control the heat. I would
prefer to leave my food on the burner and simply turn the burner down
with minimal fuss. Finally, the idea of getting fuel all over the
place when trying to remove the stove from the fuel pump after use
really didn't appeal to me. To this end, the NOVA came up with the
brilliant idea of allowing the user to flip the fuel bottle and pump
assembly over and have the stove purge itself of fuel in the line.
Reason For Purchase
As my wife and I decided to take a week long hike along the AT in
Shenandoah National Park, we realized that my old Colman stove was
simply too big for backpacking use. I wanted something reliable and
durable. However, since I was always going to be cooking for two, and
my wife and I like to eat well, I decided that I needed a stove which
could heat meals for two and simmer reasonably well. This eliminated
alcohol stoves for the most part due to the lack of simmering they
offer. I also wanted a stove which would be easy to find fuel for in
any situation. The more I looked, the more appealing a multi-fuel
stove appeared. There are many lighter alternatives to multi-fuel
stoves, but the weight will be shared among two people and I figured
it was one item where I didn't want to skimp. After much reading and
research, I learned that the NOVA was among the premier multi-fuel
stoves and its attractive list of features really made it look
appealing. However, the price was quite high and I rationalized to
myself that if I could find a good deal on one, I would take the
plunge and treat myself to what looked like the best multi-fuel stove
available. Luckily for me, I found a good deal, and the stove appeared
at my doorstep less than a week later.
Initial Impressions
The stove came securely packaged in a cardboard sleeve. Inside of the
packaging there was the stove itself, the pump unit which came
attached to the included fuel bottle, the cordura carrying case, the
multi-tool, a package with spare o-rings and spare fuel filter, a
screw-in lid for the fuel bottle (for when the pump is not attached)
and a nice fold-out instruction manual. Everything appeared in perfect
shape. The first thing which impressed me regarding the stove was how
sturdy the stove and pump really! The stove can easily hold a full
size kitchen pot full of water. Furthermore, the legs, which wrap
around the main part of the stove when not in use, snap out to the
unfolded position with a firm click. There is no worry of them
collapsing while in use. The aluminum pump is also very sturdy. I've
tried plastic pumps for other stoves and always felt that they were
somewhat weak. Not so with the NOVA pump. I fully expect that this
pump is capable of holding up to some serious use. I also spent a few
minutes looking at the multi-tool. It is different than anything else
I've ever seen as it has a large magnet attached to it. Reading a
little more about the operation of the stove, I found that this is to
operate the cleaning needle. One simply has to place this magnet
under the stove body and an internal needle will poke upward through
the jet. This works when the stove is lit as well.
After familiarizing myself with the stove, I decided it was time to
light it. I filled the included fuel bottle to the fill line stamped
on the bottle with white gas (Colman Fuel). I screwed in the fuel pump
and immediately checked to make sure there were no leaks. The pump
seems to seal quite well as I could shake the bottle upside down and
no fuel appeared anywhere around the threads or the pump handle
itself. I then unfolded the stove and straightened the fuel line. The
fuel line attaches to the pump via a collared snap fitting. One
simply presses the end of the fuel line into the pump fitting and the
collar snaps into place, locking the stove to the pump. The fitting
felt crisp and made and audible snap when connected. I followed the
recommendation of pumping the fuel bottle 25 times and noticed that
the pump seemed not to be working correctly. Disassembly of the pump
unit is simple and requires no tools. A simple thumb screw removes
the pump handle and the associated leather cup which is used to force
air into the bottle. Close inspection of this leather cup revealed
that it was torn when the pump was assembled. I e-mailed the
technical support and within 5 days, a new leather cup was waiting in
my mailbox. VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!
Continuing with my testing, I installed the new leather cup after
lubricating it with some oil and resumed where I left off 5 days
earlier. This time, I could feel and hear the pump pressurizing the
fuel bottle. The action of the pump was smooth and very easy to use.
There was no binding or flexing of the pump handle. After the
recommended 25 strokes, I opened the valve for the recommended 2 - 3
seconds. It was possible to see the fuel shooting through the jet and
soaking the wick material below the fuel line. Lighting this wick
provided a steady orange flame that was about twice as tall as the
stove. This flame continued for close to 25 seconds at which time it
began to fade slowly. Opening the valve at this time gave me a nice
hiss and a pretty blue flame. Wow! That was easy! Giving the pump a
few more strokes made a very steady flame.
