What do you cook on when in the BW/Q? We usually use the light weight single white gas burners - MSR whisperlite/fireflys for most of our cooking, but have been known to throw a couple steaks on the grate.

we use a MSR DragonFly stove for the majority of our cooking/boiling needs. if we're not in a hurry to eat, or are making two things, we'll also utilize the fire grate (ie. fish fillets on the stove, beans and rice in a pot over the fire).

I always like food cooked right over the fire. I bring a small MSR Stove, but very seldom actually use it. I sometimes will use it if I want to boil some water quickly or if it has rained very hard. One of my highlights of every BW trip is sitting around the fire preparing the meals.

I have an old Coleman Peak 1 that I hope dies someday soon. I would like to get an MSR whisperlite or simmerlite once it does.

I bring two Coleman Expedition Dual Fuel Stoves, so I can cook faster... and eat quicker {:-) and two qt. bottles of fuel, or white gas for a week. I do not use premium unleaded gas.

Bruce

I use a Coleman Xpedition double burner stove with powermax fuel. I have a primus single burner that works well and can boil water faster than the Coleman.

The double burner stove is nice for my cast aluminum fish fryin griddle and helps cook for a lot of people.

Hex

It's two MSR Whisperlites for us. Can't believe we used to lug in a big Coleman green machine in our earlier trips!

And for what it's worth for the Whisperlite owners out there, MSR has a new valve for the Whisperlite that allows flame adjustment and simmering. From what I've heard, it costs around $30. Although I've gotten good at cooking with a supposed non-simmering stove, I'm going to buy one. Will put the final touches on a great stove, IMO.

We bring two whispers. I used to bring a coleman single burner which was good. I really like the MSR burner, have had no problems.

Aug

We always cook right over the fire. The food tastes so much better. For a wet day or a quick source of heat we use a single MSR burner. In the last five years I think it has only been used one time. I'm with Nathan some of my best memories come from around the fire cooking dinner!

We have used a Peak 1 for the last 20 years. It's great.

I take a little single propane burnner for boiling water and a over-the-fire basket for cooking fish.

MSR Whisperlite with a pot cozy for simmering. If you haven't ever heard of tried a pot cozy, they're great. Check out my post under Vigo Beans and Rice.

I like the flexibility and use both the fire grate when I can. There is almost always a coffee pot on the grate for hot water for any need. I also bring my whisperlight for those recipes that require a little finesse or for those times when a fire is not practical. Wet weather, fire bans or a quick lunch on the fly.
Thanks to Jackfish for the pump upgrade for the whisperlight. I picked one up monday for 29.95, took it home, hooked it up and it works better than I could have hoped for.

Ditto on the Coleman Xpedition double burner.

I'd vote for "over the fire" w/2 modifications:
1--be sure to soap the outside of your pots/pans/let dry--sure helps the cleanup and 2/the grates in BWCA are level, but often too high--you can rake some coals out from a good firebed and fry, panbake or boil directly over them--less smoke, more even heat--if you add a piece of heavy duty tented tinfoil and a few small coals to a frypan, you have a dutch oven!!

I use a MSR Whisperlite, and 2 snowpeak giga power canister stoves. anyone who hasn't tried a canister stove before should ask for a demo at a sporting goods store. it is so much more convienient for a quick lunch than charging, heating and boiling on the whisperlite.

Bought a Brunton Raptor this year 39.00 love it. Has a large fold out cooking base, and pushbutton ignition. Stars easy enough packs real light and compact. Since first trip this year others in tripping party have made like wise purchases. Broke down and bought there light way pot and bowl set with led oz. Will be using on next trip out works well in garage, boils 30oz. in 4 minutes.

I have used a Snow Peak WG (white gas) stove for years and really enjoy it. Its quiet, easy lighting and has excellent flame control. I use this stove with my Outback Oven for baking. I also use a Markill Hot Rod canister stove which is fast to put together and extremely light 3 oz. I think this stove was in the Backpacker magazine at one time. I'm not sure they still make the Hot Rod anymore. I have not seen it in any of the stores lately.

I have also been known to take the Coleman suitcase stoves on Basecamp trips. You cant beat this stove when frying up a batch of fish with a big frying pan.

I almost never cook over a fire, its just easier to use a stove and you dont waste all the time tending a fire.

tony

My Peak 1 that I originally posted about still works but tends to flame up periodically. I may use it as a backup on solos when there is a fire ban. After 15 years of service I can't complain.

