Fire Maple Polaris Pressure Regulator Cooking System |
Fire Maple Polaris Pressure Regulator Cooking System | Portable Camping Backpacking Gas Stove with Piezo Ignition POT Support & Stand | Compact Gas Stove Burner for Hiking Bushcraft Trekking (Blue)
EASY TO USE
| Weight: | 622 g |
| Dimensions: | 13.21 x 12.19 x 20.57 cm; 622 Grams |
| Brand: | Fire-Maple |
| Model: | Polaris pressure regulator – Blue |
| Colour: | Blue |
| Dimensions: | 13.21 x 12.19 x 20.57 cm; 622 Grams |
I really haven’t put it to an extreme test and I doubt I ever will… But, for what I have used it for, it performs fantastic while out camping.
An early morning cup of coffee and hot tea for my wife is ready pretty quickly. We also used it to warm up soups, along with preparing minute rice.
For our basic needs, we really do like the convenience of being able to boil water at a moment’s notice…
Excellent value for lightweight cooking. You will be happy with it if your looking for one of these.
Fire maple have done a fantastic job with this kit! It’s now my go to kettle for work and camping/hiking, from the built in igniter to the fact that everything fits inside of it. With a mesh bag over the top. Is just perfect. The boiling time is fast, this is depending on location, temp, weather ect. If I had to nitpick one thing about this item, its that the pot stand is a little loose but it does the job! Would recommend this!
I mainly got this to use out ice fishing and hunting. I like to boil water and cook dehydrated meals out on the ice or while hunting, or just to make some hot chocolate for the kids. This thing boils water so fast and is easy to use. You have to buy the 220g isobutane fuel canister in order to fit everything inside for storage. I got a 240g from Walmart and it’s just a little to big and I can’t fit the lid on with it inside.
My friend brought his brief case style gas stove to the festival and after it and the ground around it caught fire he shared my little jet engine.
Don’t be a brand snob – this is perfect.
Use Jet Boil fuel for faster boiling.
Light weight and strong stability for all you hiking camping adventures. Easy to use.
Fire Maple have made a fantastic little gas / camping stove that is well designed, robust and does a job well.
It contains a trivet, a gas burner / mount with an igniter and power control, a collar to allow you to cook on pots and pans and a 1l container that can boil water.
It boils a litre of water in a few minutes and did a fine job cooking on a few pots and pans.
It didn’t seem to use alot of gas and was sturdy on a flat surface.
I would buy some windshields to stop the wind diminishing your cooking or blowing out the flame otherwise this is the perfect portable camping stove.
After using standard butane gas cook ers and small pocket cookers, this feels great to use. Went away for a weekend with the small c300 propane canister and It lasted all weekend for multiple boils and lots of frying (still have about 1/3 gas left). The pressure regulated system boiled a litre of water within a few minutes and was perfect for cooking steak for controlled heat. I even boiled vegetables and cooked rice in it. The attachment for cooking with external pots is a bit loose which doesn’t feel great while cooking but I can easily look past it. Fits the c300 inside the pot with the other pieces, c500 would definitely not fit. Overall, very happy and looking forward to using it more.
Some folks swear by their jet boil systems for backpacking.
I tend to be a little bit more on the lighter weight side of things so I never bothered buying one.
A buddy of mine who I hike with sometimes swears by his and has been using it for years.
When this became available I decided to pull the trigger and give it a try.
It works great!!
I took it on a couple of winter hot tent trips. It was great for the early mornings when I wanted a hot cup of coffee before I got the stove fired up. Then later that day for a quick, hot lunch of ramen or dehydrated meal.
If you’re simply boiling water, it doesn’t get much better or easier than this.
The stove has a regulator, which helps with consistent flame in colder weather.
It is virtually windproof. I used it in a pretty stiff breeze and it didn’t seem to suffer much performance loss.
The neoprene insulated cook pot is nice for handling it once it’s filled with hot liquids.
The lid fits securely.
For packing and storing, it’s completely self-contained. A fuel cannister, the stove, and a separate pot-stand all fit in the pot for a handy, convenient package.
