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MSR XGK EX Stove
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MSR XGK EX Stove

Item # 722001

$149.95

Item qualifies for annual
REI Member Refund (typically 10%)

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The stove of choice for expeditions throughout the world, XGK EX burns any liquid fuel from white gas to kerosene to jet fuel!

  • Improved design features a larger pot support and a flexible fuel line that can be wrapped up and stored inside a pot
  • Self-cleaning shaker jet has a built-in needle that pushes out built-up soot and debris with a simple shake of the stove
  • Bell-shape burner cup makes the stove extremely effective in cold temperatures and at high altitudes; now with feet that lift burner off the ground
  • Multi-fuel stove burns white gas, low-grade kerosene, auto fuel, Stoddard solvent, aviation (AV) gas, diesel #1 and naphtha
  • Fiberfax® priming pad makes priming and lighting fuels quick and easy while reducing spillage
  • Wide and sturdy pot supports handle continuous use with ease
  • Easily field maintainable with included cleaning and disassembly tools
  • Large-diameter fuel line allows poor quality fuels to burn well and requires less maintenance than smaller diameter fuel lines
  • Comes with aluminum windscreen, heat reflector, fuel pump and customized stuff sack
  • Requires MSR fuel bottle, sold separately
  • Weight of liquid fuel stove includes only stove and fuel pump

Here's what Backpacker Magazine had to say about the MSR XGK EX stove in its March 2006 Gear Guide issue: "This enduring multifuel stove is back and badder than ever . . . the XGK is our choice when the mercury slips way below freezing or we head overseas where fuel choices are limited."
MSR fuel bottle sold separately. Manufacturer's supplied specifications. Please note: MSR products can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Made in USA.

Item 722001

MSR XGK EX Stove Specs

Specification

Description

Suggested useBackpacking/mountaineering
Weight (without fuel)13.2 ounces
Dimensions5 x 3.9 x 3.5 inches
FuelWhite gas/kerosene/jet/auto
Stove stabilityGood
Pot stabilityExcellent
Average boil time - white gas4 min. 56 sec.
Average boil time - kerosene3 min. 20 sec.
Burn time - white gas(100g fuel) 22.3 minutes
Burn time - keroseneUA minutes
Water boiled - white gas(100g fuel) 4.6 liters
Water boiled - kerosene(100g fuel) UA liters
Ease of operation - white gasFair
Ease of operation - keroseneFair
Cold weather use - white gasExcellent
Cold weather use - keroseneExcellent

MSR XGK EX Stove Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
MSR XGK EX Stove
 
4.3

(based on 12 reviews)

83%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Powerful (12)
  • Stable (10)
  • Easy to light (9)
  • Compact (7)
  • Lightweight (7)

Cons

  • Poor temperature control (9)

Best Uses

  • Backpacking (10)
  • High altitude (9)
  • Hiking (6)
  • Reviewer Profile:
  • Avid adventurer (8)
  • What Is Your Gear Style:
  • Minimalist (9)

Reviewed by 12 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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Sep

9

2007

(8 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

 
3.0

great stove for blacksmithing

By Captn Willard

from Saint Louis, MO

About Me Avid Adventurer

Pros

  • Easy to Light
  • Powerful

Cons

  • Poor temperature control

Best Uses

  • Cycle touring

Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

I got the MSR to try it against my most excellent Brunton Optimus Nova. I was attracted by the multi-fuel capability and its claimed bullet-proof performance. What I under-estimated was how limited a range the stove would afford based upon its design to perform in alpine situations. The stove lights and vaporizes fuel quickly, allowing the user to boil water in a matter of minutes. What it lacks is any kind of effective control on the flame intensity aka fuel feed. This stove seems to be capable of only ON and OFF. The lack of sensitivity in fuel feed valve located on the pump also leads to problems with delayed reactions to any adjustments one tries to make with the fuel feed and, when the valve is full closed, always leaves an ounce or two of unused fuel in the fuel line that invariably goes to waste and creates for messy packing and storage. Would be that hard to put a secondary simmer valve like the one on the Dragonfly on the body of the XGK?