I ended up buying an MSR Simmerlite in Fall 2004. So far it has served me well but it certainly does not have as much experience in the wilderness as the Peak 1 did.

Coleman xpedition double burner.

Depends. For flexibility, volume,and aesthetics you can't beat a fire. I can have water heating, something cooking, and something staying warm on diffeent parts of the grate, and baking in a reflector oven in front of it all at once. Still I'm very aware of a cooking fire's downsides and know that a stove is also necessary.

I own two Peak 1 single burners. One of them is an old model, the one with two levers -- a red and a black. The black lever is the simmer lever. This is the stove I most often take to the BW.

The other Peak 1 is a 442 Duel Fuel (not Feather). It's OK.

I also have a single burner propane. I haven't used it for a long time. Still I hang on to it as a loaner. It is idiot proof and safe.

I also have the coleman suitcase for car camping and an esbit stove for day trips.

I find myself kind of in the same position as Bogs - I wouldn't mind getting a new stove but have a hard time justifying it when the one(s) I have work. Besides, I wouldn't know which to buy. I hear so many good things about the whisperlite, but also the new cartrige stoves.

I dunno, those colemans will probably outlive me, so perhaps the problem is academic.

"MSR has a new valve for the Whisperlite that allows flame adjustment and simmering."

Does anyone know where this can be purchased? Thanks!

I think REI has them or go driectly to MSR to buy one. I would think it would be cheaper to get at a store than through the MSR website.

http://www.msrcorp.com/stoves/fuel_pumps.asp

Thanks for the help bogs... just when I thought I'd bought everything, here comes another must buy!

Almost exclusively use the fire. Thank goodness never yet had to deal with a ban. The Peak 1 comes along to get the coffee going early in the morning... and a cup or 2 in the afternoon... and one while watching the fire, maybe.

I used to allways cook over the fire then one year there was a fire ban and I rented a Coleman xpedition double burner. Now thats all I use. besides cooking the steak on the first night. I like cause we bring a flat skillet up.
We use it for pancakes,bacon,fish,hashbrowns,and stuff like that.

Its alot quicker,and for me that means more time fishing/exploring.

Good luck with your choice,
Travis

Sirt,

Why mess with all that liguid fill anymore. Two people on week long trip and I'll bring to full cannisters of propane. Easily cooks three squares a day, with plenty of fish frys.No more fuel spills, and alot more pleasent to use. Look into the Brunton Raptor once llok at there web site, lightweight 5oz. packs incredibly small, push button ignition no more searching your pockes for lighters, I love it. I bring a light weight frying pan 8-10" and it sits very comfortly on the burner, and base.

Franzenrp,

It's not liquid...it's gas. The canisters are very light. We took in two for a week long trip for two. The stove itself is also very lightweight and folds down very compact. The only downside that I've found is the canisters are a little more expensive than propane. I'll be sure to check out the stove you use...I'm always looking for something better.

Thanks,
Trav

Sirt,

I'm always looking for better gear, to make all trips both solo and tandems with wife or larger groups easier. This has caused me to become a GEARHEAD, something I swore I would never become. Oh well its only money and great memories, and we cant take it with us.

Bob

MSR Dragonfly! Simmers low and steady enough for pancakes

yet can have a pot full of water boiling in 3 to 4 min.
Can sound like a jet fighter on afterburner.
Of course the traditional campfire

gets used also!

butthead

Different ways, depending on the trip (but all white gas). I have a nice Coleman two burner, that's the mainstay for my "wife" trips and an MSR Whisperlite for backup (if I don't allow for equipment failure, I know it will happen). I also had a Coleman single burner for 20 years, it finally passed last year. Thank God we had the single burner for backup when the outfitter gave us the "pocket rocket" style stove and 3 canisters of fuel. The first canister ran out the first night, and I'll never make that mistake again! Another major factor is I can pour the white gas and start a fire no matter what the weather.

The fire wins, hands down. My groups are really too large for the small stoves, and I can't see portaging a big coleman stove. I don't bother soaping my pans, just leave 'em black. Now that I have a real nice kitchen pack, I sould get a burlap sack to hold my kettle and griddle, though.

I like the fire but when there's a burning ban in effect you don't have much choice.

I use my Svea 123. Best stove I’ve ever owned and a classic. I do about the same amount of fire cooking as stove cooking though.

