i've got an MSR whisperlite internationale stove and while i like it a lot there are lighter options out there.
i've been looking at a few of the ultralight canister stoves, namely the snow peak and the kovea titanium stoves. a much lighter option and more boil ups for the weight carried.
i'm just wondering how these types of stoves perform in cold temps and high altitude? how cold and how high for both the gas and liquid fuel stoves?
thanks
I have tried quite a few stoves over the years and I am allways looking for ways to shave weight off my bivy gear! The only reason I use a stove is to boil water for my MntHouse meals when I am on the go chasing elk!
I have been extremely happy with my White Box Stove! Simple, weighs next to nothing, and does what it is suppose to do, boil water quickly! Last time I used it at 11,500 ft it worked perfectly. Nothing to clean and no moving parts! My Daddy allways said, keep it simple stupid! If I am not mistanke they sell for about $20.00 on E-Bay!
Take dependability over a few saved oz.
Not sayin' you should, but I use an old SVEA 123 that might weight a bit (and its only a bit) more than some other newer state of the art stoves, but it is the stove that absolutely will not fail. I will never replace it to save a couple ozs. Think about that next time you really need something hot.
Keep the whisperlite.
Joshua
I'm not real well versed on all the newer versions but generally for cold and high altitude,white gas stoves are most efficient.
My old tried and true,also has been the SVEA 123 which I started using 40 years ago.There may be lighter alternatives now but it is the main one I have used.
I'm sending you a PM,Ozy.
Just a thought you can try the military surplus sites they have some great deals on stoves and such.I used some when I was in the Marines and the work.Also trioxalene (spelling may be wrong) heat tabs work great.They are small blocks the size of micro cassette tape cover and you can cook 2-packs of ramen noodles with just one.
MSR - tried, tested, true. Stick with one of the best.....
Optimus 99, I still use mine-no idea if they are still made.
Another vote here for the Svea 123. Backpacked all over the desert and mountains with mine. Had it "serviced" once in 10 years. That was almost 20 years ago. It still works fine, us it as another stove at camp.
Another Svea user here. Took it and a coleman single burner up to 9500 feet about 15 years ago. Coleman boiled a gallon of water in 60 minutes the Svea less than 20 minutes. I have the accessory pressurizer pump for really cold weather but you could do without it. Not easy to find but certainly dependable.
I am a big fan of MSR Pocket Rocket. It weighs about 3 oz and you can find the fuel canisters anywhere now. I have used mine at 12,000 ft with no problems getting a boil on. In cold weather (below freezing) I had trouble with sluggish fuel. I solved the problem with putting the fuel canister in my bag with me along with the morning water.
QuoteOriginally posted by wapiti792:
I am a big fan of MSR Pocket Rocket. It weighs about 3 oz and you can find the fuel canisters anywhere now. I have used mine at 12,000 ft with no problems getting a boil on. In cold weather (below freezing) I had trouble with sluggish fuel. I solved the problem with putting the fuel canister in my bag with me along with the morning water.
Exact same experience with the exact same stove.
google pop can stove. Make one out of two pop cans and use Heat (gas antifreeze) for fuel. I have one and it works good.
I use the MSR Pocket Rocket, admittedly I haven't been in any extreme cold with it, but down to about 30 I've had no problems.
The Jet Boil is a great stove. If you are boiling water for freeze dried food.
http://www.jetboil.com/
I use a Snow Peak Giga w/Piezo Cannister and if I really want to go ultralight, I use my Trail Designs Caldera Cone Alcohol stove w/ the Snow Peak 700 mug.
Pocket Rocket has worked well for me up to 10,500 and the coldest it got was about 30-35 f.
If the weight of a stove is of concern, find a way to not take a stove. If I was shaving weight for this fall, I could easily go without a stove. Mt House isn't that good anyways! :)
For the last three years I have been using a Kelly Kettle. No fuel to carry. All I do is boil water.
My daughter had a liter and a half boiling in a minute and a half with it stuffed full of dry pine needles. When I travel to places where it rains I take a small tube of glue for fire starter.
