I first used this stove (its predecessor) back in the 70's. Not much has changed and for good reason. Even though I'm a gear geek, this simple stove does everything I need it to do. I'm primarily an ultralight camper; I use it for bicycle and motorcycle camping, backpacking, cooking during numerous power outages...probably average 4-5 times per month in the past 4 years. Takes less than a minute to set up. Fires up every time, takes up little room. Buy this first, and upgrade the stove only when you need it--you'll be surprised how long it'll take to outgrow it, IF you outgrow it. Put the money into other stuff.

Customer Service

No problems yet. REI has great no-questions-asked policy.

Similar Products Used:

MSR Whisperlite

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The GAZ stove is an excellent unit. However, recently I am finding it very difficult to locate the cannisters. I was told at EMS where I BOUGHT the item that "the industry" has decided on a new style of stove. I see only positive summaries about this stove, it''s ease of use and efficiency. The only negative user that I''ve noted is one who apparantly didn''t know what he was doing when he lit the thing. It''s time "the industry" stopped making choices for the consumer who already appears very happy with this stove!

Similar Products Used:

None

I've owned this little stove for over 10 years and used it extensively for trips involving motorcycle touring and kayaking. Its hard to find a better value (performance vs cost) than this stove... even with the high-tech alternatives out there. When size is important, but not necessarily weight, this stove packs better than most. You can get better, tougher, lighter stoves but you will pay dearly for them. I can't say I would recommend this stove for serious winter use, extensive backpacking, or mountaineering... there are better stoves for the money. If weight is important, look at the newer MSR "PocketRocket", an IsoPro gas stove that fits on practically any threaded gas cannister and weighs a marvelous 3 ounces... 7 ounces less than the 10-oz Turbo270. If you are in cold, cold weather or need to melt snow for water, or are at altitude, you need to look at a whitegas or multi-fuel stove. These concerns don't apply to the majority of 3-season hikers out there, so this stove is a solid choice. It is fuel-efficient, burns hot & fast, simmers extremely well, comes with a removable windscreen and carying case, requires virtually no maintanence, has few moving parts to break or replace... and if you want to carry a few extra ounces, the same company makes a "mini-lantern" (1-mantle, very sturdy, extremely small& bright) that works as well as the stove and uses the same cannister! All-in-all, a very solid choice for the money!

Customer Service

Its never been necessary to contact their Customer Service Dept. as nothing has gone wrong with the products (stove or lantern) in the decade I have used them!

Similar Products Used:

MSR "PocketRocket"
MSR "Whisperlite Internationale 600"

A great little stove I've had for 5 years without problems. There are stability problems with the large cannisters, so use the small ones. I have four 7" lengths of clothes hanger wire bent at 90 degrees which I hose clamp to the fuel cannister base to use as outriggers to help stability. The lantern which uses the same cannister has been very reliable and convenient also. An aluminium foil windscreen is a must in any breeze over 10 kts, and a big help when cold weather sputters occur.

I got this stove for $25 and it's been worth it for the price. The thing refuses to clog and has been consistently reliable. A few qualms: yeah the thing tips over with the slightest breeze, but more importantly, the limitation with the fuel canisters is a major pain...they cannot be transported on planes or trains, so wherever you go, you better make sure there are canisters waiting for you! I've had some problems finding fuel before.

Similar Products Used:

MSR Dragonfly

I have a GAZ burner that's atleast 10 years old and the 270.....both are excelent and light weight. It is almost unchanged from the original that my folks bought when I was little. Great product.....Reliable,compact.

Customer Service

So far no need for customer service!

Similar Products Used:

None

I've always loved my Gaz stove. Recently I went on a trip with a group of 10 Wilderness Rangers for the Forest Service. I was honestly eating before they got water to boil. It's so easy to put together and puts out great heat. Considering the price, it's the only stove that makes sense for summer hiking anywhere. You are a fool if you buy any of MSR's stuff unless you are planning to do some serious stuff in subzero temps in the Himalayas.

Similar Products Used:

None

I received the stove from my wife as a birthday present. Not being familiar with too many stoves, this little stove proved to be easy to figure out and use.

COST: (5/5) great value when compared to some higher-priced stoves out there.

WEIGHT: (4/5) Excellend weight. I hardly know it's there. I store the stove in my cookset. The gas containers are a little cumbersome, but not too heavy to bear.

SETUP/BREAKDOWN: (4.5/5) Very simple and quick set up. The wind screen may cause a problem the first time around, but easy thereafter. Pieces cool quickly for an easy breakdown.

WINTER/COLD PERFORMANCE: (?/5) I've never used the stove in below freezing weather so I can not rate it for cold weather performance.

NORMAL USAGE/PERFORMANCE: (5/5) Have yet to have a problem with the stove. May boil water a little slower than other pricier stoves, but the end-result is the same, the water does boil. We've cooked chicken, steak, burgers, etc. you name it, we've cooked it on this stove.

OTHER: (5/5) My Campgaz lantern uses the same fuel which makes it extremely convenient to only need one source of fuel. Depending on the trip, I will either carry two small cannisters (to use both lantern and stove at the same time), one large cannister (to use one or the other), or one small and one large, depending on whether there will be other light sources at camp.

SUMMARY: (4.5/5) A great stove. No complaints and I love the fact that my lantern and stove use the same fuel source. Only loses .5 point for having to carry the funky cannisters

Similar Products Used:

None

Great Stove!!! As a canister stove it is light, works very well for backpacking, and is even suitable for snowcamping and mountaineering.

Customer Service

non

Similar Products Used:

almost everything- for summer go with Camping Gaz - winter go with MSR XGK II

So many good points to list about this stove... Personally, I think it rocks. I watch my friends struggle with their 'peaks' and 'whisperlites', and the various other whitegas incarnations. Yeah, a whisperlite will boil a liter of water 1/2 faster than my Gaz, but it will take you 3-4 minutes longer to set it up, prime it, and break it down. Besides, when is time so much of an issue when backpacking? I hear many arguments against the gaz...like the canisters that you have to pack out... I guess that all my whitegas pals leave their fuel bottles lying about everywhere... No, I have to argue that the weight and pack size between this stove and it's whitegas counterpart are about the same. The bonus with the gaz set up is that you can spend an extra $25-30 and pick up a gaz bivuac lantern which takes up about as much space as a small candle lantern. The bivuac is like a miniature sun compared to most electric and candle lantern, and many propane lanterns as well. When I backpack I carry a large (470) and a small (270) canister, so that I can run stove and lantern concurently and also have a spare canister.

The disadvantage here, and it's kind of a biggie, is the price of the butane canisters (gaz). Apparently Gaz runs a monopoly in the states, as canisters are far far cheaper in Europe (about 10 to 15 fold less!!!). If you do a LOT of backpacking, and I mean a LOT, it would be far more cost effective to have a whitegas or multifuel rig.

5 stars for incredible heat output, simplicity of use, and reliability.

4 stars value for incredibly pricey fuel.

Similar Products Used:

MSR Whisperlite (Hate it)
Peak1 APEX II (like it)