If you want to use a pot other than the one that comes with it, an additional pot stand is included.
As long as all you want to do is boil water, this is an excellent system.
On the down side, it’s heavy! And bulky!
I would never take this thing backpacking.
My regular lightweight cook kit comes in at around 8 ounces. Stove, pot, lighter, cup, scrubbie, everything except the fuel.
The aluminum cook pot alone on this setup weighs more than that. Yes, it’s VERY efficient, just heavy.
I think that if weight and bulk are not as much of an issue for you, i.e.- car camping, canoeing, or bike packing, this really can’t be beat.
Under those circumstances, very highly recommended.
We wanted something like this for camping for the past 4 years but couldn’t justify spending $100+ on the name brand. It was a good thing we waited because for 25% less we got this version which IMO looks nicer and performs just as well.
I was able to boil water in less than 2 minutes in a 40F rainy environment with not cover on and wind at 8mph with 15 gusts. The flame never showed any signs of dying out.
So far we are happy with this and hope to get a lot of use from it. The non stick coating will make it ideal for not just liquid warming but cooking as well.
It comes with a nice carrying bag and pot metal adapter in case you want to use the stove part for other pans. It also comes with a plastic butane tank holder which is very well built, the plastic legs snap into place and keep the brand name tank in place snugly.
The handle is also well put together, it has a snap spring that prevents it from detaching when you grab it but it can be easily folded once you depress it.
Overall I think this is a great buy for camping, especially for backpacking.
The only improvement I could with for is more detailed scale engraved on the inside as currently it shows a pint and 1L. It’s not enough to lower the stars from 5 to 4. I still think is excellent but perhaps next model could have this improved.
Pot extension for stove is provided as well as gas canister stand (2 sizes within single foldable leg) .
You will get the cup, stand , lid, stove + pot/pan plate and mesh bag to pack it into. Very well sized and lightweight.
Recommending this for car camping or backpacking.
The only improvement I could with for is more detailed scale engraved on the inside as currently it shows a pint and 1L. It’s not enough to lower the stars from 5 to 4. I still think is excellent but perhaps next model could have this improved.
Pot extension for stove is provided as well as gas canister stand (2 sizes within single foldable leg) .
You will get the cup, stand , lid, stove + pot/pan plate and mesh bag to pack it into. Very well sized and lightweight.
Recommending this for car camping or backpacking.
I’ve often thought that being able to boil water fast was a bit of a gimmick and this attitude had put me off getting a gas burner system for quite some time, but after years of being used to alcohol/wood/gel stoves this surprised me, easily the most convenient boil I’ve ever personally seen so I’m quite happy with it. The pot heats up so fast and well that you don’t have to have the burner anywhere near full power, wasting gas, just to make a brew or heat a meal.
As others have said, the burner can be finicky to get out of the pot on assembly due to those protruding rivets. I can live with it, others may not, but a few seconds on a dremel may be able to sort this out a bit if it gets that annoying.
My only real annoyance is how fiddly it is to repack due to the igniter tip sticking up out of the burner by quite a lot. You’re tempted to put your gas canister on it because you think that the cavity in the bottom of the can will give it room, it doesn’t. I feel a bit unnerved taking this on a hike, with a canister nudging that igniter tip with every step, so I’ve taken to keeping a decent-sized microfibre towel between them so that tip doesn’t snap off and start rubbing a sharp edge into the bottom of the gas canister…eep!
Really looking forward to testing this on my next hiking trip, looks promising and the black/red pot looks great in real life.
Edit after testing: So an odd quirk seems to be that the burner sometimes likes to spin itself loose on occasion which results in the flame going mental, I think this is an expansion-contraction issue because the burner tube is very short, which I’ve since solved with a strip of ptfe tape on the threads where it screws onto the pressure regulator. Perhaps a thin o-ring or something here would solve it for good.
It seems to pack best as follows: 110g gas canister -> pot stand -> canister stand -> burner -> cloth to protect burner -> pot lid. It doesn’t rattle around and actually fits together snug without having to dremel the rivet heads down or risking the igniter tip.
