TIL most people set up their camp stove wrong

I watched 4 different groups at Big Basin last weekend struggle with their stoves. Every single one had the wind blocking too close to the flame, choking the oxygen. Why do companies put the wind screen right next to the burner instead of teaching proper airflow in the manual?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_ellis15d ago

Yeah that whole "wind screen right on the burner" thing really got me too. I used to set mine up exactly like that until I nearly melted a fuel canister.

wendyprice15d ago

You know, I had that same scary moment with a MSR WhisperLite back in 2018 on a trip in the Smokies. I was so focused on blocking the wind that I pushed the windscreen right up against the burner, and about ten minutes later the canister felt like it was going to pop. Idk if you've tried this, @uma_ellis, but what worked for me was leaving at least a 2 inch gap between the screen and the burner, and angling it so the wind still gets blocked but not trapped. I also switched to a remote canister stove after that, just so the fuel canister sits off to the side and stays way cooler. It's one of those things where you think you're being clever but then you realize how close you came to a real problem.

elizabeths5114d ago

And the scary part is you don't realize how hot things are getting until it's almost too late. That 2 inch gap rule is a good one, I started taping a penny to my windscreen as a spacer so I wouldn't forget.