Stove Of The Week: Msr Whisperlite (Pre-Shaker Jet)

In 1980 Mountain Safety Research (MSR) was bought out yesteryear Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI).  Prior to the purchase out, MSR was mainly a fairly specialized equipment manufacturer catering mostly to mountaineers. REI wanted to alter that together with plough MSR into a companionship that would cater to a wider audience.  One of the get-go large projects undertaken during the REI years was the MSR Whisperlite.

Prior to the Whisperlite, MSR stoves all had roarer type burners.  As the cry "roarer" implies, such burners tend to live rather noisy.  MSR hence decided to operate amongst a dissimilar type of burner, a baffled burner, which is a far quieter type of burner.  To herald this change, MSR named the stove the Whisperlite. Indeed, I've had friends remark on exactly how tranquillity the Whisperlite is compared to other stoves. The "lite" percentage of the stove's name, every bit ane powerfulness expect, reflects the fact that the Whisperlite was at that fourth dimension MSR's lightest stove.  MSR had some other goal:  to attain an economical stove that would receive got broader appeal than the higher destination stoves that they had theretofore been producing.  In this regard, MSR striking a dwelling household run, launching ane of the most successful of modern white gasoline type stoves.  Introduced inwards 1984, the Whisperlite is even so sold today.  Backpackers chop-chop adopted the Whisperlite despite its occasional clogs.  In a survey of through hikers on the Appalachian Trail inwards 1989, the let out ane most usually carried stove was the Whisperlite, together with this alone 5 years after its introduction.  In nearly 1996, the Whisperlite's jet was redesigned.  MSR made the jet larger together with inserted a weighted cleaning needle.  When the stove was shaken upwards together with down, the weighted needle would displace inwards together with out of the jet's orifice, clearing the jet.  MSR named this redesigned jet after its method of use:  the shaker jet.  Unfortunately, MSR stoves amongst the shaker jet to a greater extent than oft than non do non simmer every bit good every bit pre-shaker jet models. Now why the average mortal couldn't exactly role the wire pricker to construct clean the jet I am non sure, but MSR land felt that they needed to do something to allay customer's fears nearly clogs.

Well, let's receive got a aspect shall we?  This week's stove is the pre-shaker jet version of the MSR Whisperlite.    The early on Whisperlites came amongst this cherry-red stuff sack, marked amongst the MSR "Matterhorn" logo:

These older stuff sacks are inwards my sentiment nicer than the newer dark stuff sacks.  The sometime cherry-red stuff sacks included small-scale pockets which were handy for asset spares, matches, a lighter, etc.

The Whisperlite is a fairly compact stove, for certain to a greater extent than compact than its predecessors, the XGK line of piece of work of stoves or the Firefly. 

I should refer that this item stove is special to me:  This is my rattling get-go pack stove.  I bought it from Sport Chalet inwards La Canada inwards nearly 1987.  It has served me faithfully for at nowadays almost a quarter of a century amongst rattling few problems.

The early on Whisperlites came amongst a stuff covered prophylactic fuel hose that was crimped at both ends.

Later versions came amongst a woven metallic sheath amongst brass fittings on either end.  The subsequently fuel lines are to a greater extent than oft than non superior to the before ones.

Well let's get together her together with instruct gear upwards to dismiss her up.  Here are the basic components (clockwise from top, left):  The burner, the fuel bottle amongst windscreen wrapped exactly about it together with fuel pump inwards place, together with the oestrus reflector.  Tip: Note that I receive got wrapped the windscreen exactly about the fuel bottle.  This helps forbid the windscreen from getting all bent upwards when packed together with avoids having to plication the windscreen for storage.  The points at which windscreens are folded oft operate points of failure.  Believe it or non the windscreen shown inwards the photograph is the master windscreen that came amongst this stove that I purchased inwards nearly 1987.  I operate along the windscreen wrapped every bit shown, together with and so I position the whole ensemble inwards a plastic pocketbook before I position the fuel bottle inwards my pack.  This technique protects non alone the windscreen but besides the contents of the pack from damage.  I besides position my burner inwards a small-scale plastic pocketbook before placing it inwards the stuff sack.  This keeps the within of the stuff sack clean.  Tip:  Note besides that I operate along the pump inwards the bottle when inwards the field.  I leave of absence the bottle's cap at home.  Do live sure to unloosen the pressure level when the stove is non inwards use.  Do non unloosen the pressure level close the stove when the stove is hot.  Release the pressure level away from flame or oestrus sources.

Here's a photograph of the oestrus reflector unfolded.  Note the hole inwards the center.

The legs of the stove, spell even so folded, are inserted through the hole...

...then the oestrus reflector is moved upwards exactly about the mid department of the burner...

...and together with so the legs are rotated into position.  The "hourglass" cast of the legs holds the oestrus reflector inwards seat inwards a higher identify the fuel line of piece of work together with below the burner.

