Camping Stoves: 11 Rules For Safe Stove Use

Posted by Camp Trainer on Mar 18, 2009 in Tips and Strategies • No comments • 601 views

You should be familiar enough with your stove before a trip that you can operate it safely when tired, in a storm, and in the dark. Always use these guidelines for safe stove use:

Make sure when you set up the stove that there is nothing flammable close by or above it.
Before lighting the stove make sure all connections are tight and there are no leaks.
When attaching a canister or filling a fuel tank of fuel bottle ensure there are no naked flames nearby. If there are, carry the stove some distance away before refilling it. 100 feet isn’t too far.

MSR Reactor Stove

State of the art cookware and revolutionary stove design combine to create the fastest, most fuel efficient stove system ever. The Reactor’s radiant burner is enclosed by a unique heat exchanger for unmatched performance in windy conditions while an advanced pressure regulator provides optimal heat output over the life of each fuel canister.

Stove and fuel canister stow inside of the high-efficiency 1.7 liter pot that’s great for everything from solo trips to cooking for groups of up to three people. A collapsible handle locks the unique see-thru lid in place for safe and easy transport.

Unrivaled Boil Time: Outperforms the competition in lab tests—boiling 1 liter of water in just 3 minutes—with an even greater advantage in challenging conditions.
2007 Backpacker Editor’s Choice Award!

Never overfill the tank. If there isn’t an adequate air space in the tank, the stove won’t pressurize properly and will burn erratically.
Never cook inside the tent. If you’re cooking in the tent porch (best only done in stormy weather or insect attacks) or under a tarp, refill the stove outside your shelter.
When cooking in a porch, make sure the stove is well away from porch walls and the inner tent. Leave a porch door unzipped or preferably fully open.

MSR Pocket Rocket Stove

When it comes to canister-mounted stoves, MSR proves less is more.

The PocketRocket is a favorite of BACKPACKER Magazine Tester Andy Dappen, who said, “This midget flamethrower is one of the lightest backpacking stoves available, and the best cartridge stove Ive used.”
There’s a reason this is a favorite of ultralighters!

If you regularly cook in the porch or under a tarp, note that solid fuel stoves are safest for this, followed by alcohol stoves, then butane/propane canister stoves then kerosene burners. White gas stoves are best used outside.
Light white gas and kerosene stoves outside in case of flaring and then bring them under cover.
When cooking in a shelter, make sure there is plenty of ventilation. Stoves give off poisonous fumes.

MSR XGK WX Stove

For over 30 years, MSRs XGK has been the worlds most reliable extreme-condition stove, trusted by mountaineers everywhere. XGK EX builds on that legacy.

Like its predecessor, the EX boasts unrivaled performance, dependably burning a greater variety of liquid fuels than any stove on the market.

It also features a new flexible fuel line that allows it to pack smaller than ever, as well as retractable legs and pot supports for superior stability—no matter where your next expedition takes you.
The worlds most reliable extreme-condition stove.

Never have your head over a stove as you’re lighting it or while it’s burning.
Never touch a stove until it has cooled down.

White gas and kerosene stoves need to be primed (pre-heated) before they will run properly.

When you turn a stove off, don’t wait for the flame to fade away. Blow it out so the final fumes can clean the jet. Don’t dismantle the stove until it has cooled down.

With some stoves, you can turn the fuel bottle over and the last of the fuel will burn off, leaving a clean fuel line. With these stoves, the bottle will depressurize too, if you leave the valve open.

If your stove doesn’t depressurize the fuel container, make sure your do this before packing it away so there’s less likelihood of a leak.

Point the fuel bottle away from yourself, companions and equipment: when you release the pressure, they will be a slight spray of fuel.