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Propane Vs White Gas?
- Thread starter BASIC
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- May 5, 2006
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MSR Whisperlite International - won't burn propane but it'll burn white gas, gasoline, kerosene and jet fuel. They're bombproof and field-maintainable.
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- Jun 14, 2005
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Exactly. All my gear is white gas or duel fuel. Propane tanks empty or full take up a lot of space, is heavy, and creats more waste. A much smaller amount of gas is lighter, takes up less space, and will last longer that a bottle of propane.
Propane is little easier to use for newbie campers. Other than that, I don't like it for hiking or camping.
Propane is generally easier to use and ever-so-slightly safer as there is no pouring of liquid fuel. Many folks would rather carry LP containers than liquid fuel containers. It does tend to be heavier and it doesn't do as well in cold weather. You also have to weigh the containers in order to determine how much fuel is left.
My son's Boy Scout troop uses a 20# propane tank hooked up to stoves and a lantern. It works well, but is heavy and bulky. When I go camping with them I'll bring along a propane lantern.
That said, my own personal preference is to use Coleman fuel powered devices (camp stoves, lanterns, backpacking stoves). Overall the fuel can is much lighter to carry and one can will power multiple devices without the need for distribution trees and multiple hoses. I think the liquid fuel stoves are easier to regulate than propane stoves - but that is just my opinion. Some don't like the pumping to pressurize the fuel tank - I actually kind of like it - great memories from helping my dad with his lantern & stove many many years ago. One gallon of Coleman fuel seems to last a looong time.
For stoves and lanterns - Coleman all the way!!
For backpacking - the MSR Dragonfly stove and the Princeton-Tec EOS LED headlamp
My son's Boy Scout troop uses a 20# propane tank hooked up to stoves and a lantern. It works well, but is heavy and bulky. When I go camping with them I'll bring along a propane lantern.
That said, my own personal preference is to use Coleman fuel powered devices (camp stoves, lanterns, backpacking stoves). Overall the fuel can is much lighter to carry and one can will power multiple devices without the need for distribution trees and multiple hoses. I think the liquid fuel stoves are easier to regulate than propane stoves - but that is just my opinion. Some don't like the pumping to pressurize the fuel tank - I actually kind of like it - great memories from helping my dad with his lantern & stove many many years ago. One gallon of Coleman fuel seems to last a looong time.
For stoves and lanterns - Coleman all the way!!
For backpacking - the MSR Dragonfly stove and the Princeton-Tec EOS LED headlamp
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- Dec 22, 2006
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- 2,194
Coleman has a bunch of appliances that can use gasoline or white gas, which I think leaves you lots of options on a survival basis. I have my old Coleman two burner that has cranked out a lot of meals over the years. I've replaced the generator a couple times and other than that, I oil the pump leather once a year. White gas lanterns pour out a lot of light, but the mantles are fragile and they make a lot of noise. I really like kerosene/oil lamps when I'm car camping. I carry them in a 5 gallon pail along with the fuel as their weakness is leaking on my other gear. White gas appliances are all heavier than the lightest butane rigs and are more mechanically complex.
Butane is quick and hot. I have a Coleman F1 hiking stove that weighs 2.7 ounces and puts out a whopping 16,000 BTU. You can boil a quart/liter of water in 3 minutes. There are number of small butane lanterns that still use mantles and they are a great way to use up half-full cannisters left over from the stove. One of my round-to-it projects is to get a mantel-less butane lantern and see how it works.
Propane appliances are all over the place and the folding two burner stoves are great for car or base camping. Don't forget you can cook with pots on a portable propane BBQ too. Like butane, it is hot and easy to light. I always carry a spare cannister car camping as it is harder to tell just how much fuel you have left. You can sometimes see a condensation line that shows the liquid level, or just give the thing a shake to get an idea.
In a wilderness setting, white gas does better in extreme cold. Butane needs to expand to work and is cranky in cold temperatures. Once you get it lit, the convection from the burner will keep it going. Alcohol stoves suffer in cold weather too, still relying on fuel vapor to work. With a small butane hiking stove, you can put a cannister inside your jacket to warm it up and set it on some insulation if you are camping on snow.
Butane is quick and hot. I have a Coleman F1 hiking stove that weighs 2.7 ounces and puts out a whopping 16,000 BTU. You can boil a quart/liter of water in 3 minutes. There are number of small butane lanterns that still use mantles and they are a great way to use up half-full cannisters left over from the stove. One of my round-to-it projects is to get a mantel-less butane lantern and see how it works.
Propane appliances are all over the place and the folding two burner stoves are great for car or base camping. Don't forget you can cook with pots on a portable propane BBQ too. Like butane, it is hot and easy to light. I always carry a spare cannister car camping as it is harder to tell just how much fuel you have left. You can sometimes see a condensation line that shows the liquid level, or just give the thing a shake to get an idea.
