User Review: Coleman Fyrestorm Ti Stove

Coleman Fyrestorm Ti Stove
Above: The current Fyrestorm Ti Stove, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed March 27, 2008 by Roger Parkyn

Rating:
Price Paid: $140

This stove is hard to light when using Coleman fuel.

I bought it because I have been very pleased with two previous Colemans I have owned (the "Peak 1" and the "Apex 2") and got excellent reliable use out of during the past 30 years. Each did about 10 years of hard service, mostly in New Zealand and Tasmania (there was also an MSR XGK between them which also did a lot of use but was noisier, harder to light and couldn't simmer well).

I don't know what the Coleman engineers got wrong here but they haven't carried across the lighting feature. My other Colemans self primed well but, following Coleman's instructions, this one flares up for ages before settling down (in 2-3 minutes!). Also, it isn't a simple matter of waiting for the flare to die down as this process usually results in liquid fuel spreading around the base of the stove, causing quite a big fire and necessitating turning the fuel off at the stove.

After about 20 test-lights at home from cold I have now decided to always prime with methylated spirits. Because this stove has no built-in bowl for priming fluid I have made a little bowl from the bottom of an aluminium pop can. I put about a teaspoon of meths in, put the stove over it, then let it burn out.

After this priming it usually blasts straight into action but even that isn't 100% reliable. Sometimes it just passes out unlightable air. I can only infer that the fuel/air mixture is coming out too lean (this never happened on my old Colemans). Once it is running properly though, I have never had it stop and it does simmer well (e.g. better than MSR "Simmerlights" I have used).

Overall I am not confident to take this on remote mountain trips.