Get this stove if you want a blast furnace for boiling water/melting snow that burns anything from rocket fuel to 2% milk. Don't get it if you want a camp stove you can cook on.

Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

(8 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

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Dec

11

2008

(7 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

 
4.0

Good for Alpine Use

By Weiwei Alpine

from Palo Alto, CA

About Me Avid Adventurer

Site Member

Pros

  • Compact
  • Powerful
  • Stable

Cons

  • Difficult to Light
  • Poor temperature control

Best Uses

  • High Altitude

Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

The stove will be hard to light under low temperature. The gas just doesn't evaporate, and you may need a long stick match or some additional lightning tools to light the stove. After a few times try, you will eventually get it.

The stove works great if you don't do gourmet cooking (poor temperature control). Good for backpacker and mountaineering, not for comfort trips.

The stove is hard to be clogged because of its thick fuel pipe, compared to other MSR stoves.

I had tried whisperlite and dragon fly before. This one is more stable and durable than the whisperlite. It is cleaner than the whisperlite, and as clean as dragonfly. But it is definitely durable and stable than the other two: less likely to be clogged and better support to pot and pans.

If you care more for the temperature control, go for dragonfly But if you care more about price, go for whisperlite. If you care durability and compactibility, XGK is a good choice

  • Gift:
  • No
  • What Is Your Gear Style:
  • Minimalist

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

(7 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

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Jul

17

2008

(6 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

 
5.0

Reliable at altitude or any season

By J MUIR

from Fresno, CA USA

About Me Professional Guide

Site Member

Pros

  • Compact
  • Easy To Clean
  • Easy to Light
  • Great temperature control
  • Lightweight
  • Powerful
  • Stable

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Backpacking
    • High Altitude
    • Hiking

    Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

    I have used several of these stoves, including twice daily for four month periods as a backcountry ranger. I can make a Liter of fuel last two weeks, cooking twice a day. A very fine touch enables a simmer, wide open boils water quickly in a covered pot. Trustworthy in subfreezing temperatures in winter at altitude - works every time. Field maintainable! No one questions the XGK, other than a bit of noise.

    • What Is Your Gear Style:
    • Minimalist

    Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

    (6 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

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    Sep

    24

    2007

    (6 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

     
    5.0

    My second MSR stove

    By jason the geologist

    from Cincinnati, OH

    About Me Geologist

    Site Member

    Pros

    • Easy To Clean
    • Easy to Light
    • Fast boil
    • Lightweight
    • Powerful
    • Stable
    • Sturdy

    Cons

    • Loud
    • Poor temperature control

    Best Uses

    • Backpacking
    • High Altitude

    Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

    Great stove - significantly morp powerful than my dragon fly. Used it climbing in the west and while doing research on Denali. Looking foward to taking it to the Himalaya next year. Lack of fuel control is not a problem - i just had to be a little more attentive.

    However, its hard to hold a conversation while cooking.

    Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

    (6 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

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    Jul

    15

    2008

    (5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

     
    5.0

    Yes!

    By Cipher

    from San Diego, CA

    About Me Avid Adventurer

    Pros

    • Compact
    • Easy To Clean
    • Easy to Light
    • Lightweight
    • Powerful
    • Stable

    Cons

    • Poor temperature control

    Best Uses

    • Backpacking
    • High Altitude

    Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

    This is a pretty awesome stove! Sounds like a jet engine, its super strong. I like it way better then my other stoves, just make sure you have a pot that can handle the heat. I use the titanium pot and had no problems. Easy to clean, and its just a great stove all around.unsurpassed performance at high altitudes in my honest opinion.

    • What Is Your Gear Style:
    • Minimalist

    Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

    (5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

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    Mar

    1

    2008

    (5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

     
    5.0

    not for beginer

    By packing out

    from Bend Oregon

    About Me Avid Adventurer

    Pros

    • Compact
    • Easy To Clean
    • Easy to Light
    • Lightweight
    • Powerful
    • Stable

    Cons

    • Poor temperature control

    Best Uses

    • Backpacking

    Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

    Not quick to write reviews I have on the stove for more than three years now with no complaints. However I use it in high-altitude winter camping mainly and only boil water with it. If this is what you have in mind for stove you'll find one that is no better suited for the task. However my first experience with the stove was burning a hole through an aluminum skillet i used to pack.

