I use a camp stove almost every day, both for
wilderness camping and my morning coffee. Sometimes it's the only option
for a hot meal and other times it's a fantastic way to save money. I love
cooking over an open fire, but that's not always feasible or practical.
There are several types of camp stoves. I
only have experience with the canister fuel and liquid fuel types.
The canister fuel type is very easy to light and works
well at high altitudes. My beef with the canister stove is
that the canisters are hard (sometimes impossible) to find in developing countries and they do not last
long. Once a canister is empty, it gets thrown away. This
adds to the trail of trash behind you.
The liquid fuel stoves usually burn
anything combustible like gasoline, kerosene, and white gas. My stove is
the liquid fuel type that burns several types of liquid fuel. I use the same roads as motor vehicles
so I'm always
around gasoline stations. Gasoline is
the easiest and cheapest option. Gasoline burns quick but leaves behind a
lot of dirty black ash. I prefer white gas because it burns the cleanest
and gums up the stove the least but it's difficult to find outside of developed
countries.
White gas is mandatory when riding over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) because
of the lack of air. I burn about half a liter to a liter of fuel a week.
When I'm in the market for a camp stove, there a few things that I look for.
- Ability to burn gasoline.
Gasoline is a universal evil in this world. It is available in every
country on earth. Although I prefer to use a cleaner fuel, such as white
gas, if I'm in a very poor country there will always be gasoline available.
- A large fuel bottle. I like to
have a liter bottle so I'm not always refueling.
Accessories that I like
- Repair kit. A must for a
gasoline (petrol) stove. Don't lose the printed directions, as you'll need them
when the stove craps out.
- Wind shield / block. This
is a long foldable aluminum rectangle that surrounds the stove and
blocks out the wind. Most camping stoves come with one.
For the international gourmet, this multi-fuel stove has the
most adjustable flame of any liquid fuel burning stove. New self-purging
pump won't leak when you remove it from the stove after cooking, is easier
to adjust and is more durable with better threads. Two control valves: one
to regulate gas flow and another to dial-in a precise flame. Burns almost
any fuel, including white gas, kerosene, diesel, automotive gas, aviation
gas, stoddard solvent and naphtha. Field-maintainable stove stays clog-free
thanks to its self-cleaning jet. Legs spring open for ease of use and fold
compactly for storage--fits inside MSR cook sets, sold separately. Comes
with windscreen, heat reflector, fuel pump and stuff sack. Requires MSR Fuel
Bottle for operation, sold separately.
With 3 different sizes, this aluminum bottle stores and
transports your fuel and is compatible with all MSR liquid-fuel stoves
including the DragonFly.
* Connects to the threaded pump of your MSR stove for use as
a fuel tank
* Airtight seal allows fuel to be stored longer by preventing air from
entering and degrading fuel
* Child-resistant packaging (CRP) cap makes it difficult for kids to open
the bottle
* Made from single-piece, impact-extruded aluminum to prevent leaks and
cracks
* Bolstered shoulder and base resist bulging when pressurized
11 fl. oz. size fuel bottle is great for weekend
trips our when bicycle touring light and hitting the gasoline stations every
couple days.
20 fl. oz. size fuel bottle is good for long weekend
backpacking trips or cycle touring.
30 fl. oz. size fuel bottle is expedition ready
for 5 - 7 day backcountry trips where refueling is not an option or long
bike touring trips where you are camping every night, use the stove a lot,
and do not like to bother with gas stations often.
If you can not decide you may want to buy the biggest and
smallest size and be ready for all adventures.
Keep your DragonFly™ breathing fire with this comprehensive
maintenance and spare-parts kit intended for extreme or extended trips.
Includes the necessary tools and most commonly needed replacement parts for
the DragonFly stove and pump. Packaged in durable carrying case.
