Stove/fuel for South America - (Previously Petrol stoves recommendations)

[mikedefieslife]

Oh no not another stove thread.

I was considering an alcohol stove for my forthcoming trip, but since I'll be at altitude (3,000m) and cooking for two of us, everyone has recommended mulifuel stove. To me that means petrol since I mightn't be able to get and carry white gas in the depths of Bolivia or in the Atacama.

It seems overkill considering mostly I'll just be cooking some noodles or boiling something (about 21 meals over 4 months), but I want something that's 100% going to work when I need it.

Besides the slightly extra weight (300-400g) my concern with petrol stoves is them getting blocked or the pump failing.

I've seen photos of people replacing pumps with presta valves and using a bicycle pump which would be great since I'll have one with me. Has anyone here done this?

As to the stove getting blocked, I'd want something that's super super easy to maintain. So far I've seen the Optimus Nova+ where the valve is cleaned with a magnet.

The other stove that caught my eye was the Muka Stove that is small like the Optimus and seems super clean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOn2uRL3S90

What do you reckon?

 

[SGL70]

A friend of mine has a Soto Muka...he has to send it away for maintenance more often than his car...but when he is able to use it, it is excellent

I have no 3k+ experience myself, though...

 

[mikedefieslife]

Doh! doesn't sound good.

The alternative is an alcohol stove with a surround/shroud that also lets me burn wood/twigs. I know I can get alcohol from pharmacies all around South America.

 

[rik_uk3]

I love both my Nova's and Primus Omnifuel's (standard types) but if you want to save some weight and size go for

http://thenextchallenge.org/primus-omnilite-stove-review/

It burns liquid fuels and standard cans of gas.

 

[pysen78]

Given that you state petrol as the available form of gas, I'd say, go for alcohol. Petrol isn't that healthy to burn, and usually increases the need for maintenance.
A trangia burner is:
Fool proof
Easier to get through airport security
Handles local fuel
Doesnt look as expensive, so less likely to get stolen or taken by greedy customs officers.

Multifuel is only better if you need to haul fuel for week long treks and need to melt snow.

 

[SGL70]

I am biased towards the older stuff, so i'd aim for a vintage Svea 123r...

 

[Bluffer]

Given the widespread availability of alcohol fuel where you're going, compared with the quality of locally procured petrol where you are going, and the low usage at a relatively modest altitude ...

... using an alcohol stove makes far more sense than anything else.

 

[mikedefieslife]

Acohol is available everywhere I'm going Argentina, Bolivia,Chile, Peru, as is dirty petrol. Since an alcohol stove weighs nothing I might as well take/make one along.

I will be at altitude for parts of the trip, but cooking will long be finished before night temperatures drop towards 0c.

I've just got back from looking at stoves, and am now considering a gas stove like the pocket rocket. It's tiny, and the gas canisters aren't that big either though more expensive than alcohol. Isopropane/butane is available in Argentina, and Chile for sure (especially Patagonia, hiking country), and potentially Peru (though I'm not planning on camping in Peru)

 

[Bluffer]

If cooking for two, my preference would be for a 2-litre pot, maybe a frying pan and kettle as well depending on availability of locally bought fresh food.

I wouldn't like to cook anything in a 2-litre pot or frying pan on a pocket rocket, they are like blowtorches.

I'd take one or two mini-trangias or one or two trangia triangles and a set of Alpkit or Evernew pots, then buy a small frying pan out there?

 

[cranmere]

The multi-fuel stoves tend to be finicky in use and need frequent maintenance but they really come into their own when you don't know what sort of fuel you are going to find. My Nova has run on all sorts of things including aviation fuel, agricultural diesel, paraffin, illicit moonshine, petrol from my motorbike and more besides but I always take a repair kit, a spare burner jet and the tool to dismantle it. If I know I can get clean lead-free petrol or Coleman fuel I much prefer my little Coleman petrol stove which is less finicky and has never refused to work in the field.

If you know that alcohol fuels are widely available I would go with the Trangia type burner.

 

[kizzer35]

I used trangias over 3000m without any problems. Bit slow sometimes, but could always get a boil going. Alcohol industrial / Alcohol antiseptico were never hard to find and very cheap. No colouration like meths here so pots didn't get very dirty. I also had a gas stove for when I could find canisters.

 

[Seadog]

I know in Peru the locals cook on Primus stoves - so I would guess no problem with getting either paraffin or meths. Never been a fan of petrol stoves unless it cant be avoided.

Off topic when I was last in Ilo I bought a great local made stove in an Aladdin's cave of a hardware store called a Blue Llama! By the way when there I learnt the Spanish for this type of stove is El Primus.

 

[Robson Valley]

At 3000m, water will boil at approx 89C, not 100C as at sea level.
That won't affect cooking anything as the higher heat will always be there.
Coleman on Coleman stove fuel is reliability.