    • What Is Your Gear Style:
    • Minimalist

    Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

    (5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

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    Oct

    28

    2007

    (5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

     
    5.0

    Very well built stove

    By long rifle

    from Virginia

    About Me Avid Adventurer, Professional Guide

    Site Member

    Pros

    • Easy To Clean
    • Easy to Light
    • Lightweight
    • Powerful
    • Stable

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Backpacking
      • High Altitude
      • Hiking

      Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

      At first, the stove had some issues with temperature control, it was either full blast on off. I found out to simmer with this stove you only need to pump it 10 times and it provided the simmering temperatures desired, it does take some trial and error getting accustomed to the heat control. It does indeed burn any flammable fuel from gasoline to paint thinner with no issues in the fuel department. The sound emitted at full blast is not stealthy nor for a weekend camper, I find it a very well built stove with bullet proof design intended for the advertised application.

      • What Is Your Gear Style:
      • Minimalist

      Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

      (5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

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      Dec

      2

      2008

      (4 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

       
      4.0

      Great Stove

      By Schell

      from SF Bay Area

      About Me Avid Adventurer

      Pros

      • Compact
      • Powerful
      • Stable

      Cons

      • Poor temperature control

      Best Uses

      • Backpacking
      • Car Camping
      • High Altitude
      • Hiking

      Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

      This is not going to be a groundbreaking review, but like others have said, once this stove is on, it goes gangbusters. You literally can't hold a conversation and cook with this stove at the same time.

      I was used to using the MSR simmerlite (despite it's name, it doesn't simmer either). This stove can easily cook for a group of 3 or 4. Boils or melts snow very quickly and is very stable compared to other stoves I've used.

      I wouldn't say it's particularly hard to light as mentioned in a couple other reviews. But in addition to being loud, it uses quite a bit more fuel than the simmerlite does. I guess that is the trade off for being able to burn any fuel you can get your hands on. It's a bit heavier than some of the other MSR stoves, but it is considerably more durable.

      I like this stove more than any other I've used. Definitely recommended!

      • Gift:
      • No
      • What Is Your Gear Style:
      • Minimalist

      Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

      (4 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

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      Sep

      13

      2007

      (4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

       
      3.0

      Good Heavyweight for the Extremes

      By mastephens

      from Cumming, GA

      About Me Avid Adventurer, Casual/ Recreational

      Site Member

      Pros

      • Powerful
      • Quick Boiling Time
      • Stable

      Cons

      • Bulky
      • Difficult to Clean
      • Difficult to Light
      • Poor temperature control

      Best Uses

      • Backpacking
      • High Altitude
      • Hiking

      Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

      I bought this stove specifically for that fact it is good for windy, high-altitude cooking and for its ability to burn almost anything. It definitely lives up to MSR's claim to burn anything flammable, but I have been using Kerosene (fastest boiling time) and it works ok. It is rather difficult to light, and you could never use it in or around your tent, but once it gets going it sounds like a jet engine boiling your water. Not the choice for the casual weekend camper, better for the high-altitude adventurer.

      Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

      (4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

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      Dec

      1

      2007

      (2 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

       
      3.0

      Sounds like a JET engine

      By Imasdj

      from San Diego, CA

      About Me Avid Adventurer

      Site Member

      Pros

      • Easy to Light
      • Powerful

      Cons

      • Loud
      • Poor temperature control

      Best Uses

      • Backpacking

      Comments about MSR XGK EX Stove:

      Decent stove, sounds like a jet eninge while in use, if your trying to keep animal life away its a good choice. I prefer the whisperlite have used it for years and never lets me down

      • What Is Your Gear Style:
      • Minimalist

      Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

      (2 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

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      Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

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