Review: The New MSR Windburner

MSR (Mountain Safety Research, Seattle, WA, USA, a division of Cascade Designs) has come out with a new stove system:  The Windburner.

UPDATE 08 May 2017:  MSR has updated the Windburner with a couple of new options:  A 1.8 L pot and a frying pan.  Please see my new review at:  The Windburner for Two (new 1.8 L pot review).

For a more comprehensive look at Integrated canister stoves, please see:

• Integrated Canister Stoves – The State of the Art

For a look at the entire realm of Canister Stoves, please see:

• Canister Stoves Compared – A Compendium of Canister Stoves

The new Windburner from MSR

The Windburner is a high efficiency integrated canister gas stove which borrows the windproof burner concept from the MSR Reactor.  With the Windburner, you're not just buying a stove, you're buying an entire system, with pot with lid, cup/bowl, burner, and canister stand.   It's very nearly a complete backcountry kitchen.  You need only bring a spoon and an ignition source.

Note:  When first introduced, the Windburner was named the Windboiler.  Apparently Jetboil took exception to this name and threatened legal action.  MSR renamed the stove from Windboiler to Windburner.  In my review, I tried to change over to the new name, but if you see Windboiler instead of Windburner, rest assured that it's one and the same stove.

Features That Actually Work
My overall impression is one of attention to detail.  The main player in the field is Jetboil, and in some ways, Jetboil has gotten a little sloppy.  For example, have you ever tried to use the handle on the Jetboil?  It just doesn't work.

The handle on the Jetboil.  Not so good.

By contrast, the Windburner's handle is functional and rock steady – while still folding away when you pack it up.

The handle on a Windburner can be used as, well, a handle.  Fancy that.

And that tiny thing on the bottom of a Jetboil that they call a cup?  I don't even know where my Jetboil cup is; I mean that thing is so useless that I just don't use it.  The cup on the Windburner holds half a liter and the lid fits equally well on both the pot and the cup.

Not only does the lid fit, it's water tight.  I can even lift the entire stove by the lid, canister still attached.

The lid on a Windburner is so good that it's actually water tight.
Do NOT try that with boiling water with a Jetboil!

The lid on a Jetboil always comes off in my pack, so I wind up fishing for the contents, contents that should all be together.

Yes, these are all minor annoyances, but in this regard, MSR hasn't missed a thing.  All of the features on the new Windburner are well thought out, well executed, and, bottom line, they work.

Add to that "bombproof" wind resistance, and you've got one heck of a stove system.

I've been blogging the past month about this new stove, so I won't belabor all of what I've said previously.  For more detailed information, I'll refer you to what has already been posted.  Please see the below sections.

Wind Resistance and Consistent Fuel Efficiency
The most dramatic results (and the most impressive to me personally) relate to the name of the stove, the "Wind" boiler.  By the very name, MSR is laying claim to a stove that can stand up to the elements.  I did a variety of wind tests, and I have to say that the Windburner is head and shoulders above the competition in this regard.  I couldn't even get the Windburner to acknowledge that it was windy.  During heavy winds, it went on as though nothing unusual were happening.  The stove I was comparing it to could not even bring water to a boil, let alone have normal function.  The two videos I took of the Windburner basically shutting the competition down are worth seeing in my opinion.  Please see:

• Wind Testing

Snow Creek in the windy San Gorgonio Pass area, site of some of the wind testing

Overview and Basic Features
For an overview of the system and the basic features of the stove, please see:

• "First Look" Report
• Trail Report #1

Mount Williamson (8248'/2514m),site of some of the on trail testing

Optional Extras
The Windburner has a couple of optional items that you can add to the system if you so desire.  They include a coffee press and a hanging kit.  You can also buy a stand alone second pot so that you and a partner can each have a pot and share a single burner.  Given how fast the Windburner is, this is a perfectly reasonable arrangement.

In terms of the optional extras, I was particularly impressed that the hanging kit did NOT need to be assembled each and every time and that one could just wrap it around the burner and store the entire assembly in the pot, ready to go.  For more on the individual items, please see:

• Coffee Press
• Hanging Kit

The hanging kit can be stowed, fully assembled, by simply wrapping the cables around the burner.

Can This Thing Actually Cook?
It's a stove after all, so naturally you'll want to know what it's capabilities are in the cooking department.  The Windburner has markedly better flame adjustability than it's predecessor, the Reactor.  However, I found that it couldn't simmer, at least not if you used a strict definition of the word "simmer", but that there were some good cooking options for typical trail fare.  Please see:

• Cooking Ability

A hot lunch, courtesy of the MSR Windburner.  Yum!  

