Take A Stand On Stoves
Product: MightyLite Stove Stand
Description: A 4.3 ounce stove stand made of a polycarbonate base with aircraft grade anodized aluminum as a heat shield and designed to house either the MSR Whisperlight, Whisperlight International or Rapidfire wilderness stoves. Elastic cords secure the fuel bottle, and adjustable and fixed clips hold the stove legs. A separate model, similar in weight and price is available for MSR’s XGK the definitive winter mountaineering stove.
Pro: The elastic cords stretch sufficiently so that they accommodate a wide variety of MSR fuel bottle sizes. Using the stand, the entire stove, including the bottle, is held securely as one unit, making it easy to move and carry if necessary, although moving a stove is never recommended while lit. The stand also provides a very stable base on a wide variety of uneven and soft terrain. The polycarbonate stand is very durable and remains somewhat flexible even at subzero temperatures. Unit is very heat resistant and even survived several intentional fuel spills and subsequent “flame-outs.”
Con: Very limited application for a specific brand of stoves. Use caution when packing the stand. The rivets, while not sharp, protrude sufficiently so as to provide a surface that abrades a pack’s inside coating quite quickly over the course of a weekend of hiking if they are left exposed.
Comments: In winter use or when trying to cook on soft or unstable terrain, such as sand or gravel, it is often difficult to provide a stable and secure cooking platform using an MSR stove. Under the weight of a cooking pot filled with water, one leg or the other frequently digs into the ground causing the entire ensemble to tip and dinner to dump - unless you are fleet of foot and fingers. With the MightyLite, the stove is held securely, its weight distributed widely and evenly, and dinner is, consequently, more likely to end up in your mouth than as a spreading stain on the ground.
Product is made by a new company, with sales handled by Tom Church of Coeur d’Alene.
Suggested retail: $27.
Company: Wilderness Concepts, 19517 SE 128th St., Renton, WA 98059; (206) 235-3431.