Otherwise, very impressed with it so far.
When I go hiking I like a small lightweight stove to carry along. This meets my needs, is versatile as I can use a small LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) 220/230g standard propane and butane mixture cartridge with it to heat water & food. This is designed well and very light weight. The fuel valve works smoothly and the baffle around the flame helps prevent wind extinguishing it while funneling the heat to the small 1 liter water pot. The burner has a built in electronic igniter and legs to stabilize my gas canister are included. This all packs together and fits in the included mesh drawstring shock corded bag.
I Recommend this Fire Maple Polaris Cooking System | Portable Camping Backpacking Stove with Micro Regulated Valve | Electric Jet Burner Pot Set | Ideal Camp Water Boiler for Hiking Fishing Trekking Hunting and Emergency Use (Blue). Great set up for hiking, easy to carry and fast to boil.
I hope you’ve found the information and my review helpful.
When I go hiking I like a small lightweight stove to carry along. This meets my needs, is versatile as I can use a small LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) 220/230g standard propane and butane mixture cartridge with it to heat water & food. This is designed well and very light weight. The fuel valve works smoothly and the baffle around the flame helps prevent wind extinguishing it while funneling the heat to the small 1 liter water pot. The burner has a built in electronic igniter and legs to stabilize my gas canister are included. This all packs together and fits in the included mesh drawstring shock corded bag.
I Recommend this Fire Maple Polaris Cooking System | Portable Camping Backpacking Stove with Micro Regulated Valve | Electric Jet Burner Pot Set | Ideal Camp Water Boiler for Hiking Fishing Trekking Hunting and Emergency Use (Blue). Great set up for hiking, easy to carry and fast to boil.
I hope you’ve found the information and my review helpful.
I love this burner. Totally premium in all aspects and smooth almost aircraft aluminum with a beautiful neoprene cover, I got the blue. Was very easy for me to set up and use and gotta love a push-button ignition. Fits back into a nice drawstring sack. A good way to heat up a cup of instant coffee when you get to that viewpoint first thing as the sun is starting to come up. Seriously easy to use.
Awesome stove,well worth the price. Light weight for every back pack hiking trip or for camping trip. The best stove I bought yet.
Awesome stove,well worth the price. Light weight for every back pack hiking trip or for camping trip. The best stove I bought yet.
This is a water boiling system that seems to resemble a jet boil which I’ve never used.
The package includes:
1. The base that you screw the fuel can into
2. A unique heat exchanger pot with plastic lid.
3. An external pot support, in case you want to use another pot.
4 A drawstring bag.
It uses those isobutane cannisters and the 220gram one actually fits inside the pot when its packed away for travelling.
The stove is regulated, so with the appropriate adapter that can be purchased (about $10), you can use those green propane cylinders or those hairspray type butane cylinders. I have both adapters and those cylinders work perfect. There is a convenient space under the pot to store these adapters when travelling.
The pot has a very strong handle. It is strong enough to lift the weight of a full pot of water and a heavy green propane cylinder attached. The handle folds onto the top of the lid to prevent it from coming off.
It took about 3 and a half minutes to bring 4 cups of water to a boil. I don’t have any experience with these jet boil style systems, but that’s faster than any stove that I’ve used. It seems to do a really good job of blocking the wind
The quality is really good and seems like a really good value for money.
The system is way too heavy and bulky for backpacking. It just seems like if I’m going to haul this kind of weight and bulk, I may as well take my Dragonfly stove, but I’m sure there are applications for it, considering that these types of systems are so popular.
This is a water boiling system that seems to resemble a jet boil which I’ve never used.
The package includes:
1. The base that you screw the fuel can into
2. A unique heat exchanger pot with plastic lid.
3. An external pot support, in case you want to use another pot.
4 A drawstring bag.
It uses those isobutane cannisters and the 220gram one actually fits inside the pot when its packed away for travelling.