I played a little with the burner settings and noticed that I could go
from a very nice low simmer to a very high blowtorch type flame.
Satisfied that the flame control was smooth and working properly, I
flipped the fuel bottle over. This raises the fuel intake line out of
the fuel and into the air bubble in the fuel bottle. On high, the
amount of fuel left in the fuel line was reported to last around 1
minute. I didn't have a stopwatch handy, but I would estimate that
the 1 minute is very close to the truth. Just as the fuel runs out in
the line, a hissing noise begins as the pressurized air purges itself
from the bottle and line. In this way, most of the pressure is
released from the bottle and you can un-clip the fuel bottle from the
stove without spilling so much as a drop of fuel.
I have never timed how long it takes to boil water, but would guess
around 5 minutes of time to boil 1 quart (1 liter) of water. This is
assuming a medium flame and a windscreen. I found that by turning the
stove to full power, most of the flame (and therefore the heat) tended
to curl around my pot and travel up the sides. Turning the heat down
a little resulted in more of the flame contacting the bottom of my pot
and therefore, faster boil times. This should also save fuel. I've
heard that other fuels provide faster boil times, though I've never
actually tested these claims.
Field Use
This stove has been tested on a weekend backpacking trip in the
Catskills of New York at 1000 - 3000 feet (305 - 914 m) and on a 10
day backpacking trip in Shenandoah National Park at 1000 - 3700 feet
(305 - 1126 m) above sea level. During those two trips, the
temperature varied from 35 F (1.6 C) to 70 F (21 C). On both trips,
rain was experienced.
On both trips, the stove performed flawlessly. I never had a problem
lighting the stove and with a simple tin foil windscreen, the stove
never was extinguished by the wind. Having not tested fuel consumption
before leaving for the weekend trip, I filled the included fuel bottle
to the fill line. After cooking 4 meals as I would on a kitchen range
(simmering for 10 minutes, etc...) I found that the fuel bottle was
still 3/4 full. Not too bad as I estimate the stove was probably used
for 2 full hours at simmer levels. I also noticed on this trip that
it takes considerably longer to purge the fuel line after flipping the
bottle and pump assembly when you have the flame set to simmer (around
2 minutes or so). I started realizing that I could simply flip the
fuel bottle 2 minutes before the meal was done and proceeded to do
this for all meals but the first. I even cooked in heavy rains and
found that the stove seemed not to be effected at all so long as you
don't let the priming wick get wet before the stove is primed.
On the longer trip, I still wasn't sure how much fuel to carry. So I
decided to take a 1 quart (1 L) MSR bottle full of fuel along with the
included Brunton bottle full of fuel. The pump assembly attached
easily to either bottle making it effortless to switch when one became
empty. It wasn't until the sixth day, having cooked two or sometimes
even three meals every day that the included bottle became empty. In
my mind, fuel consumption is very good.
As well as the stove performed, a few concerns surfaced through field
testing. The first concern is with regards to the pump. The
directions recommend leaving the pump attached to the bottle for
transportation and this seems reasonable since it is de-pressurized at
the completion of cooking. However, I found that if I didn't allow
the bottle to completely de-pressurize, the pump handle would raise on
its own accord through the day in my wife's pack. While we never
experienced any fuel leakage, the handle is rather exposed in its
raised position and could become bent easily. This problem can easily
be overcome by simply letting the fuel bottle fully de-pressurize.
The second minor problem I noticed was that the stove cools very
quickly. While this is good in many cases, I noticed that if I turned
the stove off using the regulation valve and not by flipping the
bottle over, I only had a minute or two before the stove cooled
sufficiently to require re-priming. This led me to leave the stove on
a very low flame instead of shutting it off should the occasion arise.
The final two issues are really more nit picks than anything else. I
would really like this stove to be a bit quieter (it is much quieter
than many but still makes a decent amount of noise). Also, I would
really think that for the MSRP, the manufacturer should include a wind
screen. Granted one can easily construct a sufficient screen from
foil, but any serious user will want a wind screen and therefore, it
should be included.
