International Stove

[PickleJuice]

I'm looking to buy a stove to use in South America...Argentina, Chile, Patagonia... Does anyone have a recommendation on one that has worked well for them? Was one type of fuel more accessible than another? I am considering the Whisperlite...(good or bad on this one???) Thanks!

[crazy_t]

xgk

[Kane]

I have the XGK, and its pretty awsome. Though expensive its a jet.

[cj001f]

Pocket Rocket. Canisters are easy to find in Argentina, Chile, Peru as well as "Patagonia". White gas ("benzina blanca") was not so easy to find and poor quality in my experience.

 

Unless you've some Ice Cap traverse in your future an XGK is expensive, loud, pain in the ass overkill.

[OlympicMtnBoy]

In Peru white gas was readily available at many hardware stores. It wasn't high quality, but burned pretty well in the standard whisperlite internationals we used most of the time. I used plain ol unleaded gasoline in Kyrgyzstan cause that was all we could get for our whisperlite international. Had to clean the f*cker every single time you used it, till we lost the jet cleaner wire. Fortunately a needle threader like you might have with your sewing kit works really well. XGKs are nice for snow too, I've got less experience with them although that will change since I found one over labor day.

[cj001f]

I used plain ol unleaded gasoline in Kyrgyzstan cause that was all we could get for our whisperlite international

 

Thats great and all, but he's not going to Kyrgyzstan. It took me 3 shops in El Calafate to find White Gas, everyone of them had canisters. In Huaraz there were a couple shops that carried canisters.

 

The other advantage I've found with a canister stove is you are less likely to get shit from retarded airline security people. Of course if you fly LADE they won't inspect your bags at all.

[crazy_t]

xgk great for up high, melting snow. Gets it done, sure it's loud. But it will burn anything, including shitty quality "benzina". Which I didn't seem to have much trouble finding down there, but I haven't been in a couple of years so I'd guess the canisters would be more prevalent now.

 

Bring both- pocket rocket is tiny and weighs nothing. If it's a long trip, you'd be fully covered that way, and could choose the appropriate stove for certain jaunts or pushes.