What a cool website! Really well-organized and great content. I previously had no idea the rich variety of well-designed and well-made camp stoves that existed back into the early 1900’s. I was particularly drawn to the Stoves in Literature feature, and felt compelled to register just so I could post an excerpt or two. I live in central Texas and try to get out to New Mexico once in a while for backpacking. I was in the Gila Wilderness the second week of June, and had a good outing. I am not really a stove collector. I started out using Sterno, then bought a Hank Roberts stove, which I still have. At some point I had a Century propane stove that I think was called a Grasshopper, or something like. It used a long skinny propane bottle, typically used with propane torches, and had two steel rods for legs, that folded alongside the bottle. The bottle and the two legs formed a tripod of sorts. It was an okay stove, but impractical for backpacking. Eventually wanting more power, I bought a Coleman Peak 1 Model 400, which I still have, and have been very pleased with. After moving to central Texas my backpacking adventures started involving air travel, so I reverted to the Hank Roberts stove for simplicity. This worked okay until some years ago when I was unable to find fuel at my usual airline destination city. Instead, I had to spring for a single-burner Coleman propane stove that screws onto the ubiquitous green bottle. This has worked well, especially as I also had a Century single mantle lantern (Mighty Lite) using the same type fuel. A few years ago I bought an MSR Super Fly butane pocket stove, to cut down on weight and volume. This proved unsatisfactory due to the same kinds of problems encountered with the Hank Roberts stove, namely, the canisters are expensive, lack heating power, are short-lived, and the pressure fades out steadily during use, much more noticeably than with propane. The final nail in the coffin, however, is that the cute little butane canisters, which I call “boutique fuels”, are impossible to find in the rough-and-tumble blue-collar stores of small-town New Mexico. I have recently been resisting the impulse to buy a SVEA 123. I don’t really need one, but they look so cool. Now I find that there were all kinds of even better, older stoves. Always drawn to good craftsmanship, but innately cost-conscious, I have managed to get by without accumulating a lot of hardware. What I cannot understand, and this is probably way off topic here, is why there is such a plethora of “boutique-fuel” stoves on the market, while at the same time not a single example of a truly compact propane stove can be found. The Coleman and Century single-burner models have actually gotten bulkier, so they are practically useless for backpacking and are fit only for the picnic table or patio.
Resistance is futile - go for it; you know it makes sense. Welcome to CCS & thanks for the Stoves in Lit. bits.
Hey, BP56, Welcome to CCS! Several members, including myself, are from Texas! Regarding "Gassie" stoves, as we call them here at CCS, not every one is equal. But, then again, every backer's needs are not the same, either, are they?! Speaking ONLY for myself, I have very little use for Butane as a stove fuel. Yes, it can be less expensive, but it has far too many drawbacks for actual backpacking, including the lack of power in the cold, and the loss of power as your cartridge empties. That is why I rather use mixed fuels, with propane, isobutane, and the like, mixed together. I have found certain "Gassies" that work well for me, most of the time. Whilst I like the MSR Super Fly, for some things, I've found it less than satisfactory in deep cold, and in other situations. I have preferred, instead, the Primus Micon stove. It's been a steady workhorse for me, simmers OK, and lights immediately. Coupled with Primus Power Fuel, it has been has been a reliable performer for me. Recently, a good friend here at CCS convinced me to try out the MSR Reactor stove. Reluctant to spend the coin on it, I waited until it went on sale at REI, and then used my membership dividends to even bring the price down a little more. So far, IT'S BEEN OUTSTANDING!! More testing is in the offing, in many different situations. But, I'm thinking that the stove/fuel combination is a fantastic mix. Also, the Primis Micro and the Reactor are both fairly efficient, compared to the Super Fly, in my experience, with the Reactor topping the list. As for getting your fuels, you can order Primus Power Fuel through REI, and they will deliver it to your home. I believe that such fuels have to be shipped via UPS Ground, by law, but that's no big deal. So, for what it's worth, that has been my experience using "Gassie" stoves for actual cooking. By the way, however, IF I had to choose one type of stove, over all others, it would be a true Multi-fuel stove, and my Gassies would be left behind, without a second thought!! Coleman fuel, and kerosene are favorite fuels of mine, and I also love "real" Meths stoves (not talking about pop can stoves, here). So, whilst Gassies are fun, I would probably not choose to rely on one, if that's the only stove I had. I'd take a backup, "just in case". Your Coleman M400 is one of my favorite, of the around 500 stoves that I have, or have had, by the way. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
If you look long and hard, you can find a 123 for around 20.00usd. Well worth it. I just repaired and tested a 123r (purchased for 20 bucks) that needed a new cap seal and gave it to my neighbor. My neighbor grew up with a 123 and had loaned his original to someone who never brought it back. I could tell that I had made my friend very happy! Welcome!
