My wife and I have decided we do not want to haul a 2-burner stove on our next BWCA trip. We are also planning some backcountry camping in Big Bend National Park this March. What is the best light stove for backpacking and canoe camping out there?

I guess it all depends on if you are going to be actually "cooking". I really only boil water to rehydrate meals that I have dehydrated at home. I do fish in tinfoil and everything else is generally just add water. So, I just take an alcohol stove. Simple, light, and it works well for the way that I "cook".

Look for reviews on the MSR Dragonfly stove.

It is a great stove. The only negative mentioned in reviews - though it doesn't bother me at all - is that it is kind of loud when running. It does have a rush sound, but I'll trade that in for the reliability, ease-of-use, and the fantastic flame control.

ALWAYS check stoves over before heading out. Don't let one cracked o-ring ruin your trip.

This raises the issue of disposable versus refillable fuel cannisters. I get tired of the LP cannisters lying everywhere for our coleman stove and lanterns; don't the MSR stoves run on a similar system? I'd prefer to have a fuel tank I can refill. Any thoughts?

The MSR has refillable fuel bottles

Anyone use this one?

http://www.rei.com/product/777967?cm_mmc=cse_nextag-_-datafeed-_-product-_-na&mr:referralID=d4975444-e646-11dd-a8aa-000423bb4e95

I've never used that one,but I know Primus makes high quality stoves. Some other considerations are Coleman single burners like model 400,442,502,533,550. Lots of options.

Liquid fuel (white gas, etc.)- cheaper fuel, more hassle (starting, maintenence), loud, but able to use all 4 seasons.
Canister- less hassle, easier to use, only good when it's above 30 degrees or so.
I go with a canister run stove now myself after using both for many trips over the years. The pros outweigh the cons for me...

PS- I use a titanium Snow Peak stove that fits inside of my coffee cup...

A little knowledge/research might help---
stove information

butthead

Our canoe stove is single burner white-gas colman 508. nice stove. I'm particulary fond of the seperate on/off high/low/clean levers.

The newer version of this same stove, just one lever (ask HPD about model number), does not do anything well except wide open throttle. I prefer the older model.

These stoves can be fussy if cold, and might be a bit big for back-packing. maybe 8"x8"x8" packed in its carry case.

However, on the subject of canister/refillable, I would vote for the refillable. seems to me like a "greener" and better idea. I think white-gas stoves are now made with a detached, refillable, pump-style tank connected by a stainless braid hose. that might be a good Dual-Purpose option.

i use Coleman fuel.spills dry up fast and you can buy a can of it just about anywhere..Peak and MSR are good solid brands.i used a Peak
Feather in the BW for many years.it's a bit heavy but realible.
Whisperlite is popular but does not simmer very well. i always direct people to Classic Camp Stoves at spiritburner.com for everything you need to know about camp stoves.lots of photos and real solid information,just not the reviews you see in hikeing magazines. the newer Gaz stoves are easy to light and adjust but don't like cooler temps..think about getting a windscreen for any stove.some have cookkits made to also serve as a carrying case which is a good idea--any stove you buy try it out several times before really using it of course--

Though I use and like the MSR Dragonfly, the Coleman Exponent Feather 442 gets high useage by Boy Scout troops due to its simplicity. It uses Coleman fuel, and has the tank integral to the unit - much like a lighter-weight version of the one-burner mentioned above. It has nice flame control.

The real benefit is that you don't have to mess with separate tank and stove, and you don't have to prime. Just pump 25X, light, and then pump for 30 more seconds. Still, in sub-freezing weather the generator will work better when preheated with some priming paste.

Lots of choices out there.

I have had many stoves and have just let them "evolve" around me. :) That is, I have purchased stoves and sold the ones that I didn't like as much. Aside from my green, coleman suitcase stove for car camping, I have two stoves. I have the MSR Wind Pro, which I consider my main stove. You'll notice it is a canister stove. The other is a Coleman Featherlite Peak 1 similar to this one. Mine is an older version. I use it for colder weather camping.

For lightweight, safety, and a wide variety of cooking styles IMHO it is pretty hard to beat the Wind Pro for warm weather canoe-camping and backpacking.

