Camping Stoves & stuff

Centaur

Centaur

Joined
Sep 16, 1999
Messages
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I recently started camping, now that my son is in Cub Scouts. :)

So I decided to bit the bullet, and get a camping stove (instead of using the other father's equip.)

What are the pro's and cons of white gas, versus propane? What about the dual fuel models?

Also, does anybody know of a good online source for the food service ware? You know, the enamel covered steel type of plates, cups. etc?

Thanks!
 
i got a coleman and has served me well with propane for a while. only time i had trouble with propane was when the seal was messed up on the can. threw it into the woods and it just leaked for a while. and then of course got it the next day.

no enamal. peals and ships off into the food. get a good mess-kit you cant go wrong, stainless steel of course. campmor has them.
 
Yep, campmor.com, great place to go.

The advantage of white gas over propane is that you don't have to lug around a reinforced steel bottle of it. Propane is stored in liquid form, but it wants to be a gas, so the cannisters have to be thick and heavy. On the other hand, it's bar-none the easiest fuel to use. You literally turn it on, stick a match in it, and cook. White gas requires (depending on your stove model) more preparation. If you're ok with the weight, then propane is the way to go.

I've got a Coleman Peak 1 propane stove that's served me flawlessly for about 8 years now. I don't think they make it anymore, though.
 
Cen,
Depending on how much you want to spend, look at models from MSR, Coleman, and Gaz. Store like REI, Dick's, and Gander Mountain will have good selections. White gas offers good performance in cold weather, the ability to open your fuel bottle to determine how much fuel you have left, and white gas is easy to get at many camping, hardware, and hunting stores. Downsides include the need to prime the heating coil and the fact you are dealing with a combustible fuel.
Propane is easier to use (no priming), but most propane cannisters are not refilable, propane is not always a consistent burning gas in sub-freezing weather, and the inability to see how much fuel is left. For summertime, fair weather camping, I would go with a propane stove. For serious camping/hunting, look for a white gas stove. Just my opinion.
 
My trusty stove is a Coleman Dual-Fuel. If I were buying one today, I'd go for the Coleman Apex.

I'd stay clear of propane stoves. The cannisters are expensive, especially for some of the stoves that require a brand-specific cannister. Availability when travelling becomes a huge factor too.

I also have one of the MSR Whisperlite stoves. It burns great, but isn't as sturdy. They're also harder to use and significantly more expensive. I leave it at home 99% of the time.

Good Luck in your shopping quest. Like many other things, camp stove shopping is a matter of trial and error.

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
Depends on what your definition of camping is. If you're backing the car into a campsite, a Coleman is probably the way to go. If you're hiking 8 miles and gaining 2000 feet of altitude, an MSR Simmerlite is hard to beat. I've got a Whisperlite, and love it. The only thing I wish for is more simmer control.
 
One main advantage of white gas over propane is that with the former, you can disconnect it from the stove after use and store it. With propane, once you connect it to the stove, it's punctured, and you can't disconnect it (at least not safely) until it's empty. Being the pyro that I am, I disconnected a half full (optimist) cannister of propane from my stove, played around with the fuel as it spurted out, and lit it up. Dang near burned my whole arm off. :D
 
grnamin said:
One main advantage of white gas over propane is that with the former, you can disconnect it from the stove after use and store it. With propane, once you connect it to the stove, it's punctured, and you can't disconnect it (at least not safely) until it's empty. Being the pyro that I am, I disconnected a half full (optimist) cannister of propane from my stove, played around with the fuel as it spurted out, and lit it up. Dang near burned my whole arm off. :D
Click to expand...

You forgot to say "Kids, don't try this at home - I AM a trained professional" :D
 
I don't think anybody makes the old-fashioned kind of butane / LP gas stove that punctures the tank any more, do they? You can still get that kind of tank (I still have and use a stove that uses them) but I believe all the LP gas stoves currently being manufactured take the kind of tank that screws on and can be unscrewed without leakage.

I haven't owned enough stoves to make any comparisons. You might want to look into homemade alcohol stoves, though. There are plans for a variety of designs posted all over the net. Even the hottest designs are usually not as hot as white gas or LP gas, but do you really mind waiting one or two minutes for your water to boil? The advantages of alcohol are reliability, light weight, and near zero cost.

In my opinion enamel covered steel cookware sux. You don't want to use steel wool or sand to clean it because it'll take off the enamel, and it sticks just as bad as plain steel or aluminum. I prefer either non-stick coated or plain stainless steel. I suppose titanium is good too if you don't mind the price.
 
mycroftt said:
You forgot to say "Kids, don't try this at home - I AM a trained professional" :D
Click to expand...

LOL! The "trained" part I didn't get down pat. :D

Eric1115 said:
I've got a Whisperlite, and love it. The only thing I wish for is more simmer control.
Click to expand...

I forgot to add that I, too, have a Whisperlite. Easiest white gas stove to maintain in the field. It has a change-out nozzle for kerosene, too. Eric, I read that for simmering with the Whisperlite, try less pressure in the fuel bottle.
 
