BackPack Stove

[TriggerMag]

What would be the Best Backpacking stove and acessories etc, to take on a 7-10 day hunt. looking for light weight (of course) reliability and durability.
Cannister or gas, as Ive been told cannister type do not perform well when the temps drop below zero, or at high altitudes.

I only want to Buy once!!

[bigwhiteys]

What would be the Best Backpacking stove and acessories etc, to take on a 7-10 day hunt. looking for light weight (of course) reliability and durability. Cannister or gas, as Ive been told cannister type do not perform well when the temps drop below zero, or at high altitudes.

I only want to Buy once!!
If you only want to buy once, I would look at the MSR lineup. If all you plan on doing is boiling water for freeze dries, soup, drinks etc... then JetBoil is a good choice.

The canisters don't work well if you let them get cold, I've had mine up around 7000' and they worked fine, but once you let the canisters get cold the stove becomes harder to light, less pressure.

Carl

[KB90]

I used a Jetboil on my first sheep hunt this year. Worked great. Nice and compact.

[Blair]

Have a look at the MEC website (http://www.mec.ca/Main/articles_listing.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374 302886969) . They have lots of good information on there for choosing a stove. I would get one of the liquid fuel stoves. I've used mine to -20C and it works great and fuel is widely available.

[stoneguide]

I have had a Jet Boil now for a couple years and it works great. It has worked at all altitudes and temps. Like was stated the cold afected the pressure a bit but mine still worked ok.
SG

[Everett]

I have been using a msr pocket rocket for the last two years and love it. Tossed my old whisperlight in the trash. An old trick with canister stoves in the cold is two wrap a piece of copper through the flame and around the canister. This will warm the fuel and keep it from seperating.

[Slee]

I have had this primus stove for 10 years now. Works awesome. I have never had a problem with it at all. Ive used it in -20 ice fishing to make some coffee to +30C with out any issues. Its a great little stove at 2.4oz You wont be cooking bacon and eggs on it but it does the trick.


http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg203/efdkelly/GetAttachmentCAIUDA6I.jpg

[TriggerMag]

I'm also concerned about weight I would imagine the cannisters would be lighter than the liquid fuel bottles, and what about leakage do either of the cannisters or liquid fuel bottles leak.
I'll be using the stove mainly for boiling water but I want the option to cook on it if the need arrises.

[brenden]

Jetboil has been my number one pick for three years. I love it. If there is a better one out there I don't care b/c I have zero complaints about this one. I have used coleman featherlight 440, microlights, msr dragonfly, optimus stoves, and a coleman apex. I still have the dragonfly and I'm on my second Jetboil. If I had a complaint about the jetboil it would be that the first one didn't withstand the weight of my chev pickup. I guess you sacrafice some durability for the weight savings.......:mrgreen:.

Brenden

[Tripitaka]

I have one of these (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product397.asp) and use it either with natural fuel (pine cones, twigs etc) or with one of these (http://www.proadventure.co.uk/acatalog/Tatonka_Alcohol_Burner_meths1570.html). Very light - never runs out of fuel of you are anywhere near wood.

[gibblewabble]

I have one of these (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product397.asp) and use it either with natural fuel (pine cones, twigs etc) or with one of these (http://www.proadventure.co.uk/acatalog/Tatonka_Alcohol_Burner_meths1570.html). Very light - never runs out of fuel of you are anywhere near wood.

Here is a site that has homemade gear if you look in the stove section they have a template for a simpler version of that stove, easily made.
http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html
I use a whisperlite as it burns whatever fuel I have on hand (although I have never tried other fuel), good economy and is easy to maintain and its good to 14,000 feet though I have never been over 8,000 but you never know. I cook for me and my son on hikes so I use a pot for meals.

[Tex Williams]

anybody ever run a Primus unit?

http://www.primus.eu/Archive/Images/Resized%20images/400x400/353083EtaExpress_E3_400x400.jpg

[Ron.C]

I have been using a msr pocket rocket for the last two years and love it.

I have also had a MSR Pocket Rocket for several years. I used it on an 8 day trip on the Bowron lakes, and a 12 day elk/goat trip two years back. Not to mention several overnight trips. They are very inexpensive, good on fuel, and as compact as any stove can get. It's drawbacks are it's support arms are not designed for a large heavy pot, nor does it have a wind break, but that can be worked around.

[troutseeker]

I have one of these (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product397.asp) and use it either with natural fuel (pine cones, twigs etc) or with one of these (http://www.proadventure.co.uk/acatalog/Tatonka_Alcohol_Burner_meths1570.html). Very light - never runs out of fuel of you are anywhere near wood.