Another vote for the MSR dragonfly. I just got one for Christmas n have been playing around with it for a while. Simple use. Boils water fast. Good flame control. The main con I see is how loud it gets, but like kennk said, I'll trade that for ease of use and relability. I also have a MSR superfly that seems to be a great stove, yet I have not used it enough to give it a solid review. I just plan on it to be a backup to the dragonfly

Cowboymac, I can tell you from personal experience that the knock against the isobutane/propane canistered stoves in cold temps is valid. When using my Coleman Peak1 in cold november (deer hunting), the stove really couldn't do much. The fuel just was too cold to evaporate and burn. Took a long time to boil water.
Don't buy the "cold weather formula" line on those canisters.

In the summer, I really like my isobutate canistered stoves... they are so clean and easy... but I have my eye on a Coleman 442 Duel Fuel for use in the colder weather. That said, I doubt cold weather will be a factor while in Big Bend. :)

I've used many mostly backpacking, tried about all of them. I'm a simple guy who goes for light weight and compact. Take a look at the "Jet Boil System" You can do anything with hot water. Bring some foil for cooking fish, although you can purchase a small fry pan for the jet boil.

Another brand of stoves very similar in cooking style to the dragonfly, are stoves made by Optimus. We use a nova brand stove, and it does all the dragonfly does, slightly quieter. Great simmer, can handle big heavy pots, reliable. You need to figure out your complete style of cooking needs first. That will slim down the choices.

Esbit. I have even fried fish with them, although you have to be careful. Can't really control the heat.

It looks like you have gotten some good advice here. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Personally, I really liked the integrated fuel tank on my Peak 1 550 compared to the separate tank and fuel line on my Peak 1 Apex. It was just more convenient to pull out the stove and fire it up without having to assemble it. I really like the Coleman Peak stoves, good luck!

Another vote for the coleman peak stoves here. I bought one 14 years ago and have used it on every trip since, never had a problem lighting the thing. Its been dropped, kicked, bent out of shape and in all manner of weather. The only complaint I'd have is the flame control but I'll take reliability over that.

MSR Dragonfly. It is a little loud but its powerful and has excellent burner control.

cowboymac12 if this is your first trip to Big Bend beware of the March winds. I hunt not to far from there. March winds can easily get above 70mph from the southwest. If you are going to be camping in a tent, prepare for the worst case scenario for wind and dust. Snakes, did I mention snakes. The western diamondback will be active by this time. It hasn't been very cold this year, so hibernation time will be short. If there is anything I can help with down here in Texas, just let me know. Mike

MSR Whisperlite 14 years old and just overhauled it first time in prep for May '09 BWCA trip. This past winter backpacking trip, the control valve had slight leak from old o-ring. Field fixed. Cooked for 7 people on one burner with campfire.

Will also carry a titanium alcohol stove into BWCA for duel burner capability.

Whisperlite has served me well backpacking. Trick to simmering capability is to not pump the the fuel canister much and to experiment with the control knob (patience). The "Whisperlite" name is relative to other MSR stoves. Still makes good amount of noise at full blast. Am a new convert to alcohol stoves.

Butane stoves are great warm weather stoves. But some people are slobs when it comes to packing out empties. A little consideration for others goes a long way.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/search/SearchResults.aspx?Ne=9900000&anyWords=&N=9404269+9919815&allWords=&exactPhrase=&allAnyWords=&searchWithin=

FYI - Primus stoves for sale on STP

Over the years I have traveled without any stove many more times than with one. When I want a stove I carry a Coleman Peak something. Many years old, works fine.

I bought a Coleman Exponent Expedition model because it was on sale and an outfitter had suppied one the year before. 2 burner, folding very flat to around 1.5"x6"x12". Simmers well, but only uses Coleman Powermax fuel. Not too hard to find and 2 bottles will cook for 4 for a week. The thin aluminum cans are about the size of an old 16 oz. pepsi bottle.

