Camping Stoves

[funkymonkey1111]

simple coleman 2 burner propane--$50 at walmart. If you take care of it, it was last forever. if you don't, it will last nearly as long.

you can do a fair amount of cooking on one propane canister.

 

[Linger]

The Coleman white gas is very reliable. I'm against propane (single fill, use it up then throw it out, can't 'top up' near empty cylinders you've just got to use it up and carry a spare).
White gas is reliable and replacable, you carry as much as you need in whatever container is suitable.
Those green metal Coleman cases are iconic and I salavate now just looking at them. Excellent long-term investment for car/cottage camping. As already mentioned, Coleman's are great for groups, often times people just pile their colemans together and a kitchen is assembled with a row of coleman stoves, everyone knows how to use one.

When you buy it, go outside and use it many times before you go camping. Make tea or coffee for yourself, fry an egg, brown some toast, saute some veggies. Then the stove will be an old friend when you get out camping with it the first time.

 

[jzmtl]

Unfortunately white gas is pretty expensive, the coleman gallon can goes for $20 in every store, so the butane cartrige works out to be actually cheaper. Gasoline probably is the cheapest but I don't want toxic fume.

 

[kramer5150]

Why not use white Gas?

This stove is often used by many campers:
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=3000000492&categoryid=2020&brand=

I use one of these regularly... no probs at all.

We picked up one of these at a Chinese supermarket a few years ago. Works great, dirt cheap, and cheap to fuel too. Much cheaper than "real" camping options and quite good.

http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/portable-butane-stove.html

I have 2 of these as well, they work great. I got 2 of them + 4 extra fuel cannisters for all under $25. They use piezoelectric igniters found in gas water heaters... lights with one "click". Unlike the coleman above, no priming/pumping or fuel hassles. I enjoy using them but do not enjoy having to toss out the spent fuel cans... so these are not my primary choice.

 

[Illum]

I'm against propane (single fill, use it up then throw it out, can't 'top up' near empty cylinders you've just got to use it up and carry a spare).
White gas is reliable and replacable, you carry as much as you need in whatever container is suitable.

theres a pretty cool device on the market to help with that
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t.../en/common/search/search-box.jsp.form1&Go.x=0

My uses for my burner can't finish a can in a year so theres no point in investing in one, but I'd look into something like this if I have to use the burner frequently:thinking:

 

[Hacken]

How often are you going to use it? If it's just this one shot those cheap $20 stove that takes butane cartrige is plenty (need windscreen if windy).

I have one of those stove. The Sterno version which costed me 80bucks when I bought it and an extra 40 bucks for a box of the butane bottle. I say it works real good when it's full but after like 15-20mins those bottle drain out rather quick. i ended up using about 4 butane just cooking for 4 people.

Why not use white Gas?

This stove is often used by many campers:
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=3000000492&categoryid=2020&brand=

I've seen those around in stores and online a lot. but hate the fact that you have to pump it once every 30mins but it's a nice stove. i'll look into it or maybe just pick one up on craigslist if i can get one for cheap.

 

[Hacken]

I have to recommend the Coleman. I don't owned one but have used a few of them at big camping get-togethers.
My brother and I recently cooked (from scratch) about 4 gallons of beans and made breakfast for about 35 people on two of these stoves. They worked flawlessly yet again. I plan to buy one for myself soon. For $50 it's tough to beat.

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=3000000449&categoryid=2010&brand=

i think that one is a pretty nice stove considering the fact that it's not heavy and puts out decent BTU and has two option of propane connection. but anyways..can i say those 5lb propane cylinders are quite expensive compare to the 20lb ones. i ended up buying one in cabelas for 60bucks!!

 

[PScalfano]

If propane or white gas isn't your thing, check out the sierra stove. It works similar to a blacksmith forge with 2 "aa" batteries and a fan, and burns whatever sticks/twigs/etc you can gather. I have also had good luck burning charcoal in wet conditions. They are also airplane friendly, because there is no fuel or combustible residue left in the stove.

 

[steveG]

i think that one is a pretty nice stove considering the fact that it's not heavy and puts out decent BTU and has two option of propane connection. but anyways..can i say those 5lb propane cylinders are quite expensive compare to the 20lb ones. i ended up buying one in cabelas for 60bucks!!

I usually run it off a 20lb tank but have several of the small cans as spares. I've cooked a ton off of the small cans and don't remember ever emptying one on a single weekend outing. They are more money but if you're short on space it's nice to have the option.

 

[Hacken]

going to go see one of those coleman white gas stove later i found on craigs.

 

[funkymonkey1111]

Unfortunately white gas is pretty expensive, the coleman gallon can goes for $20 in every store, so the butane cartrige works out to be actually cheaper. Gasoline probably is the cheapest but I don't want toxic fume.

white gas is about $8 per gallon in the U.S.