Three Things to Note
Here are three things that you should note about the Windburner.

1.  Loose Cozy:  With the Windburner, the cozy may not always lock quite right to the pot.  This is a known issue with some of the first run cozies that has now been corrected.  It's a minor annoyance, but MSR will replace your cozy for free if you request it.  It's not hard to replace the cozy. Details at the link, below.

2.  Resetting the Burner:  If the burner gets too hot, it will automatically shut off so you don't fry your stove.  You will need to reset the burner if it overheats.  Details at the link, below.

3.  Underburn:  You could get "underburn" where the flame goes beneath the surface of the burner.  It's rare, but it could happen.  The corrective action is simple – if you know how to do it.  Details at the link, below.

• MSR Windburner – Three Things to Note

Middle Fork, Lytle Creek, site of some of the on trail and wind testing.

Advantages of the Windburner
You can read through all of the detailed posts, but I thought I'd put together a list of some of the advantages of the Windburner.

1. Nearly foolproof in wind.  Now, I realize that not everyone cooks in exposed, windy places, but even if you cook in relatively sheltered spots, you're always losing something to the wind in terms of time and fuel with conventional stoves.  Not so with the Windburner.  And for those occasions where it really is windy, you'll be able to cook almost as if there were no wind at all while those around you will be eating uncooked food.  I would think windproofness would be of particular advantage to alpinists, mountaineers, "big wall" climbers, desert travellers, those who camp above tree line, travellers at high latitudes, and anyone who camps or cooks in areas where sheltered spots are difficult to come by.  Of course anyone who camps or cooks in areas prone to heavy winds would benefit most of all.
2. Predictability.  The longer the trip, the harder it is to predict your fuel needs, particularly if wind and weather play hob with your fuel consumption.  The Windburner takes very little notice of the vicissitudes of wind, making it's fuel consumption relatively consistent and therefore far easier to predict.
3. Efficiency.  An efficient stove gets the maximum number of boils out of a canister of gas.  Use a less efficient stove, and you'll be giving up boils you might have otherwise had.  Efficiency is particularly important on longer trips, particularly in areas where you can't always count on the availability of resupply.
4. Speed and Convenience.  The Windburner is a consistently fast stove and an all in one solution.  Buy one and you're done with stove shopping for your trip.  You'll need to do very little else besides buying fuel.  Not only that, but you'll be eating while everyone else is still waiting.  After a long day on the trail, hot food in a hurry with minimum hassle is one of the chief arguing points in favor of an integrated canister stove.
5. Features that actually work.  There's been a tremendous amount of thought and attention to detail that has gone into the Windburner, and it shows.  The features are all eminently practical, and they work.
6. Packability.  Everything packs together marvelously.  I was particularly impressed with how the coffee press takes up essentially no additional room in one's pack, but all of the other components are equally well thought out in terms of how things pack up and fit together.

