Used to swear by my $30 coleman stove, then I tried my buddy's msr whisperlite on a 5 day trip in yosemite

I've been camping for like 10 years and always thought the cheap coleman was just fine. It's heavy and bulky but it works. Last month my friend brought his whisperlite on our trip and I was shocked. It boiled water in half the time and packed down tiny. I'm not a backpacker but I can see the appeal now. But then I think, for car camping does it even matter? The coleman is way cheaper and you're not carrying it far. Am I missing something or is the hype just for people who hike miles in?

2 comments

2 Comments

jenniferw821mo ago

Wait, did you try using it after a long day of hiking and feel like a total idiot for not switching sooner? lol I took my coleman on a car camping trip last summer and nearly dropped it trying to wrestle it out of my trunk, then watched my buddy set up his whisperlite in like 30 seconds. For car camping I still lean coleman because who cares about packing small, but that whisperlite really does make you feel a little more badass even if you're just driving to the site.

the_karen28d ago

I read somewhere the whisperlite is basically the same tech they use on Everest expeditions or something...