Good idea, if you have fuel handy. For sheep hunts you may very well be in areas wirth no combustible materials to scrounge...

I use a MSR (simmerlite or sumthin') multi-fuel stove and it works well. For a do it all stove it's hard to beat a liquid fuel stove.

I have an older Primus Himalayan that works great but I don't use it anymore since being gifted the MSR, I could be convinced to let it go to a good home for cheap. :-D

[SUAFOYT]

I have one of these (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product397.asp) and use it either with natural fuel (pine cones, twigs etc) or with one of these (http://www.proadventure.co.uk/acatalog/Tatonka_Alcohol_Burner_meths1570.html). Very light - never runs out of fuel of you are anywhere near wood.

Thanks for the links. I'm always up for trying something different. Right now I have a Brunton Raptor and it works fine for my needs although I don't know how well it would work at altitude.

[lineofsight]

Trigger Mag - I have an old MSR Whisperlite (so old that it has rubber fuel hose) and Jetboil. Both work extremely well but are quite a bit different.

Like with the Whisperlite that can see how much fuel have left (easily see if have 50% or 20% left) and can get fuel for it anywhere - especially with multifuel version. Can strip it completely and has never let me down in what must be about 20+ years of use.

Like with Jetboil how small and how hot. But... only the expensive jetboil canister fit inside the container, not as easy to use multiple pots (eat out of one while cook / melt with another). Have had issues while traveling of not finding the fuel (ended up with canisters for torches).

Would buy either again, find the Whisperlite a little more practical / multi purpose but if Jetboil fits your use it cannot be beat.

[kootenayelkslayer]

Keep it simple. MSR SimmerLite has been fail-safe for me over the last three years with heavy use and in all sorts of conditions. You can't go wrong with one of these.

[stoneguide]

But... only the expensive jetboil canister fit inside the container

Ill have to look at the brand but there are others I have bought that will fit in the canister.
SG

[KevinB]

Keep in mind that a lot of the better/more efficient backpacking stoves tend to be like blowtorches - they're either full on or off, they don't tend to simmer well. Usually I only ever need to boil water or melt snow. Right now I'm using an MSR simmerlite white gas stove and it works well enough. The stove and windscreen fit inside my pot quite easily.

If I was in the market for a new stove solely for backpack hunting I'd take a close look at the jetboil, the msr reactor, or the primus eta systems.

[yama49]

I have a msr reactor, and like it alot.

[Chuck]

I was interested in building one of those alcohol burners, but wasn't able to find any methyl alcohol to run it on, only isopropyl and it won't run on that because of the water content.

[Krico]

I'll be using the stove mainly for boiling water but I want the option to cook on it if the need arrises.

This statement alone rules out the Jetboil.

I am another satisfied MSR Simmerlite customer. Take extra fuel along in an empty pop bottle, cook all you want and when you're done just burn the bottle. Never any half empty cannisters wasting space at home.

[leadpillproductions]

I use brunton seams to work great for me

[bruin]

I"ve also been using a MSR pocket rocket for the last few years. Its a cheap buy, fuel bottles are about $8.00 though IIRC. If you'r not planning on hunting in the cold its the way to go. Super, super light. Remember to use the windsheild, it makes a HUGE difference. If you're in the cold I'd say a MSR Simmerlite on whitegas.

[pushbush]

Has any one had any leakage issues with the liquid fuel bottles and what us the weight difference between the bottles and the canisters

[GoatGuy]

Got a whisperlite that's probably 25+ years old. Replaced the pump about 5 years ago with a new one (low maintenance). It has yet to let me down.

[cwocarsten]

Had my wisperlite international for about 20 yrs, and it's awesome. Just detected a leak in the steel mesh line 2yrs ago, sent it down south for warranty....they sent me a brand new one. Now I know why I paid alot for it so long ago, because it is worth it.

[Tripitaka]

I was interested in building one of those alcohol burners, but wasn't able to find any methyl alcohol to run it on, only isopropyl and it won't run on that because of the water content.

Do you guys not have methylated spirits in Canada? The purple, smelly stuff?

[Kirby]

Simmer Light is what I am using, not the lightest, but it works well for me.

Kirby

[srupp]

I have used the MSR "XGK EXPEDITION" stove for a few years now...

expedition quality, shake the jet clean...uses anything flamable to burn...

boils 1 liter of water in 2.8 minutes...steel mesh lines, very stable...and fuel goes a long long long way...very robust construction...HIGHLY RECOMENDED

I usually do copious amounts of homework before I buy and this was the benchmark unit others were comparing to..will easily last my hunting carreer...