By the way, Ian and Matukat are absolutely right: Get a used SVEA123, and fettle it into life. You will NEVER be sorry you did!! It's a tiny workhorse, that can simmer, too, if you practice. Love those little stoves!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
If you dont want to fettle the modern Juwel stove is better than a new Svea 123R stove! https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/15086
www.ebay.de Search: juwel benzinkocher Just checked it seems that they "only" ship to EU but i'll bet they ship stateside if asked. If all else fails i can be middleman and i have a rare Svea stove coming up that is just stealing space. Then combined shipping would not kill the Juwel. Sorry Sorry
SNEAKY CT! Just out of curiosity, is your name "Hickenlooper"? No offense here, but as I understand it, the literal translation of that name is close to "chicken thief" or "fence hopper". Guy who jumps your fence and steals your stuff... edit- Sorry, just checked your profile, OBVIOUSLY NOT! Anyway- 34.95 euro = 43.29usd. That's a pretty good price for a brand new stove these days. Now if the shipping were cheap.
No on the bay: HenrikMelby Just had a burnout with the: 123R, Juwel and 71. The 123R pulsates wiwidly until it is "very" hot, the Juwel sounds like a V1 buzzbomb from start to finish and the 71 has a steady 2-3Hz pulse through the entire burn. The Juwel is bay far the hottest and has a built in pot support. The others has soul but the Juwel is by far the winner!
The one selling the brand new ones wants 20€ for posting one to Belgium (5€ when within Germany). Pure theft. Regards, Wim BTW, I would have bought one ages ago, but I don't like being ripped off
It sounds like the OP is looking for a stove that he can check or carry on in luggage on an airplane. I would guess that most liquid fuel stoves would not be allowed, even if the fuel is drained -- it can never be drained completely and the fumes are still flammable. Coleman did make a Peak 1 (or was is labeled "Apex"?) that fit in the palm of the hand and ran off the "throw-away" propane bottles. I have one, but I am missing the hose for it. Anyway, it sounds like you are looking to find a stove you can toss in your backpack, get on a (commercial) airplane, then grab some fuel (at a reasonable price) when you get to your destination. Yes? Check this thread for a pic of the Propane Peak 1.
Yes Pianojuggler, you have divined my situation correctly. People have gotten away with checking liquid fuel stoves onboard commercial airliners, as my friend did earlier this month with his MSR Whisperlite. With a little effort you can dry out a stove, since the fuel is so volatile, and leave the filler cap off to show the stove is dry. However, someday the baggage may arrive with the stove having been confiscated. I think I have seen written policy that a new and unused LF stove is permissible, but not one that has ever been used. A point which may have escaped notice, is that the green Coleman propane bottle and stove I currently use just seems to work better for me than the cute little butane model with the fancy fuel blend. I have been told that propane is no good at altitude, nevertheless, it has done just fine for me at 10,000 ft. Maybe my burner is larger and the cannister is larger so I get more heat, shorter time to boil, and still have enough fuel to last over a long weekend. By far the real 800 pound gorilla in the room is that you cannot count on being able to walk into a Walmart in El Paso, or Las Cruces, or Silver City and buy a butane cannister of any kind. So even if I liked butane, which I don't, it simply isn't an option. Which brings me back to my original point, that given all these considerations I find it astounding that there is no propane backpacking stove on the market today.