MAP
I have a jet boil and it works awesome,Still have two MSR's but they don't get used much these days.
My brother has a MSR Pocket Rocket, I've got a Snow Peak Giga, we used both at the same time last fall at 7500 ft. and right at freezing. His boiled water a little quicker, mine used less fuel, basically a toss-up IMO. I also saw a Jet Boil in action and they work great as well, just a little bulky. I prefer the 230 gram fuel cans, they have a larger footprint and are more stable. Also a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil wrapped around the stove works great as a wind shield and will make it more efficient.
Jet Boil here, I like the coffee press option
I use the Swedish army stove. It is a brass trianga stove that uses alcohol for fuel. It has a built in wind deflector that is also the pot stand. It has a smaller pan and a larger pot. It is built like a tank! Not the lightest but it is very simple and robust. I purchased two of them off an auction site for $18 including shipping! :D
i think i'll go for a snow peak giga or a kovea. i'll mainly use it for trips in australia. i think i'll stick with the MSR for trips to new zealand for tahr for it's cold weather reliablity.
thanks guys
QuoteOriginally posted by rappstar:
Pocket Rocket has worked well for me up to 10,500 and the coldest it got was about 30-35 f.
If the weight of a stove is of concern, find a way to not take a stove. If I was shaving weight for this fall, I could easily go without a stove. Mt House isn't that good anyways! :)
When I go on my 2-3 day sheep hunts I usually don't take any "hot" food. That way I don't need a stove, fuel, pot, bowl, or spork. Saves lots of weight. While a hot supper is nice it's not necessary. The natives never took a stove!
Pocket rocket
I am too looking for a stove and i am leaning to the snow peak because I heard it is more stable with a pot on it than a pocket rocket
stability for canister stoves is solved by either the nylon legs (cheap), or (my favorite) a metal set of legs that keeps the stove low to the ground, and makes the fuel canister remote to the stove via a braided fuel tube. Mine is by Brunton.
With this, you can use things like an Outback Oven, and not worry about creating a bomb.
You need to make sure that youe stove/canister connected is threaded (not like the MSR - Superfly).
There are canister stoves already built this way, but if you want more from your existing one, this is a good solution. I use it on my Jet Boil when I use the larger pots, and other canister stoves I own.
I have a whisperlite stove and have owned it for over 15 years. It is a fine stove. For backpacking I have used a Snow Peak GigaPower for about 7 years. Works fine. It's very similar to the Pocket Rocket by MSR. You can get one with a lighter system built in or for 10 bucks less without that feature. It takes the canisters from MSR just fine (as well as a few others)
http://www.snowpeak.com/stoves/backpacking/gigapower-manual-stove-gs-100.html
sheepshooter- what do you eat then?
Do some research on the SOTO od-1a Micro Regulator stove I think you will like what you read it solves alot of the problems that the others have. It is a realy cool well made stove. Widow
I have a bunch of stoves from over the years and my favorite is the Svea 123. It truly is a wonder for how old the design is and weighs only slightly more(19oz)than some of the super light gizmos made today. I like it because there is NO pump involved and yet it self pressurizes to burn hot and clean using naptha.(white gas) The fact that it's made of brass just adds to the "cool" factor.
Well I know its not vouge, but when I take a backpack stove which is rarly (campfire works for me when I can), I take a coleman dual fuel. A little (2.5 oz) heavier, but reliable as all get out. I tested it with boy scouts and if it can stand up to them year after year its dependable. I dont do alot of high altitude stuff any more but works great in cold. But then I have the factory and outlet store right here in my area also.
I've used a Svea 123 for over 30 years. It will not fail. It does use a bit more fuel but the dependability is worth the extra weight. I found a cookset in a surplus store about 15 years ago for $15. When I opened it, I found a new stove in it. Dick
Jet Boil
I do this alot. For hunting and for climbing. All the stoves mentioned are good at any hunting elevation. Word for thought: carry more fuel than you need, and twice as much water. The water you may need, the extra heat in an accident will save your life.
There are no accidents for the prepared.