Optimus Crux Review

Likes
The Optimus Crux is the most compact stove we reviewed. It’s also our favorite canister stove for warm weather backpacking. Two unique features set it apart from other canister stoves. First, a folding stem allows the burner to flip down into a tiny overall package. Second, the stove’s pot supports extend up and out from the burner, creating a durable and compact design. Our favorite feature of the stove is actually its case. This supremely innovative yet intuitive case puts the folded stove in a padded neoprene sleeve that attaches to the bottom of a fuel canister. This case fills the hard-to-pack void beneath each canister. We believe this design protects the stove nearly as well as the MSR Pocket Rocket’s hardcase. Furthermore, when the stove is packed under a canister it takes up virtually no additional space in your pack. We think this is awesome.

The Crux weighs 2.92 ounces, just 0.32 ounces more than the lightest stove we reviewed. Boiling a liter of water in just over three minutes, the Crux is the fastest small canister stove we reviewed.

Dislikes
The burner on the Crux oxidized after our first use. This turned it from shiny factory black to crimson rust. While this is purely aesthetic, it did not happen to either the Pocket Rocket or OD-1R.

Best Application
The Crux is best for fast and light backpacking at elevations under 12,000 feet.

Value
The Crux is the best value of the three small canister stoves reviewed here.

Other Versions
Optimus also makes the Optimus Crux Lite, a non-folding version of the Crux that weighs one-half ounce less. This is a great option if saving even the smallest amount of weight is your top priority. We still prefer the Crux because it folds into a smaller package and takes up less space.

You can buy the Crux and Crux Lite with custom fitting pots for an extra $20 in one of three Optimus Cook System Packages.