Conclusion
For my uses, the NOVA is an ideal stove. It cooks as well as any
kitchen range I've ever used and is very fuel friendly. Plus, it's so
stable that I never have to worry about loosing my gourmet creation!
There are lighter alternatives, but for a sturdy multi-fuel stove
that can simmer, the weight is really not that bad.
Pros:
- Easy to use!
- Very stable and durable
- Excellent flame control
- No messy fuel connections
Cons:
- Expensive and should include a windscreen
- A little loud
- Pump handle tends to rise during transport if the fuel bottle is not
fully de-pressurized
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Yahoo! Groups Links
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Owner Review June 14, 2005
Name: Mark Wood
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 11" (1.8 m)
Weight: 240 lbs (109 kg)
Email Address: woodmark0 at yahoo dot com
Location: Chenango County, NY U.S.A.
Backpacking Background
I grew up camping with my parents and have taken a few short
backpacking trips as well as two 10-day trips. My wife and I have
really gotten into hiking this year and our goal is to try to take one
weekend overnight trip every month through fall. We live near the
Catskills and the Adirondacks and wish to explore them in the upcoming
years. This means hiking on rather rocky, hilly terrain.
We try to purchase gear that performs well, while lowering our total
carried weight. As an engineer, I enjoy researching different gear
options in order to make an informed decision. My general base pack
weight is currently around 25 lbs.
Product Information
Manufacturer: Brunton
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL of Manufacturer: http://www.brunton.com
MSRP: $149.00 U.S. Dollars
Listed Weight: 15.1 oz (429 g) for stove and pump
Weight as Delivered: 15.4 oz (437 g) for stove and pump
Listed Folded Dimensions (HxLxW): 3.6 in x 4.3 in x 2.4 in (9.1 x 10.9
x 6.1)
Measured Folded Dimensions (HxLxW): 3.6 in x 4.5 in x 2.4 in (9.1 x
11.4 x 6.1)
Fuels Used: White gas, kerosene, diesel #1, auto fuel, jet fuel, and
others
Rating: 2850 watts / 9700 btu
Burn Time: Up to 2.5 hours at high output on one filling (15.5 fl. oz
/ 0.45 L)
Listed Boil Time (1 quart / 1 L of water): Down to 3.5 minutes
Item Description
The Brunton Optimus NOVA Multi-Fuel stove was originally designed and
built by Optimus but is now manufactured by Brunton. The stove is
constructed from sturdy stainless steel and brass and comes with an
aluminum pump, a 20 fl. oz (0.6 L) fuel bottle, a durable cordura
carrying case, a multi-tool for all field repairs and a small kit with
extra o-rings and fuel filter.
Some of the key features which really stand out to me are the ability
to burn multiple fuels with the same fuel jet, the ability for this
stove to simmer, and the flipstop aluminum pump. I know of numerous
other stoves which burn many fuels, but there is always the constant
struggle with changing out the jet. Not only is this somewhat time
consuming, but trying to change the tiny jets in the woods seem to me
like it would present a whole slew of problems (with the worst being
loosing either the jet or one of the small nuts needed to re-assemble
the stove). As far as simmering goes, I'm not in any way a gourmet
cook. However, I don't always like to simply boil water. To me, the
ability to simmer was a key feature of the stove. It seems like a
total waste of fuel to always run your stove on high and have to
remove the pan and its contents in order to control the heat. I would
prefer to leave my food on the burner and simply turn the burner down
with minimal fuss. Finally, the idea of getting fuel all over the
place when trying to remove the stove from the fuel pump after use
really didn't appeal to me. To this end, the NOVA came up with the
brilliant idea of allowing the user to flip the fuel bottle and pump
assembly over and have the stove purge itself of fuel in the line.
