MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I go on long backpacking trips each year where a reliable stove is essential. I have the MSR WhisperLite, my son has the MSR DragonFly, and my best friend has the MSR SimmerLite. I've used all the stoves on various trips. I used to use the earlier versions of the MSR XGK stove and the old Coleman Peak 1.

I would recommend both the DragonFly and the WhisperLite. I've been able to maintain these stoves in the wilderness when they clog. (I've had stoves repaired over the years by the MSR techs, and they always tell you the higher the quality of the white gas, the less the stove clogs).

The WhisperLite is a best buy--great price, easy to light, good stability, great reliability, and quick to boil water when using the windscreen. It takes some practice to get the stove to simmer--keeping the fuel bottles only partly full helps.

Buy the DragonFly if you like having lots of control over temperature, will put relatively big pots on the stove, or just like high-end gear. It is highly stable and reliable. It has two separate vales which controls flow of fuel, making it easy to control the temperature. (You do need to remember which valve to turn on or off first). It is very easy to get the stove to simmer. It takes up more room in the pack than the WhisperLite, but only weighs a few ounces more.

On one trip, the MSR SimmerLite clogged after about 20 days of use. We could not dissemble it no matter how much force we applied. We had to have a part replaced when returned to Seattle. If you use the Simmerlite, be sure you can dissemble it. Use the MSR brand white gas which burns really clean. The 5 oz you save in weight with the SimmerLite compared to the Whisperlight can be important, say, on a trip to the Grand Canyon when you have to carry lots of water. But normally I'd rather have a slightly heavier stove that is more stable.

By the way, on our long trips with 4 or more adults, we carry two stoves and at least 2 fuel bottles. This allows us to cook faster, and provides redundancy in case a stove or a fuel pump breaks or is damaged.

I don't like the canister stoves. With white gas and fuel bottles, I can carefully measure out the amount of fuel needed for each trip and I can monitor the rate of use of the fuel. The Whisperlite always runs hot no matter how much fuel is in the bottle.

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I have read the reviews and I do not undedrstand the ones about the pump easily breaks, not easy to light, etc.,
Follow the process of priming and I assure you that this stove will work flawlessly and efficiently in the worst conditions. I have used this stove in bone chilling weather the worst conditions. If I am going out in benign conditions where the weather is balmy and dry, then yes I will take my diminutive alcohol stove, but when the weather is cold, or the trip is long, you will not find a MORE EFFICIENT or RELIABLE stove than the Whisperlite. Many a winter night I have relaxed, reassured by its comforting sound in the stillness while it heated my water for chocolate, stew, tea...
This stove is very efficient, boiling more water per gram/oz of fuel than ANY alcohol stove, and/or butane blended fuel stove. I own 5 stoves, used them all when conditions warrant and beleive me the white gas stove, despite being heavier, comes out ahead on trips of more than 5 days in cold weather. Do not put your trust in anything else in cold conditions where your safety depends on it. MSR Whisperlite is THE STOVE when your safety is on the line. I would like to add that I have owned the Whisperlite for 11 years using it every winter, with NO maintenance, without any issues.
EXCELLENT PRODUCT.

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I bought my Whisperlite back in the mid 1980's.
And then a few years later I bought the shakerjet upgrade kit. Every year I look to see what is new on the market to see if It's time to replace it, and once again, I find nothing compares. It's only real drawback is learning the fine art of making it simmer. 3 key ways to improve your simmering. one, get the scorch buster.
two, start with a fuel bottle 1/2 full or less if possible.
three, only give it a couple of pumps, low pressure is key to a good simmer, and even at that, it still requires due diligence listening to it so you don't let it go out.

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I have used this stove for 5+ years and it has worked good for the most part. It boils water quick and seems to put out more heat than other stoves I've used. Although, like other reviews have said it is difficult to preheat and light and it does not simmer well.

My biggest concern has been the fuel pump. Mine started leaking gas everywhere and it lost pressure. I bought the "maintenance kit" which is a box of replacement & cleaning parts. I replaced all of the internal parts even though everything seemed fine(except the pump cup was worn out). Still, it didn't work. I was in the process of reassembling it and tightening the fuel control knob when the plastic cracked wide open. Apperently others on here have had the same issue. Looks like I need a whole new pump now.

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I'm a science teacher, and my students and I have used the same two WhisperLites for over 3 years now. They produce a lot of heat, but it's impossible to simmer with these stoves; we waste a lot of fuel by turning down the stove, then having to relight them because the fuel valve isn't very sensitive.

We've experienced some reliability issues with both stoves; my colleague ended up returning his and exchanging for the same model, and has had no problems. My stove, however, lost some "umph" over the years. Cleaning it did not help, but lo and behold, when I removed the fuel cable and turned it around 180 degrees (inserted it in its housing *backwards*, so to speak), it took off like a 747. I'm glad to have the great performance back!

All in all, a great workhorse stove if all you really want is boiling water, fast. My next stove: MSR DragonFly!

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

This stoves works. Period. No matter the temperature or the elevation, this thing is going to light when you need it to. Since it is white gas, it requires a little more effort to light than a propane/butane gas stove but for all my winter trips it is worth it. I have been thoroughly impressed with its heat output and the windscreen works great. The stove has a very stable base for cooking.

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I have used the WhisperLite on many backcountry backpacking trips in very high and very low elevations and it has performed beautifully every single time. The shaker pin makes cleaning a breeze and it is very easy to disassemble making field maintenance completely painless on long trips. It fits snuggly inside my MSR Alpine Classic cook set and boils water extremely fast.One of the only cons I have found is that at certain altitudes I have a hard time bringing water to a simmer, even on very low heat it often brings water to a raging boil very quickly. However, this isn't a problem at all in places where boiling water is a priority, the heat output for me is a plus.I would recommend this stove to anyone, however, I'd say if you're going to get it go ahead and spend 10 extra dollars on the International version which has a thicker fuel stem and can use fuels other than white gas.

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I've had this stove for a few years and really like it. The only issues I've had with it is that one time I spilled some food by not being careful when returning a pot to the burner. But if a person is halfway careful about where then set up the stove and careful when using it, it's very stable. I use alcohol to light it, which can be a little tricky in high winds. But if I need to I can squirt out a little gas and use that. Alcohol is a little cleaner, leaving no residue. With the Trillium base it's easy to use the stove on snow. While others are messing around trying to keep their cannister stoves upright and warm enough to make a flame I'm drinking tea. MSR, [...], is a great company and stands behind their products at least 100%.

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I've got a love hate relationship with my Whisperlite. I will say that it has always provided me with fire and the ability too cook even up to 12,600 feet. It has never failed me, so for that I am happy. While it has never failed me, it has been nothing but trouble. Getting anything to simmer on this stove has been next to impossible. It also seems to require a lot of maintenance in order to keep it running.

Comments about MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove:

I have had my Whisperlite so long that I honestly don't remember exactly when I got it but I know I got it [...]sometime in the early 80s So I've had it for over 20-25 years and it works just as good today as It did when I bought it.I have used the hell out of it all over the Sierras, down in Baja, out in Joshua Tree national Park 100s of times, out on my various fishing boats I have had, during Hurricanes when all power was out for 2 weeks and this was all we had to cook with.I will be buried with this stove and I bought it for around $25 I think it was way back then.