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HayRiverDrifter
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01/27/2023 12:01AM  
I have had my eye on an isobutane stove (Optimus Vega) for a while, but I am having a hard time with the cost of the canisters. Coleman fuel is about $17 for a gallon. A gallon equivalent of isobutane canisters may be as much as 10 times that.

I can save some weight with this stove, but I will pay more for fuel ongoing. It's not like a one time investment for a lighter tent.

Should I just buy the stove and some canisters and enjoy it. If it adds $10 or $15 to the cost of the trip, no big deal. Right?

Also, where do you buy your canisters and does the brand of the canister matter. Will all canisters work with all stoves? Amazon has MSR and a number of off brands (Perune, GasOne, ...).
 
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Outdoorsfan69
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01/27/2023 06:33AM  
I have had better luck, price wise, shopping for the fuel tanks in sporting goods stores. I lucked out and found three 8 oz. tanks at my local Menards on clearance for $4.95. Sportsmans Warehouse also has some 8 oz tanks for $5.95 I believe.
 
tumblehome
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01/27/2023 07:00AM  
Butane canister stoves are not a money saver item. No way around it. Especially if you are using it for daily cooking and with more than one person to feed. That said, if you look at the cost of a canister of fuel vs. the overall cost of your trip, it’s negligible.

I use one and love it. It’s small, lightweight and gives instant heat on a rainy day. I use it daily to heat a cup of water for coffee and use it for small items to cook, not big dinners. I camp alone and a canister will last way more than a week. If you are with a group and use it for meals you will get a few days out of it.

Tom
 
01/27/2023 07:27AM  
I look at it like Tom - I don't use it every day and don't buy many, so overall cost isn't much. I can do a 2-week solo trip with one 8-oz. canister, but I'm only boiling water not cooking elaborate meals. My JetBoil is quick and simple to use, and virtually maintenance free. No fuel to spill, no pressurizing. You can carry a spare burner for an ounce or two.
 
NEIowapaddler
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01/27/2023 07:50AM  
I view canisters as a luxury item. I hate cooking over a fire, so I do all my cooking over a gas canister stove. Even stuff like fish. One 8oz canister is usually enough to last my typical trip length of 4-5 days, and the cost per meal is really negligible. Far cheaper than eating out, that's for sure. It's 100% worth it to me. I've used GasOne and MSR canisters off Amazon and they both fit my stove. Haven't really noticed a difference between them.
 
Tomcat
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01/27/2023 07:51AM  
I use a stove solely for heating water. The weight, compactness, speed and convenience of isobutane canister stoves justifies the cost of the fuel canister for my application.
 
01/27/2023 09:28AM  
HayRiverDrifter: "
Should I just buy the stove and some canisters and enjoy it.

Also, where do you buy your canisters and does the brand of the canister matter. Will all canisters work with all stoves? "


Yes. I would recommend buying the canister stove and giving it a try. I think you will find the convenience worth it.

I've tried a canister stove that uses the green propane bottles because I thought the green propane would more widely available. I have also tried the trangia alcohol stoves because the quietness appealed to me.

I take isobutane canister stoves on my trip. They are loud for a few minutes but they boil water quickly. The flame can also be adjusted down for other cooking.

I have bought canisters at REI and Cabela's. I usually buy the MSR canisters or the JetBoil canisters. I think sticking to big brands would be fine. I have seen the Coleman canisters at Walmart but haven't actually bought a Coleman canister.
 
01/27/2023 09:31AM  
tumblehome: "Butane canister stoves are not a money saver item. No way around it. Especially if you are using it for daily cooking and with more than one person to feed. That said, if you look at the cost of a canister of fuel vs. the overall cost of your trip, it’s negligible.


I use one and love it. It’s small, lightweight and gives instant heat on a rainy day. I use it daily to heat a cup of water for coffee and use it for small items to cook, not big dinners. I camp alone and a canister will last way more than a week. If you are with a group and use it for meals you will get a few days out of it.


Tom"


I have a really cheap burner for isobutane. On the rainy days it works much better than a match for lighting my campfire. Lots of heat that doesn't go out. Leave the pot supports all folded up and you have a blowtorch. The burner looks like this one. Ebay butane stove
 
portagedog09
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01/27/2023 04:44PM  
I trip exclusively with iso canister stoves for several reasons. #1 is that I fly into MN and you can take the stoves on the airline with no issues - there is no fuel bottle, no residue, no fumes, etc. to worry about about. #2 is pure convenience - no pouring, no spilling, no leaking, no pumping, no priming - just twist and light. I usually pick them up in Ely on my way in.