An exposed, wind swept ridge, low elevation test site for the Windburner

Disadvantages of the Windburner

1. Price.  Actually this is a two edged sword.  On the one hand at MSRP of $130, the Windburner is well situated among other regulator valved integrated canister stoves like the Aluminum Jetboil Sol at $120, the Jetboil MiniMo at $130, and the titanium Jetboil Sol at $150.  Also, the Windburner at $130 makes Reactor technology available for a good deal less – the least expensive Reactor is $190.  On the other hand, no one can argue that $130 is cheap even if the unit does include a pot and cup/bowl.  Moreover, there are lower end non-regulator valved stoves like the Jetboil Flash at $100 and the Jetboil Zip at $80.  It will be interesting to see if the Windburner's features overcome the price advantage of the lower end integrated canister stoves.  See also the price and weight comparison chart in the appendix.
2. Weight.  While a highly efficient stove will save on fuel weight, the MSR Windburner is a bit heavy at 432 g/15.2 oz stated weight.  See the weight of all components and my comments in the appendix.  However, when compared to other 1.0 L sized integrated canister stoves, the Windburner is within about an ounce of their weights.  If one wants the advantages of an integrated canister stove like the Windburner, then at this juncture it will be necessary to tolerate the weight.  See also the price and weight comparison chart in the appendix.  My recommendations to MSR are to a) keep a close eye on manufacturing to insure that Windburners do not exceed their stated weight and b) for future generations of the system, to reduce the overall weight.  I've placed additional recommendations in Appendix IV.
   UPDATE, 7 January 2015:  I've received a note from MSR stating that production units are coming in heavier than the prototype units that the weights were originally calculated from.  MSR gave me a range.  Basically the unit I received is about in the middle of that range.  A weight just over 16 ounces should be about the weight of a unit that you would receive should you purchase one.  I might add that MSR was a bit chagrined about the miscalculation of the weights since they try to be transparent about such things.  I don't yet have an exact number for the revised stated weight, but it should be about 460 grams/16.2 ounces.  I think both MSR and the public would be well served by reducing the weight of the unit.
3. Only One Pot.  Yes, there's only one pot that can be used with a Windburner.  I tried a Jetboil pot.  It didn't work (didn't fit).  I tried a Reactor pot.  It didn't work (ridiculously unstable).  Even if another pot did work, it wouldn't necessarily be safe.  The carbon monoxide output of the stove might climb to dangerous levels, the stove could overheat, or the stove set up might be unstable.  MSR says that they're working on additional pots, but for now the 1.0 L pot is all that there is.  There is no frying pan option or group sized option.  That said, the Windburner is so fast that cooking for more than one person is completely within reason, particularly if a second 1.0 L pot is purchased.  The tall pot is a little hard to reach into with a standard length spoon, so make sure you get a long handled spoon.

The MSR Windburner:  Highly Recommended.


That's my review of the MSR Windburner.  If you want more details, there are plenty here on my blog.  I encourage you to browse to your heart's content.  If you have any questions or need clarification, please leave a comment in the comments section, below.

I thank you for joining me,

HJ

MSR Windburner Posts

• "First Look" Report
• Trail Report #1
• Hanging Kit I
• Lighting the Windburner
• Wind Testing
• Coffee Press
• Hanging Kit II
• MSR Windburner – Three Things to Note
• Cooking Ability
• Final, Completed Review

Heat exchanger detail, MSR Windburner

Appendix I  – Technical Details

Manufacturer:     MSR, a division of Cascade Designs.
Date available:     Currently available.
Manufacturer’s Website:     http://www.cascadedesigns.com/MSR
MSRP:     $130.00 (USD)
Stated Weight:   432 g/15.2 ounces
Measured Weight:   457 g/16.1 ounces
Materials:   Aluminum (pot and heat exchanger)
Packed Dimensions:   171 mm/6.7" tall, 102 mm/4.0" wide.  See First Look for further info.
Size/Model tested:   Max capacity, 1000ml/34 fl. oz.  Practical capacity, 600ml/20 fl oz. (per MSR; I think you could get away with 750 ml/25 fl oz, if you were careful).
Requirements:   A standard threaded canister of gas (sold separately).
Warranty info:   Contact the MSR/Cascade Designs Customer Service Center (see website, above)
Colors Available:   Red or Gray

Appendix II – Component Weights

MSR Windburner Weights

Component	Grams	Ounces
Pot (bare)	147	5.19
Cozy & Handle	49	1.73
Bowl	32	1.13
Pack Cloth	1	0.04
Canister Legs	16	0.56
Lid	13	0.46
Burner	199	7.02
Total	457	16.12

Stated vs. Measured Weights

	Grams	Ounces
Measured	457	16.12
Stated	432	15.24
Difference	25	0.88

Note:  "Stated" weights are the weights listed on the MSR website.  "Measured" weights are those weights I measured with my gram scale at home.  All measurements were made in grams.  Weights in ounces are a calculated figure.  Some rounding error may occur.  In the case of any apparent discrepancy, use the weight in grams.

UPDATE, 7 January 2015:  I've received a note from MSR stating that production units are coming in heavier than the prototype units that the weights were originally calculated from.  MSR gave me a range.  Basically the unit I received is about in the middle of that range.  A weight just over 16 ounces should be about the weight of a unit that you would receive should you purchase one.  I might add that MSR was a bit chagrined about the miscalculation of the weights since they try to be transparent about such things.  I don't yet have an exact number for the revised stated weight, but it should be about 460 grams/16.2 ounces.