The stove is regulated, so with the appropriate adapter that can be purchased (about $10), you can use those green propane cylinders or those hairspray type butane cylinders. I have both adapters and those cylinders work perfect. There is a convenient space under the pot to store these adapters when travelling.
The pot has a very strong handle. It is strong enough to lift the weight of a full pot of water and a heavy green propane cylinder attached. The handle folds onto the top of the lid to prevent it from coming off.
It took about 3 and a half minutes to bring 4 cups of water to a boil. I don’t have any experience with these jet boil style systems, but that’s faster than any stove that I’ve used. It seems to do a really good job of blocking the wind
The quality is really good and seems like a really good value for money.
The system is way too heavy and bulky for backpacking. It just seems like if I’m going to haul this kind of weight and bulk, I may as well take my Dragonfly stove, but I’m sure there are applications for it, considering that these types of systems are so popular.
PHOTOS SHOW MY GAS CANISTER AND POT
I am an avid camper, hiker, and lover of coffee and hot meals.
I have tried any number of fast boiling pots at many price points. When hiking in all supplies I need to find the best weight/size values.
This cooking system is high efficiency and very portable. I like this because it has a large enough capacity to make it efficient for group use. I can heat water for several dehydrated meals in this one pot at once. The larger size does mean more space in my backpack, but if I am carrying the cooker for a couple people, one of them will have something to benefit me.
This comes with a folding canister stand and pot support that stow inside the unit when not in use.
Bottom line – Great stove. Lots of well thought out features. Good quality. Would recommend
I was recently on a camping trip on the coast where the winds were every strong just about the entire time. The other stoves my friends had were either constantly blowing out, or they took forever too heat up.
The first morning I set it up and started boiling water for coffee. Within minutes I had hot coffee. The stove worked great even in the heaviest of winds. My friends all agreed that the Maple Polaris Cooking System was a fantastic addition to our camping gear.
As great as it is as boiling water, that is the main thing that it is very good at. You can heat soups and other liquid type foods in it, but it can be difficult to cook solid foods since even at the lowest setting it puts out a lot of heat.
My use for this will be for making coffee and other hot beverages, and then use my traditional stove for cooking solid foods.
I was recently on a camping trip on the coast where the winds were every strong just about the entire time. The other stoves my friends had were either constantly blowing out, or they took forever too heat up.
The first morning I set it up and started boiling water for coffee. Within minutes I had hot coffee. The stove worked great even in the heaviest of winds. My friends all agreed that the Maple Polaris Cooking System was a fantastic addition to our camping gear.
As great as it is as boiling water, that is the main thing that it is very good at. You can heat soups and other liquid type foods in it, but it can be difficult to cook solid foods since even at the lowest setting it puts out a lot of heat.
My use for this will be for making coffee and other hot beverages, and then use my traditional stove for cooking solid foods.
This is a great cooking system for camping or hiking. It boils water lickety split. Everything packs up neatly and the neoprene insulation on the outside keeps things warm. It’s a great item!
This is perfect for backpack camping and larger than other similar products I have seen on the trails. Everything fits nicely into the unit and it comes with a nice carrying bag. The red piece is like a coozie so it protects your hands. It even comes with a little stand so you don’t put the hot stove on a table. I wish it came with the “fuel” but understand why it doesn’t. I like that there are measurements inside and it’s easy to lock the top to preserve whatever it is you cooked.
I have another version of this Fire Maple Cooking systems that includes a plastic bowl and steamer instead of the burner, and I vowed to replace it after my last camping trip because I forgot to pack the burner and so far have never needed the steamer or bowl. What I love about this version of the cook kit is that it includes the burner. Everything you need to cook is wrapped up nicely in this kit. To be clear, you do have to buy the small gas canister separately, but it does fit perfectly in the pot so in one convenient package you have the pot, the fuel canister and bracket, as well as the burner.
I also like that the pot securely locks in place on the burner, making this a safer stove than one where your pot is precariously perched on a rickety burner plate. This design is much safer.
