[at-l] Re: Re More Whisperlite input

This is exactly why I like my alcohol stove or even a canister stove. I recall one Thanksgiving hike
where I had a choice of stoves. I had packed my backpack and other stuff for a visit to my family
and a hike in Shenendoah National Park. AS the cab drove me to the airport I had a "ah ha" moment
and realized I had not packed my esbit stove (I hadn't switched to alcohol yet). I had my cell phone
(since retired) with me and I called my parents and ask them if they could go to Husdon's Trails and
get me a stove. I told them just to get something that wasn't to expensive. I didn't want to get too
specific since I had no idea what the store would carry and I didn't want to confuse my parents with
too many options. When I got to their house they presented me with two stoves: a Primus Alpine Micro
and a MSR Whisperlite. I found myself immeidately daunted by the Whisperlite's many parts. I am not
known for hand-eye co-ordination and the last thing I wanted to do was have to fiddle with setting
up the stove, priming it, lighting it, letting it burn down, lighting again. I just knew Bad Things
would happen (I had memories of old Coleman camp stoves from years ago and I didn't like the
memories). I went with the canister stove. Sure, fuel is harder to get and it doesn't work as well
in the winter, but those weren't concerns for a four day hike (I just wish they had gotten a smaller
canister; they purchased the big whopper size and it is still pretty full as it sits on a shelf
somewhere in their house).

I'll be the first to admit that my feelings towards the Whisperlite are strongly influenced by my
very limited vision. But, it's nice to know other people have the same feelings I do.

  ** Ken **
  
On 12/29/00 at 3:37 PM, Tim Hewitt <Tim.Hewitt@fairchildsemi.com> wrote:

> The more I read about the care and feeding needed to keep a Whisperlight on
> the trail, the more I know I made the right decision and carried a stove
> with no moving parts...

**  Kenneth Knight    Web Design, IT Consultant, Software Engineer  **
**       krk@speakeasy.org        http://www.speakeasy.org/~krk     **
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