There’s no shortage of compact stoves for camping and backpacking, allowing you to heat water and cook meals at camp without taking up too much space in your pack. Problem is, they tend to rely on a single, specific type of fuel, requiring you to either use biomass or a gas canister for all your cooking needs. The Prometheus Design Werx Ti-Line Multi-Fuel Survival Stove changes that.
Like many backpacking stoves, it’s incredibly compact, measuring around the size of a mug at just 3.6 x 3 inches (diameter x height) when everything is collapsed. Unlike them, it can be powered using a variety of fuel, giving you options as to how you’re going to get a satisfying fire going.
The PDW Ti-Line Multi-Fuel Survival Stove comes with folding legs that can be deployed to elevate it a short height off whatever cooking surface you’re using, while detachable stands that snap onto the rim give you a safe, stable support to set down a small pan or pot. The stands, by the way, can be locked in one of two positions: one sized to support a small 500ml pot and another for slightly larger pots. Once set up, you can simply fill it with your choice of fuel and ignite it to get on the way of cooking your dinner.
Like traditional backpacking stoves, it can use any biomass such as wood, twigs, and pinecones you can gather as fuel, so you can light it up using nothing but items you scavenge around the campsite. Doing those stoves one better, though, it can also be powered using alternate fuels, such as denatured alcohol, 91 percent isopropyl alcohol, high-alcohol liquor (e.g. Everclear), and solid fuel tablets, giving you more options during camping. Do note, using isopropyl or liquor will require the optional alcohol burner component, so you’ll have to purchase that one separately.
The PDW Ti-Line Multi-Fuel Survival Stove is made with dual-wall construction, a unique design that, the outfit claims, will optimize the air flow mix to create a cleaner burn, regardless of what fuel you’re currently using. Despite that, it is still a small stove, so don’t expect to cook a large meal fit for a group without taking forever. Instead, the outfit says it’s best for boiling around 500ml of water or less at a time, so you’re probably best sticking to hot drinks, freeze dried food packs, canned goods, and instant ramen for sustenance, unless you’re willing to cook for extended periods.
All the components either fold or nest inside the main stove itself, making it easy to squeeze into your pack for portability. You can carry it on its own or nest it inside whatever cooking pot you’re carrying, too (it’s sized to fit even in those small 500ml cooking pots for camping), so it will facilitate serious space savings for folks looking to streamline their pack. The whole thing is also lightweight, tipping the scales at just 4.3 ounces.
The PDW Ti-Line Multi-Fuel Survival Stove is available now, priced at $59.