I've had good luck with the dual burner propane units that you can put a
small canister on. Mine is a Taiwanese model that looks suspiciously like
the Century model for 49 dollars on the roadhaus website. It works great as
far as I'm concerned.
Courtney

----- Original Message -----
From: "Pensioner" <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 8:30 AM
Subject: Re: Stove thoughts

> Roadguy said:
>
> Volks,
>
> I want to purchase a good camp stove.
>
> Objectives:
>
> - Two Burners
> - Burners need to have good adjustment capability from slow simmer to =
> full
> flame.
> - At least one burner to be a minimum of 11K BTU output
> - All weather temp and altitude up to 12,000 ft, capable
> - Fairly Compact ... Not interested in super large free standing "Camp =
> Chef"
> or "Rocky Mountain Range" types.
> - Fuel type doesn't matter (Propane or White Gas OK)
>
> Seems the hardest objective is the burner adjustment capability.=20
>
> Although all stove claim to be fully adjustable, very few seem to hold a
> steady flame at the low end.
>
> Here's the stoves I'm currently looking at.
>
> http://www.roadhaus.com/camp-stove.html
>
> Are there others I should consider?
>
> I'll summarize and publish the results.
>
>>>>>>>
>
> Long ago Century/Primus made a propane adapter, UNREGULATED, that one can
> use with a standard Coleman two burner stove.
>
> By attaching an adapter hose to the adapter you can run it off a 1gal
> Propane tank.  This setup will deliver wok scorching power.  The
> 'improved'
> regulated doodah doesn't work nearly so well nor does it deliver serious
> power.
>
> The all-weather temp and altitude requirement may limit normal propane
> operation you may have to use a butane mix to git'er done.  However at
> those
> altitudes you will be using a pressure cooker for doing the deed or the
> beans or the lengua con chipotles or even cooking rice.  You DO carry a
> pressure cooker, right?
>
> Alcohol is out. Simply won't do for high heat applications.  Ideal for the
> casual brew up, not suitable for rendering a wild boar
>
> This leaves gasoline.  In coleman stoves, cleaning the 'generator' often
> will let you use regular gasoline.  But not diesel cut with cheap gin.
>
> Howabout two single burner stoves.  One propane, one gasoline,  The world
> standard of roarer burner big honkin portable stoves is the MSR XGK,
> delivers major BTUs especially with Kerosene.  It has multi-fuel
> capabilites.  With a suitable pot stand it does boil a liter of water
> faster
> than any but the propane adapted cobble in the first sentence.  It won't
> deepfry a turkey though.
>
> Oddly the little ChiCom cannister single burners you can find for 17$ and
> the cannisters for a buck apiece do an outstanding job especially at
> simmer.
> Self contained.  Easy to light, easy to regulate from moderate to simmer.
> Fuel availability is a concern.  Not for the expeditionary excursion to
> Inuvik or Patagonia.
>
> So the requirements need to be ordered in the usual must, high want, want,
> nice, kewl, order and the attributes currently available solutions can be
> seived using that requirement set.
>
> So although propane is convenient it's performance above 8000 degrades
> it's
> ability to deliver the wok-scorching power you seek except in the cobbled
> gear.  Now achieving proper carburation with the propane adapter setup
> requires a bit of a touch but it can be done with practice.
>
> The requirements seem to dictate that 'ideal' camping stove.  No single
> modern campstove that I am aware of will fulfill all the requirements.  A
> standard gasoline coleman will get close.  For single burner gasoline and
> medium sized pots, the Optimus 111B works well.  It is a roarer burner
> though and can raise the dead should you camp near a cemetary, the XGK is
> similar.  Neither fits the simmer requirement.
>
> For more than you ever wanted to know on portable stoves visit
> http://www.spiritburner.com/