Liquid Fuel Stoves

“I searched past threads. Found ones about specific stoves, etc. But, not one that compares all liquid fuel stoves.

I need a stove for cold weather. I'm more concerned w/ ease of use than I am w/ bulk and weight since I'll likely be packing it in on a sled.

So, fire (hehe) away w/ your opinions...

Thanks!!”

“ummm it would help if you stated how cold and how high as well as usage. Melting snow in very cold weather at high altitudes takes a much more powerfull stove.

btu's
efficiecy
fuel type?
multi fuel?
# of users?”

“I dunno. I'll answer what I can...

Cold: Coldest will prolly be in the negative single digits.

Elevation: Not too high in winter months.... Prolly not The Rockies in January. More like the weekend I spent in the Adirondacks in February.

Fuel type: No preference. As long as it's easy to use.

# of users: Usually just me, unless I'm sharing w/ a person or two.”

“tara- i have the mst international. I love this thing. I've used it in -6 temps so far. I have had no problems. what i like about this one is that it will burn all types of fuel.(white gas,kerosene, and unleaded gas from the gas station.)

i shopped pretty hard and found this one to be the most reliable from what others have said.”

“Thanks binks.

I've heard great things about the MSR Int'l, Coleman Exponent, and Optimus SVEA... Decisions, decisions.”

“whisperlite, can't go wrong”

“Alcohol works fine in cold weather for me. I've made it a habit to put my fuel bottle inside my vest for a short while before adding it to the stove.

A tiny amount of priming alcohol to heat the stove up, and it's off just like it was 80 degrees out...”

“I dunno if alcohol would work at the temps tarabull hikes in.

Tarabull, I'd recommend getting one that can simer if you'll be using it to rehydrate meals. The dragonfly (what Pennsy Hiker and SirPete have) is a noisy bastard, but a wicked nice stove. I wish I would have gotten that one instead of my Whisperlite.”

“Check out MSR's new Simmerlite
Light(8oz)and Quiet...a tad pricy though @ $90 The Whisperlite weighs twice as much.

If I was stove shopping...that would be my choice. (I am Tempted)

If you have BP Mag's Gear Guide look at page 117.”

“It doesn't get any easier than the Coleman Feather 400. Nothing to assemble,inexpensive, best simmering stove out there, very powerful, very quiet and with an 11 oz. fuel tank you may not have to even bring a fuel bottle depending on how long you are staying. I've been using mine for 10 years in winter and it's never failed. It even lit up at 13 below with no priming paste.”

“I will agree with richb. If weight is not a problem very relaible and blondes can use em.
However, I also look at the simmerlite. And I want one!
Alcohol, WILL work at most temps. The trick is keepin yer fuel warmer than the O/S temp.”

“I have a dependable Whisperlight International. I recently bought a Optimus Nova that I am not very impressed with.”

“hey BAcpac Waz up ole man. Glad yer back.”

“MSR XGK. Won't simmer and sounds like a jet engine (I get warm just listening to it) will boil faster than anything else. Been a GREAT stove for over 25 years.”

“I am good. I had a good scare today.

I was looking for a place to put a geocache and stumbled across a nice trail beside a creek. The trail ran good for a long time and crossed a slough. I almost stepped on an Armadillo. I made a dry crossing, but there was no trail on the other side. I watched two white tail deer scramble up a bluff like goats. I have never seen deer climb like that.

I circled for a while and then headed upstream. I found the end of the slough and made another circle back to the original trail. I could not believe that such a well established trail would end so abruptly so I was still looking. The armadillo scared the #&%!$ out of me again.

I crossed the slough again and decided to make time and hopefully find a trail. I got into the biggest mess of briars, muck and thorns. It was ugly. I finally found another slough and some clear terrain and headed back upstream. I found some old logging roads, but no more trail.

I took a break and watched the river for a while. This was not a good place for a geocache. On my way back I followed the logging roads and crossed a slough or two. I decided to follow the biggest slough around the thorn patch. There were some rocky spots that looked better than the thorny spots so I was making good time.

I stepped on one rock and my feet went straight out in front of me. My ass landed in the water and my elbow hit a rock. I was on my feet quick cause I knew I had screwed up. My elbow was not broke, but it hurt. My hand was bleeding, but only a little. My GPS was lying in six inches of water.... lifeless.

