The LiteMax is a small canister stove from Snowpeak, a company that makes lightweight backpacking stoves, cookware and other accessories.
The LiteMax is one of the lightest canister stoves I’ve ever seen. It’s easy to carry because of that. Pair it up with a small titanium pot to boil water in and you’ve got a very lightweight cooking solution.
The LiteMax is a canister stove and uses iso-butane canisters. You can use any iso-butane canister like Snowpeak or MSR.
Boil time is a little slow at over 4 minutes. Some other canisters can boil a litre in 3.5. It gets the job done fast enough for me.
I used it on my 6 day West Coast Trail hike and loved it. Lightweight, reliable, hot. Never had any problems with it. We also had an MSR pocket rocket which worked great as well, it’s just a bit heavier.
What I like about the LiteMax
Lightweight – The LiteMax is very lightweight and small. It’s easy to pack up into a pot or throw in it’s little carrying case and tuck somewhere in your pack. Without it’s case it’s only 54 grams (1.9 oz). It’s not the very lightest in canister stoves but it’s close.
Cools quickly – because it’s titanium, the metal arms that hold up the pot cool very quickly. This is a nice “feature” if you want to pack up your stove soon after you are done cooking.
What I don’t like about the LiteMax
Loose Arms – The arms unfold and then rotate around the burner. This makes it easier to fold up and store. Sometimes the arms don’t stay rotated where you put them though, the connections are a bit loose. As soon as a pot is on them they stay put for the most part. Having a bit tighter connections keep them in place would be nice.
Remember to close the valve – The valve handle folds back onto the bottom of the stove for storage to make it smaller. You have to open the valve a bit when folding it. When you unfold it you have to remember to rotate it closed all the way so fuel doesn’t start leaking when screwing it onto the canister. Being able to fold the valve handle in a completely OFF position would be nicer.
Conclusion
I love hiking with the LiteMax. It’s small, light and easy to use. I haven’t had one issue with it yet (knock on wood!). I would be interested in trying out some stoves with a lower boil time, if you’re trying to save space and only have one stove for a group, you want that water to boil as fast as it will go.
Photos of the Snowpeak LiteMax