Evening, I'll have another go at it. Straight propane stoves are always going to be too heavy for most backpackers, because the propane cartridges are made of steel. That's why the mixed fuel cartridges, with propane and Isobutane, are the way to go! As I wrote to you before, you can order the cartridges you need, and have them shipped directly to your home. See? Problem solved!! Butane, all by itself, is not my favorite, as I wrote before. But, the mixed fuel cartridges are much better, especially the liquid feed ones. Good luck, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Doc, I believe that REI has gotten out of the business of shipping gas fuel canisters. BP56, here are your choices in a nutshell: 1. The threaded domelike canisters typically filled with a blend of butane (or isobutane) and propane. It's usually about an 80/20 mix. Use of 100% butane is relatively rare for backpacking today. They come in 4 fl. oz (~110g), 8 fl. oz (~225g), and sometimes 16 fl. oz. (~450g) size. Believe it or not these canisters are the most popular BP'ing fuel in the US today. Problem: you can't carry them on a plane, and you can't always buy them at the other end. I HAVE A SUGGESTION ABOUT THIS (read on). 2. The heavy steel green 16.4 oz (465g) 100% propane canisters. You can use these but few people do because of their weight. Propane by the way is an excellent fuel for high altitude or cold weather use. 3. Liquid fuel like Coleman fuel or kerosene. I've seen Coleman fuel at little tiny "mom and pop" stores in the middle of nowhere, BUT if I'm understanding you correctly, apparently you can no longer fly with a liquid fueled stove. Major bummer. I'm going to have to look into that. I wonder if it applies to stoves that don't have a fuel tank. 4. Alcohol. In the U.S. the type of alcohol used for stoves is called Denatured Alcohol which can be found in the paint section of most hardware stores. You can make a decent alcohol stove out of a cat food can, soda pop can, etc. Alcohol stoves are a little slower, but they do the job. I believe you can carry a certain amount of alcohol just as long as you meet TSA storage and amount requirements. You're likely to need more than the TSA allows, so call ahead to where you're going. There's got to be a hardware stove somewhere around where you're going. 5. Hexamine or trioxane solid fuel. Hexamine is sold at a lot of stores under the brand name Esbit. Stansport also makes a similar product. You can also get military surplus trioxane. Generally, hexamine is the more popular fuel. Hexamine isn't particularly volatile, an it is safe to carry on a plane. You can buy an Esbit "stove" but really, you can use a tuna can or some such to burn the Hexamine. Hexamine isn't particularly powerful, isn't all that easy to light, and those little fuel tabs start adding up in terms of cost after a little while. HOWEVER, there is a common backpacker trick that you can employ: mail gas fuel canisters (no liquid fuels) general delivery to a post office in the area you are going to. Address the package to your self. It's best to call ahead and see if the post office where you're going accepts general delivery, but many post offices in rural areas have no problem with it. You must mail the package using SURFACE mail only, and the package should be labeled "ORM-D" (Otherwise Restricted Materials - Domestic). This "trick" is frequently used by long distance hikers such as those who hike the Pacific Crest Trail. If no post office will take your general delivery package, then personally I'd say alcohol is your next best choice because of its wide availability. Hexamine is certainly the most convenient since can carry it with you on the plane and don't have to go shopping for it when you arrive, but as I mentioned, it's generally known to be the most expensive fuel option for a backpacker. Those are my thoughts. HJ
No fuel, no problem. http://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Pr...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1277528803&sr=8-1 I've got one, it's fun (a little heavy @ 21oz), but there's no fuel to carry. It'll simmer, fry and boil. It's tricky to fold back up the first couple of times. It also folds up smaller than most paperback novels. I found out about these in Backwoodsman Magazine (totally worth checking out by the way!!! All about being self sustaining) Fun little stove for the pyros in us all!
