Backpacking stove failure

Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
849
Location
Tulsa, ok
Has anyone experienced a stove failure in the back country?

I’ve owned an MSR reactor for 6 years now and have a trip planned this fall where no wood is available to make up for a stove failure.
 

rayporter

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Joined
Jul 3, 2014
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arkansas or ohio
i had a peak one nearly melt down on the aniak. we had 2 days yet to float out and there was plenty of wood so , no harm , no foul. i still have it somewhere,
 

BillB

FNG
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
19
I have not but I do carry a small backup (MSR pocket rocket) on hunts when I can suffer a 2.6oz penalty. While clearly not as capable as the reactor it uses the same fuel and takes away the worry.
 

elkliver

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Joined
Dec 25, 2018
Messages
359
Location
Oregon
Seals on a whisperlite went out one time. Worked fine before we left. Went to make coffee.... and nothing. Had other food solution's but no coffee
 

dutch_henry

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
262
Location
Vermont
Yup, I had a Coleman Apex 2 burn up on me...fuel line cracked and the fuel ignited. Turned into a blowtorch as soon as the fuel bottle gasket burned up. I also had an MSR pump crack and not pressurize the fuel bottle (my error, not the stove's)

But never a problem with canister stoves.
 

fmyth

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Joined
Mar 14, 2019
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Location
Arizona
No but I do carry a backup. The emergency Esbit Stove kit is 3.5ozs and costs $6.
 

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Brendan

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Aug 27, 2013
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Massachusetts
Only issue I've had was a clogged jet without a needle or tool to clean it.

I'd guess the Reactor is going to be one of the more reliable options...
 

Poser

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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
I had a failure back 20 years ago when I used to use white fuel stoves. It was a MSR Dragonfly that clogged up on Mt Rainer. I believe that’s the only issue I’ve had. I used a Jetboil for a number of years and have been using a MSR Pocket Rocket for a few years.
 

AKDoc

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May 16, 2015
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Alaska
When I was using a liquid fuel MSR Dragon-Fly, I always had a rebuild kit with me...that I used a few times over the years!

I switched over to a canister stove about six years ago, but I wanted the same advanced preparedness for a failure. An MSR Windburner is my primary, and when I'm on long pack-raft floats or drop-camp hunts, I always take an MSR Pocket-Rocket as a back-up stove (that I've never needed). As already mentioned, the Rocket is going to use more fuel, but it packs up super small with little additional weight.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
7,580
Location
Chugiak, Alaska
I’ve never had a stove fail either, but if you’re really concerned about it, I’d just buy a little BRS 3000. They weigh less than an oz. and are super cheap. I have a couple of these, but I’ve only ever used one, and I’ve used it exclusively for all my backcountry excursions, going on 3 years now.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XNLSNFR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_t738EbH16FRQK


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OP
Dexter Grayson
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
849
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Tulsa, ok
I’ve never had a stove fail either, but if you’re really concerned about it, I’d just buy a little BRS 3000. They weigh less than an oz. and are super cheap. I have a couple of these, but I’ve only ever used one, and I’ve used it exclusively for all my backcountry excursions, going on 3 years now.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XNLSNFR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_t738EbH16FRQK


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That’s a pretty neat little stove. What pot do you use with it?
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
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Chugiak, Alaska
I’ve been using it with a 650ml Toaks pot, but earlier this past winter, I bought a pot with “fins”’ on the bottom, like the Jetboil pot, and the fuel efficiency, using that new pot, went up dramatically, so I’ll probably start taking that one now.


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mitchellmountain

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 20, 2020
Messages
271
I’ve been using it with a 650ml Toaks pot, but earlier this past winter, I bought a pot with “fins”’ on the bottom, like the Jetboil pot, and the fuel efficiency, using that new pot, went up dramatically, so I’ll probably start taking that one now.


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Do you have a link to that pot?
 

mavinwa2

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Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Messages
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Location
Res WA ST, winter>Gilbert AZ , NR>AZ, UT, NM, CO.
Always have a back up. Pocket Rocket or similar is good. Love my Reactor too but you never know.
And always a pot. I like my Toaks Kit.

3 years ago, partners Jetboil went kaput. He didn’t have a Stove/fire pot (just jetboil heating cup) as he planned all dehydrated meals in pouch. Option Making fire was tough, very wet trip for 5 days.

Good thing I had “his” back up source.
 

AgentVenom

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 18, 2020
Messages
127
Location
Upstate New York
I’ve used an MSR pocket rocket (as a primary & back up stove depending the outing/ pack weight) on four continents and both coasts of the US. Have done so for many years, not one issue.
 

as.ks.ak

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Aug 22, 2015
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AK
I’ve been using it with a 650ml Toaks pot, but earlier this past winter, I bought a pot with “fins”’ on the bottom, like the Jetboil pot, and the fuel efficiency, using that new pot, went up dramatically, so I’ll probably start taking that one now.


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Gregg! I copied you and got the same pot. I’m not sure what stove you’re using. In conjunction with that pot. But I LOVE the setup. Im using an olicamp stove. And found a pot with the heat baffles to use. So a bit of a different setup but same idea. I used a dremmel and notched out spots for the stove arms to slide into as well. I got burn time down to just over 2 mins I think. I have some screen shots from a video I took. Let me see if I can dig them up...the cuts aren’t perfect. But I cleaned them up once I was done with the rough fit. So don’t judge me off these pics!!

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344998e0b21f9d8711d5bce635cd49c9.jpg



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Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Messages
690
Location
Reno, NV
Jetboil Sumo caught on fire. So glad I had a back up. Ask me if I use Jetboil products anymore.
FullSizeRender.jpg

Jetboil replaced the little smoking offender but then I sold that too.

I only own MSR stoves now, a Windburner and a Reactor. They are super reliable and worth every penny.
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
7,580
Location
Chugiak, Alaska
Gregg! I copied you and got the same pot. I’m not sure what stove you’re using. In conjunction with that pot. But I LOVE the setup. Im using an olicamp stove. And found a pot with the heat baffles to use. So a bit of a different setup but same idea. I used a dremmel and notched out spots for the stove arms to slide into as well. I got burn time down to just over 2 mins I think. I have some screen shots from a video I took. Let me see if I can dig them up...the cuts aren’t perfect. But I cleaned them up once I was done with the rough fit. So don’t judge me off these pics!!

13b34077ca566314a30e86f3681e97a4.png



ed973291dc845f09cb5bfd3add19a727.png

beb64a047d003da939ab8c5f7dba5305.png

344998e0b21f9d8711d5bce635cd49c9.jpg



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That pot looks very similar to my Olicamp pot.
57e172539e6027d663a34c5f314dd089.jpg



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