Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Coleman Exponent Multi Fuel Stove Model 550b / 550b725 Military USA at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products! Best Uses: Flat water, recreation, mild whitewater Brand: Coleman Available At: Amazon.com – Coleman Exponent Fastback Number of Paddlers: 1 Stats: Length 10′ 10″, Width 35″, Weight 29 lbs, Load Capacity 310 lbs. Accessories Included: Retractable spray skirt, water resistant pouch, repair kit, 1 year warranty Kayak Material: 30 gauge PVC bladder, 840D nylon on top and 840D woven. Coleman Exponent Stove – Heating the water for our morning coffee, Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness, Madison County, Missouri – March 2012 Just for the record, because we didn’t want the hassle of dealing with the TSA and any potential security problems we didn’t take this stove with us to the UK on a tour of Scotland in 2011.

Coleman Stove parts that fit, straight from the manufacturer. Use our interactive diagrams, accessories, and expert repair help to fix your Coleman Stove. The Coleman 550B is an excellent stove that has been proven on the trail by campers and by several countries‘ militaries in the field. It is meant to be carried in a pack and used with lighter weight cookware.

Best Uses: Flat water, recreation, mild whitewater

Brand: Coleman

Available At:Amazon.com – Coleman Exponent Fastback

Number of Paddlers: 1

Stats: Length 10′ 10″, Width 35″, Weight 29 lbs, Load Capacity 310 lbs.

Accessories Included: Retractable spray skirt, water resistant pouch, repair kit, 1 year warranty

Kayak Material: 30 gauge PVC bladder, 840D nylon on top and 840D woven, laminated nylon on bottom

Pros: Retractable spray skirt, good amount of storage room, lots of d-ring hooks and pull handles, affordable, light weight, very easy to inflate and deflate, fairly stable, protects you from elements

Cons: Not fast, doesn’t track very well so a lot of your energy will go into trying to keep it straight, performance is so-so, not the best quality, advertised as a whitewater kayak but it is not self-bailing

More Info

The Coleman Exponent Fastback is definitely a beginner inflatable kayak. It is not expensive and gives a beginners performance… meaning that it does not even come close to comparing to many of the other inflatable kayaks on the market.

It is not that it is such a bad kayak. It actually has a lot of great features such as:

• a retractable spray skirt – very cool
• a waterproof pouch – super handy
• an air-tight system and double lock valve which guarantees no air leaks as well as easy inflation
• a very affordable price tag

All of these features are very appealing and can help make for an enjoyable paddling experience. However the bottom line is this:

• it does not perform well
• it does not track well – paddling will seem twice as hard
• it will not hold up as well as many others
• it is not self-bailing

The Coleman Exponent Fastback is advertised as being speedy and stable. Although stability is not a huge issue with this kayak, I can tell you there is no speed.

It is also advertised as being able to take on some heavy whitewater rapids. It would have no problem in calm rivers or a calm ocean, I would not want to trust it for anything too heavy.

Also there are no self-bailing valves and that is not good if you are going to be in whitewater. So in other words… with this inflatable kayak stick with flat water.

Okay for Beginners

Like I said, this is not a bad inflatable kayak, it is simply not a really good one.

It will suit brand new paddlers who have never kayaked before and want to do some simple recreational paddling on calm waters. It is light weight and would be very easy to travel with or take camping.

This is an entry level kayak with an entry level price tag. It is best suited for someone that is not expecting a lot from their inflatable kayak but just wants to get out on the water and have some fun.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a beginner level inflatable kayak that can paddle on flat water as well as calm whitewater then the Exponent Fastback may be a good option for you.

However in my opinion if I had a few hundred dollars to spend on an inflatable kayak I would 100% go for the Sea Eagle 330 or 370.

Both of these are much more rugged, far better quality, self-bailing, come with longer warranties and will perform a million times better… as well as likely last years longer.

Where To Buy

Amazon.com consistently has the best deal on the Coleman Exponent Fastback.

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Hersh Johnson+46
April 7, 2016

My experience with the Peak 1 Multi-fuel stove 550 has been excellent, though now they are calling it Exponent I can only see a couple of difference between the two.

Pros

• It's screaming HOT
• And it's NOT screaming loud like my WhisperLite.
• No need for an extra fuel bottle when planning properly for weekend trips
• Weight is OK

Cons

• The weight is OK. I'm not sure this design can be lightened so when I'm seeking Ultra light I use one of my other stoves.

I bought the very first generation stove. I believe it's the 550 'A' model rather than the 'B' model which had a couple of very minor differences, one being the center burner screw went from a phillips to a slotted (maybe I got that backwards). I'll double check that.

Also, they changed the pump to a 'more friendly field repairable one.' The first gen had the old school leather pump. The newer one is rubber... not as good in my opinion (so much for more friendly). I will say it appears the newer model's pump can be twisted off rather than pulling the wire C clip. If that's more friendly so be it...

Coleman Exponent 550b Parts

Mine boils water quickly (4+/- minutes per quart), but I have never been in a hurry when hiking (makes for a VERY slow walker). It's quiet and the flame adjusts very well. I think the size is very functional, though again I wouldn't try to call it ultra light by any means. It is my go-to stove at this moment.

Adjustable feet have helped many times.

Good windscreen when used in a partially blocked area.

Tank of gas lasts me a weekend easily... that usually includes two dinners and two breakfasts and an extra round of coffee beyond my meals.

If you have ever used a standard Coleman stove/lantern it's that easy to use!

When I pack it I usually avoid crushing the windscreen/burner. I have a couple of buddies that can crush an army tank. Point is, I'm easy on all my gear. I'm not throwing my pack of gear off cliffs and rappelling down to it.

At the time of purchase, early to mid '90s if I remember correctly, it was priced just below MSR's WhisperLite. I used it twice every day during my 2000 re-walk of Colin Fletcher's 1000 Mile Summer (life changing!!!). After the 3/4 mark it finally petered out and I switch to my MSR Whisperlight... which I CANNOT STAND ITS LOUDNESS to this day!!! You talk about KILLING 'peace and quiet.'

So, with all of that said, it's a GREAT 4-star stove. I can say that, being an owner of an MSR, a JetBoil MiniMo (new purchase), an Esbit, and a Trangia... hmmm I have two more at home, but can't remember them. That must make them under a 3-star rating... hahahahaha.

Again, thanks Trailspace... keep up the great job!

Hersh

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $50

Thanks for the review, Hersh. Your trip following Colin Fletcher's Thousand-Mile Summer sounds fantastic.

Coleman Multi Fuel Camp Stove