I do cook complex meals for groups, normally of 4 and on 10 day trips. I'll take 4 of the 8oz. canisters and usually have most of one left over at the end. My stoves are the MSR WindPro II and the MSR Reactor and I take both for the type of cooking I do.

I would stick with name brand fuel canisters like MSR, Jetboil, SnowPeak. I know some folks that bought the Walmart generic brand and had problems with the valve sticking and leaking - basically had to leave the stove attached and hope you didn't open the valve accidentally. Generally speaking, any similar canister works with any canister stove. Occassionally there is some oddball stuff out there but most of that is older types and the newer stuff is pretty standardized. Remember- you get what you pay for.

pd
 
tumblehome
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01/27/2023 05:53PM  
RMinMN: "
tumblehome: "



Tom"



I have a really cheap burner for isobutane. On the rainy days it works much better than a match for lighting my campfire. Lots of heat that doesn't go out. Leave the pot supports all folded up and you have a blowtorch. The burner looks like this one. Ebay butane stove "


About that link for the butane stove.-
I bought a Pocket Rocket for maybe $50 some years ago. Not long after I received that exact stove in the link as a gift. It costs about $10. It is superior to the Pocket Rocket. Obviously made in a factory that makes this sort of stuff. High quality machined aluminum. The biggest plus is that is comes with a piezeo igniter! That little stove is the shnizzle. No need to buy an expensive Pocket Rocket or equivalent.
Tom
 
01/27/2023 06:32PM  
I priced the Optimus Vega and it appears to range from around $90 to $110? Both I and my camping buddy bought the Primus Classic Trail Stove years ago and it is a great stove, sturdy and with a wider head for a better flame pattern. Bulletproof. We have brought 2 a few times and use a griddle spread over both of them for a big breakfast for a group - worked great.

Anyways the point is you could save $70 to $90 on the stove which would go a long ways in covering the cost of the canisters for many trips to come. It's not quite as light or compact as some stoves out there but functionally and economically it's a great stove and still plenty small and light. On Amazon it is rated 4.7 stars by 562 reviews.

Here is the cheapest price I found on it:

Primus Classic Trail Stove


We have used many different sizes and brands of canisters with no problem. We now usually buy this size because they are a better value, provide a little more stability to the stove and eliminate the need to change canisters very often when basecamping.









If you get the Vega I hope it works great for you. IMO the canister stoves are the way to go and if you trip once or twice a year the canister cost is negligible.
 
01/27/2023 09:18PM  
Which is better is up to the user. I'll only bring up weight as some things can surprise.

Snow Peak Ti pot and lid, MSR windscreen, $29 Alocs stove with 8 ounce canister.

$50 MSR Pocket Rocket with same gear.

Used $40 MSR Simmerlight (no longer made but available used) with pump and 11 ounce fuel bottle containing 9 ounces of fuel.

Gas stove right in the middle far as weight. I have used all the combos on week plus solo trips with fuel left over.
Both weight and cost of fuel should not make much difference on a yearly trip.

butthead
 
NEIowapaddler
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01/28/2023 08:09AM  
I use a Soto Windmaster and it's been absolutely flawless. No issues at all. I think it was like $35 when I bought it a couple years ago, and now it's around 60 most places, but I'd still recommend it. Still cheaper than some of the other name brand stoves out there, and i can't imagine any of them working better.
 
01/28/2023 06:05PM  
I've used an Optimus Vega for several years now, and prefer the remote canister design to the canister-top design of many iso-butane stoves. It's more stable, allows the use of a wind screen (which comes with the Vega), and allows the stove to be used in 'liquid fuel' mode in cold weather. For forty years or so I used white gas stoves, including a Svea 123, a couple MSR Whisperlights, and a Coleman Peak 1 Apex. I'll stick with the Optimus Vega. Yeah, fuel costs more, but as portagedog09 mentioned, there's no pouring or spilling, etc.

Disclaimer: We're always a two-person group. We do hot water for breakfast (coffee, oatmeal, etc) and rehydrate/heat dinner meals that we have dehydrated at home. YMMV.

TZ
 
01/29/2023 06:24AM  
If you're willing to consider something a little heavier than an iso stove, then stoves like the MSR Dragonfly use reusable, refillable bottles.

I only use iso canisters for my Thermacell bug repeller. I buy mine at REI and get Jetboil brand. 2022 was the first year we took the Thermacell and the Jetboil canister worked well with it.
 
01/29/2023 03:44PM  
Outdoorsfan69: "I have had better luck, price wise, shopping for the fuel tanks in sporting goods stores. I lucked out and found three 8 oz. tanks at my local Menards on clearance for $4.95. Sportsmans Warehouse also has some 8 oz tanks for $5.95 I believe."