Yep, or you can adjust the valve for some simmer control. It's a pain in the butt, though. The Simmerlite (or the Dragonfly) makes it so much easier.
 
It sounds like we are talking about essentially weekend car camping so, no sub-freezing weather or extensive back country hikes.

That being the basic ground rules, I would stick with either a Coleman Propane stove - a real one like you see in campers not the little one burner jobs. You can run them off a 20lb propane tank forever. They also work well on the little $2 Coleman cylinders you see at the sporting goods shops.

If you want something more transportable by foot and backpack, I'll go with an Iso/Butane model "gas" model. The gas cylinders weigh from 250grams to 450 and run ~$2 to $5. These suckers are very easy to use and you don't have the smell and mess of a white gas or kerosene. If you get into cold weather (sub freezing in your pack), put a fuel canister in your pocket or at night, in the bottom of your sleeping bag.

For cookware, the GSI Anodized aluminum with non-stick coating is a great value and works very well. You find it at most larger sporting goods stores. I don't use sand on mine so, I can't say how it would hold up to that cleaning method but, the Teflon is so easy to wipe out why would you need to.

So, car camping - a nice large large Coleman 3 or 4 burner tied to 20lb propane tank with a nice propane lantern on top of the fuel "tree".

Backpacking - Jetboil seems like a good choice among many.

Cookware - enameled if you want to use your soup bowl as a shovel, otherwise get some GSI non-stick Anodized aluminum to round out your mess kit.
 
White gas is best. The propane/butane canisters are expensive and take up room in the pack.

MSR whisperlite is a great stove.

Get the teflon coated cookware. The stuff that is coated inside and outside. Makes clean-up a breeze. The first set to come out with this was called Evolution I think. There are more options available know.
 
IMHO if youre camping out of the car boot a stove that runs off a larger propane cylinder is the way to go (calor gas, I dont know if you call it that over there?) those small 'camping gas' cylinders are too small and expensive

If youre backpacking you cant go wrong with an MSR wispalite, tiny thing looks like a coathanger bent round an ashtray, weighs nothing, self priming, gives out an incredible amount of heat.

The advantage of propane it its clean and easy to use, you dont have to prime or pump the stove. Petrol(gas) isnt as clean to use, you have to prime and pump the stove but they give out a lot more heat for the weight and they work a lot better in low temperatures.
 
Cougar Allen said:
You might want to look into homemade alcohol stoves, though. There are plans for a variety of designs posted all over the net. Even the hottest designs are usually not as hot as white gas or LP gas, but do you really mind waiting one or two minutes for your water to boil? The advantages of alcohol are reliability, light weight, and near zero cost.
Click to expand...
Yes, denatured alcohol stoves not so popular in America, I'm not sure why, they are not as hot but very simple foolproof designs. Cheapest fuel too. Trangia is most popular widely available commercial maker but there are lots others, very good alternatives for people who want to "go light."
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.

This will be basic Cub Scout camping, so it'll be an "empty the car at the camp site" type of outings. Noo real backpacking, or high altitudes.

Most of the other Dad's have the white gas type of stoves and cast iron skillets. The espresso pots are cool. The scout leaders cook some great desserts in dutch ovens.
 
Centaur said:
This will be basic Cub Scout camping, so it'll be an "empty the car at the camp site" type of outings. Noo real backpacking, or high altitudes.
Click to expand...

That being the case, get the Coleman 4 burner PROPANE stove, a Coleman PROPANE lantern, the accessory "tree" that connects the 20lb PROPANE can and you will be th envy of every one around.

Easy to use, easy to light, no smell and negligible cost of operation.
 
I've got two different kinds of stoves.

Backpacking: MSR Whisperlite International... lightweight and will cook with almost any combustible liquid :D Biggest problem is with wind (must use rocks and little aluminum foil shields) and lack of flame control. It does have a knob to control output but I think it is there for the placebo effect. It seems to either be OFF or WELDING TEMP. Whisperlite

Car Camping: Coleman 2 Burner White Gas: This thing rocks... I bought it in my late teens (almost 20 years ago :confused: .) I'm sure you are familiar with them but if not, they look like olive colored metal briefcases. They light easily, prime quickly, work flawlessly, and have great temp control. It wouldn't be a hardship if I had to use one full-time instead of my home electric range. Coleman Stove

Get the old-school lantern lantern, too. I love mine! It used to belong to my dad. They last so long they're almost heirlooms! Guaranteed to blind the *%^(%*$ out of wandering skunks and raccoons!

Either way... just get something then get out there!!! :D
 
Out of the car camping, you can't beat propane for ease and simplicity.

Since weight isn't an issue, good cast iron cookware is the way to go. Just make sure you season it before hand. A well seasoned cast iron skillet is as good a non-stick surface as you could want, plus it retains and distributes heat better than anything else.

Anytime you ask about camping gear, it's good to state upfront what type of camping you're talking about, because depending on what you need, the recomendations are drastically different.

Dave
 
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