I have a GAZ Globetrotter that I have been using since high school; unfortunately my supply of GT 106 butane canisters is down to one and they don't make them anymore. How many are using the Whisperlight multi fuel? Also, if anyone has any GT 106 cannisters they want to get rid of, please let me know. Thanks, Lou

We have a SVEA (not made anymore)uses coleman fluid (naptha)or unleaded gas it's very light weight.Worked great at any elevation just had to cook one item at a time unless it was soup,hot cereal,sauce & precooked dried pasta type foods.MSR are good stoves owned by REI.We also carried a compact backpackers grate to cook over wood.

I'm just back from a few days in the high Sierra, where I used a Peak I, Apex II stove. I also have an old MSR XGK blowtorch multifuel. What both these stoves have in common with the Whisperlight is, of course, that they have separate fuel canisters that you have fill and pressurize yourself.

Both my stoves are reliable, work perfectly, are pretty much bullet-proof, and I have no question that the Whisperlight will work beautifully too.

However . . . the 4 geriatric guys (age range 64 -- 81!) I was with (at 10,800 ft) were all former or current mountain rescue team members, with a combined total of about 170 years of *very* serious backpacking/mountaineering experience (one of these guys was an internationally ranked climber) who were in totally amazing physical shape (the descriptor "animals" springs to mind . . .).

Every one of them has changed from a white gas/multifuel stove to a butane stove, and after watching them and talking to them, I've decided to change too.

According to them, if you planning on extreme conditions (very high altitude or extreme cold), or need to melt large amounts of snow, the white gas/multifuel stoves are great.

But if all you need is quick lighting, a decent amount of heat, convenience of transporting and good heat control, a stove with a butane canister is a better option.

I love the heat and reliability of my two stoves, but what I hate about them is the need to pump for pressure, plus the inconvenience of having a large footprint for the stove and its fuel canister. And I know of no evidence that suggests butane stoves are less reliable than the multifuel stoves, at least under other-than-extreme conditions.

Just one guy's opinion.

Brian

I use a MSR whisperlight works well and has served me well.

MSR Rocket. I've used it for 4 years. No complaints.

I have also used an apex II stove for years, and run many gallons of different fuel types through it. Things that I noticed after using many types of stoves:

Not all liquid fuel stoves (MSRs notably) have flame controls. If you get an MSR make sure that you have the upgrade model that you can adjust, otherwise the thing is always on high (very high!).

Burning unleaded sounds neat and convenient, but is not a great fuel source. It is dirty. The Apex gobbles it up, but the pots get filthy. You will undoubtedly find yourself using white fuel exclusively. The option is nice, though.

You have to prime some of the MSR's. That can be a messy pain.

The MSR's have a shaker cleaner. That is really to solve a problem that I've only noticed with MSR's.

The MSR cooks very fast and is easy to find parts for. It seems like a very solid, reliable stove.

My new backpacking stove is called Jetboil. I don't think I'll ever carry my other stoves again. The only reason might be if cooking for groups--ie one stove for several folks--when melting snow, you can usually use a fire. The Jetboil is a fantastic little option that is incredibly efficient. It is pricey for its simplicity, but worth it. I carry it even on morning hunts--you can whip up a mug of hot chocolate in a min or two. I held off for a long time on buying a canister stove, but now don't mind the idea. In fact, I'm thrilled with it. Check one out. You can get a bowl attachement for it and a coffee press if that's your thing. The best part is that instead of making a stinky, smokey warming fire I can heat up water in a fraction of the time. The biggest downfall I can find is that it is tough to know just how much fuel is left in a container, so I always am carrying more than is necessary (but I usually did even with liquid fuels).