Camp Stoves??

[s3steve]

What are you guys using. I've got an old Optimus Hiker around somewhere but I'm wondering what you guys are using these days.

 

I see JetBoil has a nice coffee press setup but can I use any type of pots with there burner system or do you have buy JetBoil pot?

 

Mostly I will use it for coffee & breakfast.

 

Do you guys recommend other cooking systems?

[10ovr]

Cant go wrong with a JetBoil,Work great,Makes good coffee,, #1 Back Pack Mag,,Its what I use

[HMR]

I just upgraded to the JetBoil. I love it!

[CarrotNC]

Using a Coleman Multi-Fuel that runs on Coleman fuel, kerosene or even unleaded gas. Nice part is you can always find fuel, bad part is the gas fumes never fully escape your nose -- especially for that first cup of coffee in the morning.

 

Kinda bulky too -- and space is a premium commodity!

[steve404]

Jetboil is great. However, life got easier when I gave up on their press and use a seperate French press.

[s3steve]

life got easier when I gave up on their press and use a seperate French press.

 

Good info as I really need that first and most times second cup of coffee in the morning!

 

So pass on the JetBoil coffee press?

[kcscout]

Camping for me includes a car ... and a Coleman propane stove:

[Husker Red]

We've been using the Coleman multi-fuel for about 10 years now. Others are smaller, lighter and sexier, but the simple coleman always works for us. It's small enough for backpacking or motorcycle camping.

 

My favorite feature is that is uses simple ol' coleman fuel. You can get that stuff anywhere for next to nothing. I've never needed to run it on kerosene or unleaded, but it's comforting to know that I could in a pinch.

[Steve_Witmer]

My favorite feature is that is uses simple ol' coleman fuel. You can get that stuff anywhere for next to nothing. I've never needed to run it on kerosene or unleaded, but it's comforting to know that I could in a pinch.

 

I've been using the Coleman Peak 1, which pre-dates the multi fuel for many years. In fact, I think mine is nearly 25 years old and it's a pretty bulletproof reliable piece of equipment.

 

But if I was buying today, I'd just buy the multi-fuel so that I wouldn't have to pack any Coleman fuel on a trip (which I presently do for multi-day trips). Just siphon from the fuel tank when you need to refill the stove and save a half-liter of space in the sidecase.

[SageRider]

If you are just going to boil water, The Esbit stove is an extremely compact way to go.

[bwr]

I have an MSR dual-fuel Whisper Lite (international version). It's received very heavy use over the past 4 years. Unfortunately, it has let me down a couple of times with a torn pump-cup, dried out o-ring (leaked), and I lost a small essential part once without noticing it until it was too late. Now I won't travel with this stove without also taking a parts repair kit with me.

 

The first time I had an issue (the pump cup) I was in Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, Canada. There was a water boil advisory in effect in the Park and I almost wasn't able to cook my dinner. It really spoiled an evening.

 

The next day when riding through Moncton I phoned an outdoor gear store to see if I could get the part and the salesman laughed at me; I can still hear him saying: "Moncton's got squat for technical gear!" The nearest place to get parts was Halifax. I ended up buying a cheap Coleman at Canadian Tire which worked flawlessly.

 

The lesson is that if you have a sophisticated stove you can't get parts/repairs everywhere.

 

While the MSR is fine when it works, it's let me down a few times too many. I don't think I'd buy another.

[GeeTee]

life got easier when I gave up on their press and use a seperate French press.

 

Good info as I really need that first and most times second cup of coffee in the morning!

 

So pass on the JetBoil coffee press?

 

Yes, use a separate press and a separate cup for drinking. The drawback of the Jetboil is the lightweight metal which I think imparts a foul taste to water/coffee. That and the need to clean grounds from a press between uses while also reboiling water makes me use three separate containers: heat, press, drink. Not the most efficient set up but I'm satisfied.

[drzep]

MSR dual-fuel Whisper Lite

 

+1 - The Whisper Lite is the bees knee's.

[tallman]

+** on the Coleman Multi- fuel.

Never a fuel problem as there can be w/some systems.

You always have some w/the bike.

We also cary a small 6" x 12" foldable grill.

Can use as a grill over wood/charcoal, or as we do to provide a larger, more stable platform to cook on just above the stove flame.

[Iron Al]

I like the MSR Wind Pro. I particularly like the fact that the canister is remote from the burner.

 

[bakerzdosen]

I bought one of these using one of their 30% off coupons that come up once in a while. I like it as I have a "reserve tank" of unleaded fuel in my fuel container if I REALLY need it. (Or vice versa if I really wanted to siphon from my bike.) That and it's small. Or I could just use canisters if running out of fuel isn't an issue/possibility.

[mmmoore]

I use the Coleman Apex 2 that runs on bike gas.

[Scarecrow]

I used a MSR whisper light for many years and had 0 problems with it. Never had to do anything to it; it just always worked. Was fairly small, used easy to find white gas, and I usually packed an extra MSR fuel bottle just because. Last year I decided to try the JetBoil as it looked like it would be even more compact. I like it alot and it has become my usual stove now. All my 'cooking' is just boiling water and it works great for that. I never use it as a pot or cup; I pour the boiling water into either a cup for tea or bowl for oatmeal or freeze dried food. I don't drink coffee, so no advice on that. I don't think you can go wrong with the Jetboil. (I did end up using a dremel to modify the 'notches' in it to make it easier to detach the pot from the burner.)

