Hi, I recently picked up this excellent little coleman stove. It's a feather 400. It reminds me of a similar coleman stove I owned years ago which was my first "petrol" stove and has long since been passed on. I ran it mercilessly on unleaded petrol because I was young and stupid and changed the generator tube often as a result. I note that feather 400 has a wire inside the generator tube actuated by the control tap to help to keep it from clogging. After a minor fettle involving rinsing the tank out and oiling the pump washer It fired up with no complaints I'm running it on Fuelite which is Kiwi for coleman fuel. Now a question.. some of the older models of coleman stove came with a useful square billy set ( mess tins) which comprise of a larger pot and smaller lid / frying pan. Did coleman produce a set which would fit this stove?? If so do they still make them?? I'm thinking of pressing this little coleman into service as my backpacking stove as its not that heavy and it simmers really well and the pans would be very useful. Cheers John
Hi John, Great stove, the 400B. Yes, there is a smaller version of storage/ cook kit made for this series. It's made of much lighter alu than the 502 version, light enough that you must be careful when using the grippers as it will dent rather easily. They show up on ebay occasionaly. Actually, since they (coleman) still sell a Peak 1 version of the stove, the kit may still be in outdoor stores! I just looked at mine, it says Peak 1.
JOHN.. i have used one of those for many years on canoe trips..never let me down. as far as i know the square pot set is no longer made,which is too bad because they are just right for a carrying case and cook kit..i bought several when i found them at a local surplus store..i do see them on Ebay for around $10 US..the aluminum is soft and after a few years the top edge of the big pot got lots of dents from the griper but i could use a rubber hammer and wood block to pound it all smooth again.. i used my kit for over 10 years before i unwraped a new one and retired it..i could have gone on useing it but it was a--new tent--new cook kit--new paddle--kind of year..
Good stoves, I have one, and like all the Coleman stoves, they burn hot and simmer well I've still got a 413 to light, looking forward to that one 8)
It is time for me to go to confession. I have been carrying this sin for a long time and I need to get it out. I had one and used it for several years. Then it started acting up. I replaced it with an MSR Whisperlight. The Coleman got put on a shelf in the garage. The Whisperlight worked so well and was so simple to operate. I was blinded by my love for this new tramp in the red dress. One day I was cleaning out the garage and noticed the Colleman backpacker and opened up the tank and saw that it was full of rust. The oustide was a bit nasty looking too. I tossed it in the trash with some old paint cans and bits of lumber. If I knew then what I know now I would have fettled it and that would have been the start of my stove collection. I feel better now. Best Regards, HTG
Does anyone know what the difference between the 400 and the 442 is? I like the 442 - neat clean and easy powerful if a little thirsty.
Not sure the difference, but you are right about being thirsty Coleman claim "fill once and use all weekend", I don't think so But, as they simmer so well, I suppose good cooking practice will compensate I have to admit I am won over to the ease of lighting with the Coleman gear all round, stoves and lamps alike, I only run panel wipe in my Nova now to be honest, same with my 111 MF's. The only kero stove I would take now would be a 111 roarer (if car camping it would be different, as the Vapalux is still my favourite lantern 8) )
Yeah - sprog got a 550B (kero) which has got to be the easiest starting kero stove I've ever met - nice piece of kit.
Hi Doug, The 400 series is coleman fuel/panel wipe only. The 442 is supposedly dual fuel, coleman/pw and unleaded... But I'd have a spare generator handy ayway.
Hi, Thanks for the advice on the pots. I'll keep an eye out for some. But I dont hold out much hope here in NZ. If anyone has a set please let me know.. As I said in the original post I used to have what I suppose was a model 400 ( no lightening holes in the feet, no retainer on the tank cap but still with the black tank and Peak 1 branding) this did not have the wire running inside the generator tube so running it on Un leaded clogged it up reasonably quickly. So I should be ok to run the occasional tank of un leaded in the 442 ( feather 400)?? Cheers John
Thats what they advertise, don't have one myself. I do have a dual fuel coleman lantern, and the first time I used unleaded, it clogged up in a few hours. Now I must mention that this was Mexican unleaded, which can be, shall we say, a bit chunky! As this was the only lantern I had at the time, (no spare genny) I was a bit annoyed It now lives in the garage somewhere. As I understand it, unleaded is pretty clean everywhere except the US ( and Mexico) Like I mentioned, try it but have a spare handy...
The 442 has a bit more power than the 400, and is made with a bit more quality materials in the tank. The 400 has a tendency of rust ower the years. Thirsty for whitegas=much power
