Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2022
Color: BlueVine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
I've been using an older Fire Maple cooking system for the past couple of years. It's a model called the X2 and it's a bit cheaper than this model at $70. Read more about it here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PRD4IE/
The X2 has been a really effective & affordable alternative to Jetboil. I've taken that thing backpacking into the Smokey Mountains, on bikepacking trips, and family camping at state parks. I've come to love my X2, so I consider the Fire Maple brand pretty trustworthy. When I saw this new Polaris model, I thought it LOOKED almost exactly the same, but I was curious whether it would be any better in practice. Here's what I learned.
** COOKING PERFORMANCE **
I recently tested the Polaris cooking system against my old X2 to see how quickly they each boil 1 liter of water. For both systems, I started with 1 liter of room temperature water, then took them outdoors to boil. It was a December day in Ohio, so the outdoor temp was around 40F.
The X2 boiled its 1 liter of water in about 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Not too bad. Similar to some older Jetboil models.
Shockingly, the Polaris boiled its 1 liter of water in about 3 minutes and 30 seconds! Wow, that's fast! I mean, that might even be faster than the Jetboil Flash, based on reviews I've read. And the Polaris keeps the ability to fine tune to heat output by twisting a little gas flow regulator.
Both the X2 and the Polaris come with an attachment you can use to turn the stove into an open flame you can use with any cook pot, rather than being stuck with just the water boiler. I've only used that option rarely, but it's nice to have the flexibility.
** SIZE **
The biggest downside to the Polaris is its size. It's slightly larger and heavier than the X2, which itself was already a little larger and heavier than some compact Jetboil models.
When completely packed up, it's about 8 inches tall and just under 5 inches wide. Without a fuel canister, it weighs in at about 23 oz / 650 grams. For me, that's just barely acceptable for a short term backpacking trip.
Really, this cooking system is best when it's being shared by at least 2 people. If you're only cooking for yourself and you really want to save weight and space, there are certainly smaller / lighter options out there.
** SUMMARY **
Considering my good experience with the Fire Maple brand, and the relatively low cost of this system, I think this is a strong option for camp cooking. You could pay a lot more for a Jetboil and maybe you'd get a system that's a bit smaller or lighter, but I doubt it would be much faster. If you're on a budget but still want a fast, reliable cook system, the Polaris is a winner.