View Full Version : MSR Whisperlite Stove
I purchased a MSR Whisperlite Stove off of ebay. All reviews I have found have said it is a overall good stove.
Has anyone here had any experience with this stove?
Also I wanted to take a backup Alcohol stove, any ideas on a good one?
Skidsteer
07-29-2006, 20:56
Also I wanted to take a backup Alcohol stove, any ideas on a good one?
I'm thinking you'll get a few recommendations on this one.:D
Have a look at this one:
http://www.ionstove.com/
The most effecient IMO and arguably the lightest.
Jack Tarlin
07-29-2006, 20:58
The Whisperlite is an excellent stove, I thru-hiked three times with one.
Most folks consider it reliable but heavy.
Personally, if I were to thru-hike again and not use a lightweight or home-made stove (denatured alcohol) I'd prefer a cannister stove to liquid-fueled like the Whisperlite for any number of reasons:
The cannister stove is a bit lighter, more reliable, fewer parts to break or lose, and burns more efficiently.
On the other hand, your Whisperlite is perfectly reliable, burns cheaper fuel, burns fuel that's easier to find on the Trail, and produces no garbage (empty cans) that are destined for the landfill.
Quick answer to your question: Tho not as popular as it once was, the Whisperlite is a perfectly fine choice for your trip.
As for alcohol stoves, there are dozens on the market. I suggest you check out the excellent ones made by Etowah Outfitters.
I've got the Whisperlite International. I love it, but it is LOUD! It's real easy to set up and light.
Sounds good thanks, This stove is the standard whisperlite and I beleive that one of the features was that it was quieter. But, only burns white gas varities as the international burns several fuel types. Kind of a trade of I think.
I was looking today at colemans canister fuel stove. The stove itself weighs 8.5oz and with full fuel canister weighs 22.5oz roughly. Its the Coleman peak stove. How avaliable is this type of canister fuel on the A.T?
check out www.antigravitygear.com for really good, homemade alcohol stoves. You can get a pot and cozy there too. Cozies are a necessity with an alcohol stove, imo.
Jack Tarlin
07-29-2006, 23:22
Cannister stove is widely available on the Trail (I think there's an article on this in the "Articles" section of Whiteblaze).
You can certainly fiind cannister stoves that weigh much less than 8.5 oz
I suggest you check out the Snowpeak Giga or the MSR Pocket Rocket, which are both excellent, and weigh around three ounces.
Amigi'sLastStand
07-29-2006, 23:34
Sounds good thanks, This stove is the standard whisperlite and I beleive that one of the features was that it was quieter. But, only burns white gas varities as the international burns several fuel types. Kind of a trade of I think.
I was looking today at colemans canister fuel stove. The stove itself weighs 8.5oz and with full fuel canister weighs 22.5oz roughly. Its the Coleman peak stove. How avaliable is this type of canister fuel on the A.T?
Many threads here on stoves ( understatement alert ). I have had two Peak 1s and the are great. Somewhat heavier, but efficient and flawless. And for $10 at wallyworld, you cant go wrong.
If you decide on a denat stove, I agree with SGTRock's Ion stove. I have built it, have used it 8-10 times now out in the dirt, and it is the best in it's class.
Kewl I Will Definatly Check Them All Out:)
fiddlehead
07-30-2006, 00:55
The Whisperlite is improperly named.
It is neither lite nor quiet.
StarLyte
07-30-2006, 00:58
The Whisperlite is improperly named.
It is neither lite nor quiet.
It is a little loud isn't it.
blackbishop351
07-30-2006, 01:06
I've used three different Whisperlites over the years.....
I tried out a canister at my local outfitters a couple of years ago, and never looked back :D
I've got the Whisperlite International. I love it, but it is LOUD! It's real easy to set up and light.
Loud? That's a relative term. It's quite compared to the Svea stove that preceeded the Whisperlites.
white rabbit
07-30-2006, 10:17
I use mine for family trips. It is very dependable and easy to operate. Two things you want when the happiness of your wife and kids are at stake! It is kinda loud but not annoyingly so, IMO. For solo hikes I use a coke can stove to save weight.
learn how to field strip and clean that whisperlite. with everyday use, you'll have to clean it every now and then to keep it burning right.
Big Dawg
07-30-2006, 12:51
I started w/ an Intl.Whisperlight. Great stove, reliable, multi fuel, etc. But sheesh,, loud as sh_t, too heavy & too detailed, considering what's out there. I next moved to the pocket rocket,,, great lil canister stove, at 3oz (+ canister, 8 or 12 oz), it does great. Recently switched to alky,, fun to build my own stove,, + main reason was being able to bring just enough fuel needed. I can't tell you how many times I had to bring 2 canisters, 1 needing to be finished up, & another full one,,, making it 8ozs worth of fuel container weight-(the weight of 2 empty canisters). Now w/ alky, I use a .8oz plastic soda bottle, & bring exactly the fuel I need! With that said,, you wouldn't go wrong w/ the Whisperlight, as long as you can deal w/ the cons.
jimtanker
07-30-2006, 15:05
I had a MSR Whisperlite International until I got my ION stove from THE MAN himself. Sold my MSR on ebay. Sure you didnt get mine? LOL
No need for a backup when you have an ION!
vipahman
07-30-2006, 16:07
I purchased a MSR Whisperlite Stove ....
......
Also I wanted to take a backup Alcohol stove.....
I think the MSR should be the backup. Every since switching to my homemade Pepsi alcohol stove, I don't carry my Whisperlite anymore. When temps drop below 30, I carry the Whisperlite only. My cooking needs are limited to boiling water for freeze-dried food packs.
See this article where I reduced the weight of my Whisperlite. It works great.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12744
Pennsylvania Rose
07-31-2006, 15:31
I've had my Whisperlite for over 16 years. Sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it. It burns fast and hot - great for boiling, terrible for simmering. It is very reliable, but it'll clog and eventually the gaskets will wear out, so be sure to take along the repair kit. Practice taking it apart and putting it back together at home so you know what to do when it clogs (inevitably during the worst weather of your trip). Don't use too much fuel to prime. The carbon builds up faster, resulting in more clogging.
I still use mine for family trips, but switched to alcohol for solo.
I have a Whisperlite, and like everyone has said, heavy, loud, hot, reliable, and no ability to simmer. I like to cook more than just water on the trail so I went with an MSR Dragon Fly. Great simmering stove. We carry the Whisperlite as a backup on group/family trips.
Creek Dancer
08-04-2006, 15:57
What fiddlehead said! We used this at Philmont last summer. Worked great when cooking for large groups.