Liquid Fuel Stoves 101: How to Choose the Right Fuel for Your Liquid Fuel Stove

Jun 28, 2023

Despite the popularity of small, canister-fuel stoves, liquid fuel stoves are still the best option for many people due to their unrivaled cold weather performance, low cost, (arguably) lower environmental impact, and worldwide fuel availability. Their exceptional field maintainability, legendary durability and in some cases, multi-fuel compatibility are also why liquid fuel stoves are an excellent choice for emergency preparedness kits. But which of the many liquid fuels should you use? If you have a multi-fuel stove like the MSR XGK-EX, Dragonfly, or WhisperLite Universal, you have several fuel options to choose from. Depending on where in the world you plan to use your stove, the options may vary from what you’re used to at home. Pros & Cons of the Common Liquid Fuels White Gas (Naphtha) White gas (aka…

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Canister Stoves vs. Liquid Fuel Backpacking Stoves – Which is Right for You?

Jun 21, 2023

The question of canister stoves vs. liquid fuel stoves, each with their own pros and cons, mostly comes down to the trips you’re planning and your personal preference. Canister stoves have significant advantages in some situations and new, more efficient designs have made the performance differences less distinct than they once were. Liquid fuel stoves remain the leaders on long trips, winter conditions and travel where canisters may not be available. They are also an excellent choice for emergency preparedness kits thanks to their exceptional field maintainability, legendary durability and in some cases, multi-fuel compatibility. Let’s take a closer look at canister stoves vs. liquid fuel backpacking stoves to help you determine which is right for you. Canister Stoves vs. Liquid Fuel Backpacking Stoves—Specs to Consider Depending on what’s most…

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MSR Employees’ Favorite Camp Recipes

Nov 22, 2022

Camp meals vary wildly from person to person. Some are ultralight backpackers who eat cold instant refried beans every night without complaint (not joking). Others, whether car camping or out in the backcountry, want the whole shebang, from a starter salad to a glass of wine and dessert. These five recipes from MSR employees lie mostly in the middle (though some definitely lean toward the backcountry feast side of the scale). We’re a pretty outdoorsy bunch here at MSR, and we’ve perfected our camp recipes over years of adventures. MSR also makes pretty spectacular backpacking and camp stoves, if we do say so ourselves, and each employee has a favorite for cooking up their camp recipes. Check out this deep dive into our stoves, from Polar explorer Eric Larsen. A…

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MSR Backcountry Cafe: Tomato Pasta

Sep 8, 2022

Though it was early September when my husband and I were cycling through the Po River Valley region of Italy, the summer sun still blazed, dry and scorching, lending a golden light to an already golden landscape. As well as being oppressively hot, the afternoon was also deathly quiet. We were used to this Italian riposo by now, that time between about two and four in the afternoon when shops closed, the buzz of activity at the local café dwindled, and the wooden shutters on everyone’s homes were shut tightly against that flaming sun. And so, it was with some surprise that I happened upon an elderly man who was up and about, despite the riposo. He was standing in a field that was parched, barren, and brown, walking carefully through the…

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MSR Backcountry Cafe: Romanian Stir Fry

Nov 20, 2013

Story and Photos By Tara Alan  A few years ago, my husband Tyler and I were bicycle touring in Romania. We’d just pedaled through the gypsy village of Glod when we decided to free-camp for the night, stopping to set up our tent in an idyllic, secluded forest on a hilltop high above the town. Tall trees towered above us as we made our home for the night. Tyler got a fire going, while I set about making a tasty supper to satisfy our ravenous appetites. Despite the fact that we were deep in the heart of Eastern Europe and I should have been craving cabbage rolls and hearty Romanian soups, all I wanted was food like I’d find in a Chinese restaurant back home. And thus, I decided to concoct…

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Made in the USA: Building the WhisperLite Stove

Oct 23, 2013

A lot of outdoorsy folk can tell you where their WhisperLite has been – Yosemite, Canyonlands, Denali, Bryce – the list goes on and on. But how many of these people can tell you where their stove came from? Our new video answers that question in great detail. In this video we walk you through the making of a WhisperLite International stove, step by step, in our Seattle factory. The process starts with raw materials such as sheet metal, tubing and aluminum bar stock. These materials are machined and shaped into parts that are tested and hand-assembled to create each stove. The process is similar to that used on the first WhisperLite, manufactured back in 1984. Almost every MSR stove is manufactured in Seattle, including the Reactor, XGK-EX, SuperFly, DragonFly,…

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Help Support This New Outdoor Camp Cookbook: Bike. Camp. Cook

Sep 26, 2013

Story and Photos By Tara Alan A few years ago, my husband and I embarked on a two year journey across Europe and Asia. We spent most of the adventure on a pair of touring bicycles, with everything we owned packed in our panniers. After returning, I set about writing a cookbook for other two-wheeled wanderers. Bike. Camp. Cook. is the result of my labor. Despite its obvious focus on cycling, the book is a beautiful, informative, food-centric journey for anyone to enjoy. In the cookbook,  I show you the tools and techniques you’ll need for cooking on the road. Then, I provide a delicious collection of gourmet recipes that you’ll love making at camp. 

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