A convenience when backpacking you'll be glad you brought with you. Super for one pot meals. Light weight and durable. I take mine ice fishing and use it in my shanty for heat and warming up a hot lunch. Safer in high fire danger areas where sparks from a wood campfire could threaten the woods. This is my friend when spending time out of doors.

post3720

USA

This is a great introductory stove for general use. It's super lightweight and compact but puts out a good amount of heat(using white gas). You do need to ensure that it's on a sturdy surface as its spindly legs will tip over, especially if there's a heavy pot of boiling water on top. The unit is very simple so it can be easily repaired if it ever clogs, which it hasn't done to me despite years of use. It is super easy to light but the flame is very sensitive to wind. Although, a well placed shield of tin foil can usually block the wind and concentrate the heat. Definitely not the best backpacking stove but a great reliable, light and compact stove for the occasional hiker.

mlombard

Undisclosed

This was one of my first stoves when I started backpacking.  It was light, compact and fit into any little crevis of my backpack that was available.  The white gas option is much better over butane if you're hiking in colder weather.  I never had a clogging problem with this stove in three years.  But the main drawback was that you need to find some kind of wind screen if the weather is kicking up.  And I'm not much of a fan of cooking in the tent for obvious reasons.  It also held up well and sturdy to holding  small pots of food. Although I never tried large pots, I don't think I would recommend it if it's the only thing you have to eat.  It might end up onthe ground.  Tis is a great little stove for light packpack camping.

doc6693

Salem, OR

This item is awesome for cooking!  Compared to competitors it is slightly heavier but still worth the carry.  Also if you are not careful you can end up melting or exploding the tank.  This is great for you camping needs hands down worth the buy.

whydidhe

Bloomington, IN

For ever and ever I have been using MSR WhisperLite stoves. It is a lightweight, trusty and durable stove. They do clog from time to time but because they are so basic, they are fairly easy to unclog just by taking a couple of things apart. I have found this stove to be perfect for hiking trips where weight and size are issues. I used to lead hiking and canoeing trips at a summer camp and we still used stoves that were purchased many many years ago. One negative, which is I think to be expected, is that one must be very careful in cooking as it is somewhat precarious because of such a small support and surface area for cookwear to rest.

cvt2356

Minneapolis, MN

I've always though that the MSR Whisperlite is a great basic backcountry stove that will meet most backpackers needs. It's very light and easy to pack and carry. That said, I think there are a few drawbacks and depending upon what you are looking for in a backpacking stove, the Whisperlite might be your savior or might slightly annoy you. The Whisperlite is a single burner backpacking stove. The stove comes with the stove itself and the pressuring pump/blocker for the gas bottles. This basic equipment is very light, weighing in well under a pound. Overall the stove is simple. There are three base legs that connect to a burner and the gas line enters from the bottom, wraps up and into the burner and back out to the pan section. The pressurizing pump consists of a screw-in piece that fits in the top of your gas bottle and allows you to pump the bottle and pressurize it. The pump connects to the burner assembly through a metal braided hose that is flexible but not breakable. The Whisperlite runs on white gas (Coleman fuel) and the gas bottles are available in a variety of sizes, depending upon the length of your backpacking trip. Lighting the stove is fairly simple, though the first few times might give you a jump or two. After pressurizing the gas tank, you let a bit of the fuel to drip into the pan surrounding the burner and then you ignite this fuel with a match or a lighter and allow the burner assemblage to warm up and pressurize the gas line. Once the stove is warm enough, the fuel line is re-opened and the Whisperlite putters and spurts to life. After a few seconds of sufficient heating the large flames at the start die down and you are left with the hot blue flame in the burner area only. The Whisperlite also comes with a wind block that is generally required to be around the burner assemblage when you are using it. The noise level with the Whisperlite is not overbearing, but it can sound like a little jet engine without any pots or pans on it. The stove is small enough to easily fold up and pack away into any backpack. The setup is easy and quick - within five minutes of starting, the Whisperlite can be setup, the gas can be primed and you can be ready to start it. The startup process of warming the burner with the fuel takes a few minutes and since it produces a big flame at the start it should not be used inside a tent and should be kept away from anything else that is flammable. Like I said this stove is light and that's the biggest thing going for it. I also like that the stove design is simple which makes it easy to operate and should something happen while you are in the field, it also makes it easy to repair. MSR offers maintenance kit that includes replacement parts and cleaning instruments. This kit is a must have, as you don't want to be stuck out in the woods with a non-functioning stove. On the minus side - there are really only two settings with the Whisperlite - "off" and "high." There really aren't any in betweens. The Whisperlite is for cooking fast and hot. **My Take** While I don't always use it on backpacking trips, I won't be retiring my my Whisperlite any time soon. It serves its purpose, which is getting things in the backcountry hot quickly.  

jps246

Metrowest, MA

It's a trustworthy stove that we can depend on no matter where the trail takes us.  It is easy to light and use, but it does take a little practice to learn how to fit it all together.  It puts out a strong flame that boils water quickly, when you really need your cup of coffee in the morning. I find it difficult to get a low flame to simmer.  There are lighter stoves out there, but I'm happy with it's sturdy dependability. The windscreen is a necessity and it is a little tippy.  It is a design that packs easily. No problems with clogging for us so far after 2 years of use.

row123ie

Billings, MT

This was one of my first stoves when I started backpacking.  It was light, compact and fit into any little crevice of my backpack that was available.  The white gas option is much better over butane if you're hiking in colder weather.  I never had a clogging problem with this stove in three years.  But the main drawback was that you need to find some kind of wind screen if the weather is kicking up.  And I'm not much of a fan of cooking in the tent for obvious reasons.  It also held up well and sturdy to holding small pots of food. Although I never tried large pots, I don't think I would recommend it if it's the only thing you have to eat.  It might end up on the ground.  This is a great little stove for light backpack camping.

antonlong

Salem, OR