How long will this stove burn?

Just got a MSR WhisperLite™ Shaker Jet Stove:

http://www.msrcorp.com/prod/prod_stoves1.htm#3

How much burn time can I expect from a 22 oz. fuel bottle? Anyone else use this stove? Any thoughts/opinions?

Check out http://www.msrcorp.com/prod/about_stoves.htm#stoveworks for specs on burn time.

Ace

I have used a Whisperlite for many treks and found it to be an excellent stove especially in the fuel consumption dept.
I have found that by starting with "0" pressure and pumping 3-4 times and maintaining that amount of pressure that I am able to cook on a low flame which I much prefer over a roaring fire. (You can't get a low flame if you use a lot of pressure and besides it wastes fuel) I work off of a 11oz MSR fuel bottle and can cook three full meals daily for a period of 10 days without refilling. I carry an additional 8oz as a backup but have never needed it because I usually reach a re-supply within that period. The above consumption is based on solo hiking/cooking.

One helpful hint--- The owners manual says to prime from the fuel source and when it is preheated, open up the valve and cook. I don't know if you have tried it yet but this action produces a lot of soot on the stove which gets all over your backpack. Instead I carry a little 2oz flip top bottle filled with denatured (isopropyl/rubbing) alcohol and just apply 3-4 drops to the prime cup and light. Within a minute the burner is preheated and the valve can be opened and away you go. The best part of this technique is that there is no soot formed on the stove and it is clean when you pack it away. I don't mind the extra 2oz if it will keep my stove soot free.

Enjoy your new stove ----- ITS A JEWEL ~!

Randy

Randy,

I notice the soot formation when I tested the stove too. I'll try your isopropyl alcohol trick. I suppose grain alcohol will work too, right? Kidding. Great advice. Thanks!

Nighthawk:

Just can't imagine consuming grain alcohol in such a fashion when there are more rewarding ways.

Couldn't let that one pass.

Randy

In my mind, the Whisperlite is the best stove around. I have had it for years and it has been remarkably reliable. Be careful if using internationally though. The manual says that it will work with any fuel. We tried it with Kerosene in the Andes last year and it was miserable.

MSR tried to improve it with a carburator that would allow easier simiring. A friend has it (I forget what they call the new model) and he really doesn't like it. He still wishes he had his reliable Whisperlite (which was stolen by some slimey French mountaineers from inside his pack, inside a tent at a base camp in the Andes). Enjoy it.

[pedxing]

Interesting idea on the pre-heating. The soot bugs me too. The best I've done so far is to be really careful about not using too much fuel to preheat with.

Love the stove - but not sold on the pump!

Developed a wee crack in one while backpacking in Arizona (thankfully the last night of the trip). Lit the stove and the flame burned back along the fuel line. Just had to back off and watch it burn - the pump melted and the fuel tank burned off.

Hats off to MSR though - they replaced my pump for free.

Last weekend, lent the stove to a friend, and the pump cracked again! Oh well. Time for pump #3!

MSR use a lousy plastic pump. Optimus and Primus use a very solid aluminum pump. For a comparison, with plenty of pictures, between the MSR plastic pump and the Optimus/Primus metal pump go to http://www.wendel.se/fritid/stoves.htm