[Davis]

+1 on the Primus MultiFuel. I used a Whisperlite for many years and it's a great stove. Burns auto fuel with no problems, so if you carry a full bottle you've always got bike gas should you run out. When I decided to get a stove that would simmer, (so I could cook, not just boil water) I got the Primus. It burns liquid fuel as well as the Whisperlite, but also gives you the option of using gas cannisters on short trips where spare gas isn't an issue. Also the pump is metal and much studier than the MSR. MSR is nice as parts are available everywhere, but Primus is much better constructed and you shouldn't need to replace the pump as often as the MSR. It's a little heavier than the MSR, but on a m/c does a few ozs really matter?

[steve404]

"I never use it as a pot or cup...I pour the boiling water into either a cup for tea or bowl ...I did end up using a dremel to modify the 'notches' in it to make it easier to detach the pot from the burner."

 

I no longer bother to seperate them.

[Lion_lady]

life got easier when I gave up on their press and use a seperate French press.

 

Good info as I really need that first and most times second cup of coffee in the morning!

 

So pass on the JetBoil coffee press?

 

YUP. I too am a coffee addict. The Jetboil coffee press is <shudder> plastic. I bought one and returned it after one use... gotta love REI's return policy. I got a wire mesh drip filter that works very nicely. It has a cover and is made to fit in/over a mug.

 

P

[s3steve]

I got a wire mesh drip filter that works very nicely. It has a cover and is made to fit in/over a mug.

 

Excellent idea!! I never thought of that. Small, easy to use, just boil water! Even I can do that!

[Steve_Witmer]

Melitta makes a 1-cup sized plastic drip cone that takes standard #2 cone filters. Makes good coffee without taking a lot of space.

[wolcott]

Questions: 1) If you are using a liguid-fuel stove, you can store the coleman fuel (white gas isn't it?) in a quality-made fuel container specifically made for fuel like an MSR fuel container. What would you put the fuel bottle in, a one gallon zip-lock? Don't want a mistake all over your clothes/sleeping bag, etc.

2)If you are using a stove/lantern that takes propane,butane, or a blend of the two; how would you store them on a long, motorcycle trip in the heat of the summer?

3)Wouldn't it be dangerous to be have liquid fuel or propane/butane in the side cases/top cases in the summer where the inside temps can easily soar over 100 degrees or so? Stuff gets me nervous. Your thoughts on this, please.

[steve404]

#1 You can address the liquid fuel storage issue by using unleaded from your bike’s tank, but my experiences in doing so were not good. Especially camping, you do not want to smell gasoline on your hands, lips…

However I do have a fuel container with motor oil in a freezer baggy duct taped upright in my cases that hasn’t leaked in some 20,000mi.

#2 ….

#3 I haven’t had a problem with the tanks. But I doubt mine have been exposed to over 100° for more than a couple of hours. I don’t store them high in the cases nor next to sun baked plastic.

 

The Esbit stove Michael mentions above is really cool (for boiling about a cup of water at a time) and uses small pellet solid fuel.

[wolcott]

#1 You can address the liquid fuel storage issue by using unleaded from your bike’s tank, but my experiences in doing so were not good. Especially camping, you do not want to smell gasoline on your hands, lips…

However I do have a fuel container with motor oil in a freezer baggy duct taped upright in my cases that hasn’t leaked in some 20,000mi.

#2 ….

#3 I haven’t had a problem with the tanks. But I doubt mine have been exposed to over 100° for more than a couple of hours. I don’t store them high in the cases nor next to sun baked plastic.

 

The Esbit stove Michael mentions above is really cool (for boiling about a cup of water at a time) and uses small pellet solid fuel.

 

Steve: Thanks for your insight upon this problem. I would get really nervous hauling around volatile fuel. Those system cases really get hot in the summer. However, some of y'all have done it; and you still got all your fingers and toes. Bike riding is dangerous enough, then we throw in flammable, volatile liquids, ...well, you get my idea.

This is a really a critical subject; If anybody has anything to add; throw your two cents in... might help out one of our brothers someday.

[ESokoloff]

The Esbit stove Michael mentions above is really cool (for boiling about a cup of water at a time) and uses small pellet solid fuel.

 

Esbits are rather cool (novel) but I found them to be a bit smelly & slow to heat (not boil) a cup of water.

[SageRider]

The Esbit stove Michael mentions above is really cool (for boiling about a cup of water at a time) and uses small pellet solid fuel.

 

Esbits are rather cool (novel) but I found them to be a bit smelly & slow to heat (not boil) a cup of water.

 

Esbit stoves work well and will boil water, but take about 6 minutes to boil a quart of water as opposed to about 3 minutes for a Jet Boil. Boiling more than a quart at a time may require more than one tablet. Also, a foldable windscreen is highly recommended. The fuel tablets are also harder to find when in the boonies than either white gas or butane/propane used with Jet Boils, etc.

I now have an Esbit stove, a Jet Boil, and a classic Optimus white gas stove. For short trips or where space is a premium (2-up), I will take the Esbit. For long trips with many camping nights/mornings or 1-up, I will take the Jet Boil. The Optimus (which has worked fine for over 20 years) I would prefer not to use anymore on the motorcycle as transporting white gas seems to me to be the most accident prone (leakage or otherwise) of the fuels.

[BluesTraveler]

I use the Coleman 442 dual fuel and run it on unleaded from the bike. Never had a problem with leaks while in my bags. Have always released any pressure before packing in my Jesse luggage. Although I do pack it in the bag Coleman makes for the stove and always keep it upright in my luggage..

 

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For coffee Iv'e used this stainless espesso maker found at IKEA ($17) for over 2 years now. Makes a great cup of coffee in about 3 minutes and is pretty much bullit proff.