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Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from Silver Spring, MD on 5/30/2008
This is a great stove for solo trips. I've relied on it in lots of parks where open fires are prohibited. It's light and easy to use.
from Washington's Crossing, PA on 5/22/2008
i use this stove when i backpack. my friends own many of this particular model so i am familiar with the set up, it is still very easy to use and maintain. it does become clogged with suet easily but is easy to clean if you know what you are doing.
I recieved this stove as a scout for my thirteenth or fourteenth birthday. I am now twenty-six and am planning a two hundred mile trek along the JMT in California. This stove will be coming along. It heats water fast, easy to use. I only wish it was set up to just set a can of soup on top. I'm sure I can rig up a wire coat hanger to do the trick. I love this stove passionately.
from burdette, NY on 1/7/2008
i purchased this a s a gift for my boyfriend for christmas and he is very satisfied, i have gone to his house and seen that he has used on the coffee table in his living room. like a kid with a new toy he couldnt wait to try it out after wanting this stove for about two years. he loves the fact that the stove is lightweight and that it can use different fuels.
i have owned this stove for the better part of 10 years. i dont get a chance to go out much but i know its there and will light on the first try even if its been sitting un cleaned for over 2 years. i bought the stove used and broke the pump about 2 years ago. i bought one of there newer pumps and it will simmer even the smallest pot. they have really taken care of the poor heat control issue, after all its not a gormet cook stove. this stove is very tough and almost unbrakeable. i have only used white gas in this one. my dad has owned the original whisperlight since the mid 80'S and has been on hundreds of climbing/backpacking trips, its still in great shape and works like the day it was bought. he still has the original pump also.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from Vermont on 10/20/2007
I've had this stove for over 15 yrs. My model predates the "Shaker Jet", which is a fantastic upgrade that I have used professionally (I never have had to disassemble a shaker jet model. Ever.) It burns multiple fuels. Once you learn how to preheat this stove (easy), it's a cinch to light. It is hot and boils quickly. It is durable and compact. I am not in love with the latest valve--I prefer the knob of earlier models. If I could have just one stove, this would be it (I have 4). No, it's not the gas range in a modern kitchen, but it's bombproof in the field. For those that say it's unstable, I say grip ANY pot on ANY stove before stirring--it's just good sense in a wilderness kitchen (where most injuries occur). When students ask me what stove to buy, I always recommend this one. Sure, other models maybe "easier" (PocketRocket-have one, JetBoil-hate it), but they are gimmicky and will never last 15+ years of hard use. If you are considering this stove, stop looking and buy it. :-D
from Groton, MA on 9/22/2007
I have owned this stove for about five years. I have cleaned it only a handful of times and use it at least 20 times a year. It always lights, stays lit and boils fast when using the wind screen. I am a big fan of the international version. I have used it at home in the whites, as well as in the Balkans where I could only get gasoline, which burns dirtier, but still burns, a big plus. I could use more temp control, but it looks like MSR has addressed that with the new pump. Instability is only a problem if you don't give it a level base, dig a little hole for one of the legs to get it level and the pot doesn't fall off. I wont be buying another stove any time soon.
from Cincinnati, OH on 4/1/2007
A high quality product hampered by poor temperature control and unstable surface. FYI I used MSR white gas. After using this product one time to make spaghetti I am baffled how others could write this has good temperature control. I could only get a raging boil even with the valve open 1 degree. Perhaps if you mess with the bottle pressure you can get lower heat, but that is more difficult than a valve that works. The second problem I had was stability. The stove supports were very smooth and the pot slid around constantly while I lightly stirred the noodles. Then at one point the pot fell off the stove - what a mess. The support legs need a textured surface or ribs to prevent your pot from moving around. I am returning this product. [...] MSR needs to improve the Whisperlite in my opinion. Pro: easy to light and quiet. Con: limited temp control, unstable. Also, EMS or MSR needs more info on their website - BTUs at high/low settings and support leg dimensions.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from Norwalk, CT on 1/23/2007
I've had mine going on 10 years and won't even go off road without it. I've been camping, hiking and on numerous day trips with it and it's never let me down. I even bring it on my boat. (I use it on the swim deck) It weighs nothing and I can have a cup of tea 50 miles from civilization in 3 minutes. If you want a way to cook or even just boil water and don't want to lug around a heavy stove, get this. It's all you'll ever need.
from Holderness, NH on 1/4/2007
In my broad expanse of camping (ie; from the back of the car to the backcountry of the whites, this thing has always held up, always lit and cooked wicked fast. all in all, if you need a stove that you want complete ease of use with buy it. Oh and this thing is quiet it doesnt sound like an A-10 flying over camp.