Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: propane bottles vs Coleman fuel cooking .
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mirth |
1st trip we actually carried in a mini grill thing that doubled as a stove. Between going to a more compact backpacking stove (Windpro) and fuel we probably shaved a few pounds of dead weight. I hate propane cylinders for backcountry use because once empty each one still weighs a pound and takes up the same space. Isopro cans, on the other hand, once empty can be crushed by way of any of the heavy and flat rocks that are abundant up there. I use JetBoil's CrunchIt tool to ensure cans are empty and to cut several holes in the top to aid with crushing. |
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lundojam |
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schweady |
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butthead |
" is Primus fuel different than what's in my MSR isopro canisters?..." not much. Some varying amounts but base contents are butane/isobutane 60-80%, propane 20-40%. Higher propane is better for cold conditions, high isobutane better than butane in cold. Id just use the amountv in qounces of Coleman and take the same in canister, due to lighting efficiency the canister is a bit more efficient, except in cold. butthead |
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drrick |
Hard. Caught SMB by the dozens the next day . |
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joewildlife |
I go 14 days 2 people with 2 of the extra large cans of the isobutane and one of the little cans that fits in the Jetboil, and have never run out. Joe |
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bobbernumber3 |
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GearGuy |
I use a pocket rocket for my iso-pro fuel. It takes up almost no space, weighs nearly nothing, needs no attention after I've got it going, and gets a good boil on pretty quickly. The solo stove takes longer to get a boil going, takes constant tending, you gotta throw in sticks and pine cones every couple of minutes, but when you're cooking eggs or fish, something that needs constant tending anyways, it makes no difference to pick up your skillet and throw in another stick every couple of minutes. The best part is the nostalgia, there's something magical about using a tiny fire to cook. Not to mention the fuel sources are infinite in the BW, 1 trip's handful of twigs and pine cones is all the fuel you need. I use the pocket rocket to boil water and cook things that need to sit in water, solo stove does most thing out of a skillet. Iso-Pro fuel is just so easy. It maintains a constant pressure when you get it going, will run until the can is empty which I'm always surprised how far fuel goes. You just screw it on and turn it on. It can be used in freezing temperatures. The fuel canisters are dirt cheap, they take up space but in my experience the most I've ever used was 2 of the small cans boiling water for 6 people over a 5 day trip, and I still have the majority of the fuel in the 2nd can. With that said I think the best method is to use a combination of fuel sources. My perfect sources being isopro fuel cannisters, as well as a solo stove (wood fuel). The solo stove is a slower cooker and takes a lot of tending, but everything I cook on it is high-tending as well like eggs, fish, bacon, usually I gotta flip em by the time I need to add more fuel, etc. It's also infinite fuel so if you don't have to cook in a hurry, or you're not going anywhere, you don't have to burn up your other source of fuel. |
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joewildlife |
Joe |
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drrick |
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butthead |
drrick: " hello butthead, I think we crossed paths with you a couple of years ago on Knife Lake. I think you we're on a solo trip. After reading your post I think we'll stick with the single burner Coleman. Thanks to all." Yes sir and you survived the rains! A cheap and quick solution to a double burner is to get a pair of Primus Classic Trail stoves, 2 burners, lighter and more compact than a suitcase stove and redundant in case of a failure. butthead |
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butthead |
butthead |
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MikeinMpls |
Mike |
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CoyoteKid72 |
drrick: "Just ordered an Emberlit Fireant Stove, You'all have been very helpful." |
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butthead |
butthead |
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drrick |
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drrick |
Question is how many small propane bottles would I need for a week of camping for two people? |
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Savage Voyageur |
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butthead |
A 16 ounce propane bottle weighs 2 pounds. Isobutane is under much less pressure and so a lighter and easily disposed container. A 16 ounce isobutane bottle, 23 ounces, Liquid fuels, Coleman Camp fuel is sold from pint size to gallon, the bottles/tanks reuseable. 16 ounces of Coleman Camp fuel in a 20 ounce capacity bottle, 22 ounces. I have much use with all 3 versions and find ounce to ounce cooking both temps and useage roughly the same with all 3. An 16 ounce propane, 16 ounce isobutane, 16 ounces Coleman Camp fuel cook the same and for the same amount of time. How much fuel in ounces do you take for the current stove? butthead |
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plexmidwest |
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butthead |
lundojam: "Personally, I like the double burner propane stove. We base camp, and as we were getting the girls to love tripping, food was a big factor and a part of our family's tradition. Fish tacos with refried beans and Spanish rice, for example, is a two-burner meal at least. Point is, we eat well. I figure 2 bottles per three days and have never run out. Percolating coffee uses more; we go instant." Absolutely! It all depends on what you want to carry. Example drrick met me on the South Arm of Knife, I had started at Cache Bay went north thru the Falls Chain south thru Agnes to Prairie Portage heading to Seagull Lake. I don't see many toting a suitcase Coleman 11 days thru that paddling solo, but I do carry a suitcase stove on base camps myself. 32 ounces of fuel for a group of 4 for 3 days is very close to my personal solo usage with any of the 3 fuels I mentioned. I carried 8 ounces of isobutane for the trip described, had a partial 4 ounce at the end. butthead |
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RetiredDave |
joewildlife: "Gearguy you just convinced me to get a twig stove. Think I will get an Emberlit just because it folds flat and space is tight... I bring along an Emberlit every solo (along with a small single burner and one small canister). I use the Emberlit often, and I never finish off the little canister. They are easy to assemble and take up almost no space. The fuel for the twig stove is everywhere! Dave |
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schweady |
butthead: "A cheap and quick solution to a double burner is to get a pair of Primus Classic Trail stoves, 2 burners, lighter and more compact than a suitcase stove and redundant in case of a failure... " butthead: Would you have an idea of the fuel comparison of the Primus Classic burner using isopro canisters vs Coleman Dual Fuel 533 using white gas? ie: we know how much fuel we bring for the Coleman; what would be the equivalent amount needed for the Primus? or, is Primus fuel different than what's in my MSR isopro canisters?... My goal is always to cut a bit of the weight, and I think that replacing our Coleman 533's would be one way to do that. |