Propane backpacking stoves? | Squat the Planet

Propane backpacking stoves?

nobrains

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For cooking, butane sucks bad. Isobutane seems like it sucks, but is super common. Sterno and alcohol are total garbage imho. I'm not boiling water here, I'm making meals. A man can't survive on hot pockets & ramen alone, and decent food is the only thing that keeps this body going. Wood can get you in trouble in some places. I like propane. It's fast, easy & powerful. No mess, no fuss, just get it done.

I'm in the market for a new backpack stove. They all seem to be isobutane!! I can run one of those green Coleman cylinders for WEEKS cooking bacon and eggs for every meal. Isobutane tanks last an hour. I traveled with a kid for a while that had this teeny stove in a little plastic case. He said he got it from REI for like $50 and it fit on my Coleman propane cylinders. I think he had an adapter. Problem is I can't seem to find it on their site & I'm not in REI land atm. I'm housed and have a few days to order something if I want...... recommendations?
 
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MolotovMocktail

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Is this the adapter?

I have this stove that's cheap as hell but I've only used it on butane and wouldn't recommend it for much more than boiling water because it has a serious problem with hotspots. I was using pretty cheap cookware though so maybe thicker cookware would have helped distribute the heat better.

I've also used a whisperlite with liquid fuel but priming it was a little finicky and it was way less compact than the little one I have now.
 
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JanykShorrths

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I'm curious about that Kovea adapter as well. Just reading through the reviews it sounds like people have had mixed results using it with their isobutane stoves. That would be a sweet solution though because the big green Coleman canisters are a heck of a lot cheaper.

Buddy of mine has this Coleman propane single burner. It's not as small as many of the other backpacking stoves but it's pretty sturdy. Might be good if you're throwing down a larger pan for bacon and eggs.
 
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I have a Texsport that screws right on to the green coleman bottle and comes with a base that has four fold out fins. Put the bottle in the base, screw on the burner and you're cookin with gas. Bought it at Ace Hardware last year for 25 bucks. Works like a charm.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P9CZY0/
 
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nobrains

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I have a Texsport that screws right on to the green coleman bottle and comes with a base that has four fold out fins.

Dawg. Those things are pretty, and do the job well, i'm afraid they turn to mash potatoes in my pack. I want some shit that folds up all upper crust n such.
 
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Understand that. If ya find one that takes the green bottles, post it here. I'm always looking for smaller and lighter but well made. In the 70s they had bottles 1/3 the size and well built stoves that fit in my pants pocket. Gave mine to a kid hittin the road years ago and wish I had it today. ~ peace and best of luck
 

DrewSTNY

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If you can find one used, the old Svea 123 stoves run off about any liquid fuel. White gas is the best since it has fewer impurities. Depending on how you use it, a single tank in the stove plus a quart of fuel in another bottle can last a while. Not sure, but at least two weeks, maybe even a month.

They are a little tricky to get started, but once you know how they work, they are about bullet proof.

I should also mention, the one I have is close to 50 years old and it still works like a charm. Had it out this weekend for a quick trip in the woods and cooked all weekend on way less than a tank.
 
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nobrains

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I ended up getting that one. It's def not what the kid had, if his even had an adapter. It's pretty hefty construction, with a rubber washer inside that goes against the propane tank nozzle. I got this stove to use with it. I'm pretty sure this dinky turd is about the same as any other $15 isobutane backpacking stove. I chose it because it has a rubber nipple that I thought made a secure connection to the adapter.

The box for the stove says it'll boil a liter of water "in minutes". Testing it out it boiled a liter tea kettle in about 10 minutes on what I assume was mediumish high. I can crank the control arm all the way around and make it blast blue hell like a rocket, but it sputters and seems scary, so I kept it a bit lower. 10 minutes is pretty slow imo. I assume it's faster if you're using the way it's designed? I also feel like it used a lot of propane.

The threads all mesh up nicely and it seems like it'll work, though with some sub-optimal points. No bacon and eggs, but oatmeal at least. I'll give it a proper trial run in the wilds soon and report back with better info.

If you can find one used, the old Svea 123 stoves run off about any liquid fuel.
I've seen those mentioned around the forums a bit. I looked up some videos on youtube. That's exactly what I want... I'm a 'buy-it-for-life' type... Old school, durable, with a special tool for cleaning it? Compact, runs on different fuels. Seems like Optimus makes 'em still for $119. Maybe Satan Claws will get it for me for Mayhemas.
 
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DrewSTNY

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I ended up getting that one. It's def not what the kid had, if his even had an adapter. It's pretty hefty construction, with a rubber washer inside that goes against the propane tank nozzle. I got this stove to use with it. I'm pretty sure this dinky turd is about the same as any other $15 isobutane backpacking stove. I chose it because it has a rubber nipple that I thought made a secure connection to the adapter.

The box for the stove says it'll boil a liter of water "in minutes". Testing it out it boiled a liter tea kettle in about 10 minutes on what I assume was mediumish high. I can crank the control arm all the way around and make it blast blue hell like a rocket, but it sputters and seems scary, so I kept it a bit lower. 10 minutes is pretty slow imo. I assume it's faster if you're using the way it's designed? I also feel like it used a lot of butane.

The threads all mesh up nicely and it seems like it'll work, though with some sub-optimal points. No bacon and eggs, but oatmeal at least. I'll give it a proper trial run in the wilds soon and report back with better info.


I've seen those mentioned around the forums a bit. I looked up some videos on youtube. That's exactly what I want... I'm a 'buy-it-for-life' type... Old school, durable, with a special tool for cleaning it? Compact, runs on different fuels. Seems like Optimus makes 'em still for $119. Maybe Satan Claws will get it for me for Mayhemas.

I would try to find the older ones that are not made in China. But that's based on a perception that may or may not hold true any longer. Optimus bought them somewhere around 1979, so anything made before 1980 is good with me. Might have to replace the rubber gasket of the fill cap, but that's about all that can go bad
 
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