"What is the best light stove..." First, can you clarify a bit on what you mean by light? If you want an ultralight stove go for a pop can stove with an aluminum sheath that slides. You adjust the sheath to cover up part of the slit where the vaporized alcohol comes out of. Once you play around with it some, you can get a flame anywhere from a barely simmer to a blaze. The stove weighs about 3 oz. You can get them on ebay.

If you want a lightweight stove that has a easily controlled flame go for the dragonfly. The whisperlight is good if you don't need to simmer.

Snow Peak Titanium GigaPower stove= 2.5 oz

Mickeal,

This will be my third trip to Big Bend; went in June and November before when I was very young. We anticipate snakes and wind, and whatever else might be poking its head out in early spring.

Had my eyes on the primus variable fuel with the windscreen, which does appear to be on sale. I do want to be able to simmer for soups and stews.

Brunton AF. The AF stands for All Fuels. Stong BTU's. Great fuel efficiency. I finally ditched the old Coleman Peak 1. It was a difficult starter in cold temps and uses fuel like a Suburban.

Good Luck.

If you are cooking real food get a MSR dragonfly, simmers well, also a blowtorch. If you are going to eat freeze dried get a Snowpeak with Iso-butain fuel.

iso-butane simmers great.....and much easier (assuming above freezing temps). easier than any white gas stove. and alot faster.

I personally like the Colemen Xpedition stove. It folds up nice and it is light. Only drawback is the fuel is non fillable and gets thrown out when you are done. More stuff to pack back.

My friend who joined us in the BWCA last summer has a dragonfly, which he says is the bomb (Figuratively, of course). I would agree; seemed to do a bit of everything. It's more than I wanted to spend, but good gear comes with a price. He once cooked a meal in Peru using paint thinner, apparently.

I agree to what you said Jan about Iso-butane. It simmers well also, and it seams to boil faster too. I don't know why, maybe more BTU's. Less fuel the portage. I take my empty Iso-butane to work and crush for the scrap guy.

So many lakes,so little time

I second Kanoes thoughts on isobutane- I have been able to simmer much better with it than I could with my Whisperlight stove.

Bought an Optimus nova this summer. I love it!!!
I made mac and cheese with it in the cold this winter at 10 below, worked great. Fantastic stove.

also got an optimus nova last spring and used it throughout the paddling season. was very pleased with it. stable cooking surface. maybe a little quieter than the dragonfly. multifuel convenience (does not take butane cannisters like some of the primus and brunton AF do). simmerability and plenty of BTUs to boil water fast. refillable fuel bottles (not disposable cannisters) were a major factor in going back to white gas. white gas is cheap and it (or a susbtitute) can be found easily. still bring a butane cannister stove for boiling water for breakfast and as backup.

tg

It is a lot of important moments to consider when you are going to get a new stove.
A multifuel will always be a compromise. Luckily moast of them are made for white gas and modified to accept other fuels, and I understand you prefere white gas.

A) Simmering or not?
B) Noicy or not?
C) One unit or separate fuel bottle?
D) High or medium output?
E) Weight?
F) Fuel(s)

Cost and reliability is often related.

I take some shortcuts, by what you have told.
E) Weight up to approx 1/2kg or 1 LBS
F) At least white gas.
D) Optimus 123 and 8R has to lo output grater stoves are OK
A) Simmers well

Then
B Noice: Stoves like
Optimus stoves:
http://optimus.se/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=27
(all liquid fuel models sold new today, is noicy, simmers well, works on white-gas and keorsene or mix thereof. Needs some skills to use. Has buildt in cleaning needle. (I love my Nova stove)
Primus stoves:
http://www.primus.se/Templates/Pages/3_cols_white_middle.aspx?SectionId=5888
Multifuel EX and Omnifuel are noicy but reliable stoves,Omnifuel simmer OK, Gravity is not roaring, A little bit tricky to clean with separate cleaning needle.
MSR:
http://www.msrgear.com/stoves/
The expedition stoves are known worldvide, but dous not simmer well, Simmerlite is not roaring, simmers OK, Dragonfly roares, simmers well. All of them has buildt in cleaning needle.
Coleman:
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/ColemanCom/subcategory.asp?CategoryID=2005
Coleman has a wide range of stoves, I have one no 550B it is an all in one stove, the best I ever have used on white gas, not roaring, simmers well, easy to use, one I realy trust. My experience with 442 is moast of the same, but it is not as easy to simmer. Fyrestorm, I'm not skilled enoug yet to use this on white gas. (I have used white gas stoves for 29 years) It is the best I have used on cannister fuel.

