Gear Review - MSR Dragonfly

July 10th, 2007 Wade

I own an MSR Whisperlite, and frankly I didn’t think they came much better than that stove. It’s efficient, compact, and a basic and well constructed stove. But I think I’ve found my new culinary best friend, the MSR Dragonfly.

The Dragonfly doesn’t seem to fold up quite as compact as the Whisperlite or some of the other small stoves on the market. But that’s not necessarily a negative. It’s width allows it to hold large pots with ease. No teetering pots of scalding hot water any longer. The Dragonfly still folds up small enough to fit into the MSR line of camping pots and pans. It primes very quickly. It takes only a few pumps on the fuel bottle to get it roaring. It boils water quickly. And, it doesn’t create a huge flame when priming.

That final perk has always been my pet peeve with the Whisperlite. Even a small amount of fuel will create a tall flame when you get the stove primed. Now I don’t have to singe my eyebrows to get the stove rockin. Granted, I probably prime with too much fuel with my other stoves, but the Dragonfly makes this step easy. Just connect your fuel bottle (snaps on), turn the valve on the fuel bottle on, and the valve on the stove off. Then pump the bottle a few times. And finally, turn the valve on the stove on and off quickly. It releases a small amount of fuel in the bottom. Light it, and as the flame (only a few inches tall) burns down, crank up the valve again and it starts to sound like a jet engine.

For some, the sound may be a bit loud. But too me it was sort of a status symbol. The others I was camping with snapped their necks at me when they heard the sound. I had a few passers by who commented on what a cool stove it was.

The Dragonfly folds out quickly (spring loaded). It folds up just as easily when finished. At a suggested retail price of $129.95, it’s not the cheapest stove on the market (the Whisperlite is $69.95). But quality is rarely cheap my friends. I’m a fan.

Entry Filed under: Gear, General