Optimus
Optimus Crux Lite
- Weight: 8/10 How much it adds to your pack.
- Packed size: 6/10 How much room it takes in your rucksack.
- Boil speed (still air): 9/10 How fast the maker says it boils 1 litre in still air. Wind slows every stove: see Wind performance.
- Wind performance: 5/10 How well it keeps boiling in a breeze, as sold, without an extra windshield.
Solo walkers who want a very light, cheap stove for a small to medium pot
- Fuel
- Gas
- Weight
- 72 g
- Boil 1 L, still air
- 3:00
- Windshield in the box
- No
Packed size 0.227 L, 7.1 x 5.7 x 5.6 cm Compare with a 2-litre bottle
Shorter than a 2-litre bottle and thinner than one. Drawn to scale.
Where to buy
Alpinetrek £35.83 In stock. Delivery £4.49. Free delivery from £85.
View at shop: AlpinetrekUltralight Outdoor Gear £49.99 In stock. Free delivery. List price £54.99.
View at shop: Ultralight Outdoor GearPrices checked 8 Nov 2026 on each shop's own page; shops can change them. We earn no commission on these links; shops are listed by price. More
Our ratings (out of 10)
1 to 10, compared with the whole market. Each says what it's based on. How we score
Weight
From maker's figures 8/10How much it adds to your pack. 8: Clearly better than most.
72 g (Optimus) sits in the 60-119 g band. OutdoorGearLab weighed 77 g without the stuff sack. The Great Outdoors weighed 75 g; Gearlimits (2019) says 82 g.
Packed size
From maker's figures 6/10How much room it takes in your rucksack. 6: A bit better than average.
Optimus gives 71 x 56 x 57 mm: 7.1 x 5.6 x 5.7 = 227 cm3, about 0.23 L, in the 0.2-0.59 L band. The head does not fold, so it is bulkier than the Crux.
Boil speed (still air)
From maker's figures 9/10How fast the maker says it boils 1 litre in still air. Wind slows every stove: see Wind performance. 9: Among the best you can buy for this.
Optimus gives an average of 3 minutes (180 s) for 1 litre, under the 190 s line. OutdoorGearLab timed 4 min 35 s for 1 litre in still air, so expect slower.
Wind performance
From reviews 5/10How well it keeps boiling in a breeze, as sold, without an extra windshield. 5: Does the job. Average for wild-camping gear.
OutdoorGearLab timed 1 litre at 4 min 35 s in still air and 7 min 54 s in a 3-6 km/h box-fan breeze (72% longer, 3 on our table). The Great Outdoors says it has no wind resistance and needs a windshield (2). Gearlimits only advises a small windshield in a lot of wind and did not time it (3). Average 2.7 out of 5, so 5 out of 10.
In short
Good for
- Solo walkers who want a very light, cheap stove for a small to medium pot
- Three-season trips in sheltered spots, with a windshield if it blows
- Anyone who does not need the Crux's fold-flat trick
Strengths
- 72 g with 3,000 W output; Optimus quotes 3 minutes for 1 litre
- Wide burner head spreads the flame over a bigger area than most tiny stoves
- Simmers decently and the wire valve handle is easy to use; stuff sack in the box
Weaknesses
- OutdoorGearLab timed it 72% slower in a 3-6 km/h breeze (4 min 35 s still, 7 min 54 s windy for 1 litre); The Great Outdoors says it needs a windshield
- Unregulated: The Great Outdoors timed 8 min 30 s for 500 ml at -2 °C, nearly four times longer than in mild weather. Not a winter stove
- Pot supports are narrow, so it suits small pots; flames shoot up the sides of narrow mugs
- No igniter: carry a lighter
- Pot supports must all be opened by hand, and Sierra Rec nearly spilled a pot with one left folded
Sources
We haven't tested this ourselves. Every score comes from these specs, tests and reviews.
ShowHide sources (5)
- Optimus (Katadyn Group): Crux Lite product page (weight, size, boil time, output)
- OutdoorGearLab (Mary Witlacil): Optimus Crux Lite review (lab and field tested)
- The Great Outdoors (Chris Townsend): Optimus Crux Lite review
- Gearlimits (Hayco Volkers): Review: Optimus Crux Lite Stove
- Sierra Rec Magazine (Charlie Pankey): Trail Tested Gear Review: Optimus Crux Lite Stove