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Camp Cooking Burners

G

GREGFUESS

Guest
I have heard people talk about camp stoves of burners that use gasoline as fuel. The ease of carting gasoline in the bike's tank, and the basically endless supply of it in the tank, makes this sound like an attractive option for cooking. I have been using an iso burner that is compact, but that requires cannisters of fuel, which is definitely places the fuel in limited in supply and in bulky containers.

If you use a gasoline powered burner, can you share what brand and model you are using, and what you would use now if you had it to do over again? All comments and recommendations welcome.
 
MSR Wisperlite International multi fuel: At least 25 years on the same one, with only a few rebuilds. Get the small fuel bottle and a siphon hose set-up to refill from the fuel tank on the bike. (or if you still ride an airhead, just pull the fuel hose off the petcock)

There are many others out there, but I still like this one that a backpacking buddy recommended many years ago. It has served me well.
 
Here in Europe the most widely used system is with CampingGaz. That's little canisters (sizes vary) with natural gas in it. All but the smallest size cannisters can be refilled, but you don't do that yourself. You drop it off at a campsite or store and take a filled one. You pay only for the gas and a little fee for the refilling.

Do they use that system in the US too?

On a camping trip some time ago, one of the guys had a petrol burner. I found that thing to be a hassle. You had to pump a couple of times to prime it and the refilling of the thing is messy. With my RT, I'd require some kind of pump to get petrol out of the tank. The natural gas burners are plug and play. And no...campsites in Europe don't blow up regulary... ;) It's rare, and natural gas is used everywhere: boats, caravans, motorhomes and tents. It's quite safe.

Main advantage for the fuel burners is that you can use it anywhere. But they also require maintenance.
 
Gas Stoves

If you use a gasoline powered burner, can you share what brand and model you are using, and what you would use now if you had it to do over again? All comments and recommendations welcome.

I've always cooked with "white gas" stoves. Among others, I have an MSR Dragonfly The biggest advantage of this model is that it can easily simmer, unlike many other gas stoves. If all you want to do is boil water, this won't be an issue, but I like to cook, even while camping. It will burn white gas, kerosene, unleaded auto fuel, diesel, and jet fuel.

Unlike compressed gas stoves, you can't just light them, you need to preheat them so the fuel will vaporize correctly, something you should practice once or twice before you hit the trail. Make sure to buy a multi-fuel model, as those designed for "white gas" may be damaged by the long-term use of auto gasoline/petrol.
 
Here in Europe the most widely used system is with CampingGaz. That's little canisters (sizes vary) with natural gas in it. All but the smallest size cannisters can be refilled, but you don't do that yourself. You drop it off at a campsite or store and take a filled one. You pay only for the gas and a little fee for the refilling.

Do they use that system in the US too?

On a camping trip some time ago, one of the guys had a petrol burner. I found that thing to be a hassle. You had to pump a couple of times to prime it and the refilling of the thing is messy. With my RT, I'd require some kind of pump to get petrol out of the tank. The natural gas burners are plug and play. And no...campsites in Europe don't blow up regulary... ;) It's rare, and natural gas is used everywhere: boats, caravans, motorhomes and tents. It's quite safe.

Main advantage for the fuel burners is that you can use it anywhere. But they also require maintenance.

Thanks Mike, I can find no distributor near me for CampingGaz. It sounds like something that would be great if it were available, but it isn't. Messy I can deal with, but nothing to cook with is a pain in the butt!!!
 
I've always cooked with "white gas" stoves. Among others, I have an MSR Dragonfly The biggest advantage of this model is that it can easily simmer, unlike many other gas stoves. If all you want to do is boil water, this won't be an issue, but I like to cook, even while camping. It will burn white gas, kerosene, unleaded auto fuel, diesel, and jet fuel.

Unlike compressed gas stoves, you can't just light them, you need to preheat them so the fuel will vaporize correctly, something you should practice once or twice before you hit the trail. Make sure to buy a multi-fuel model, as those designed for "white gas" may be damaged by the long-term use of auto gasoline/petrol.

That Dragonfly looks like a pretty nice unit with the flame adjuster and multi-fuel ability. Pricey, but when you add in the cost of those little cannisters for the iso-fuel burners, it becomes very attractive. Will definitely put this on my short list of possibilities.
 