This is a expert blueprint together with when combined amongst the windscreen makes for efficient cooking.  In subsequently models of the oestrus reflector, MSR removed the view hole.  This is most probable a toll cutting measure.  The oestrus reflector, instead of sitting exactly below the burner at nowadays sits underneath the whole stove.  This is a bad thought for 2 reasons:  1.  Now the reflector is farther away from the burner which is less efficient together with 2. the aluminum reflector is slick.  Putting a stove on a slick surface on uneven soil invites the disaster of the spilled supper.  The master blueprint was better.  One tin improve the newer oestrus reflectors yesteryear cutting the hole oneself or ane tin exactly omit the oestrus reflector.  The oestrus reflector does brand the stove to a greater extent than efficient, but the reflector is non essential on newer stoves.  On older stoves that receive got the stuff covered fuel line, I recommend that y'all ever role the oestrus reflector lest oestrus impairment the fuel line of piece of work inwards some way.

After the reflector is inwards place, emplace the windscreen.  Early MSR windscreens had a diagonal cutting on the lower corners of the windscreen.  When the ends were joined, a small-scale "V" shaped opening remained.  One is supposed to thread the fuel line of piece of work through the "V" every bit shown.

The alone work amongst this is that if ane has a smaller pot, together with so a substantial gap volition be betwixt the border of the pot together with the windscreen.  Wind tin instruct into via this excessively large gap, reducing the effectiveness of your stove.

What I prefer to do is to wrap the windscreen to a greater extent than tightly together with concord it inwards identify amongst a newspaper clip.

Note that inwards the minute photo, the gap is reduced but non eliminated.  Because of the reflector, it's hard to cut back the gap farther than shown, but the reduced gap that nosotros do receive got should purchase us some increased efficiency.  If ane were having problem inwards higher winds, ane could gyre the edges of the oestrus reflector upwards so that the windscreen could live drawn to a greater extent than tightly exactly about the pot.

Now, inwards drawing the windscreen to a greater extent than tightly exactly about the pot, we've closed the footling "V" shaped opening, but this is no large deal.  Simply identify the windscreen on transcend of the fuel line.

Yes, in that location is at nowadays a flake of a gap betwixt the soil together with the lower border of the windscreen, but inwards exercise I receive got non flora this gap to motility whatever trouble.  In actually windy weather if air current were sweeping inwards through this small-scale gap, ane could pile upwards dirt to unopen the gap.

Now, let's instruct some H2O from the creek.  By the way, boiling H2O is the most effective handling for killing H2O borne pathogens together with is to a greater extent than effective than filtering, ultraviolet treatment, or chemic treatment.

Now, we'll involve to prime number the stove.  You tin prime number the stove amongst the stove's ain fuel, white gasoline, but I prefer to pick out a small-scale crush bottle of denatured alcohol.

Why alcohol?  First, it's hard to command the amount of fuel dispensed when using the stove's ain fuel.  Too much fuel, together with y'all tin instruct a rattling large "soccer ball sized" fireball (MSR's words).  It's slow to command how much alcohol is dispensed from a crush bottle.  Second, alcohol burns to a greater extent than cleanly together with leaves less soot on your stove.  Third, alcohol is less volatile which farther reduces the gamble of a fireball.  To prime, squirt inwards some alcohol, dismiss it up, allow it burn downward down a bit, together with and so exactly every bit the priming flame is nearly to operate out, opened upwards the stove's valve a flake to add together fuel.  I typically opened upwards the valve exactly a fissure together with and so at in ane lawsuit unopen it, allowing the flame to burn downward down a flake before opening the valve again.  I operate through a span of iterations of opening the valve a crack, closing the valve, letting the flame burn downward down a bit, together with and so opening the valve in ane lawsuit to a greater extent than before I leave of absence the valve open.  This sounds complicated, but after a few times of doing it, it becomes minute nature.

When your stove is fully warmed up, your flame should live a squeamish steady blueish together with should aspect something similar this.

As I mentioned, amongst pre-shaker jet Whisperlites, it is possible to instruct them to a relatively depression flame.  Compare this flame.

With this flame.

Yes, a Whisperlite can simmer.  It's non automatic, but it tin live done fairly easily on a consistent basis.

Well, it looks similar my H2O is boiling,

so it's fourth dimension I had a loving cup of cocoa...

...here inwards this footling nook that I telephone telephone "Stove Test Area 2.".

I give thank y'all you for joining me on some other adventure inwards stoving.

HJ.

The MSR Whisperlite
What's expert nearly it?
Economical
Quiet
Fairly compact
Reasonably powerful (not every bit powerful every bit an XGK)
Reasonably Reliable (not every bit reliable every bit an XGK)
Stable
Efficient

What's bad nearly it?
Difficult to simmer (although pre-shaker jet models simmer pretty well)
The wire pot supports are hard to instruct dorsum into "true" if they instruct bent.  (so don't curvature them!)
The fuel line of piece of work is a footling potent especially when compared to newer stoves similar the Simmerlite.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 tad heavy when compared to newer stoves similar the Simmerlite.

Overall, recommended.  This is a good, economical basic stove for those who desire a liquid fueled stove.

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