Other makes, probably lot of ok products.

Moast important to consider:
Choose a make where it is easy to get spares.
Choose a make you feel comfortable with.

dsk
Edit Feb. 01 I forgot to mention wind resistance. As fast as I start to make a meal, it seems like the wind's coming. A suitable wind protection is a necessity, I've made this one:http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dgvx46ww_92gk4sqzc7, Its free! Trangi is a good make, and you may use a lot of different burners in it, The windprotection and kettle set is unik, all the others are just copies. dsk

Coleman forgive me!
I tested a new Fyrestorm today, and it was no trouble at all. This one worked just like described in the manual.
Something must have been wrong with the old one.

dsk

For the removal of doubt, I bought a dragonfly over the weekend. I can live with the noise, but the ability to simmer, the refillable bottle, the ability to use multiple fuels, the large supports and the weight all pointed at the MSR Dragonfly. I'll be testing this in Big Bend National Park in less than 4 weeks!

Thanks to all posters for their feedback.

Rich

The Dragonfly was on the marked before the simular burners from Primus and Optimus, so the burner has proven its reliability, still we would like to hear about your first impression.

The first impression may not tell about the stoves quality, but more about how user-friendly it is.

Con gratulations with your new stove.

dsk

I use a primus multi-fuel that has worked flawlessly for years.

This thread inspired me to go under the house and dig out a couple of my old stoves. One of them is a GAZ c206. It still works well and I still have a couple of the old canisters for it. I searched for a source for new canisters for it and found it at the Trading Post in Grand Marais, which I will be passing through in June, on my way from California. That is the only source I was able to locate.

The research, however, also revealed that just about all canister stove manufacturers recommend against the use of a windscreen, because of the possibility of the canister overheating. An exception to this problem is with the stove mentioned by Bannock, the MSR Wind-Pro. With most others, owner ingenuity, such as fashioning a heat-shield, is a possibility.

Since the BW is subject to occasional breezes, I am curious as to how you isobutane users deal with the potential wind problem, as I am considering taking my GAZ as a back-up to my Whisperlite.

Do you use a windscreen and stick your fingers in your ears or do you find a good log to huddle behind?

I have a MSR Dragonfly stove. I love it!!

i do the rock or log huddle.

kanoes,
Have you considered an alcohol stove for a back-up? They're compact, light, and you already have the fuel with you :-)

oh...never waste everclear in a stove!

So, you won't waste it on a stove, but you will waste it on bears.

Nice.

I use a Coleman single burner. I got mine on sale at sports authority for 20 bucks, and it came with a lantern (which I only use while car camping). I only use my stove for emergencies (like when its 35 degrees and pouring rain and we need some hot food fast), and occasionally to make coffee.
Just thought I'd add my two cents.

cowboymac12. When are you going? I'll be fishing Amistad in March. If you are driving west on Hwy 90 and I am out that way at the same time. I can offer you a place to stay for the night about 75 miles west of Del Rio.

Love to join you on Amistad, but we won't be going that far south. We'll max out on Big Bend, and then spend one night with Family in Fort Worth on our way home. On the road 2/27 to 3/8, most likely.

Thanks for the invite. Only driven across Amistad once; looked beautiful.

Cowboy,
Take the canoe! The Rio Grande is a great paddling river. Some great day trips all the way up to a week long trip thru the lower canyons. I will be down there as well in March. I love Big Bend in the winter!! The park is so under used and a fun place to go. Make sure you hit the hot spring down by Rio Grande village! Fun place to be at night.

We talked about paddling, and taking either canoes or kayaks. We paddle in MN so much come Spring, I think we wanted to spend our time exploring the mountains and desert on foot. That, plus the wind drag and the need to take a less fuel-efficient vehicle to haul a boat...we are trying to minimize our gear and costs this trip.

If we get a bug to paddle, we will use an outfitter.