I was crushed. So many near misses and never a scratch. Now my dependable Garmin 12 was dead. I removed the batteries and the water poured from her lifeless body.

My ass was freezing, my elbow ached, my hand hurt and my wallet was burning. I did not want to buy another GPS.

I managed to make it back to my truck an hour later. The drive home wasn't too bad with a warm heater and plenty of power. I sometimes think that the best part of a trip is the drive home with the V-8 humming and the stereo blasting.

Ahhhhh America.

Anyway I got plenty of TLC when I got home. I went out a few minutes ago to retrieve the Garmin from the truck. I tenderly placed new batteries in my baby. Closed my eyes and hit the power button.

Like the Energizer Bunny the old Garmin 12 kept on ticking.







Man a life like this is worth fighting for.”

“YO BEAR!! YOU STILL COMING THIS WEEKEND?”

“Yo Bear. You got mail!”

“"...and blondes can use em..."
jerbear
07:03:06 PM
03/01/03

I suppose if you can figure 'em out, anybody can. ;-)

I did use my pepsi can alky stove on my last cold weather trip. Slept w/ the alky and had no trouble getting it started. I'm just looking for something a little more heavy-duty than that in case I wanna cook an extensive outdoor meal.

Thanks for the help, all!”

“Tara,

I just traded with campmor my nova for a dragonfly.

My nova wouldn't heat past simmer last weekend and all week long.

I cleaned it, and got it working, but then it would crap out.

The dude at Cmore recomeded the Dragonfly.”

“Tara YES I,I can figure them out.I am an engineer! Whoo whooo, All aboard! Shall I bring a wisperlite for you to play with or...?
Binks ,yea I PLAN TO BE THERE.Not to hollar. LOL U Got mail!
Bacpac, Nice trip. Glad you bounced back and saved the garmin. Er ... aaaand the garmin revived!”

“Dang, That Nova is expensive too. You'd think for $140 you'd get a simmer if you want it.”

“Now that I put the fuel filter on the end of my intake nozel the Dragonfly isn't nearly as loud as it use to be

I threw it away when I bought the stove, one of those "what the helll is that" and tossed it. I just bought a new pump with it on it and I actually read the directions this time where it identified it.”

“Nova was most definatly quieter. I just (30seconds ago) lit my fry in the kitchen and that mother rorred!!!. Vooooommmmmm. I live really close to teterburo air port, and the dragonfly sounds like a 747 landed on my roof. But, atlest you know its working when its working.

THe nova is quiter and does have the same simmer capabilities as the fly, but that is if the stove works. Which it didn't.”

“I use a SVEA. There are lots of reviews on it. It's never left me stranded in the field.

I'm thinking of getting a multi-fuel stove soon, tho...”

“Stove is spelled'SVEA'”

“I also have a SVEA, super reliable, does simmer, works in cold (-15F), works at altitude (10,200ft).”

“Thanks everyone. I'm still doing my research. I'll make a decision by next winter, lol, and be sure to keep ya'll posted.”

“I just had round 2 with the dragon. Works like a beast.

Tara, see "I set a fly on fire in my kitchen" thread. its about the dragonfly.”

“MSR Simmerlite.

It really does simmer (with some attention). It is solidly built and relatively light; nothing like my SnowPeak Giga, but at least I now know how much fuel I actually have left.

In my search only one other stove received serious consideration - the MSR Whisperlite International. I finally decided; however, that I have no intention of hiking overseas, and that white gas is clean, burns hot and is readily available stateside. Add to that the ability to simmer and the lighter weight and voila! A winner.

For the record I also looked at the Brasslite, but found that alcohol has some limitations.

Good Luck.”

“I have had great performance in all conditions with an MSR Dragonfly. As mentioned above, its noisy, but boy can it put out the heat. Also, the fuel consumption is amazingly efficient. My previous stove was a coleman peak 1, which worked fine,but was heavy. The Dragonfly uses half the fuel, I swear. Be warned though, it's loud. It also has interchangeable nozzles for all fuels, including leaded and unleaded gasoline.”