At first glance I thought the pot was painted with the graphics. It’s not paint, but a neoprene sleeve, and I’m not a big fan of the neoprene sleeve that the pot is wrapped in. Although this cover may protect your hands and perhaps keep the water hot for longer, it’s already getting stained and dirty looking. Debris can also get lodged behind the cover. My other kit doesn’t have this, and it’s not something I ever considered it needed. I’ll leave it on for now, but may eventually dispose of it. I’m not going to ding the review for it though. This is a very nice kit for boiling water or heating up a meal as it is, and the adapter ring makes it easy to use with a small frying pan or larger pot.
I have another version of this Fire Maple Cooking systems that includes a plastic bowl and steamer instead of the burner, and I vowed to replace it after my last camping trip because I forgot to pack the burner and so far have never needed the steamer or bowl. What I love about this version of the cook kit is that it includes the burner. Everything you need to cook is wrapped up nicely in this kit. To be clear, you do have to buy the small gas canister separately, but it does fit perfectly in the pot so in one convenient package you have the pot, the fuel canister and bracket, as well as the burner.
I also like that the pot securely locks in place on the burner, making this a safer stove than one where your pot is precariously perched on a rickety burner plate. This design is much safer.
At first glance I thought the pot was painted with the graphics. It’s not paint, but a neoprene sleeve, and I’m not a big fan of the neoprene sleeve that the pot is wrapped in. Although this cover may protect your hands and perhaps keep the water hot for longer, it’s already getting stained and dirty looking. Debris can also get lodged behind the cover. My other kit doesn’t have this, and it’s not something I ever considered it needed. I’ll leave it on for now, but may eventually dispose of it. I’m not going to ding the review for it though. This is a very nice kit for boiling water or heating up a meal as it is, and the adapter ring makes it easy to use with a small frying pan or larger pot.
We wanted something lightweight, small and simple for when we tent camp or do overnight hikes and this fits the bill perfectly, we also used it up skiing yesterday on the tailgate of our truck to heat some delicious chili and not just us but we saw several other people doing the same thing.
I did a backyard test today with just water and had it on the lowest setting and it boiled in just over a minute so if I put it up higher it would be that much faster. This is definitely a cool and handy tool to have .
I love this little jet boiler. It is very light weight and easy to use. You simply simply open the lid and connect the fuel source, add the three clip on stabilizers for extra security while using the product. I like to bring this in my ice hut with me while ice fishing to and pour my instant coffee in. I also like to warm up some water for my fish reservoir to keep them from freezing. Lasty, i use this for my survival foods that require hot water for cooking and heating. This can boil water in about 3 minutes, so you do not need to carry extra fuel with you.
This product is very similar to the more expensive Jetboil. It is light (about 1 1/2lbs) and everything packs into the pot, making it easy to take backpacking. It boils water super fast – much faster than my alcohol burning stove. Very impressed with this affordable, yet awesome stove! Highly recommend.
I like that this cooker is designed to house all the parts inside the cooking vessel which makes it small enough to be packed inside a backpack easily. primarily designed for use by a solo or 2-person hiker or camper. although the cooker can accommodate larger pans and pots with the included attachment, it is intended for people out in nature that moves a lot from one place to another (like a hiker) thus the easy dismantling and packing features of the cooker. definitely a must have gear for adventurous.