I bought my svea 123 in 1968 from REI for $20. It is still going. I have bought a few parts here and there, new cap, wick nothing major to go wrong with it. I have burned leaded, unleaded, coleman, taken it to Europe and burned what ever gas I could find. Clean the jet regularly and it burns. It is not only a classic but a workhorse.

I also have an Optimus 99 that my dad bought back in the early 70s for his first BWCA trip that he passed on to me. It still works great. I also have the huge Optimus R8 stove but it's too heavy really and the seals are dry rotted. I did get the little pump for the 123 and it makes all the difference in the world.

Great place for parts for all the old stoves. http://packstoves.com/
BTW I make the coffee on the stove. Cook the meal on the fire unless the weather makes me want to get in the tent.

MSR XGK

We use two MSR Whisperlites also. I used to cook on the fire but have become quite picky about my semi-shiny stainless steel cook pots. I have had them for 20 years,and have been on nearly all of 50+ canoe trips and still look great.I agree fire cooked food tastes pretty good. It takes longer and I hate black sooty pots. With a stove clean-up is a snap. We do use the fire for our first night carniverous feast!!

I first bought a Markhill Dragon, which works great, but not very compact...I recently bought a MSR Raptor which is much more compact and works just as well.
The thing I like about the Markhill is that it has a larger cooking area, but the Raptor is so much more compact and lighter that it fits into my MSR Titanium cup with room to spare.

I have used stoves for backpacking many times, but never even carried one in the BWCA. I cook over the fire every time. I know it's not near as fast, but I get a lot of enjoyment from doing it this way. Even when it's rained I have not had a problem. Knock on wood.

You've been lucky to go when no fire ban has been in effect. They have become more and more prevalent in the last few years with the dry conditions and the blowdown fuel getting tinder dry. You may have to get used to bringing a stove as your next trip may be during the fire ban period.

I usually am in the third week of June so I haven't had the dry conditions

I use Optimus NOVA stoves. All metal parts and no plastic parts so they don't break easily. These stoves are indestructible and run in multiple fuels. They have "full-blowtorch" and simmer settings and work great.

I've got an MSR pocket rocket, works great, I've heard others say they gobble fuel but on its first trip we used liberally for 5 days, feeding 4 hungry guys, and we had plenty of fuel to spare. We didn't get too fancy with our food -- no steaks, etc. -- so we never used the fire grate.

I have several stoves -

Primus Multifuel - burns just about anything liquid - Gasoline, white gas, Jet A, Kerosene - great if you're planning to travel in Africa... less interesting for our travel. Burns HOT and LOUD. Boils water quickly, but won't simmer worth a darn.

Primus Micron - self ignitor, uses any cartridge, simmers very well, boils water quickly - though not as quickly as the Multifuel. Tiny - slips into my pocket.

Jetboil - perfect for solo trips where my diet is based on 'add boiling water' meals.

Big 'ol double-burner Coleman with piezo ignitor and two propane canisters. I would estimate the lot at 15 lbs. Heavy, cheap, dependable. Of course I'm open to alternatives.

I use a MSR whisperlite international. it has all the features of the normal whisperlite, but it will burn any liquid fuel. Does anyone else experience a "flare up" when intially lighting their whisperlite. This aspect does cause some concern with me, especially when it is windy.

Several years ago, a buddy of mine was using one of those MSR Whisperlights, I believe, that he rented from the outfitter. Whatever it was used the white gas or Coleman fuel. While camped on Crooked Lake, he was cooking a pot of soup on it and it exploded. Blew the soup pot straight up sprying boiling water everywhere. I wasn't there, just heard about it. Because of that, I've been a little leery of those types of stoves. I'd rather use the more bulky single burner propane stoves that are idiot proof.

Ozarker

I have never had my Whisperlite or my Simmerlite flare up. If it was windy when you primed it, I wonder if the stove was just not primed hot enough to allow for the fuel to vaporize before reaching the head. If the flame as it was priming was blown from the fuel tube by the wind or did not reach it enough the fuel would have still been in a liquid form coming out the head and cause flare up-or in the other case an explosion.

I use an msr dragonfly that has the best simmering on the market, but I also use the fire for fish and other large items. eg. hormel pork tenderloin wrapped in foil...MMMMMMMMMMM

I had a propane stove blow up on me when lighting it under very windy conditions...so it can happen. Fried my eyelashes and gave me a heck of a "sunburned" face. I feel safer with a wood fire....but I know it's not always an option.

I use the fire the majority of the time. For simple freeze dried things I will use my old coleman propane stove.