Steven:mrgreen:

[MountainHigh]

Jeboil failed this year in cold temps...will stick with liquid fuels like the MSR Simmerlite.

[Devilbear]

I have had and used many backpacking stoves, almost everything available since the late '60s and my favourites are my Optimus Nova, for cold weather and base camps, my Brunton-Optimus Crux for most backpacking and my "Litemax", the lightest canister stove available, not sold in Canada, for packing in high country in my Crewcab, with Snowpeak 700 Ti pot and a small canister.....tea, basic Canuck bush fuel.

I have a 38 yr. old MSR "G" stove, a flaring loud SOB that will melt ice and boil water like a blowtorch and need to get a new "kit" for it as the old pump, etc. is badly worn. But, I still like to use it along with the Nova on longer trips as the white gas stoves are far better for cooking and cold than any canister stove I have yet used.

There is a cold weather canister stove called the "Soto" that I am going to buy and try in Oct./Nov. trips, just need to pay off Christmas and then order from REI...where I got my "Litemax".

[KevinB]

There is a cold weather canister stove called the "Soto" that I am going to buy and try


I would appreciate hearing what you think of that stove after you put it through its paces. It sounds like it could be a pretty good stove.

[KevinB]

Has any one had any leakage issues with the liquid fuel bottles and what us the weight difference between the bottles and the canisters


If the o-ring on the fuel bottle lid gets old and dry, it can leak. I've had one do that in the past 15 or 20 years so it's not exactly a common experience. If you even minimally check your gear before use it won't catch you unawares. Other than that some brands of bottles can be a bit easier to accidentally cross-thread (I have a couple of primus bottles that did that).

As far as the weight differences, etc. between a white gas setup and an LPG setup, well it all depends. There is no easy answer, it depends on how much fuel you think you'll burn, how long you'll be out for, etc. Have a look at the chart that this guy has made up, it's interesting:
http://hikinghq.net/stoves/weight_time_compare.html

It doesn't include most of the stoves we're talking about here but it illustrates the point. Absolute lightest weight of the kit may not be the deciding point. Different stoves use differing weights of fuel to boil a given volume of water, this is a combination of stove/pot assembly efficiency, and the amount of BTU's per pound of fuel.

[KodiakHntr]

I was interested in building one of those alcohol burners, but wasn't able to find any methyl alcohol to run it on, only isopropyl and it won't run on that because of the water content.

You don't have a Canadian Tire or gas station anywhere near you? I find that hard to believe Chuck.........lol

Methyl Hydrate will be found in the paint section at Canadian Tire.....
Or you can buy a bottle of gas line antifreeze at any gas station.

[Kody94]

You don't have a Canadian Tire or gas station anywhere near you? I find that hard to believe Chuck.........lol

Methyl Hydrate will be found in the paint section at Canadian Tire.....
Or you can buy a bottle of gas line antifreeze at any gas station.

I built an alcohol stove and used it quite a bit...still do from time to time. I just use liquid Fondue Fuel, like this... http://www.recochem.com/en/index.php/products/outdoor_living/rv_plumbing_antifreezeindoor_living/item/fondue_fuel1

Available at CdnTire, most grocery stores...

[Kody94]

I am a fan of the MSR Pocket Rocket for general 3 season use, and I still use my trusty old Whisperlite from time to time and whenever its cold out.

Pocket rocket:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Staggerino/SheepHuntAug9-182009180.jpg

Whisperlite:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Staggerino/Kody/2000_Grizz_cropped.jpg



Whenever its REAL cold out, I prefer a big azz fire and a billy pot!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Staggerino/Kody/Kodytouque.jpg

[Chuck]

Do you guys not have methylated spirits in Canada? The purple, smelly stuff?

I'm not aware that it is readily available. One of those "banned for health reasons" products.

[KodiakHntr]

Pocket rocket:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Staggerino/SheepHuntAug9-182009180.jpg



I have the same pot.....Got it for $20 shipped last winter from end2end, along with the alcohol stove and a bunch of other goodies at the same time.....Was a hell of a deal.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc182/KodiakHntr2/Sheep%20Hunting/Sheeptrip2010082.jpg

I take the whisperlight in to base camp, and when I spike out from there I take the alcohol stove with 3oz of fuel for an overnighter.

