Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

This is the most complete, and the safest, stove I've seen. I even use the Decagon for indoor cooking using Heet for fuel which is cheaper than the stove. For temp. control I simply move the pot a bit to the side and the boil is reduced to a simmer. Sometimes I elevate the pot an inch and that has the same effect. I also use a windscreen when I cook indoors (usually in the kitchen sink) and boil time is much faster than the microwave. In the field simply protect the flame, expect longer boil times and more than one fillup of fuel. The Decagon does what it's supposed to admirably.

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

I'll be honest, I love stoves. I have them going back to my original Optimus 00 that I still use on occasion. I bought this one the other day because I wanted a super light one for an emergency pack I keep. Something to have when you need to be able to heat water, but not necessarily to cook a lot on.

Having read the reviews, I came home and tested it to see what it would do. I ran the test outside in 34F degree ambient temperature. Water temp started out at 55F. I let the stove and fuel cool down to ambient air temp before I started. I used a Dualist pot to heat and a digitial kitchen thermometer with probe to check temperatures.

I tried it with two cups of water and it boiled in about 4 minutes. Give that, I decided to give it a try with 4 cups of water. Given my set up, it couldn't quite boil it and topped out at 201F which should have been hot enough for most purposes. Burn time with a full stove each time was approximately 20 minutes.

I was using methanol to run my tests. I will look for denatured ethanol in the future. Both for the lower toxicity of the fuel and because it has about 50% more btu which should speed up heating times.

Over all, I'm very impressed by how this stove performs. I will be sure to give it a try on the trail in the spring/summer when heat loss to the outside isn't nearly as great. It will a fun little stove to work with.

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

heat tab stoves are better!

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

Like the heading says, it works. If you have a better option (campfire, gas stove, etc...) then use it but this will get the job done if all you need is hot water. I've tested it outside at home and once on a backpacking trip. At home it's worked very well but I don't get a lot of wind. On the backpacking trip I tried to use it but it was far to windy and I found myself using the fuel to light a fire real quick. I made a windscreen and will be trying that out in the open but here at home it seems to work fine, ie doesn't suffocate the fire. You will need a windscreen. Pour some fuel around the edge be while you're filling it and it will light a lot better. In good conditions I've brought several cups of water to a boil in about 7min. Keep in mind that is in good conditions and it depends on what you are trying to boil water in.

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

I went hiking and camping last weekend and brought my Decagon with me as my only stove. I have played with it in the garage and in the driveway, so I was looking forward to using it on a trip. We hiked in to the mountains about six miles and set up camp. The weather turned on us and it was rainy, cold, and windy. There was ice on my water bottle in the morning. I used the stove to heat water for coffee/tea and it got the water hot enough where I had to sip it, but it never got the water to boil. I used a GSI Glacier cup that holds about two cups of water.I used the water bottle to hold 16 oz of alcohol for the stove. The stove was great for the weight and I will use it again! I made a wind screen and that helped it in the winds that we were having. If you are looking to reduce weight in your pack, this is a good little stove.

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

I bought the version shown in picture of this item and was disappointed. The package claims that it burns for 15 minutes and brings to boil 2 cups in under 10 minutes. I never got it to burn longer than 8 minutes and always had to use two loads of fuel (each slightly over 1 oz) to bring 2 cups to boil -- both at sea level and at 6500 ft. I was struck by the variance of reviews: about half really liked the product and the other half had my experience. I wrote to Vargo describing this experience and he sent me (free) the new version. Looks very similar, but has a narrower well and a larger reservoir -- it now holds 2 oz instead of just over 1 -- and smaller holes. I tested it just once (at home). It burned for 14.5 minutes (good enough) and brought 2 cups to boil (from moderately warm room temperature) in under 10 minutes. (Not surprising, because the new version holds about twice the amount of fuel as the old version.) The new version performs as described. I'm looking forward to using it for real.

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

I bought this product in 2008. I tried it and was somewhat disappointed as I had difficulties to get water to a rolling boil. In 2011 I found a clip on YouTube on how to make a cone shaped construction that serves as pot stand, windscreen and heat trap all in one. This cone, together with an aluminum REI pot straight on top of the Decagon turns out to be reliable and sturdy solution for my outdoor cooking needs.