This water boiler look like my husband jetboil, it does the same good job boiling water and cooking. So far i am happy with the quality of the stove and finally i have my own a stove now and i don’t need to share stove with my husband anymore yay!!!! THANKS
have the 2x Polaris stoves which i bought as they are similar in design to the Soto stove i have but much more cost effective.(remote canister and canister ) and they are trully brilliant stoves, sorry Msr and Primus but in use these are better products than you currently offer ! FACT. Anyway, this arrived today. Its marginally bigger than the x2 maybe 5 mm in diameter and a few mm taller. The bag, which on the fms x2 was too tight is now nice and loose and the lid clip is a snug fit and holds all the main components together well. The fit and finish are excellent and the handle seems to be made of a higher quality plastic than before. My only gripe is the new pot stand which is now simpler and rattles about a bit ( probably to keep weight down), but I found that if you put it upside down at the bottom of the pan and the put all the other components of the stove in the order they are supposed to go, then it’s stops the rattle completely…! Take note
I filled the pot with cold tap water to just over the 1 liter Mark and started the stove and timer on ignition. It took 4.13 seconds to a roaring boil with the same gas can I used on the x2 with less water and it took almost 7 mins. This gas can is one filled with 70/30 butane propane mix. It was also probably 2/3 full, so with a full can of isobutane propane I’d expect this time to drop even more. At 3.33 seconds quicker than my x2 which was the 2022 2.2kw version and this only being 1.8kw. I’m extremely happy. This is a very fast boiling stove full stop and should be more efficient on gas than the x2. Its more suited for use with 2 people and for making ready meals, but this is what’s it’s intended for. It’s easily every bit as good, if not better than the current Jet Boil stoves of which I’ve had a few. Some people don’t like the handle, I simply cannot understand this as its one of the best features and locks securely in place. I hate those flimsy handles on the jetboilds and Msr windburner. I’d say this could well be my favourite all in one jet stove yet. The polaris inverted burners offer excellent wind performance and with the built in windshield and heat exchanger this has to be a winner…..
This water boiler look like my husband jetboil, it does the same good job boiling water and cooking. So far i am happy with the quality of the stove and finally i have my own a stove now and i don’t need to share stove with my husband anymore yay!!!! THANKS
have the 2x Polaris stoves which i bought as they are similar in design to the Soto stove i have but much more cost effective.(remote canister and canister ) and they are trully brilliant stoves, sorry Msr and Primus but in use these are better products than you currently offer ! FACT. Anyway, this arrived today. Its marginally bigger than the x2 maybe 5 mm in diameter and a few mm taller. The bag, which on the fms x2 was too tight is now nice and loose and the lid clip is a snug fit and holds all the main components together well. The fit and finish are excellent and the handle seems to be made of a higher quality plastic than before. My only gripe is the new pot stand which is now simpler and rattles about a bit ( probably to keep weight down), but I found that if you put it upside down at the bottom of the pan and the put all the other components of the stove in the order they are supposed to go, then it’s stops the rattle completely…! Take note
I filled the pot with cold tap water to just over the 1 liter Mark and started the stove and timer on ignition. It took 4.13 seconds to a roaring boil with the same gas can I used on the x2 with less water and it took almost 7 mins. This gas can is one filled with 70/30 butane propane mix. It was also probably 2/3 full, so with a full can of isobutane propane I’d expect this time to drop even more. At 3.33 seconds quicker than my x2 which was the 2022 2.2kw version and this only being 1.8kw. I’m extremely happy. This is a very fast boiling stove full stop and should be more efficient on gas than the x2. Its more suited for use with 2 people and for making ready meals, but this is what’s it’s intended for. It’s easily every bit as good, if not better than the current Jet Boil stoves of which I’ve had a few. Some people don’t like the handle, I simply cannot understand this as its one of the best features and locks securely in place. I hate those flimsy handles on the jetboilds and Msr windburner. I’d say this could well be my favourite all in one jet stove yet. The polaris inverted burners offer excellent wind performance and with the built in windshield and heat exchanger this has to be a winner…..
This is a small, one pot, cooking system. The pot is designed to sit on this special stove, which allows for very quick heating of water or other liquids. One assembled, this heats water as fast as a microwave.
If you are into camping, or hiking, this is a great little tool to bring. We have used them for making coffee in the morning. Since it only takes a couple minutes to heat up water, it is much faster than a big camp stove. It also breaks down to go into a little included bag, so you can bring it on a hike to cook without a big camp stove or campfire.
This appears to be very well made, and should hold up for many years of use. Note, this package does not include fuel, but fuel containers are available on Amazon or most camping supply stores.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PRD4IE/
The X2 has been a really effective & affordable alternative to Jetboil. I’ve taken that thing backpacking into the Smokey Mountains, on bikepacking trips, and family camping at state parks. I’ve come to love my X2, so I consider the Fire Maple brand pretty trustworthy. When I saw this new Polaris model, I thought it LOOKED almost exactly the same, but I was curious whether it would be any better in practice. Here’s what I learned.