[greenhorn]

I have used the MSR "XGK EXPEDITION" stove for a few years now...

expedition quality, shake the jet clean...uses anything flamable to burn...

boils 1 liter of water in 2.8 minutes...steel mesh lines, very stable...and fuel goes a long long long way...very robust construction...HIGHLY RECOMENDED

I usually do copious amounts of homework before I buy and this was the benchmark unit others were comparing to..will easily last my hunting carreer...

Steven:mrgreen:

I have an MSR too. Like already stated, you can run the darn thing on almost anything that burns.

Although they are built really tough, there is one thing that I don't like. It's really hard to slow the burn down by partially closing the valve off full blast. It's not a dirt or cleanliness issue with my stove, it's always been like that.

I've heard the new MSR valves are a bit better and will allow you to operate the stove at partial throttle.

It's not a big deal for me.... I like having the loudest and scariest stove in town :mrgreen:

[KodiakHntr]

The Simmerlight is *marginally* better to turn down the volume of fuel delivered, but they aren't really designed to *cook* things. Backpack stoves like the whisperlight series are really just more of a water-boiling device.

A couple of the dual burner versions (if you can find one) DO have a dual valve system though, one at the bottle/pump junction and one at the stove, to better regulate the temp though. Haven't seen one of those around anywhere for a few years for some reason.

[wildcatter]

I have a Svea 123, made in Sweden with a little pump to pressurize, that I bought nearly 20 years ago,
fits into a coffee tin, burns all kind of liquid fuel, not the lightest but goes like a blowtorch and it simmers too.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/P1020405-01.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=22217&size=big&cat=500)

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/P1020407-01.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=22218&size=big&cat=500)

[KodiakHntr]

Interesting little riggin'....Looks heavy though.

Did a little digging, and I see that the MSR Dragonfly has a simmer feature on it.

Makes no difference to me though, as I'm not one to carry anything that needs cooking, other than simmering some soup. And I can do that by simply taking the pot off of the burner for a couple of minutes and putting it back on as required.

[wildcatter]

I was curious and just checked the weight, it's 24 oz filled about halfway.

[luckofthedraw]

when weight truly matters, this is great. But as KodiakHntr pointed out, you would not cook your steak dinner on it. Oatmeal/hotdogs/soup/freeze dried....the whisperlite can't be beat.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444237 2409&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302888390

Lotd

[budismyhorse]

anybody ever run a Primus unit?

http://www.primus.eu/Archive/Images/Resized%20images/400x400/353083EtaExpress_E3_400x400.jpg

I own one and have used it quite a few times now.......and love it.

Its cheaper, more efficient, lighter, faster and more compact than a jetboil.........but for some reason doesn't seem very popular.

marketing?

http://www.primuscamping.com/tech_data/Primus-ETA-comparison-v3.pdf

1 can will easily last you for a 10 day trip.

[Everett]

I have a Svea 123, made in Sweden with a little pump to pressurize, that I bought nearly 20 years ago,
fits into a coffee tin, burns all kind of liquid fuel, not the lightest but goes like a blowtorch and it simmers too.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/P1020405-01.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=22217&size=big&cat=500)

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/P1020407-01.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=22218&size=big&cat=500)

Last time I saw one of those it had just exsploded in my face on the west coast trail almost 20 years ago. Loved that stove right up to the day it bit me. Got it when I was in the army and didn't give it back when I got out.

[wildcatter]

Last time I saw one of those it had just exsploded in my face on the west coast trail almost 20 years ago. Loved that stove right up to the day it bit me. Got it when I was in the army and didn't give it back when I got out.

Exploded?
How did that happen, I never had a single problem with mine.

[greenhorn]

Interesting little riggin'....Looks heavy though.

Did a little digging, and I see that the MSR Dragonfly has a simmer feature on it.

Makes no difference to me though, as I'm not one to carry anything that needs cooking, other than simmering some soup. And I can do that by simply taking the pot off of the burner for a couple of minutes and putting it back on as required.

I agree that the MSRs are not really designed to be cooking tools, they're made for boiling water in a hurry.

It would be smart to have a valve that could be throttled down though. There have been numerous occasions when it would have been nice to keep the pot of water warm while I'm eating, or would have been nice to have the stove on "standby" and not burning fuel at full blast.

What I usually do is turn the stove off and let it burn the fuel in the line then turn it back on for a 20 seconds then turn it off again, this way your just charging the line, the stove isn't cranking at full heat, and you dont have to re-light the darn thing.

IMO the MSRs are the way to go if you're worried about space/weight/toughness. Alot of the other stoves that my buddies bring backpacking are way bulkier than an MSR and only work marginally better for cooking.

