I own two of these stoves and consider them an essential. having started backpacking in the 60's I have seen them all come and go but this one is a keeper. It ALWAYS lights, never sets itself on fire (I have an excellent picture of an MSR torching itself) and requires no tool kit. My criteria for equipment is functionality and this stove comes through. It is the only stove that the Scouts rent out at Philmont and a place that see's 20,000 backpackers a year can't be to far off when it comes to picking a reliable stove. For those of you concerned about weight, remember that most of it comes from the attached tank that has fuel in it. Kind of nice to have the wee bit more fuel for those trips that are jsut a bit longer than you fuel bottle holds. To sum up, do you want to be using it or fixing it? Get a Feather 400.

I dont own a feather 400. I have it's grandfather from around 1982. I got ribbed about it being heavy from my MSR buddies. But the truth is this stove lights year end and year out. I have never had to field repair it like the MSR buddies. It has always been good at simmering. It does not roar like the whisperlites. It has been the only stove I have owned. My MSR buddies cant say that.

A great stove to use when weight is not a consideration. Uses almost any fuel imaginable but doesnt boil as fast as a lot of others. Still a great value for the money.

I own a Coleman Ultralight 440. It is identical to the 400, except for the moon lander legs. I have owned this stove for 3 years and have used it in all seasons without any trouble. It can simmer or go full throttle and lights easily. The stove offers good heat output (I actually melted the copper out of a copper-based pot!). Even without the legs, this stove is quite sturdy, I actually know someone who has boiled a large pot of lobsters on one. Some say the on-board tank makes it bulky and heavy which makes it hard to pack. However, I find that it is still easy to pack and the tank holds enough fuel to get by for a few days without needing to bring extra fuel. The stove has a cleaning needle that cleans the jet when you turn the throttle handle. If you burn white gas in your stove and oil the pump every once in a while, I guarantee you will get years out of it without any problems. I have a Peak 1 compact lantern that is over twenty years old and the only thing that had to be replaced was the generator (only once and the fact that the person that gave it to me burned leaded gasoline in it didn't help and it is not a dual fuel lantern!) I think it is a great product at a great price and I expect to get many more years out of it.

Similar Products Used:

Two burner Coleman stoves and propane stoves.

I have used the Feather 400 for 3+ years now and have been mostly happy with it. The tank holds enough fuel for 2 people over a 5 day trip, so we don't have to haul any extra weight. The unit itself is a little on the heavy side though. I also have found a bit of flare-up on occasion, and if not kept fully pumped, we get orange flame. Heat output from this unit is good.

A friend uses an MSR unit, which worked fine, but I like the self contained unit of the Peak 1 Feather - no fuss - just spread its legs, pump it, and enjoy.

Similar Products Used:

None

I have had my stove for a few years now and have had no problem with it ever. Over the summer I worked at a summer camp that had many other stoves (some newer a lot older) and I often loaned my stove to my co-workers to take on their overnight and I would take the more difficult ones. No one ever had a problem lighting my Feather 400. On these overnights the stove would be used extensively, cooking for sometimes over 12 campers plus two staff, never flaring up, always lighting and never tipping.

I have had the joy of taking the stove on a couple of winter camping trips on which I never primed the stove. For those of you familiar with where I come from It is often minus 20 degrees celsius plus wind. The stove lit every time. The stove does require maintenance but it isn’t constant and the stove is easy to fix. The only problem that I ever really had with my stove was that the pressurizing pump would stick. A little fiddling fixed it right up. These stoves are simple to tear apart and put back together. I recommend it for anyone that needs an all around good stove.

Similar Products Used:

Svea 123, Whisperlite, Older Coleman Heavyweights

This is a great stove for beginners. We use it in our Boy Scout Troop. It is easy for the boys to start and control. The adults fill the stoves before we leave so the boys don't have to fool with the fuel. The stove lights every time and produces lots of heat, even for bigger group pots. They are easy to keep clean and are very rugged. We have the optional stuff sack, also, which provide good protection from some of the rough treatment they get from the boys.

Similar Products Used:

None

A great stove to use when weight is not a consideration. Uses almost any fuel imaginable but doesnt boil as fast as a lot of others. Still a great value for the money.

I thing this is an amazing little cooker that is light and yet manages to pump out an outstanding amount of heat. I was supprised because this baby burns for 7 hours when on low and when you pump it during heating it really does make a difference. I love it the best stove I have bought!!

Its a tough little stove, and works quite well. Almost everyone in my family has one of these critters, and they just keep working away... The compact all-in-one design, and simplicity of setup and use make them a great stove for the novice backpacker and camper. For backpacking they are a marginal stove due to their weight. There are a number of stoves that are much lighter. However, their simplicity, ease of use, and function in cold weather, they are hard to beat.

Similar Products Used:

Peak 1 Lantern.