Wondering if anyone has this stove and how they like it as a no-frills lightweight backpacking stove.
It works…
I have a MSR Whisperlite shaker stove. It will simmer if you tend to the flame and are patient with it. One thing I will say about it. If you want something hot fast, it’s the stove to use.
MSR Whisperlite
I have one and have used it often. It has never given me a bit of trouble. It’s great for making hot water super fast, however for simmering and general lower heat cooking (at temperatures lower than “full tilt bogie”) you might want to look at another model. When tripping I also carry another light-weight stove which I use for general cooking – a MSR Simmerlite. I find that model considerably easier to control the heat. The Simmerlite is about 20 bucks more as I recall, but both stoves are a good value in my opinion. Top shelf quality is typical of MSR products. If I had to choose between the two I’d go for the Simmerlite.
I had one 22 years
It may not be the best stove on the market but it suited me fine. When my ex took it, I bought another one.
Got two
I’ve actually got two of them.
Yeah, they’re a bit noisy, and burn “fast”, but that’s just what I needed out in the mountains of Utah last deer season. High and cold, and that little stove would get a can of soup or stew or whatever hot in no time when we’d break midday.
Nice and easy to carry in the pack.
I like mine just fine.
OK By Us…
…for the three years we’ve used it.
As others have said, tends to be a bit tempermental - make sure you do a good preheat, this really helps. Find it’s nice and fast, easy on fuel. Got ours used for about 1/2 retail, so we can forgive it a few quirks!
I’ve got one
I’ve had a WisperLite for a while now, and it’s been a fine stove. If you are looking for light though, go with the Pocket Rocket. That’s what I’ve switched to for my backpacking. If you do go with the WisperLite though, I would recomend going with the “Internationale” model as it gives you more options on fuel you can burn.
Great Stove
The Whisperlite is a great stove in many respects. It is very stable, durable, compact, lightweight and boils water fast
Negatives are that it doesn’t simmer (at least easily) and until you get the hang of lighting it, you might wind up with singed eyebrows a few times.
I own 2 Whisperlites, a Coleman Peak 1 multi fuel and a MSR Pocket Rocket. The Peak 1 is garbage.
I bring the pocket rocket along if I need to do a lot of simmering. It’s a pretty good stove for a propane/butane stove. It’s not as stable as the Whisperlite, not as hot and you have to deal with packing out the empty canisters. Also the Pocket Rocket doesn’t work well (or at all) in cold temps, while the Whisperlite performs quite well when the temps dip.
If I need to bring only 1 stove, it’s always the Whisperlite.
Great Stove
The Whisperlite is a great stove in many respects. It is very stable, durable, compact, lightweight and boils water fast
Negatives are that it doesn’t simmer (at least easily) and until you get the hang of lighting it, you might wind up with singed eyebrows a few times.
I own 2 Whisperlites, a Coleman Peak 1 multi fuel and a MSR Pocket Rocket. The Peak 1 is garbage.
I bring the pocket rocket along if I need to do a lot of simmering. It’s a pretty good stove for a propane/butane stove. It’s not as stable as the Whisperlite, not as hot and you have to deal with packing out the empty canisters. Also the Pocket Rocket doesn’t work well (or at all) in cold temps, while the Whisperlite performs quite well when the temps dip.
If I need to bring only 1 stove, it’s always the Whisperlite.
Love my Whisperlites
Bought one in 1983 that is still running. Got a second when I lost the first 5 years ago. A lot of folks complain about the simmering, but I’ve cooked some temperature sensative meals and never had a problem. Figure I need to stay by the food anyway, so I settle in with a drink and cook away.
Only real problem I had was in the Boundary Waters last year. I used white gas that was over a year old and the varnish clogged the jet constantly, though that would have given most stoves a fit. Good news is the Whisperlite is easily field fixed so the multi-tool and a toothbrush bristle was all I needed.
Randy
Never a problem
with mine. Even after it sat out in hard rain for days and nights I could dump the water and fire it up every day reliably. If you pay attention to fuel pressure and valve setting it should perform as desired. If you are all thumbs mechanically you might want to look into a canister stove.
I prefer the MSR Dragonfly.
First off, it’s more stable. Second, the flame is adjustable. It is a bit loud when on full but for the life of me I don’t see why this is such a big deal for some people.—Rich
High Quality Stoves
MSR makes reliable stoves. Parts kits are available so they can be cleaned and rebuilt as they age. I’ve had my Wisperlite for around 15 years and it’s still going strong. Tried a Coleman once and returned it after one trip(Junk). Just keep in mind that they are designed to boil water quickly, not simmer foods slowly. You need to stay close by and stir often. The Svea 123 model is a classic and does a better job of cooking with low heat. They can be a bit tricky to get going on cold mornings but once they warm up they work great. Buy quality and it will last a lifetime.
They are
Great stoves. Have used them for years. I actually have a new one I won at an outting. If you are interested let me know I’ll give you a deal on it.