MSR cooking stove - which fuel?

squid

squid

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Hi, looking to buy an MSR stove but see they do a simmerlight and the dragonfly. The simmerlight has flame adjust, is smaller and cheaper but only runs white gas (I assume they mean unleaded?)

The Dragonfly runs other fuels. Wondering what fuel folks use? I guess some are safer than petrol?

Also, any advice re cook set. I want to go light incase I ever use it whilst ,mountain biking but most important is it functions well.

Looking at duralight mini or the gourmet set depending upon which stove I go for.
 
I just put petrol in mine but they also do their own fuel at the camping shops. Apparently there's another MSR stove out which will run on camping gas, petrol and diesel...

Have no details but might be worth a trip down to the local outdoor shop for free advice then buy it from the US and save some money.
 
I've been user an MSR cooker for years now. I just use whatever fuel is to hand, mainly unleaded and that's the whole point for me, no hunting for Gaz or any other "funny" fuels.

Only drawback with unleaded is that before the fuel jet is fully up to temperature, it soots a bit and leaves the pan support black with soot (most shakes off when cool so it's not a big problem).

I've been using a Touratech sourced Titanium cook-set for the same period. Two pots and one pan plus handle and pack-sack. Very light, thermally extremely efficient. Best of all very easy to clean, the outside hasn't discoloured with heat like aluminium pans do.
 
I've been using an MSR over the past few years and put up with getting soot over my hands when I packed it up, now I've gone back to my trusty old Coleman which I find much better.
 
Does this soot issue on unleaded mean they work better with oil fuels?

If I was making say 2 cups of tea a day and one simple meal how long would a 325ml bottle last me?
 
squid said:
If I was making say 2 cups of tea a day and one simple meal how long would a 325ml bottle last me?
Click to expand...
I've not tried anything but petrol.

As for how long the fuel bottle lasts, it really depends on what you are cooking and what in.

Carry a second fuel bottle for topping-up the one on the cooker and keep the second one topped-up when you refill the bike.
 
I have used an MSR Whisperlite petrol stove for years and its great - especially in really cold weather when gas stops working efficiently.

Always use unleaded straight out of the bike tank as its a fraction of the price of stove (Coleman) fuel and easier to get.

MSR are very easy to strip down to individual components so at start of year I strip it right down, clean the bits and reassemble. Then a couple of drops of light oil in the pump.

The stove does get very sooty as it burns off the fuel additives but it does not cause any problems other than dirty hands. Stick it under the tap or putting it in the dish washer solves that. The `shaker jet' keeps the jet clear by giving the stove a couple of shakes before using it and about twice a year I give the wire fitted in the feed hose a couple of push/pulls to release any build up.

I have had other petrol stoves and unleaded fuel has caused problems but the MSR is now 10 years old and used regularly with no trouble.
 
So it seems then all most folk put in them is Petrol?

Looking on the website they say white gas in English is white gas?
Do they mean something other than unleaded because I've never heard of white gas.

It say the Simmerlight runs on white gas not a big list of fuels like the dragonfly.

I like the idea of the dragonfly as its cheaper, smaller, lighter etc.

So as a top up bottle what size is good? Are they not hard to fill at a pump without splashing?
 
I think the reference to white Gas is another term for Coleman Fuel

The big advantage is that it burns clean without any soot. Its available through most outdoor/camping shops in UK and France e.g. Blacks.

I use it where possible; if I cant get any replacement I use petrol from the bike. Coleman fuel is bloody expensive though £3.25 for 1 liter
 
Oh, I don't like the hassle or the expense of buying special fuel. Reckon might as well use a gas stove.

Looked at the website again http://www.msrcorp.com/stoves/simmerlite.asp

I had my eye on this one but I take it you cannot really just use petrol with them then?

Do the whisperlights work on petrol ok because it say white gas for these also?
 
squid said:
So as a top up bottle what size is good? Are they not hard to fill at a pump without splashing?
Click to expand...
I have a one litre bottle. It's mounted on the outside of a pannier. The neck is large enough to get a fuel pump nozzle into it, just fill it slowly.

It's handy as an emergency back-up for the bike if you push your luck (as I did late one one night in France a couple of years ago).

I mounted mine on the right, away from the exhaust so that it's not near a hot silencer if it should overflow when topping-up.

I also mounted it on the front of the pannier (with the oil bottle) because I didn't fancy either getting squished and splitting if rear-ended).

Not visible in this photo, is a short cable lock through the stopper just to stop inquisitive people unscrewing it and me not realising that the stopper is loose.

147939172-M.jpg


Yes. Mine is a Whisperlite. It's multi-fuel. Only a change of jet (supplied) is needed to use diesel.
 
Thanks for the info and Pic. I take it yours is a Whisperlite international then?

They don't appear to do an international version of the simmer.

Anyone use petrol in a standard whisperlite?
 
stove

I bought a Simmerlite from an Ebay seller in the US. Got it for about half the price that it was over here. Some company called Canyon Creek or something like that. It fits neatly inside a set of British Army mess tins, which are also very cheap on eBAY. There's no real temperature control though, it either burns furiously or is off. Takes a wee bit of practice. Be careful when lighting it the first few times, it'll have your eyebrows off.
 
STUBBS said:
just use the fuel drained from the bike:thumb2
Click to expand...

Is this in a stove that is said to work only on white gas? ie the non international version of the whisperlite or the simmerlite.


I'm wondering if the simmerlite won't run on unleaded whether I might just get a pocket rocket gas stove with the titanium kettle?

Basically I want a light small stove for making brews and basic food. I just didn't like the idea of paying out for gas cans but if a simmerlite will run on white gas only there's no real saving on fuel.

Realistically it won't be used that often so perhaps the cost of gas cans is neither here or there.

Never used either so not sure.
 
squid said:
Realistically it won't be used that often so perhaps the cost of gas cans is neither here or there.

Never used either so not sure.
Click to expand...


If running costs are a concern then why even think about buying a titanium kettle:nenau just buy any one of the quality stoves and be done with it.

You'll enjoy making your brew on anything from camp fire to a super lightlightweight jet thingy:thumb :)
 
I've got a Simmerlite and use unleaded, they can be used with all fuels the same as the Dragonfly. Like MikeP, I keep the bottle on the outside of the pannier and fill up when needed at the petrol station, the nozzle fits the bottle perfectly. I leave the pump in the bottle and put a plastic coin bag over the top held with a rubber band just to keep dirt off / out.
Best stove I've ever had :thumb2
 
bobble said:
I've got a Simmerlite and use unleaded, they can be used with all fuels the same as the Dragonfly. Like MikeP, I keep the bottle on the outside of the pannier and fill up when needed at the petrol station, the nozzle fits the bottle perfectly. I leave the pump in the bottle and put a plastic coin bag over the top held with a rubber band just to keep dirt off / out.
Best stove I've ever had :thumb2
Click to expand...

Thats interesting to know as they only state white gas on the blurb. You've not had any problem with blockages then?
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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