If you intend on winter tenting or backpacking in temperatures beneath 15 levels Fahrenheit, you need to contemplate getting a liquid gas range that burns petroleum distillates like white gasoline or kerosene as a substitute of a canister-based range that burns isobutane gas. Canister gasoline gained’t ignite in its gaseous state beneath 15 levels Fahrenheit, which actually limits its temperature vary.
While there are stoves, just like the Kovea Spider that may burn canister gasoline in its liquid kind (you flip the canister the wrong way up), additionally they cease working reliably at 0 levels Fahrenheit, whereas a liquid gas range will merrily burn away right down to 40 beneath zero Fahrenheit. Liquid gas can also be extra available internationally than canister gasoline, which is useful if you happen to backpack or trek in much less developed international locations.
Liquid gas stoves include a tank to carry the gas, a pump to create strain within the tank so the gas will stream out by the gas line, a valve to regulate gas stream, and a burner the place the gasoline mixes with air and burns. Some stoves such because the MSR Whisperlite Universal can burn isobutane in canisters in addition to liquid gas, making them a sensible choice if you wish to potential to modify between the 2. The Whisperlite Universal has the added benefit of being a distant canister range which implies it may be used with a windscreen to extend its effectivity since there’s no have to screw the range on to the canister the place it could actually explode if it will get too sizzling.
What is White Gas?
All liquid gas stoves burn a gas referred to as white gasoline. White gasoline is a really pure type of gasoline that doesn’t include any components. Many liquid gas stoves, notably these meant for worldwide (non-North American) use, additionally burn different, dirtier types of gasoline together with kerosene, diesel, unleaded auto gas, or jet gas which are extra available in locations that don’t inventory specialised tenting range fuels. These different fuels share the excessive warmth output and low-temperature properties of white gasoline however could clog your range and enhance the frequency it’s important to clear it. White gasoline can also be self-priming, whereas different fuels equivalent to kerosene require that you simply convey a second extra unstable gas equivalent to primer paste or alcohol to warmth up your range (by setting it on hearth, principally) in order that it reaches a temperature the place it could actually vaporize white gasoline a burn it.
Some liquid range producers advocate that you simply use proprietary white gasoline formulations with their stoves equivalent to Coleman Fuel or MSR Superfuel. These are all simply branded variants of white gasoline. I take advantage of MSR Superfuel myself, however primarily out of comfort (to be sincere) because it’s straightforward to choose up at my native REI.
Liquid Fuel Stove Comparison
There are fairly just a few liquid gas stoves in the marketplace. I’ve listed the most well-liked, together with their weight (together with range and pump, however not gas bottle), and the fuels they burn.
- MSR Whisperlite | White Gas | 11 oz
- MSR Whisperlite Universal | Isobutane Canisters, White Gas, Unleaded Auto Gas, Kerosene| 13.7 oz
- MSR Whisperlite International | White Gas, Unleaded Auto Gas, Kerosene | 10.9 oz
- MSR XGK EX | Diesel, White Gas, Unleaded Auto Gas, Kerosene | 13.2 oz
- MSR Dragonfly | Diesel, White Gas, Unleaded Auto Gas, Jet Fuel, Kerosene | 14 oz
- Primus OmniLite Ti | Isobutane Canisters, White Gas, Unleaded Auto Gas, Diesel, Jet Fuel, Kerosene | 12 oz
- Primus OmniFuel | White Gas, Unleaded Auto Gas, Diesel, Kerosene, Jet Fuel | 15.6
- Optimus OptiFuel | Isobutane Canister, White Gas, Diesel, Kerosene, Jet Fuel | 16.75 oz
- Optimus SVEA 123 | White Gas | 19 oz
- Kovea Booster | Isobutane Canister, White Gas | 10.8 oz
Some of those stoves present simmering capabilities. It is controversial that that is an pointless characteristic if you’ll simply be utilizing your range to soften snow or boil water. If you intend on utilizing your range within the US or Canada, paying a premium for the power to burn fuels apart from white gasoline might be not mandatory. However, in case you are touring internationally, be certain that to buy a range that permits you to burn different fuels equivalent to kerosene and even jet gas, that are available in different components of the world.
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