Menard's often has deals on isobutane. I bought 10 8oz tanks with their bag sale, and they were on sale too and ended up paying like $3.50 a can.
 
01/29/2023 03:46PM  
HayRiverDrifter: "I have had my eye on an isobutane stove (Optimus Vega) for a while, but I am having a hard time with the cost of the canisters. Coleman fuel is about $17 for a gallon. A gallon equivalent of isobutane canisters may be as much as 10 times that.

I can save some weight with this stove, but I will pay more for fuel ongoing. It's not like a one time investment for a lighter tent.

Should I just buy the stove and some canisters and enjoy it. If it adds $10 or $15 to the cost of the trip, no big deal. Right?

Also, where do you buy your canisters and does the brand of the canister matter. Will all canisters work with all stoves? Amazon has MSR and a number of off brands (Perune, GasOne, ...)."


I have a vega that I use backpacking. Really like the way it performs on a windy day!
 
HayRiverDrifter
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01/31/2023 11:39AM  
Thanks everyone for your input. I ordered the Optimus Vega stove today, and purchased 5 Coleman 15.5oz Butane/Propane Mix Fuel canisters from Walmart for $7.72 each. I went with the Optimus Vega because is sits low to the ground, has wide pot supports that have lots of teeth, and appears to simmer ok.

I have used a Coleman Peak 1 single burner stove for many years and it has served me well, but I had a incident a few years back where I was frying fish and I caught the edge of the small frying pan while taking fish out and flipped the pan off the stove dumping hot oil over my entire hand. I quickly shook off the oil, then wipe it with a paper towel, and headed for the lake to swish my hand in cold water for 20 minutes. Luckily I try to keep only a small amount of oil in the pan when frying. I ended up with no blisters and just some redness between a couple of fingers. Ever since then, I always keep one hand on the pan handle at all times, but still have some anxiety when cooking. I am hoping that the Vega will hold the pan much better. I am also looking forward to just turn the knob and light. The Coleman, while bullet proof, can be a bit finicky.
 
01/31/2023 06:15PM  
Make sure the Coleman canisters work with your stove; I vaguely remember something about their canisters have different thread or valve or something. I had an old Coleman canister stove and used their canisters with it. I believe their canisters used a different blend of fuel - maybe 70/30 vs. 80/20 - than the others that doesn't operate as well at lower temperatures. That's my vague memory from 10-12 years ago anyway. As an added note, I test each canister and my stove before I pack them for a trip. If you weigh the new canister before you leave (grams is more accurate if you can) and again when you get back you'll know how much fuel you used and how much is left. Comparing that against your usage will allow you to get an average that makes estimating the fuel you need to take much more accurate.
 
HayRiverDrifter
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01/31/2023 10:08PM  
Good points about trying the canister before the trip and weighing canisters before and after. I watched a video where the guy compared 9 different brand canisters including Coleman so I am hoping they will work fine.
 
blackdawg9
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02/01/2023 06:37AM  
i'd get the optimus polaris dual fuel if it was me , just to keep my options open of what type of fuel . i have available or want to use.

i think iso 110 is $6 220 is 8 something. iso isnt about $ savings, its about weight and space savings. if its really about weight savings, get a msr pocket rocket.
 
02/01/2023 08:16AM  
boonie: "Make sure the Coleman canisters work with your stove; I vaguely remember something about their canisters have different thread or valve or something. "


You are thinking the old PowerMax fuel that had a bayonet connection. Current Coleman Canister is all Lindal valve and interchangeable. All current canisters use Lindal valve attachments with the only exception being the butane cartridge "tall cans" with bayonet fitting. All Lindal canisters interchange and only vary by fuel mix, iso-butane, butane/propane in percentages from 100% iso to 75% butane/25% propane to 60% butane 40% propane. Higher propane mix is better in cold but can separate from the butane in the canister (propane is heavier) varying the output. Iso is better cold than straight butane. Above 35 degrees there is hardly any difference. Lindal valves are industry standard but made disposable so quality varies can to can.

butthead
 
mgraber
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02/03/2023 11:27AM  
Other than convenience and weight, I would say reliability is much better with canister stoves, particularly if you do not clean and maintain your liquid fuel stove. I have had some issues with cheaper canisters and will say that even though MSR stuff is pricey, they have sent me parts for a 10 year old stove in 3-5 days and have never charged me a penny. That is a lot of what you are paying for.
Both times the parts were to replace damage from accidents. Wind Pro 2 is ultralight, has wind screen, simmers well, dead reliable. That said there is NOTHING wrong with liquid fuel stoves, I switched because I do not like to do maintenance, and I do not like fuel getting on me or my gear which has happened, and I want the best reliability and convenience.
 
