I'm looking for personal experiences using liguid fuel stove at or below 0°F or -18°C. What stove did you use? Fuel type? Any special procedures, preparations or modifications. What was the primary use? How did they perform? What would you do different? Lessons learned? Thanks for taking the time. Mike
The coldest that I have used a canister stove was -8°F. I have used liquid fuels in the single digits though. My preferred fuel is kero in my eleventy one and usually double prime when temps are below 10°F. I have had success with an amish mix (75/25) in my OmniLite Ti stove also in the single digits. Some of the main concerns that you will want to address are: 1) BTU output at elevation if it's a factor 2) What is insulating the stove from the ground at those temps 3) Wind and cool temps will suck the heat from the pot that you are trying to cook with 4) Does the liquid stove have a pump or will you need to bring one like on an 8R or Svea 123 (think cold hands) 5) A lid on the pot is a must at those temps 6) Is the pump pressure supplied via an o-ring or leather cup ? I prefer leather in cold temps because I can flare the leather out if needed when it shrinks unlike an o-ring. Remember that most likely any food that is to be cooked will go in the pot or pan frozen and instantly cooling it making it difficult to bring to a boil or cook. You can use the copper wire and wrist band trick on the tank if your 8r or svea 123 won't come up to temp. I tend to use a wider pot and/or a pot with a heat ring at the base to grab all of the heat and provide thermal feedback onto the stove if possible and safe. My favorite cold weather packable liquid fueled stoves that I own in order are: 1) Optimus 111 2) Optimus 111B 3) OmniLite Ti 4) Optimus 8R 5) Svea 123R You want to avoid a stove that requires too much fiddling to set up. Remember that you will probably have gloves on and that bare skin on a cold stove may result in frostbite. Also, you really want to avoid a stove that uses any type of font/tank that may allow you to spill fuel onto yourself such as a remote font that requires you too twist the cap off and insert the pump (OmniLite is like this). A set of soaked gloves would be bad. You want to open it, prime it, and be done.
The USA Antarctic guidebook mentions 2 stoves: the Whisperlite and the Coleman suitcase. The USAP Portal: Science and Support in Antarctica - USAP Continental Field Manual The Australians used to use the Optimus 111 but retired these a while ago, after 40 or so years in use. Living in a warm part of the world this is not a practical concern of mine, simply a curiosity. But I personally would not take a self-pressurising stove. I would want something that burned hotter, with the output of the 8r or 123r being substantially less than the 111 family.
Howdy, All, You might want to peruse the article I'm about to link, in that it features some fairly famous outdoors folks, commenting on stoves that they trust: Experts pick their most trusted stove. Interesting choices, don't you think!?! Here are some of the stoves I've used well below freezing: - Optimus 111B - MSR X-GK - Coleman Model 400 - MSR Firefly Optimus 45, with regulated silent burner. - Optimus 81 Trapper All the stoves above worked wonderfully, though some needed a bit of extra priming to get them going. I learned, quickly, NOT to use an ensolite pad to protect the 111B from the cold ground, unless you wrap it in heavy aluminum! One of my 111B stoves still has the melted residue of that bare ensolite pad on it's bottom!! The Trapper might surprise some of you, but hey, it worked great. And, it was not only cold, but up around 9,000+ feet in elevation, and that stove worked very well, insulated from the ground, of course! We've used both the Coleman Model 400, and the MSR Firefly at elevation, too, and again, with excellent results. Priming the Firefly can be a bit of an adventure, if you try to do it inside your vestibule, though!! YIKES!! The Model 400 "appreciates" some priming paste under the generator, then works a treat! I've used other stoves in deep cold, too, but those mentioned used to be my "go to" stoves at such times. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Agree, and artic fuel pump to minimize the risk of fuel leaks in cold weather. Its the nr.1 expedition stove, no o-rings inside the stove, easy to clean and maintenance, shaker jet prolongs its running time before maintenance is needed, produceses low amounts of carbon monoxid and easy to prime/pre-heat.
I've used my early MSR Int'l WL a few times and have used kero stoves in temps mentioned. I just recently picked up one of those new MSR pumps for freezing temps and lower. Duane
I've used my 123 several times just below 0F, and it works great BUT needs two primes and is a little slow to get up to speed. and you need a pad of some sort to sit it on.
I tested my M1950 at -10 degrees F, pumped it up, dribbled a bit of fuel into the prime cup, and off we went on one prime! At those Temps, CF lights like lightning a candle, but it WILL light! Murph
I'll add something to my reply above, you can't be frugal priming the 123 in cold weather. Pour it on, and a windscreen is more important than ever As far as primary use, just coffee and hot chocolate and MacnCheese!
I have used kerosene and Optimus Nova, Optimus 111, Radius 43, Primus 210 and Radius 21 and have never had any problem with any of them. Optimus 111 is my preferd stove when using pulk. Primus 210 or Radius 21 if I have to use back pack. I have also used Svea 123 in those temperatures, but I would not use a stove that has to be refilled so often when I have to melt snow.
I’ve used a Svea 123, MSR XGK, and Primus Himalayan below 0F. The Svea worked fine, but had to be insulated from the snow and refilled often during snow melting. The other two models are far better in such temperatures. I think a pump makes a stove far more practical for really cold temperatures. It takes a pretty aggressive prime to get a self-pressurized stove (like a Svea) up to temperature, and careful management to keep heat from dissipating faster than it is being added. ….Arch
I haven't tried my Primus 210, Optimus 00, or Coleman 550B below freezing but would love the opportunity to try it if backpacking. Many years ago (about 30 years ago) I was stuck at home with no power and the temps dipped to -20°F and I wish that I had known more about stoves during the storm. It would have made my life much easier lol.
