winter stove recommendation?

nm

You don't mention the expected temperature range. It matters.

> a) a friend's Coleman white gas stove;
Effective but heavy, and messy. I'm a bit scared of white gas – too many near misses.

> b) my Jetboil;
The canister will likely freeze. Not recommended.

> c) my folding esbit stove;
Yes, well… a bit slow and very susceptible to wind. Worrying.

> d) pick up something else.
Oh, the opportunities! :-)

A remote canister stove with a preheat tube can always be recommended for the snow. Suitable models include Coleman/Powermax stove (Xtreme, Xpert), Coleman Fyrestorm, Primus EtaPower (NOT EtaExpress!!!), Jetboil Helios. The Xtreme is the 'Gold Standard' imho.

NOT recommended: any upright canister stove.

Experts have used alcohol stoves, but they take some skill in the snow.

Cheers

for just one night take the jetboil and a couple of chemical hand warmers. try to warm the canister before use(inside jacket etc..) don't cook on the snow.

We just returned from a snow shoe overnighter with 7 degree weather, and I took my XGK-EX by MSR.

When I want to melt snow and boil water fast in cold weather, I am always grabbing my XGK.

The elevation there is 10,000 feet or so, right? Looks like you can expect some very frigid temps. Leave the Jetboil at home.

We tried to use Jetboils 2 years ago in zero degree weather and it really sucked. Took an hour to boil water. Save it for summer.

Get an XGK and just be careful with it and it will do want you are needing it to do.

I have used my pocket rocket for a while now and I love it. I bought an msr whisperlite international for more cold weather excursions. The whisperlite is not really that much heavier for a multi-fuel stove and a bottle of white gas will boil a LOT of water. The only drawback I find is it doesn't really nestle in my ti cookset. I have to pack it separately. My pocket rocket, fuel canister, BPL folding ti spork, and a lighter fit perfectly with a little room to spare in my snow peak trek900 ti cookset and I have never had a problem with it being unstable like the reviews say.

nm

a) a friend's Coleman white gas stove;

Heavy but effective. I used white gas stoves for many years including on many ski tours where I used two for cooking for ten people. You do need to learn how to use a white gas stove, especially how to prime it. If it's a stove with the tank under the burner you'll need to insulate it from the snow. Remote tank stoves are better.

b) my Jetboil;

Which model? The Helios should be fine but not the PCS as you can't invert the canister and the pot is quite small.

c) my folding esbit stove;

I wouldn't want to melt snow on a solid fuel stove.

d) pick up something else.

As Roger says, a remote canister stove with a preheat tube.

That said, the last couple of years I've used upright canister stoves for melting snow in temperatures down to 15F and found them fine if slow.

I've had poor luck with my JetBoil GCS in the snow at altitude; problems lighting it, problems keeping it lit, and poor power output compared to how it behaves in friendlier climes. Also, the pot on the regular JetBoil is a bit small and tedious for melting snow.

Like Chris, I've had better luck with my SnowPeak and a windscreen (worked OK down into the teens as long as it was well sheltered), and consistent good results with a remote canister Primus or liquid fuel stoves. My Optimus Nova is my favorite for the latter (not the Nova+, which has problems with its remote valve).

I'm in the market for a winter stove myself. From what I've gathered here on the forums, the Coleman Xtreme is, as Roger said, the go to stove of choice. However, Im not that familiar with it. What sort of fuel does it use? Is it easy to find? Do companies other than Coleman make it?

I agree with Roger and others about the Coleman Xtreme being the gold standard in winter stoves. It's one of the few stoves *designed* to operate with a liquid fuel feed (rather than just *used* that way).

At Outdoor Retailer, I spoke with Coleman and was saddened to learn that they are discontinuing the line.

Details are here:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/orsm08_hot_stoves.html

>>At Outdoor Retailer, I spoke with Coleman and was saddened to learn that they are discontinuing the line.

Damn, that's no good. Any idea how long Powermax fuel will be available?

Does performance decrease when you use the adapter?

Sorry, but I don't have any further info about how long the Powermax fuel will be made.

The adapter lets you use conventional Lindal valve canisters with an Xtreme stove. But, the Powermax canisters were the best part of the Coleman system. They were made of aluminum and so were lighter than steel Lindal cans. Plus, you could crush them for the hike out.

I guess stove performance would be the same with a steel Lindal can and adapter, but both the cans and adapter add extra weight. :(

Thanks everyone! There were some questions I can definitely answer here.

– We'll only be going out for one night.
– We will be between 10,000 and 11,000 feet. So we can expect low temperatures in the morning of single digits. If it's expected to be colder than that we'll probably call off the overnight.
– The Coleman white gas stove that I can borrow is an under-canister type. Last time we used it I was just about to give up on it and head back to car. The fuel pumping system (particularly the rubber seals) and dependence on priming seemed like a real challenge in the cold.
– My JetBoil is the original vertical model.

Hi Dave

The Xtreme uses the Coleman Powermax canisters of butane/propane mix. The Xtreme is starting to become a prixed ebay collector's item!

Only Coleman provide this sort of canister. Think big hairspray can.

The Xtreme has been discontinued, but I *think* the Powermax canisters will be available for a bit longer. Thing to do is to stock up with a case or two of the canisters.

Cheers

Roger, do you have an idea of the shelf life of the powermax fuel if we stock up on them?

Hi John

> do you have an idea of the shelf life of the powermax fuel if we stock up on them?
Indefinite. No degradation mechanism, provided that you keep the canisters cool and dry, and avoid getting corrosion on the steel Lindal valve thing at the top. Some WD-40 might be useful in bad cases.
I have two full cases stored away … :-)

Cheers

So, uh, where can I score a case or two?

Don't listen to Roger. What happens if the stove fails? You are only putting off the inevitable.

Hi Dave

Contact Coleman maybe?
Or ask your local gear shop to get you a whole case (about 12 cans I think).

Cheers

Roger,
You just cost me a case of fuel……I'd remember seeing some at the local BassPro and I got 12 at lunch. I should be good to go for about a decade or so.
Thanks for the heads up,
Don

has anyone seen this? it turns a canister stove to a remote stove? you can turn the canister upside down and feed straight fuel through the line. this means you don't need the fuel to vaporize before it goes to the stove (reason for slow output in cold weather). should work on the jet boil or snow peak giga. only 5.3oz?

i'm sure fuel consumption goes up though

it only $20 too.

Hi Damon

Yes, we have seen the Brunton. :-)

Subscribe to BPL (only $25) and you can read the full review of the Adapter, including details of how to turn it into a full remote-inverted-canister winter stove. The article is at
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/myog_winter_stove_summer_upright_stove_brunton_stnd.html

Cheers
Roger (the author)

ahhh… the sales pitch :). i probably will join but this is really the first time i have visited the site. i kind of want to look around a bit.

on the brunton i really don't have any experience with this unit, just what i have read other places. sounds like it works??? would want to test it myself first.