briansnat's Full Review: MSR Whisperlite Shaker Jet Backpacking Stove
I've owned my Whisperlite for over 10 years, so I'm fully aware of its quirks. Despite them, it is an excellent stove for backpacking. First the quirks. The major one is that it has one setting - blowtorch. If you're boiling water (which is what I do with it most of the time), its great. If you're making scrambled eggs, or pancakes, you have to watch it closely, so the food doesn't burn. You can tweak it to make it simmer by not pumping it fully, but this takes practice.
The pump can fall apart easily while pumping if you don't hold it the right way, but is easily re-assembled (I think newer models have eliminated this problem). If the leather valve on the pump dries out, the pump doesn't work. I usually remedy this by moistening it in my mouth. It also has failed on me twice. Both times, I was able to get it going after field stripping it and cleaning the unit (the repair kit is a very important accessory) and I might add that this was before the shaker jet was added by MSR.
Finally, lighting it, if you don't do it just right, can be an adventure. If you don't prime it properly, you can wind up with 3 ft flames shooting out of the stove...so never light it near a tent, or under a tarp.
Now for the good. It's durable, lightweight, compact (fits in my cook kit) and boils water in a snap. It's also stable for a stove of its size and works nicely even if you don't find a perfectly level spot for it. It also works very well in cold weather, which is a problem for a lot of stoves. Finally, when the rare problem crops up, it's very easy to disassemble and clean.
For over 15 years, the WhisperLite(tm) has been the leader in backpacking stoves for its reliability and simple design. Shaker Jet technology makes c...More at Outdoorplay.com
MSR WhisperLite 2005 Backpacker Readers' Choice Award Winner The MSR WhisperLite keeps getting better and better. We know one guy who's had his for ov...More at Amazon Marketplace
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