This is a short article from the November 1984 issue of Backpacker magazine on the introduction of the Whisperlite. Interesting read on the marketing strategy at the time. One thing that caught my eye in the article's picture was the presence of a washer and the use of a slotted screw on the burner cap. I don't believe I have seen anything but phillips screws on Whisperlites, and never a washer (just the screw only). I have one of these early ones, with the white/tan fabric fuel line, and it does not have a washer and uses a phillips screw. Is the one pictured a prototype and not a production model? Or an early version? Does anyone have one like this?
Hi, John, Great article, which I do believe I actually have in my old stash of Backpacker mags. I'll check out some of my earliest WPL stoves, and see how they look compared to the one in the photo. MSR did make prototype versions of all of their stoves, and maybe this is one of those. Don't know. Great questions, though, and I nice article for the Reference Section. Well done! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
The most interesting thing about this WL is that the vaporizer tube does not loop over the burner as in production models. This is the first one that I've seen without the vaporizer loop, other than the Firefly and the early G stoves and the dragonfly. just a thought, sam
Well, duh! (sound of hand smacking forehead!) Here I was paying attention to the small details...but apparently neither was MSR. Here's an ad from 1986 -- well after the Whisperlite's introduction -- that also does not show the generator tube. PS - wonder how the bowl gets so red in this pic without a flame!
I guess the vaporizer tube was a distraction for the photo artist or something on top of the burner but you can still see the vaporizer tube near the leg/pot support on the left below the burner bowl. It comes down and looks like it enters the main burner cylinder but you don't see the other end of the tube coming from the source, nor the loop above. Interesting advertisements you've found, John. sam
What an interesting old photo in that old Backpacker magazine. That's got to be some kind of a prototype. The priming cup is overly large. The screw as you noted is different. The "pan" around the burner head is higher sided and doesn't have the typical shape of a Whisperlite burner pan. Very interesting! HJ
Just out of pure curiousity, I went looking through some old mags to see what other early pics of the Whisperlite I could dig up. Here's another one (not a very good quality pic, though), from the April 1985 issue of Popular Science. I'm assuming it's a different photo of the same stove used in the November '84 Backpacker article, as it likewise doesn't have the generator loop (and that doesn't appear to have been airbrushed out - or whatever - as in the 1986 ad).
Interesting on thier advertising blurb-"alot of heat for the money" At over $340 its alot of money for the heat when i bought an "alpine" cheapy for $49 and it hasnt missed a beat in 4 years
It's a sub $50 dollar stove in the 1984 article & $40 in the 1985 ad. I think they are about $110 now.
Check out the price-wisperlite INTERNATIONAL. Certainly NOT $110 34 I believe that puts that to rest. Even the std version is expensive.
As we're on a thread about an American article & advert regarding an American stove I thought we were talking US$ not NZ$. They are about US$110 in the USA - MSR WhisperLite International Backpacking Stove | REI Co-op In the UK the RRP is £150 but they can be had for around £100 which equates to about US$137 or NZ$198 So aye, a lot more that your cheapy NZ$49 stove even in countries where MSR stoves are cheaper than they are New Zealand.
And the exchange rate at the moment makes your $US110 around $NZ139-so somebody is clipping the ticket about $NZ200. That $US110 is shipping,taxes,and dealer profit included. The dealer here gets dealer factory direct prices,so probably around $US36 per unit. Shipping would be no more than $US8 per unit(as tgey would ship a high volume of different products at one time).$US 42 landed.All the rest is added here. Doesnt quite add up to the retail price here. Any other kiwi members should be able to confirm our prices are way over the top. Id probably still make my stuff if prices were reasonable-id just have a store bought as a backup. I just live making stuff