 

[funkymonkey1111]

I've seen those around in stores and online a lot. but hate the fact that you have to pump it once every 30mins but it's a nice stove.

is this really a problem? First, are you really going to use it for more than 30 minutes straight? and if so, if pumping a gas stove is a chore for you, you might reconsider camping in general

 

[jzmtl]

I have one of those stove. The Sterno version which costed me 80bucks when I bought it and an extra 40 bucks for a box of the butane bottle. I say it works real good when it's full but after like 15-20mins those bottle drain out rather quick. i ended up using about 4 butane just cooking for 4 people.

It's not drained actually, but the bottle would cool down as you use and butane would get to the point to unable to vaporize. Keep the flip over cover open to let the heat from flame reach the bottle and it'll last longer. Each bottle should burn for over an hour.

 

[TedTheLed]

I know camp fires are not allowed in many parks, though if you check you may find they are allowed in some places during certain hours..
some parks that do not allow open fires, do allow charcoal fires..
I always liked the idea of just carrying a grill and laying it over a ring of rocks, Mexico-style, and cooking on that. some parks specify the type of wood that must be burned, though you could bring your own charcoal..you can do alot of coooking on a few briquets, and it's quiet and pretty..

I know it's not as convenient as a gas stove, but it's worth considering.

 

[Linger]

theres a pretty cool device on the market to help with that
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t.../en/common/search/search-box.jsp.form1&Go.x=0

:thinking: Hrm indeed. From Cabelas'
"
U.S. DOT prohibits the transportation of re-filled disposable cylinders."
now I realise they may be over-protective, but perhaps theres some reason for caution with self-filled propane? I would have really liked to see a grounding cord / static cord in that picture, and hopefully a caution this is an endothermic procedure so intense local cooling is normal. Large volumes of flamable gasses under pressure really peak my senses (though as a Diver I admire their correct application).
I can accept that you Illum are competent and professional in your approach, and in proficient hands the tank addapter could be a great tool. I guarentee if TSHTF and I had a propane stove, I'd be wishing I had one of those addapters

I don't know if that changes my mind about propane stoves. I've always thought propane was a bit foo-foo, de riguer for the catalogue camper, who lets $8,000 canoe drift away after failing to tie a bowline. Then again, I know that the simmer you can achive with propane (on the ultralight trekking stoves) is far superior to any white gas/multi-gas stoves.

I'm going to Baron Canyon in a week. Now you've got me wondering about a last minute gear change.

 

[carrot]

I've always assumed the prohibition is because you can almost guarantee the condition of a new, never-refilled canister will be good (and safe), but you have no guarantee that an older, continually used refilled canister will be as safe.

 

[TedTheLed]

Cabela better pray to god that no one gets burned by a refilled cylinder.
I hate the smell of lawsuit in the morning..

Someone machined the same adapter a few years ago, even offered it on my website (not up at the moment) -- and was sued into oblivion..(maybe it's the same guy -- but I can't check at the moment..)

From the photo it looks like your refilled cylinder wouldn't last very long because it would filled with gas only; no liquid propane should come out of the big tank in this position..(or any position) -- no?

..I want one though, would be great to fill little cylinders for blow torches..

 

[Illum]

:thinking: Hrm indeed. From Cabelas'
"
U.S. DOT prohibits the transportation of re-filled disposable cylinders."
now I realise they may be over-protective, but perhaps theres some reason for caution with self-filled propane? I would have really liked to see a grounding cord / static cord in that picture, and hopefully a caution this is an endothermic procedure so intense local cooling is normal. Large volumes of flamable gasses under really peak my senses (though as a Diver I admire their correct application).
I can accept that you Illum are competent and professional in your approach, and in proficient hands the tank addapter could be a great tool. I guarentee if TSHTF and I had a propane stove, I'd be wishing I had one of those addapters

Oh don't worry, I'm not trying to change your mindset as your position has a perfectly legitimate argument. Most flammable gas containers are not charged to 100% simply because theres a lack of a relief valve in case of overpressure and that DOT rates containers upwards of 120F, which could be potentially hazardous. Theres no way DOT can certify refilled containers simply because it cannot assume all users to be competent and sticking to the books for charging procedures
While theres the risk to which refills are to take place, at minimum I do is make the alternative publicly known. I was hoping to heighten others senses to the issue without having to make the decision and incur unnecessary liability for it, your quote just happened to establish that connection of relevancy

I've always assumed the prohibition is because you can almost guarantee the condition of a new, never-refilled canister will be good (and safe), but you have no guarantee that an older, continually used refilled canister will be as safe.

O...no one mentioned that older canisters tend to rust around the threads if not properly capped from the weather, I certainly don't want iron oxide from being fed into my canisters

 

[TedTheLed]

From the photo it looks like your refilled cylinder wouldn't last very long because it would filled with gas only; no liquid propane should come out of the big tank in this position..(or any position) -- right?

OK I read the detailed instructions; they say fill wit hthe big tank upside down -- this should NOT work, since all modern legal tanks have a float system that shuts off the flow if the tank isn't upright..

what am I missing here? if anything.

 

[Hacken]

isn't it a bit dangerous to refill them small canister? weird... it's illegal to refill disposable propane canister. i didn't know cabelas sells that..