Just one mans opinion.

[Everett]

Exploded?
How did that happen, I never had a single problem with mine.

It suddenly shot a flame about 2 feet high when I was lighting it. Up to that point it had been awsome used at least 500 times prior to that with no problem. Singed my beard.

[wizzum-lvr]

I have used a Jetboil for the last 5 years. It's a nice little unit, and has always done the job.

[Devilbear]

It suddenly shot a flame about 2 feet high when I was lighting it. Up to that point it had been awsome used at least 500 times prior to that with no problem. Singed my beard.

Yup, the old Svea 123 stoves were just terrible for flaring like that and I had the same thing happen with my original, which I just wore out and a friend's which I borrowed as he never used it. The cause was when whatever "gasket" that prevented fuel from running down the operating arm and then igniting wore out, as they quickly did...VERY impressive pyrotechnics!

I was taught at an early age to operate naptha blowtorches and lead melting pots by my late father, a plumber for almost 50 years and found that the "fix" for this design problem was to use "Permatex" gasket goop to seal the offending area....stove worked perfectly ever after.

Still, for an all-around stove, I would choose the MSR Whisperlite, mine was swiped when this house was burgled at Christmas, 1999 and call it good. I prefer my Optimus Nova for cooking, though and, btw, have made awesome pancakes for a companion and I on the Svea....he had bribed me with half of the bottle of Scotch he got from his parents for his 21st....long ago.

There are lots of good options, none is "perfect" and becoming familiar with the one(s) YOU use is the best way to ensure safety and good cooking. I recall the days when IF the BCFS was in a good mood, you would be issued a Coleman two-burner for your lookout, instead of cooking your breakfast on a woodburning "Sheepherder" on mornings when it was already 90*F in the shade and the fire hazard was "Extreme"....the WCB would go radical apeshit over that now!

We have it pretty good for gear now and the important thing is to find the time to get out and use it.

[pushbush]

Devilbear,
If that soto regulator stove is all that it's cracked up to be do you still think that the whisperlite would be your goto stove.

[Devilbear]

Yes, because a gas stove is far more energy efficient in cold than any canister stove will be. I do not expect to buy a Soto for some months as I am saving for a new Toy. 4x4 to buy when my pension kicks in July next.

I just think that the Whisperlite is a fine choice for an all-arounder and my personal gas stove is better, but, heavier. We will have to see how the Soto does, it sure looks good.

[pushbush]

My only concern with the gas stove is that the bottles of fuel may leak all over your pack gear etc and I would think they would be a little heavier than the canisters.

[Moose Guide]

Optimus Ranger 199
-white gas
-kerosene
-alcohol
And you can cook on it.

[dana]

I have the MSR Dragonfly. Sweet stove. I love it, and yes it does have a simmer. Probably a little big for what many would call a 'solo' stove, but I've got a family of 4 that backpacks and it is the perfect size for us. Amazing the meals you can eat when it's not just 'you' cooking for yourself.

[358mag]

Been using a Coleman Max-Xtreme single burner type light weight , works like a hot dam fast boil time easy to light works in high wind get 7-8 days out of a 11oz aluim fuel can < propanne-butanne> no fuel leaks in your back pack .

[Riverratz]

For backpack trips our MSR Whisperlite has been great and no problems whatsoever for 20+ years. Ours is the white-gas only model, but there are now multi-fuel models which may be better. I find I can throttle it down some by being real careful turning the valve and not having the fuel bottle too overly pressurized with air.....the higher the pressure the faster the fuel flows.....just like a Coleman stove.
The problem with the lower flame though is that it goes out real easy with the least little puff of a breeze, so you have to shelter it pretty good. Two one liter cyl's of whitegas lasts a week no problem.
It is definitely fast......put on a liter of water at full blast, ready in about 3-4 minutes.
Has been handy on day trips too...tail-gate or quad lunch... to brew up some coffee, tea, soup, whatever, which makes a nice change from the usual cold sandwiches and thermos of stale coffee.

[Roughneck Country]

Any MSR or Jet Boil will do a good job for you.

[MikeH]

I have a MSR Whisperlite burns all fuels awesome stove. http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444237 2405&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302696549

[kuiu]

Lots of great choices, I have always liked the whitegas stoves.

[kootenayslam]

I just bought a Jetboil. I've used a MSR whisperlight for 2 yrs and hate it, will never use it again, flares up, pump is a pain in the ass and filling fuel is lousy. Jetboil has proved itself to me, high elevation and cold temps. 2c