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All About Camping / Camp Stoves – Part 1

By Editor | March 13, 2008

Camping stoves come in all shapes and sizes; more importantly, camp stoves burn different types of fuels. When buying a camping stove you must balance convenience and ease of use with performance. Consider variables such as altitude, temperature and availability of fuel. Boiling water quickly is only one aspect of a camp stove’s functionality; a stove that can simmer is more important to many backcountry chefs. This article will hopefully help you select a camping stove that is best for your outdoor excursions.

Stove Performance
Camp stove performance is affected by altitude and wind. At higher altitudes, less oxygen is available for combustion because the density of air is thinner, thus the camping stove will be less efficient. Low air pressure causes water to boil at a lower temperature, so food takes a little longer to cook.
A camp stove that takes one minute to boil water at sea level will take much longer than seven minutes at 4000m. Wind can also reduce heat efficiency by up to three times, dispersing and dissipating heat from the burner.

Kinds of Camping Stoves

  1. White Gas
  2. Multi-Fuels
  3. Liquid Petroleum Gas
  4. Methyl Alcohol

1. White Gas Camping Stoves – best for Backpacking, Winter Camping, Ski Mountaineering and Paddling

picture of a generic white gas camping stoveWhite gas camp stoves are the most popular backcountry stoves. White Gas camping stoves burn a clear light clean-burning fuel known as white gas, it also known as or referred to as naphtha or “camp fuel.”
White gas is widely available in North America, Australia and New Zealand but scarce in other areas of the world. The white gas camp stove burner unit is light and compact, and the fuel is stored in metal bottles which attach to the burner unit.
On longer outdoor outings, a couple of fuel bottles can be stored away until more fuel is needed. White gas is quite cheap, especially if you buy them in bulk and store them at home. White gas camp stoves are affected by altitude, but performs well in cold weather.

2. Multi-Fuel Camping Stoves – best for Third-World Travel and General Backpacking

picture of a generic multi-fuel camping stoveMulti-Fuel camping stoves can burn many different types of fuel. These fuels vary from one model to the next, as does performance. Multi-fuel stoves are white gas stoves which can be adapted to burn kerosene as well as diesel oil, aviation fuel and solvent. The added jets and more complex mechanisms of a multi-fuel camp stove make them more expensive and challenging to operate.
They are primarily suited to people travelling outside of North America, to countries where type and quality of fuel varies. Note that instructions for burning each fuel must be strictly followed, so no explosion accident will occur.
Kerosene is the most popular fuel with travellers and backpackers who are going off the beaten path, where other fuels may not be available .

Kerosene offers low volatility with less likelyhood of accidental exploding or starting a fire. Once ignited, kerosene will burn as hot as white gas. On the downside though, kerosene’s pungent odor clings to hard items like clothing and gear, it also creates a big mess if spilled. Kerosene camping stoves require a seperate priming agent (white gas, alcohol, or priming paste) to be able to ignite.

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Topics: Articles, Camping, Hiking and Backpacking, Gear Related | 96 Comments »

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