Coleman Car Camping Gear
I need to upgrade some of our car camping gear.
Anyone ever evaluate the pros and cons of white gas versus propane for use in the Coleman stove and Coleman lantern?
If you have the room to transport a bulk propane tank, and have a Coleman (or equivalent) "tree" connector, both light and stove can be connected very simply. Coleman fuel seems to work better when there is snow on the ground. I also have an adaptor for my Coleman fuel stove that allows me to use propane (either cylinder or bulk tank). The propane stove packs smaller than the white gas model, but both have been bullet proof for me over the years.
Jim
ScoutshHad both types, coleman and century 2 burners and lanterns. The propane was the go-to fuel from what I saw. The liquid fuel lantern only got taken by mistake, the gas stoves seemed to leak in cars constantly.
Well, I'd say that the difference is the obvious one. Many people don't like handling liquid fuel. It's just easier (and probably safer) to screw on a canister.
But the liquid fuel makes a fast fire starter! Try that with a canister!
Your car will definitely smell better if you use propane. The down side I see with propane is cost and dealing with half empty canisters.
Pootz 07
I use a Coleman 425d white gas stove that is 3 years older than me and a propane grill and lantern. I have the part to convert the stove to propane, but it doesn't burn as hot as the white gas.
I like having the propane lantern for finishing off almost empty propane tanks I use for the grill.
I have never had my car smell like fuel from the stove, but I have had propane tanks that leaked and smelled up the car.
I have both as a result of Coleman Pro-deals and the death of an outdoorsman uncle-in-law.
Here is where I stand. I love using the White Gas/Reg Unleaded Gas because I love to fiddle with things - I like to know what fuel have left and I like the options to refill.
I don't like using WG/RUG around the kids though.
I really like the ease of propane (LP). Especially on cold mornings - Keep the bottle connected and light it and boil! No priming, no refilling, no pumping.
This weekend while car camping I brought my WG gear and was annoyed at the constant pumping of the lantern and the stove while cooking that seemed to keep interrupting a couple of great hours of conversation. Ordinarily though I don't find it a bother.
There is a wee bit more maintenance on WG items than LP due to the the pump seals, but the maintenance in itself is almost negligible.
So the big factors are the geek factor (do you like to fiddle) and then the
the cost of fuel in the long run.
LP gear is cheaper up front but costs more per hour to operate over WG/RUG
.....Someday, like many others who joined WB in the early years, I may dry up and dissapear....
What is the difference in performance between the two types?
Cost is a non issue as we car camp maybe twice a year.
Cabela's sells all the propane hoses and tree to hook to a large tank. A propane lantern will use a 1lb cannister in one hour at full blast. I prefer the hiss of a WG lantern, but either ruins my night sight. The plastic case is worth the $. Have used a rechargeable fluorescent with OK results, many moons ago.
Coleman stuff has changed of late, so be sure to put your hands on it. I would rather buy a used propane stove, in good shape, than the new version.
What are you using now?
White gas, but the lantern just died hence my question.
Not to be difficult, but why not rebuild?
This site can be helpful
http://www.oldtownyucca.com/coleman/tech.htm
I started with white gas, went to propane, and now I'm back to white gas. I'm using a Coleman dual fuel two burner stove. It's got a great wind screen, and it turns down real low to simmer or scramble eggs. I can refill it, and carry extra fuel inside the stove in a MSR bottle.
I'll never go back.
For lanterns I almost never use a mantle lantern. I like the Dietz Jupiter wick lantern. It holds a 72 hour supply of kerosene, it has a huge stable base, and it doesn't wreck your night vision. If I need more light I flip on the headlight.
I don't like to maintain a stock of propane cylinders. They are wasteful, and I rarely ever used one completely.
I like white gas stuff, (My Sveas are great stoves) but I don’t buy any Coleman white gas items any more. I got tired of replacing generators that clog up every few years. I know someone will post that their stuff never clogged up, but all one has to do is to go to any well equipped outdoor store to see Coleman generators for sale. If they did not clog up on a large number of people, every Wal-Mart and major outdoor store would not have generators for sale.
I now use a Coleman propane 2-burner stove (bought it for $1.50 at a garage sale) and a few off brand propane lanterns that work great.
To lower the price of propane I bought a refill adaptor from Harbor Freight Tools for $13.00. It allows me to refill the one-pound cylinders from a larger 20 or 30-pound tank. This has worked out very well for me because my brother brings his propane cylinders over to fill (along with his 30-pound tank) and for doing the work of filling his cylinders he says to go ahead and fill my cylinders from his 30-pound tank. I get free propane, but it’s not a big deal as I only go through 4 or 5 of them a year. But free is free.
I still have a Coleman 2-mantle lantern that gets some use. But I bought 3 generators for it a few years ago and I will use it till the last generator is clogged up and then toss the lantern.
I also have 2 Coleman Excursion (Exponent line) lanterns that run on Coleman’s PowerMax fuel. They work great, but they are smaller lanterns (2 ½ -inches round and 7-inches tall.) They are probably marked as backpacking lanterns, but to me they seem too heavy for that. I just like the smaller size and lower output then the big lanterns.
Propane is easier if you don't camp in the cold. White gas is hotter, runs longer, cheaper fuel, and will work sub-zero.Originally Posted by max patch
I've used both over the years.
WG/RUG burns hotter.
.....Someday, like many others who joined WB in the early years, I may dry up and dissapear....
Take the cannister and birch bark...both are easier and safer.But the liquid fuel makes a fast fire starter! Try that with a canister!
geek
Thats a nice site, thanks.
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