MSR WhisperLite Universal Compact Hybrid Fuel Camping and Backpacking Stove

This thing could melt cast iron compared to the cheap stove I used to use. It’s easy to use and set up just have to be able to read in any one of the many languages the instructions are provided in. I ran mine on gasoline and it ran for a week three time a day without fail. Super excited to finally have a MSR stove.

Follow the instructions! Ran very well! It’s lite and easy to pack away. I used with my motorcycle aux fuel bottle and will again in the future. Love it!

Great all around compact stove. Made in USA. MSR/Cascade Designs is a reputable company. I've dealt with them on Thermarest stuff and they've been very honorable. Replacement parts should be available for a long time too.This stove appears to be expedition worthy. It comes with a tool for servicing the whole thing in the field. Wherever you are in the world you should be able to find something that it will burn. It runs on gasoline, white gas, kerosene, or butane canisters. It feels very solid.I've only used it on one 3 day backpacking trip so far, and this is my experience...I bought it mainly to use butane canisters (that's all I tried so far) and backpack with. It boils water quickly, and is able to simmer at a very low flame. The flame control is very good. The hose coming off of it is a little too stiff though and can be a little annoying. I would prefer that the stove not move the bottle around and vice versa. It fits nicely in the bag along with a large butane can. The weight was fine but not ultralight. The heat shield is just a folded up piece of round aluminum which I did not use. I did not bring or use any of the liquid fuel accessory parts.I think that the main downside of backpacking with this is the weight. It is light for what it does, and it does it very well. But, if all you want to do is boil water quick and carry a super light pack, there are options at about half the weight. I've weighed this and all of it's parts separately so you can figure out how much it would weigh in any configuration.All weights are in pounds done on a certified Hobart digital deli scale.0.59 = stove alone with the canister valve attached.0.19 = gas/kerosene pump0.04 = service kit. (tool and all orifices and extra O-rings)0.03 = plastic butane can holder0.07 = bag (stuff sack)0.13 = wind screen0.04 = ground heat reflectorMy setup with fuel weighed in at 1.60 lbs. (0.74 for stove and 0.86 for large butane canister)Yes I would buy it again. I may get something different for a windscreen though and may buy a dedicated ultralight stove for some backpacking trips.

After contacting the manufacturer, I found that my two WhisperLite stoves were no longer useable without a substantial retro-fit. It seems the pump wasn't recommended for use were dangerous to use. In short? They recommended not using the old stoves and getting a "new" stove. This is the Universal. Which means it has all the features of the WhisperLite International with the extra adapter for canister fuels. As such it gives you more flexibility out in the field. They put a lot of work into making sure the user is safe when using the stove in any configuration. Read the warrantee carefully. There are cautionary words that will quickly void the warrantee if misused. Their support is sketchy but when they do manage to get back to you, they are excellent. They genuinely value their customers and go to extra lengths to provide you with the information you are looking for. Price is an issue, but I believe that if you need a stove that will be guaranteed to work and last more than one season, you cannot go wrong with this one. Especially if you are prone to use canister fuels.

Ever since I was camping with my dad as a kid, I've wanted a whisperlite. I finally got one, and it's fantastic.This thing does a whole lot more than my Dad's whisperlite, though. It burns butane better than a butane stove--the butane you buy at sports stores is expensive isobutane, which works in lower temperatures than cheap N-butane. Thanks to the preheat loop on this stove, though, I've used N-butane down to 10°F (-10° Science). Since N-butane has a lower vapor pressure, it requires a less robust canister and is consequently lighter overall per unit of energy you get out of it.Which is great, except that this stove's white gas capabilities kind of obviate its butane capabilities. White gas has a substantially better gross energy density than either form of butane due to its minimal container requirements, and with an aftermarket heat exchanger pot and proper use of the included heat reflectors, you can get energy efficiency of over 70%, rivaling or even surpassing that of stoves like the jetboil. Plus, white gas is CHEAP compared even to N-butane.One of the biggest complaints about the whisperlite is its inability to simmer. True, it's not great at it. But you can get it to work by partially unscrewing the cap on the fuel bottle to release pressure, screwing it back down, and keeping the fuel bottle pressure just barely high enough to keep the stove lit. The low flame is not that efficient and will leave a small soot stain on the bottom of your pot, but it's actually not too bad and dramatically expands your ability to cook more nuanced meals in the backcountry.