** COOKING PERFORMANCE **
I recently tested the Polaris cooking system against my old X2 to see how quickly they each boil 1 liter of water. For both systems, I started with 1 liter of room temperature water, then took them outdoors to boil. It was a December day in Ohio, so the outdoor temp was around 40F.
The X2 boiled its 1 liter of water in about 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Not too bad. Similar to some older Jetboil models.
Shockingly, the Polaris boiled its 1 liter of water in about 3 minutes and 30 seconds! Wow, that’s fast! I mean, that might even be faster than the Jetboil Flash, based on reviews I’ve read. And the Polaris keeps the ability to fine tune to heat output by twisting a little gas flow regulator.
Both the X2 and the Polaris come with an attachment you can use to turn the stove into an open flame you can use with any cook pot, rather than being stuck with just the water boiler. I’ve only used that option rarely, but it’s nice to have the flexibility.
** SIZE **
The biggest downside to the Polaris is its size. It’s slightly larger and heavier than the X2, which itself was already a little larger and heavier than some compact Jetboil models.
When completely packed up, it’s about 8 inches tall and just under 5 inches wide. Without a fuel canister, it weighs in at about 23 oz / 650 grams. For me, that’s just barely acceptable for a short term backpacking trip.
Really, this cooking system is best when it’s being shared by at least 2 people. If you’re only cooking for yourself and you really want to save weight and space, there are certainly smaller / lighter options out there.
** SUMMARY **
Considering my good experience with the Fire Maple brand, and the relatively low cost of this system, I think this is a strong option for camp cooking. You could pay a lot more for a Jetboil and maybe you’d get a system that’s a bit smaller or lighter, but I doubt it would be much faster. If you’re on a budget but still want a fast, reliable cook system, the Polaris is a winner.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PRD4IE/
The X2 has been a really effective & affordable alternative to Jetboil. I’ve taken that thing backpacking into the Smokey Mountains, on bikepacking trips, and family camping at state parks. I’ve come to love my X2, so I consider the Fire Maple brand pretty trustworthy. When I saw this new Polaris model, I thought it LOOKED almost exactly the same, but I was curious whether it would be any better in practice. Here’s what I learned.
** COOKING PERFORMANCE **
I recently tested the Polaris cooking system against my old X2 to see how quickly they each boil 1 liter of water. For both systems, I started with 1 liter of room temperature water, then took them outdoors to boil. It was a December day in Ohio, so the outdoor temp was around 40F.
The X2 boiled its 1 liter of water in about 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Not too bad. Similar to some older Jetboil models.
Shockingly, the Polaris boiled its 1 liter of water in about 3 minutes and 30 seconds! Wow, that’s fast! I mean, that might even be faster than the Jetboil Flash, based on reviews I’ve read. And the Polaris keeps the ability to fine tune to heat output by twisting a little gas flow regulator.
Both the X2 and the Polaris come with an attachment you can use to turn the stove into an open flame you can use with any cook pot, rather than being stuck with just the water boiler. I’ve only used that option rarely, but it’s nice to have the flexibility.
** SIZE **
The biggest downside to the Polaris is its size. It’s slightly larger and heavier than the X2, which itself was already a little larger and heavier than some compact Jetboil models.
When completely packed up, it’s about 8 inches tall and just under 5 inches wide. Without a fuel canister, it weighs in at about 23 oz / 650 grams. For me, that’s just barely acceptable for a short term backpacking trip.
Really, this cooking system is best when it’s being shared by at least 2 people. If you’re only cooking for yourself and you really want to save weight and space, there are certainly smaller / lighter options out there.
** SUMMARY **
Considering my good experience with the Fire Maple brand, and the relatively low cost of this system, I think this is a strong option for camp cooking. You could pay a lot more for a Jetboil and maybe you’d get a system that’s a bit smaller or lighter, but I doubt it would be much faster. If you’re on a budget but still want a fast, reliable cook system, the Polaris is a winner.