Propane/Iso-Butane cold weather mix
 

We use the EN417 type canisters with self-sealing valve and Propane/Iso-Butane (80% iso-butane and 20% propane) cold weather mix, all major brands like MSR, coleman and Jetboil provide these mixes. It lights just fine in high altitude the Himalayas above 5,000m and in -10 degrees C in the Alps in Switzerland and Austria. Every time we never have a problem starting and without pre warming the canisters either. :thumbup1:

Ref: Frequently Asked Questions About Lightweight Canister Stoves and Fuels @ Backpacking Light

Use a MSR micropocket rocket with base stability for the gas canister.

Brill little stove , if you use gas steady it a lasts long time and cooks only marginally slower.

Small works well.

Hexamine mmmnnn . In my opinion take some ally foil , bang a few rocks under it and use some sticks and wood

I bought one of these to play with:

Pocket Stove | New products | Wild Stoves

On the Trangia burner a pint of Yorkshire tap water in a lidded crusader cup boils in 9 minutes, 2 hexamine tabs 10-minutes and wind blown sticks from the local woods 20 minutes.

As means of getting a hot cuppa the stove, trangia burner, two hexamine tablets and the means to get them going all fit in the cup, so wood will be for desperate measures only.

Andy

Hi,

Another stove that may be of interest is the Optimus nova. It's a multi fuel stove like some of the others mentioned.

Plus points over others are:
made of metal - even the pump so less likely to brake.
Fully adjustable flame.
Magnetic jet cleaner - wave the supplied magnet under it and it cleans the jet without taking it apart (even works when in use).

I've had this stove for around 7 years. I taken it on several extended (1.5 year+) trips and abused it thoroughly. I bought a service kit at the same time as i got the stove but have yet to replace a single part!! I've stripped and cleaned it a couple of times but thats it.

The biggest problem i've had is the pump stopped working. Stripped it down and found the pump seal had dried out/was a big dirty. As it made of leather this was a 2 minute job with some doubin (could have use oil butter etc) to soften it up and it was back in action.

This is one of the rare pieces of kit that if it got lost/stolen/broken etc i wouldn't even look at what else had come along since. I would just replace it with the same.

A great bit of kit.

Sam

EDIT: I've just reread some of the other posts here to clarify i use this burning petrol or diesel (mainly petrol as the bike has a ready supply) and have never found it hard to use. Pump it up, turn it on (letting some fuel out), turn it off, light it (to warm it up), as the flame dies down due to lack of fuel open it back up slowly. It can take a minute(?) if that for it to warm up fully and the yellow flames turn in to small blue ones (you only get big yellow flames if you open it up too quickly after the initial warming - this is simple to control with the simmering control as it is not just on/off like some of the others).