Coleman Liquid Dual Fuel 533 Sportster II Stove. Yes, I would buy it again. Around $50.

Ralph Sims
 
What kind of campsite "chef" are you? How long are you typically out on cooking types of trips?

Do you just boil water for dehydrated food and coffee or do you like to cook with either fresh or store bought food? Maybe you like to take the BackPacker oven and get fancy?

The multi-fuel stoves are handy but not too many of them simmer very well, particularly thick foods in thin pots. Most of the super hot "torch stoves" have the same problem.

I've backpacked, kayaked and camped most of my life and have probably tried a dozen or more stoves. On short trips where we're not moving a lot of distance I take fresh food. For motorcycle camping I tend to take freeze dried or a quick fix one-pot meal and be done with it.

The MSR Whisperlite and Dragonfly can be controlled/tamed to simmer pretty well and not scorch. But there's the pumping and parts and all that to go with them for maintenance.

For fast moving trips I finally settled on a Jet-Boil and iso-butane fuel. The canisters last about a week or more so two get me at least ten days. The entire kit and canister nestle into the "pot" such that it is and bam I'm done!

The objection I had / have to gasoline and other multi-fuel stoves was the smell and dealing with fuel transfers, extra fuel etc.. If I were going on an International trip in a remote location I'd suck it up and take a multi but for domestic travel I prefer the canisters. Not so green I guess but is any of it green ultimately?

Come to think of it I have so much spare camping gear it's time to put some of it on eBay!

Robert
 
Coleman multifuel. IIRC the 443 model. Gas stove. It does simmer well and I've used it for bacon, eggs, chilli, etc.
 
Mine;

I have the Coleman Peak1 for a longgggg time now, a JetBoil and a Sterno ultra cheap stove. All work fair to good. Sterno heat is slow, but will heat soups and the like. Jetboil is, "blast it hot now" heat and can be tamed to simmer, but takes some practice and better cookware, Coleman Peak1 is "messy" with fuel transfers, but is a great cooker, with the best heat adjust. I think I prefer the cannister JetBoil best, for its easy use and NO MESS with fuel. Its really easy, with some practice/learning curve to not burn your meal up. Aluminum cookware seems to distribute the heat best for these blast furnace type stoves. That little Sterno stove setup is very handy to keep foods hot/warm, while you cook stage two of the meal:). Randy
 
I agree 1000%...

I HATE white gas and liquid fueled stoves... unless i'm winter camping. But i haven't done any of that in about 7 years.

I use one of the MSR stoves with the canned fuel. They don't take up much room, and it's like cooking on your home stove.


What kind of campsite "chef" are you? How long are you typically out on cooking types of trips?

Do you just boil water for dehydrated food and coffee or do you like to cook with either fresh or store bought food? Maybe you like to take the BackPacker oven and get fancy?

The multi-fuel stoves are handy but not too many of them simmer very well, particularly thick foods in thin pots. Most of the super hot "torch stoves" have the same problem.

I've backpacked, kayaked and camped most of my life and have probably tried a dozen or more stoves. On short trips where we're not moving a lot of distance I take fresh food. For motorcycle camping I tend to take freeze dried or a quick fix one-pot meal and be done with it.

The MSR Whisperlite and Dragonfly can be controlled/tamed to simmer pretty well and not scorch. But there's the pumping and parts and all that to go with them for maintenance.

For fast moving trips I finally settled on a Jet-Boil and iso-butane fuel. The canisters last about a week or more so two get me at least ten days. The entire kit and canister nestle into the "pot" such that it is and bam I'm done!

The objection I had / have to gasoline and other multi-fuel stoves was the smell and dealing with fuel transfers, extra fuel etc.. If I were going on an International trip in a remote location I'd suck it up and take a multi but for domestic travel I prefer the canisters. Not so green I guess but is any of it green ultimately?

Come to think of it I have so much spare camping gear it's time to put some of it on eBay!

Robert
 
Ford vs. Chevy: I'm the only one who's right!