Reason For Purchase
As my wife and I decided to take a week long hike along the AT in
Shenandoah National Park, we realized that my old Colman stove was
simply too big for backpacking use. I wanted something reliable and
durable. However, since I was always going to be cooking for two, and
my wife and I like to eat well, I decided that I needed a stove which
could heat meals for two and simmer reasonably well. This eliminated
alcohol stoves for the most part due to the lack of simmering they
offer. I also wanted a stove which would be easy to find fuel for in
any situation. The more I looked, the more appealing a multi-fuel
stove appeared. There are many lighter alternatives to multi-fuel
stoves, but the weight will be shared among two people and I figured
it was one item where I didn't want to skimp. After much reading and
research, I learned that the NOVA was among the premier multi-fuel
stoves and its attractive list of features really made it look
appealing. However, the price was quite high and I rationalized to
myself that if I could find a good deal on one, I would take the
plunge and treat myself to what looked like the best multi-fuel stove
available. Luckily for me, I found a good deal, and the stove appeared
at my doorstep less than a week later.
Initial Impressions
The stove came securely packaged in a cardboard sleeve. Inside of the
packaging there was the stove itself, the pump unit which came
attached to the included fuel bottle, the cordura carrying case, the
multi-tool, a package with spare o-rings and spare fuel filter, a
screw-in lid for the fuel bottle (for when the pump is not attached)
and a nice fold-out instruction manual. Everything appeared in perfect
shape. The first thing which impressed me regarding the stove was how
sturdy the stove and pump really! The stove can easily hold a full
size kitchen pot full of water. Furthermore, the legs, which wrap
around the main part of the stove when not in use, snap out to the
unfolded position with a firm click. There is no worry of them
collapsing while in use. The aluminum pump is also very sturdy. I've
tried plastic pumps for other stoves and always felt that they were
somewhat weak. Not so with the NOVA pump. I fully expect that this
pump is capable of holding up to some serious use. I also spent a few
minutes looking at the multi-tool. It is different than anything else
I've ever seen as it has a large magnet attached to it. Reading a
little more about the operation of the stove, I found that this is to
operate the cleaning needle. One simply has to place this magnet
under the stove body and an internal needle will poke upward through
the jet. This works when the stove is lit as well.
After familiarizing myself with the stove, I decided it was time to
light it. I filled the included fuel bottle to the fill line stamped
on the bottle with white gas (Colman Fuel). I screwed in the fuel pump
and immediately checked to make sure there were no leaks. The pump
seems to seal quite well as I could shake the bottle upside down and
no fuel appeared anywhere around the threads or the pump handle
itself. I then unfolded the stove and straightened the fuel line. The
fuel line attaches to the pump via a collared snap fitting. One
simply presses the end of the fuel line into the pump fitting and the
collar snaps into place, locking the stove to the pump. The fitting
felt crisp and made and audible snap when connected. I followed the
recommendation of pumping the fuel bottle 25 times and noticed that
the pump seemed not to be working correctly. Disassembly of the pump
unit is simple and requires no tools. A simple thumb screw removes
the pump handle and the associated leather cup which is used to force
air into the bottle. Close inspection of this leather cup revealed
that it was torn when the pump was assembled. I e-mailed the
technical support and within 5 days, a new leather cup was waiting in
my mailbox. VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!
Continuing with my testing, I installed the new leather cup after
lubricating it with some oil and resumed where I left off 5 days
earlier. This time, I could feel and hear the pump pressurizing the
fuel bottle. The action of the pump was smooth and very easy to use.
There was no binding or flexing of the pump handle. After the
recommended 25 strokes, I opened the valve for the recommended 2 - 3
seconds. It was possible to see the fuel shooting through the jet and
soaking the wick material below the fuel line. Lighting this wick
provided a steady orange flame that was about twice as tall as the
stove. This flame continued for close to 25 seconds at which time it
began to fade slowly. Opening the valve at this time gave me a nice
hiss and a pretty blue flame. Wow! That was easy! Giving the pump a
few more strokes made a very steady flame.
I played a little with the burner settings and noticed that I could go
from a very nice low simmer to a very high blowtorch type flame.
Satisfied that the flame control was smooth and working properly, I
flipped the fuel bottle over. This raises the fuel intake line out of
the fuel and into the air bubble in the fuel bottle. On high, the
amount of fuel left in the fuel line was reported to last around 1
minute. I didn't have a stopwatch handy, but I would estimate that
the 1 minute is very close to the truth. Just as the fuel runs out in
the line, a hissing noise begins as the pressurized air purges itself
from the bottle and line. In this way, most of the pressure is
released from the bottle and you can un-clip the fuel bottle from the
stove without spilling so much as a drop of fuel.