The MSR Windburner

Appendix III – Comparative Table of Weights and Prices

Integrated Canister Stove	Capacity (liters)	Weight (g)	Weight (oz)	Retail Price
Jetboil Sol (Ti)	0.8	279	9.8	$150.00
Jetboil Sol (Al)	0.8	312	11.0	$120.00
Jetboil Zip	0.8	345	12.2	$80.00
Jetboil Flash	1.0	400	14.1	$100.00
Jetboil MiniMo	1.0	415	14.6	$130.00
MSR Reactor	1.0	417	14.7	$190.00
MSR Windburner	1.0	432	15.2	$130.00

Weights are generally the manufacturer's stated weights in grams.  The notable exception is the weight of the titanium version of the Jetboil Sol.  The Jetboil website has "spin doctored" the numbers to make the titanium version appear lighter.  My number is based on an "apples to apples" comparison.   The weight of individual stoves will vary.  Ounces are a calculated figure based on a conversion factor of 28.3495.  Stoves are sorted in order of weight with the lightest stove first.  Note that all of the 1.0 L capacity stoves are within about an ounce of each other in terms of weight.  The spread is 32 grams from the lightest 1.0 L stove to the heaviest.

UPDATE, 7 January 2015:  I've received a note from MSR stating that production units are coming in heavier than the prototype units that the weights were originally calculated from.  MSR gave me a range.  Basically the unit I received is about in the middle of that range.  A weight just over 16 ounces should be about the weight of a unit that you would receive should you purchase one.  I might add that MSR was a bit chagrined about the miscalculation of the weights since they try to be transparent about such things.  I don't yet have an exact number for the revised stated weight, but it should be about 460 grams/16.2 ounces.

Note:  My information is that Jetboil is discontinuing their Sol line of stoves (both types).

Size comparisons.
L to R:  MSR Reactor (1.0 L), MSR Windburner (1.0 L), Original Jetboil PCS (1.0 L), Jetboil Al Sol (0.8 L).

Appendix IV – Recommendations for Improvement
1.  Canister Stand.  The gray canister stand is a little easy to lose, particularly in areas with gray granite, such as the Sierra Nevada Mountains (and many others).  A brighter color, one easily seen in low light conditions would be preferable.
2.  Coffee Press.  The lower section of the rod rolls away far too easily.  Making it cross sectionally elliptical or adding a small plastic piece just above the threaded end would better prevent rolling.  Yes, I did notice the spot where the lower section can be slid into the handle of the upper section.  I still believe the lower section would benefit from modification.
3.  Weight.  Obviously some reduction in weight would make the unit more more palatable.  The chief complaint I've heard from my readership concerns weight.
4.  Capacity.  Obviously, there will be people that want a larger capacity pot.  I know MSR is working on it.
5.  Auto ignition.  A lot of people are quite surprised to find that the Windburner does not have an ignition of some kind.  It is nice with a locking pot to have an integrated ignition.  I realize that there may be constraints (like reliability), but piezoelectric ignitions have improved tremendously.  The Soto Microregulator and Soto Windmaster have particularly good ignition systems.  The design of the Windburner's burner surface may make this quite challenging, but still I think it ought to be considered.
6.  Height.  Particularly as new pots are developed, I would think the height ought to be reduced and the width increased. I tested the current 1.0 L pot, and the stability is good with the canister stand, but a lot of people may not read that far in my review(s) and may write the Windburner off as unstable based on appearances alone.  A wider pot is easier to reach into and would should be stable as well.

A Jetboil MiniMo (left) and an MSR Windburner (right), both 1.0 L in capacity.
The Windburner is a wonderful unit but might benefit from shorter, wider pots in the future.
Note also how the non-MSR canister stand on the left stands out better with its bright color.

Disclosures
The item reviewed here was provided to me at no charge for the purposes of this review.  I am under no obligation to review this or any other item.  I am not compensated for my reviews in any fashion other than in some cases I am permitted to keep the item reviewed.  Given that I have well over a 100 backpacking stoves, a free stove frankly isn't going to buy anyone a good review.  Stove companies must measure up if they want a decent review here.  I am an amatuer stove blogger; I make my living elsewhere, in the IT field.  I fit blogging in as time permits.  Inasmuch as my income is derived elsewhere, monetary issues do not influence the reviews on this blog.  Yes, I do have advertisements on the blog.  I typically derive about $1.00 USD per day from the advertisements (last I checked).  This is a mere pittance and does not influence my reviews in the slightest.  Revenue from the advertisements goes toward hosting fees, stove fuel, and the like.  The blog is self supporting in that sense, and my wife is quite happy that I'm not using the family's income to run the blog, particularly given how tough the economy is these days.

Field Testing on Mount San Antonio.  Jetboil Sol, left.  MSR Windburner, right.