In a wilderness setting, white gas does better in extreme cold. Butane needs to expand to work and is cranky in cold temperatures. Once you get it lit, the convection from the burner will keep it going. Alcohol stoves suffer in cold weather too, still relying on fuel vapor to work. With a small butane hiking stove, you can put a cannister inside your jacket to warm it up and set it on some insulation if you are camping on snow.
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I used to use white gas but mostly propane / isobutane now. I find it much easier to light up a propane stove with the turn of a knob and the click of a piezo than priming and pumping a white gas stove. I like the adjustability of propane versus the almost non existent flame control with a white gas stove.
I personally have never experience the altitude or cold weather problems with isobutane. I've used my Jetboil at over 12,00 feet around 0 degrees with no noticeable effects. I also find if it's cold it is a lot easier to fire up than messing with attaching the fuel bottle, pumping, priming, etc.
I used to buy into the field maintainablility of the MSR, but I'd rather have the control and quick start up of isobutane. I was out with a friend once and while he screwed around pumping and priming I was half way to boiling. YMMV.
I personally have never experience the altitude or cold weather problems with isobutane. I've used my Jetboil at over 12,00 feet around 0 degrees with no noticeable effects. I also find if it's cold it is a lot easier to fire up than messing with attaching the fuel bottle, pumping, priming, etc.
I used to buy into the field maintainablility of the MSR, but I'd rather have the control and quick start up of isobutane. I was out with a friend once and while he screwed around pumping and priming I was half way to boiling. YMMV.
mckrob
Gold Member
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The majority of the time I use my MSR Whisperlite International, as akennedy73 mentions, it will burn white gas (naptha), gasoline, kerosene, and jet fuel, as well as diesel and avgas. I've tried them all without problem, although pots can be blackened if not using white gas. For really cold weather best is white gas, but you will need priming paste as well. I've also got an MSR Dragonfly, which simmers a little better, but is a touch larger and does not fit inside my small MSR SS pot, so I generally don't use it. As well I also have an MSR Pocket Rocket propane/butane gas stove, which is extremely compact, and hot, but I've not used it in the cold weather so can't comment. The fuel canisters are difficult to find in many places overseas. I would never bring this one or any compressed gas stove winter camping.
For summer car camping or with a large group I use a refillable 5lb propane tank with a Coleman "tree"; the Coleman lantern mounts on the top of the tree and there are two other outputs that feed propane to the Coleman stove and the portable BBQ, very portable and convenient, and the 5lb tank is a lot more manageable to pack around than the standard 20 pounder (I also bring a couple back-up 1lb disposables).
For summer car camping or with a large group I use a refillable 5lb propane tank with a Coleman "tree"; the Coleman lantern mounts on the top of the tree and there are two other outputs that feed propane to the Coleman stove and the portable BBQ, very portable and convenient, and the 5lb tank is a lot more manageable to pack around than the standard 20 pounder (I also bring a couple back-up 1lb disposables).
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- Jan 22, 2007
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I used to carry around a lot of heavy crap when hiking, and 2 of the biggest culprits were my water filter, and my Whisperlite. Then I woke up, and got a Pocket Rocket, and some Aquamira. Never had a problem in the cold with the Pocket Rocket; just do what DaleW says and it's all good. As far as the canisters go, they have multiple sizes now, you just get the one you think is gonna work. If you've been hiking a lot with a butane stove, you get really good at estimating fuel consumption, and lifespan of a canister. Also, I hate priming and pumping. Give me simple and reliable, baby!
I bought a multiful stove about a year ago. I ummed and ahhed about what to get, multifuel or gas (propane) and in the end went with the multifuel for a simple reason (might be different in the US). If I'm anywhere that there's even the smallest settlement I can at least get petrol, diesel or something that's a flammable liquid whereas I can only get those little propane cannisters at camping stores which means at least a decent sized town.
I have one of each, both Colemans. The whitegas is a dual fuel 533, which can also burn unleaded pump gas. The other is a little fold-up stove that take those little cartridges. I use these mostly for motorcycle camping trips, but I have not developed a preference for one over the other.
The dual fuel stove works flawlessly in any weather and can run on the bike's gas. I can also use the gas from it to get wet firewood going if I must. However, it is bulkier, heavier and more fiddley than the cartridge stove.
The cartridge stove is light, tiny, cleaner and simpler to operate. Cartidges are easy to find in any dept. store. However, the cartidges lose efficiency as they get emptier and are sensitive to the cold. It is also less stable with a cooking pot on it.
The dual fuel stove works flawlessly in any weather and can run on the bike's gas. I can also use the gas from it to get wet firewood going if I must. However, it is bulkier, heavier and more fiddley than the cartridge stove.
The cartridge stove is light, tiny, cleaner and simpler to operate. Cartidges are easy to find in any dept. store. However, the cartidges lose efficiency as they get emptier and are sensitive to the cold. It is also less stable with a cooking pot on it.