Amicus means friend in Latin, and I have a feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Soto Amicus is a canister stove with built-in lighter (optional) It has superior features are far more expensive stoves including four rock solid folding pot stand supports and a recessed burner head that performs decently even in reasonably windy conditions, makes this sub-three ounce stove my first choice for the Te Araroa.
I have been vacillating between using my home made alcohol ‘cat stove’ and the very easy to manage, all-in-one Jetboil. But with a keen eye on ounces, I wanted to cut weight and the Jetboil rebuild seemed a bit risky.
I came upon the Sotos on Massdrop. For under $30 I felt it was worth a try and I am impressed with the quality of the craftsmanship. It feels solid with each arm locking into place with a satisfying and tight click. The cook surface is wider than most and will support wider pots.
While the piezo lighter adds a few ounces, it is built to last running through the stove’s center, protecting it from impact and adding to its reliability, though I will take a mini lighter just in case.
I did a quick test with 25 ounces of water at a rolling boil in four minutes at 45 degrees outside and at sea level.
I then placed a fan directly facing my wee stove and the cook time was noticeably slower – about fifteen minutes! – but the flame never went out fighting against the artificial breeze.
Warning!
It is never recommended that a backpacker use a windscreen due to the efficient and focused flame. You don’t want to create a ticking bomb. Rather look for a natural wind break and don’t bring your fan on the trip!
Specs at a Glance
- Size: 1 1/2 inches x 3
- Weight: 2.8 ounces
- Fuel: canister
- Energy rating: 2600 kcal/h
- Ignitor: Piezo
- Included: a sturdy stuff sack
Disclosure
alison young purchased her Soto Amicus
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