Vargo Decagon Performance Test 

You really need to follow the instructions. That is not how Vargo recommends lighting the stove. This is the new version of the Decagon. The older version had a very tiny hole to fill with fuel. I have been using the new one for about 7 months now and I know you need to fill this stove up. Half an ounce of fuel will not work (as you just discovered). You need to spill some fuel over the holes before lighting. It generally takes between 30 sec to 1min 30sec to prime and get a full bloom. The flame is strong to begin with and will boil 2 cups in around 7 to 10 min but then flame becomes weaker but it is good for simmering. Will burn for 15 to 20min.

You should do a followup video and actually follow the instructions. If you don't follow the manufacturers recommended methods you get lousy result like your video showed. I don't own this product, but I'm not sure you gave it a fair assessment.

R.T.P. One MUST FILL the stove, ADD a little more ( I wet the top/sides of the stove with my fuel) and then light it. The trick to getting a fast "bloom" is to have a hot stove - hence, wetting the top and side of the stove and then lighting it. I pour the unused fuel back into my fuel container after heating my water/food. If you want to know how much fuel it takes to boil 16 oz of water then measure pre-burn and then measure post-burn and the difference is what the stove has used...

I just used this stove on the AT for a weeklong trip. It worked great! My stove had a smaller fill hole but I don't know if that is the newer or older model. This stove doesn't prime in the same way a trianga (which I like) does but it is much lighter. If it is not primed in 20 seconds blow it out and drip a little d. alcohol around the outside then light it. Be proactive and show some sense!!! I had boiling water in 5 min from lighting which exactly met my needs. Great product, stupid review.

This is just a great little stove!!! In my experience: If you FILL+ your stove up as the directions state these are the results you should get: - Bloomed in about 15 - 20 seconds (in cold weather it's at least 2x longer to bloom). - Boiled 16+ oz water in 7 1/2 minutes (slower in cold weather and higher altitude). - Burned strongly for 15 minutes. - Burned out of fuel after 16 1/2+ minutes As I said "Just a GREAT little stove" I FILL my stove and then spritz a little around the top and then light it. I have never had it take more than 40 - 60 seconds for the stove to bloom. It will take anywhere from 7 to 8 1/2 minute for 16 oz of water to boil. When I've boiled my water or heated my food I simply blow the flame out, let the stove cool to touch and pour the unused fuel back into my container. I figure I can get two separate cookings out of 1 full stoves worth of fuel. Did I mention what a GREAT little stove this is? I've owned several of these and given away at least a couple of these....And all, without exception, have worked perfectly.

Did not follow directions with stove. Supposed to fill prior to lighting to help with priming.

Years later looking at this stove, but your video did not follow instructions. Of course you did not get the proper results.

Try using more fuel. From watching the manufacturer's video, you have to fill the pot to just above the hole for it to work effectively. It "never reaches it's maximum heat output" if you don't fill it full enough. Still, 24+ minutes on 1/2 ounce is pretty danged impressive.

1/2 an hour using 1/2 an ounce is what I can live with using a smaller pot NOT CUP a 500ml-600ml or a 700ml to simmer cooking rice (& beans or with chicken) or heating up frozen TV dinners! Real cooking & maybe breakfast (eggs, pancake & bacon) that’s what some people should look at & not the boiling water for rehydration of foods Thanks for the insight I took as POSITIVE for MY needs!

Testers should always read the directions. Vargo states that you *_MUST_* fill the stove completely to get good results. See the caption here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9FdubmJFOFU.html It's also stated in the commentary to fill til the hole in the center is topped and there is a small pool of alcohol in the center of the jet ring. Vargo claims if the stove is properly filled and lit, it should bloom in 1/2 to 1 minute, and boil 16 oz in 7-8 minutes. I personally believe all those numbers are optimistic. I think the stove will generally bloom in 2-3 minutes, and generally boil in 9-12 minutes.

I am patient when camping/kayaking, but this stove absolutely has lost me. I own numerous alky stoves including quite a few commercial and homemade models (Trangia, Esbit/Alocs, the Mini Tattoo Stove, the Georgia Heat, pop can stoves, cat food can stoves and more) and there's not a lot I've read or seen that paints Vargo stoves (in this or the Triad model) in a very positive light, though I confess to being impressed with overall burn time -- despite weak output and an exhaustive priming process. There's a fine line between fuel efficiency and heat output. Too much heat output burns too much fuel too fast and can get things too hot -- if you do more than boil water -- and too little heat output consumes too much fuel and time while not bringing the temperature to a satisfactory level. This is definitely the latter. Thanks for the video. I definitely like my Trangia and my Mini Tattoo more now.

I find with alcohol stoves the right brand of fuel and a good windscreen (even w/o wind) are critical to good performance. You may want to try other brands to get better performance with your setup.

Need to fill the stove Full of alcohol

just can't hardly beat the trangia design type of burners

embarrassing if you're not even using it correctly.

You keep telling us that it is a great little stove. In my opinion it was totally worthless 🙃. You have to fill it full from the start. Try to make som food with that one in a snowstorm 😂🤦‍♂️

A piece of JUNK of a stove! My DIY fancy feast stove take 45 seconds FLAT and put your pot & you’re already off to the races! One minute and over for priming takes just way too long!