I've used an older Peak1 single burner, an MSR Whisperlite International, and now an MSR Dragonfly. I see the ease of the cartridge stoves, but they have some drawbacks as well, and I've decided they're not for me. Drawbacks include fuel cost, availability, waste of empty canisters, having to tote two canisters as one is always "almost" empty, etc.

I was on a trip with a buddy, using my Peak1. My water was on the stove, heating. My buddy came in, assembled and lit his Whisperlite, and had boiling water before I did!:laugh

I bought a Whisperlite. I think it burns hotter than a burner on my gas range. A backpacker in the store at the time recommended the Dragonfly, as it simmers better, but I was mostly into boiling water and heating canned crap at that time. A couple summers later, a bunch of us were making soft tacos for the whole crew on a trip. My buddy warped my frying pan, the Whisperlite was so hot!:doh In my experience, the Whisperlite doesn't simmer very well...:laugh

Enter the Dragonfly. It simmers better than the Whisperlite, and I'm very happy...:whistle

I like the multi-fuel stoves, though I usually burn white gas (read:Coleman fuel). If I bring a quart bottle, it will last through many days of regular cooking, or a week of heat 'n eat type meals. It's easy to "top off" before leaving, so I always leave with a "full tank" for my stove. White gas is pretty much universally available in the US, including small town gas stations, hardware stores, etc. Not always true with the proprietary fuel cartridges. You can sometimes find quart bottles, as well. I've never found the setup/pumping to take more than a couple of minutes, and don't find it objectionable. The MSR stoves are also easily rebuildable at home, though I've never had to do so yet.

If you take along a fuel bottle of gasoline in your pannier, you also have an extra "reserve" in case of running out of gas. A quart of gas = a lot of pushing!:p

FYI, the boys at Thrifty Outfitters in Minneapolis used to advocate using a touch of liquid Gumout in the fuel for the stove- maybe a capful to a bottle of fuel. They claimed it helped keep the fuel lines, etc., clean. http://www.thriftyoutfitters.com/
 
Whew, lots of choices. I like the simplicity of the Coleman Exponent Multi Fuel, since you can use fuel from the motorcycle gas tank. But there is a lot of discussion in the reviews about the need to do maintenance (primarily cleaning the burners). This doesn't sound like fun while out camping. Of course the reviews indicate that if you use white gas this maintenance issue is eliminated, since white gas is supposed to burn cleaner.

Anyone with this type of burner, how much maintenance is required if you use unleaded gas in these units? How much trouble is it?

The MSR options require a larger, though refillable fuel tank, but that seems would take up more space than I would like to give up. The refill option is attractive for several reasons. But the Coleman tank is refillable, too.

I do not like the idea of throwing away consumed fuel tanks, not to mention the cost of that fuel.

Am I on the right track? Appreciate all the information.
 
The exponent's tank holds enough fuel to get me through most trips without having to siphon fuel from the RT. I have burned gas from the bike a couple of times and then went back to white gas without any issues. I do clean the stove in the fall/early winter when I put my gear into storage. Not much time or effort required.
 
The presumably now-obsolete Optimus 8R stove

I was wondering if someone would mention that old, and still thoroughly functional, stove.

Now known as the Hiker+

I still have mine; totally K.I.S.S. (which fits my personality)
 
The MSR stove needs a clean/rebuild every several years. The small MSR bottle (about a pint) usually lasted me a day--2 hot meals and a hot snack. I still like the ability to tap the bike's gas supply instead of carrying disposable cannisters.

I used a Jet-boil for a few trips and gave up on it because I was either out or fuel, or had to buy a big propane cannister. Supply of the Jet-Boil cans is not readily available. However, when it worked, it was great--I now use it on 1 or 2 day trips, and use the MSR on longer adventures.

The old US Army primus gas stoves are still the best, but people now want Antique Collector prices for them. My uncle carried one all through Europe in WW 2. When he came home he gave it to me and I used it regularly until about 1980 when it was stolen from my campsite.

I hope the guy that stole it had it blow up in his face.
 
I was wondering if someone would mention that old, and still thoroughly functional, stove.

Now known as the Hiker+

I still have mine; totally K.I.S.S. (which fits my personality)

Hey, now that is a nice setup. Very much along the lines of what I am looking for. Does the burner need to be cleaned regularly, like daily or something?
 
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