I have never timed how long it takes to boil water, but would guess
around 5 minutes of time to boil 1 quart (1 liter) of water. This is
assuming a medium flame and a windscreen. I found that by turning the
stove to full power, most of the flame (and therefore the heat) tended
to curl around my pot and travel up the sides. Turning the heat down
a little resulted in more of the flame contacting the bottom of my pot
and therefore, faster boil times. This should also save fuel. I've
heard that other fuels provide faster boil times, though I've never
actually tested these claims.
Field Use
This stove has been tested on a weekend backpacking trip in the
Catskills of New York at 1000 - 3000 feet (305 - 914 m) and on a 10
day backpacking trip in Shenandoah National Park at 1000 - 3700 feet
(305 - 1126 m) above sea level. During those two trips, the
temperature varied from 35 F (1.6 C) to 70 F (21 C). On both trips,
rain was experienced.
On both trips, the stove performed flawlessly. I never had a problem
lighting the stove and with a simple tin foil windscreen, the stove
never was extinguished by the wind. Having not tested fuel consumption
before leaving for the weekend trip, I filled the included fuel bottle
to the fill line. After cooking 4 meals as I would on a kitchen range
(simmering for 10 minutes, etc...) I found that the fuel bottle was
still 3/4 full. Not too bad as I estimate the stove was probably used
for 2 full hours at simmer levels. I also noticed on this trip that
it takes considerably longer to purge the fuel line after flipping the
bottle and pump assembly when you have the flame set to simmer (around
2 minutes or so). I started realizing that I could simply flip the
fuel bottle 2 minutes before the meal was done and proceeded to do
this for all meals but the first. I even cooked in heavy rains and
found that the stove seemed not to be effected at all so long as you
don't let the priming wick get wet before the stove is primed.
On the longer trip, I still wasn't sure how much fuel to carry. So I
decided to take a 1 quart (1 L) MSR bottle full of fuel along with the
included Brunton bottle full of fuel. The pump assembly attached
easily to either bottle making it effortless to switch when one became
empty. It wasn't until the sixth day, having cooked two or sometimes
even three meals every day that the included bottle became empty. In
my mind, fuel consumption is very good.
As well as the stove performed, a few concerns surfaced through field
testing. The first concern is with regards to the pump. The
directions recommend leaving the pump attached to the bottle for
transportation and this seems reasonable since it is de-pressurized at
the completion of cooking. However, I found that if I didn't allow
the bottle to completely de-pressurize, the pump handle would raise on
its own accord through the day in my wife's pack. While we never
experienced any fuel leakage, the handle is rather exposed in its
raised position and could become bent easily. This problem can easily
be overcome by simply letting the fuel bottle fully de-pressurize.
The second minor problem I noticed was that the stove cools very
quickly. While this is good in many cases, I noticed that if I turned
the stove off using the regulation valve and not by flipping the
bottle over, I only had a minute or two before the stove cooled
sufficiently to require re-priming. This led me to leave the stove on
a very low flame instead of shutting it off should the occasion arise.
The final two issues are really more nit picks than anything else. I
would really like this stove to be a bit quieter (it is much quieter
than many but still makes a decent amount of noise). Also, I would
really think that for the MSRP, the manufacturer should include a wind
screen. Granted one can easily construct a sufficient screen from
foil, but any serious user will want a wind screen and therefore, it
should be included.
Conclusion
For my uses, the NOVA is an ideal stove. It cooks as well as any
kitchen range I've ever used and is very fuel friendly. Plus, it's so
stable that I never have to worry about loosing my gourmet creation!
There are lighter alternatives, but for a sturdy multi-fuel stove
that can simmer, the weight is really not that bad.
Pros:
- Easy to use!
- Very stable and durable
- Excellent flame control
- No messy fuel connections
Cons:
- Expensive and should include a windscreen
- A little loud
- Pump handle tends to rise during transport if the fuel bottle is not
fully de-pressurized
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers.
At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/B9pRWD/3MnJAA/Y3ZIAA/V4TolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
To read our reviews, please visit http://www.backpackgeartest.org/
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BackpackGearTest-unsubscribe-***@public.gmane.org
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/