02/04/2023 09:57AM  
Last year, we used canister stoves for the first time. No issues. Our local retailers were out of MSR and Jetboil canisters. So I bought the Coleman brand from Walmart. Worked just fine. However, from the concerns mentioned here it makes sense to buy the brand name if you can find them.

I recall from previous threads on this topic some folks claimed all of the canisters came from the same factory in China. I have no clue if that is true. Thoughts?
 
02/04/2023 12:28PM  
Unsure but they do have differing fuel mixes. Backpacking Light

butthead
 
02/04/2023 05:55PM  
Butthead, from Adventures in Stoving about refilling canisters "The newer orange label Coleman canisters do not work with many brands of stoves. The older green label Coleman canisters seem to work fine." That's what I was remembering. I don't know if it still holds - it's an old post.
 
PineKnot
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02/04/2023 06:04PM  
boonie: "I look at it like Tom - I don't use it every day and don't buy many, so overall cost isn't much. I can do a 2-week solo trip with one 8-oz. canister, but I'm only boiling water not cooking elaborate meals. My JetBoil is quick and simple to use, and virtually maintenance free. No fuel to spill, no pressurizing. You can carry a spare burner for an ounce or two. "


+1
 
PineKnot
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02/04/2023 06:07PM  
lindylair: "I priced the Optimus Vega and it appears to range from around $90 to $110? Both I and my camping buddy bought the Primus Classic Trail Stove years ago and it is a great stove, sturdy and with a wider head for a better flame pattern. Bulletproof. We have brought 2 a few times and use a griddle spread over both of them for a big breakfast for a group - worked great.

Anyways the point is you could save $70 to $90 on the stove which would go a long ways in covering the cost of the canisters for many trips to come. It's not quite as light or compact as some stoves out there but functionally and economically it's a great stove and still plenty small and light. On Amazon it is rated 4.7 stars by 562 reviews.

Here is the cheapest price I found on it:

Primus Classic Trail Stove

We have used many different sizes and brands of canisters with no problem. We now usually buy this size because they are a better value, provide a little more stability to the stove and eliminate the need to change canisters very often when basecamping.



If you get the Vega I hope it works great for you. IMO the canister stoves are the way to go and if you trip once or twice a year the canister cost is negligible. "


+1 again.

I've been using Primus stove tops for well over a decade. They are small, and the burner being wider doesn't tend to create small hotspots on your pot or pan....using them on simmer can allow a cannister to last a couple hours or more....
 
02/04/2023 06:59PM  
boonie: "Butthead, from Adventures in Stoving about refilling canisters "The newer orange label Coleman canisters do not work with many brands of stoves. The older green label Coleman canisters seem to work fine." That's what I was remembering. I don't know if it still holds - it's an old post."


Thanks for jogging the brain-cells and yes now I remember that from "Adventures In Stoving". Locally Coleman canisters have been hard to find and I mostly stayed with MSR Oilcamp Primus labeled cans. If memory serves Coleman had a deeper valve that some stoves did not connect to. Screw them in but no gas flow.

butthead
 
Erk
member (32)member
  
02/05/2023 06:04AM  
Good choice on ending up with the Vega. Like TrailZen mentioned, you’re setup will be lower and more stable. The ability to put a heat deflector and use a full size windscreen is extremely useful. I run two setups, either an old whisperlite or the wind pro II, which a very similar stove to yours. When it’s cold, or you’re at higher alt. having the ability to flip the canister upside down gives you an advantage over regular canister stoves. You’ll be happy with your purchase for sure! A few ounces gained for that opens up the window for a more efficient stove and the ability to cook more options if you ever wanted to.

As for the fuel, I don’t think I read anybody truly touch on it. And I could be off a little here. From what I remember, as long as it’s a butane/propane fuel mixture, it should work with a wide array of canister stoves. And I have used super cheap no name to known name brands and personally I’ve never had an issue with several stove types and brands. Personally, no problems.

I really enjoyed that short article talking about where the canisters are made. I’ve had that discussion with buddies in stores or at camp about how they “have” to all be made in the same place. So that was interesting.

The stove closest is the wind burner with MSR’s branded fuel, using a heat deflector and windscreen in roughly 20° weather with winds coming off of Lake Superior. The upside down option is very beneficial
 
02/05/2023 05:26PM  
A bit off-topic here, but another way to reduce your fuel use is to make a cozy for your cook pot. On our paddling trips, most of our dinner cooking is rehydrating/cooking home-dehydrated meals. Usually that's 10 minutes or less of stove time. After fitting our cook pot with an insulating cozy , we have been able to use only 2-4 minutes of stove time, then put the hot pot into the cozy and let the meal 'heat soak' for the remainder of the suggested cook time.

