UKC

Thanks to everyone who posted on my recent post regarding ME Karakoram pants and best all round stove.

Looks like I have decided on the MSR Dragonfly as it covers pretty much everything I want from a stove.

So now, anyone had any regular problems with them?

In reply to Ads Co.:


The only problem I had, which was not the fault of the cooker, was using old fuel.

In the past I'd buy 2 liters, use some of it and then store the rest in the shed until the next time which could have been months at a time. It probably had more to do with having a Diesel car at the time. I never realised that the fuel would go off. It would change colour and clog up my cooker quickly.

However I have since learnt that it is always best to use fresh fuel and if you do you should not get too many problem with having to flush out the fuel line.

Now when I finish a camping trip I poor the unused fuel into my unleaded car.

So my top tip would be to use fresh unleaded fuel where ever possible.

As for the noise issue, I quite like the idea of having my own personal rocket. Makes me feel all manley

In reply to The Lemming:
I'm not a very good chemist, but isn't normal fuel 'cracked' by enzymes, and not good-old distilled? This might be your problem, as the cracked fuel can go do the reverse reaction, etc...

I reckon with a bit of research you could come up with over-the-counter fuel that doesn't go off and isn't too expensive. Maybe this 'shell v-power' stuff work better?
I think that any normal hexane/pentane/octane mixture should work ok, and (provided its stored ok) never go off.

In reply to Ads Co.:If you use Coleman fuel, you'll hardly ever have any probs. The lower quality the fuel, the more probs you'll have.

In reply to Ads Co.:

I have always just used unleaded with mine. Last weekend the jet clogged a bit but a good shake (with the stove turned off and cold) restored it to normal.

Great stove but it sounds like an aeroengine on full afterburner which can make you unpopular whilst boiling the water for an early morning brew.

In reply to NathanP:

Or a late night brew

Used to use unleaded, then my stove clogged up a bit, and to save the hassle of cleaning it every now and then I use coleman now, haven't had any problems with it since (apart from the hole in my pocket).

Josh.

P.s. Yes, I am a lazy bugger

In reply to Ads Co.:
I ve used lots of stoves extensivlely over the years and have broken several in the course of this.

I have broken 2 dragon fly stoves, i wouldn't recomend them. On the first occasion the broken stove cost me a route i really wanted. The replacemnt broke in the same place and then i got a credit note and got a different stove. The problem was that the weld on the bottom of the burner cup broke/ snapped from the articulated arm that pivots on the circular surround. Have a look at one and you will figure it out. MSR may have changed the design as i think it is a big design flaw.
I also own an omni fluel but this had a slight problem also as when the stove and bottle are engaged or disengaged there is a slight spurt of petrol from the enrty of the rod into the bottle. On one occasion this caught fire very sligtly when priming and i did not see it, it then slowly melted the plastic in that area and damaged the plastic cover of the fuel pipe. However this was salvigable and the trip was not spoiled. I think the best stove is the xgk which i also own this has be dropped of the side of mountains ran over, rammed in rucksacks and worse.
If your just campsite camping to be honest anything is fine but if your stove is mission critical then i'd pack an xgk. If you want to simmer you can now buy a different pump that can simmer.
Just my 2p
James e

In reply to James Edwards:

How did you manage to *break* stoves? I've never managed to break any climbing kit. Ram your MSR into your MSR pots, its protected by them.

MSR problems may include changing the jet if used after new, and blacking from petrol.

Best stove on the market, untouchable by anything else I have seen quite frankly, excellent choice. Enjoy.

In reply to pingod:
all kit breaks and dies when used enough, its entropy. however it's a question of how and when that is important.
james

In reply to James Edwards: Hi James good to see your still around. MSR changed that design a couple of years ago and did away with the braze on the burner base. The swing arm now runs through the burner cup with no brazing or welds=no problem.
Lindsay

In reply to First Ascent: I always use paraffin which seems happy to be stored sometimes for well over a year with no obvious deterioration.

With a bit of care it's not too messy, lower risk of explosion and it has never performed badly enough to prompt me to consider changing fuel.

By the way, here's a belated vote for the Optimus Nova stove- all I could ask for in a stove- bombproof, good in the cold and happy to simmer things.

In reply to James Edwards:

Please do indicate the amount of usage you are giving your stove.

one week expeditions/3 months constant use/2 years on a round the world trip/ every weekend.

Also in question is the age of the equipment.

May I reiterate , I havent ever had anything fail on me, in the last 5 years of my travel/adventure/ climbing experiences. I usually invest in new essential kit before a 'trip' and it lasts years afterwards. The only exception being thermarest lites, which have a habit of puncturing. Annoying too!