I went backpacking for 2 weeks in June in Yosemite when there was still a lot of snow (a lot!). We camped at 9000 ft a couple of times and remembered that some folks warned me about using an alcohol stove at higher elevations. This turns out to be complete nonsense! The Decagon did just fine. It may have taken a bit longer to prime, but otherwise it preformed just fine. No cold dinner for me thank you very much.

The only downside I can think of is that the Decagon really works best (or at least primes much faster) if filled to capacity. But if you're only looking to boil water for one cup of tea you're wasting a lot of fuel. So I carry and insulated mug (my luxury item), boil enough water for tea and a meal at once. Make tea, prepare and eat my meal and have a nice steaming cup of tea afterwards. All that with the nice and quiet burn of an alcohol stove. Brilliant.

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

I have used this for two extended trips to Central America and with a Snow Peak 700 I can make my morning coffee in a few minutes. I've used it many times to boil 4 eggs and the only time I had trouble was trying to use rubbing Alcohol that was 70%. I found some 185 proof Rum in Belize, and it worked just as good as at home with marine stove fuel. The biggest drawbacks that I have seen is that it wont prime right without a full load of fuel, and it is slow to prime without adding some fuel to the base. I made a wood base so I could use this without burning the area around the stove. (hotel room end tables)
If you just need to boil water, this stove should last forever.

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

A one person stove; for minimalist it gets the job done;I would trust my life to this stove!

Comments about Vargo Outdoors Decagon Stove:

I am compelled to write a review of the Vargo Decagon after reading some reviewers failed to boil water. I was having the same experience trying to boil water: I would not quite get a boil, add more fuel, then still just barely get to the almost-boil stage. My previous stove was a MSR Pocket Rocket, so I had to learn it takes a bit more attention to use this stove.

I have since had better success using the following tips:

1) I use a Snow Peak 1 Liter Titanium Pot, about 5 1/2 inches in diameter
2) Two cups of water
3) Snow Peak mini frypan as a lid (came a part of my Snow Peak pot set)
4) Unmeasured, but about 1 oz of alcohol, plus couple of small squirts on the outside of the stove to speed stove heating
5) A Brunton windscreen fitted pretty close around the pot (other brands or homemade windscreens should yield similar performance)

Full boil was achieved in less than 6 minutes (I didn't lift the lid to see if I had boiling water until a bit after 5:30).

I have also just successfully baked a pair of corn muffins on the Vargo (a bit of experimenting in the kitchen on a rainy day). I used a larger pot for my first trial, but I think I also could cook two muffins in my Snow Peak). I just need a small metal holder to place in the bottom of the Snow Peak pot.

To bake the muffins, I set my mini frypan (without the handle) upside down in the bottom of the larger pot.
- Placed two foil lined muffin liners (Reynolds makes paper muffin liners with foil inside).
- Mixed some cornbread muffin mix with water, spooned into muffin liners (about 2/3s full)
- Filled Vargo until it was just starting to seep alcohol out of the vent holes (filling the center full of fuel, letting the level drop down some, then adding some more).
- Lit the Vargo, place pot on stove (no windscreen used). Place lid on pot.

About 15 minutes later, I had two browned muffins...perfectly cooked. I did not refuel the stove, but just let it burn out. I found with some experimenting, that I scorched the bottoms of two muffins by letting them cook longer. So a single fueling is about perfect.

I am definitely planning to add some baked items on my next backpacking trip.

I have also tried the dehydrated scrambled eggs, the kind you add water and cook in the frying pan (Backpacker's Pantry). This is a challenge, as the eggs tend to stick easily in my mini frypan (even if oiled).

SUMMARY
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- I tend to be a weekend backpacker (2-5 nights), but tend to not have night temps below freezing...
- I cook for two people on the Vargo (commercial backpacking meals plus my own recipes using instant potatoes or dried soups to make things like shepherds pie or chicken and dumplings).
- I have experimented (successfully) with baking on the Vargo (in the kitchen, not field tested yet)
- I do get a full boil with a single fueling when using a windscreen and pot lid
- I almost went shopping for another alcohol stove, but now understand how to get good results with the Vargo.
- I plan to stick with using using my Vargo, as it is light, durable, and dependable.