TZ
 
foxfireniner
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02/06/2023 10:10AM  
HayRiverDrifter: "Thanks everyone for your input. I ordered the Optimus Vega stove today, and purchased 5 Coleman 15.5oz Butane/Propane Mix Fuel canisters from Walmart for $7.72 each. I went with the Optimus Vega because is sits low to the ground, has wide pot supports that have lots of teeth, and appears to simmer ok.

I have used a Coleman Peak 1 single burner stove for many years and it has served me well, but I had a incident a few years back where I was frying fish and I caught the edge of the small frying pan while taking fish out and flipped the pan off the stove dumping hot oil over my entire hand. I quickly shook off the oil, then wipe it with a paper towel, and headed for the lake to swish my hand in cold water for 20 minutes. Luckily I try to keep only a small amount of oil in the pan when frying. I ended up with no blisters and just some redness between a couple of fingers. Ever since then, I always keep one hand on the pan handle at all times, but still have some anxiety when cooking. I am hoping that the Vega will hold the pan much better. I am also looking forward to just turn the knob and light. The Coleman, while bullet proof, can be a bit finicky."


I use a combination. I use a soto windmaster when i need a quick boil. I use my dragonfly for longer cooking times.

I like the Coleman isobutane. It is cheaper and this video says its mix gives a few more boils. Also, it is always in stock at Walmart. My only other choice is an overpriced, trendy outdoor clothing store with crazy markups.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7oi6Idc0Qg

 
Blackdogyak
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05/31/2023 08:28AM  
I use an older, out of production, fold-up Brunton. Works great. I will say I ahve bought and used a few of the extremely cheap Chinese stoves off Amazon and they work well. I just bought one called Heypork (how do they come up with these names?) but they are all almost identical. Includes a piezo igniter which frequently break or don't work. Good quality cylinder attachment and hose and valve. Very light and fold up well. $13-20.

Related: For years I think most of us have been frustrated with partially using up various canisters of iso. You end up with three different sizes, with differing fuel levels. A new product solves this. It's called Flip_Fuel. It's a tiny aluminum block, threaded on both ends for cylinders and a valve between. It allows you to transfer partial contents of one canister into partial contents of another. I like the tiny ones for Thermacell and sometimes lantern. I use the big one for cooking usually. Now, I can take a couple of almost empty cylinders (which I never would have brought on another trip) and get that fuel into another canister full up.

The donor canister has to be higher pressure than the receiver. Put the donor in the sun or someplace warm. Put the receiver in the freezer. Then hook them together turn on the valve. Bingo. FlipFuel
 
AlexanderSupertramp
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05/31/2023 09:36AM  
Blackdogyak: "I use an older, out of production, fold-up Brunton. Works great. I will say I ahve bought and used a few of the extremely cheap Chinese stoves off Amazon and they work well. I just bought one called Heypork (how do they come up with these names?) but they are all almost identical. Includes a piezo igniter which frequently break or don't work. Good quality cylinder attachment and hose and valve. Very light and fold up well. $13-20.


Related: For years I think most of us have been frustrated with partially using up various canisters of iso. You end up with three different sizes, with differing fuel levels. A new product solves this. It's called Flip_Fuel. It's a tiny aluminum block, threaded on both ends for cylinders and a valve between. It allows you to transfer partial contents of one canister into partial contents of another. I like the tiny ones for Thermacell and sometimes lantern. I use the big one for cooking usually. Now, I can take a couple of almost empty cylinders (which I never would have brought on another trip) and get that fuel into another canister full up.


The donor canister has to be higher pressure than the receiver. Put the donor in the sun or someplace warm. Put the receiver in the freezer. Then hook them together turn on the valve. Bingo. FlipFuel "


This is fantastic, I am ordering one. I have probably half a dozen partially used canisters and not a clue what's in each of them.
 
05/31/2023 01:01PM  
"I have probably half a dozen partially used canisters and not a clue what's in each of them."

Here's what I learned to do: weigh the canister before you use it and mark the weight on it. Weigh it after the trip and subtract from that weight. The difference is how much fuel you used. Subtract that from net weight of fuel to get how much is left. If you keep track of what you use it for on the trip, you'll begin to get a good idea of your average fuel usage which you can use to determine your fuel needs for a trip.

It will also be useful for transferring to other canisters.
 
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