The downsides are the size and weight and the bright flame when priming possibly giving you away if you’re stealth camping.
But they are durable as hell and will run on anything flammable.
I’d probably only take mine on another trip if I’m going to really remote and rather poor areas. Otherwise a lightweight propane/butane stove is much more convenient.
Sleeping in a place you probably aren’t legally allowed to. I do it pretty often when cycle touring. Not rare to end up in a place with no proper campsites or any affordable hotels anywhere close. So you just ride until well after dark, find a bit of forest, pitch the tent and sleep, then leave before dawn.
My buddy and I would regularly backpack in state parks and just park the car in the lot. We only found out a few years later we had voicemails from the state telling us we were illegally camping overnight. It was around that time when talking to other enthusiasts that they called it bandit camping.
Not entirely sure, but I’m pretty sure the park Rangers did a search on my license plate then looked up registration or personal property and found a phone number tied to something. I didn’t have my voicemail setup for a very long time so never got their messages, lol.
The Simmerlite was sort of like a Whisperlite that you can cook with, not as versatile for fuel sources though, but tbh I’ve never had issues finding white gas but don’t really bring it too far from home
Yeah I can see that, though I usually try to avoid camping when it’s much below freezing.
And I never found cooking on mine to be much of a problem? They take a while to really properly prime / heat soak, but once they do there’s pretty good control
The Optimus Nova+ is a heavier but beefier version (technically the original) of a whisperlite that you can get silence caps for which reduce the sound and visual.
The downsides are the size and weight and the bright flame when priming possibly giving you away if you’re stealth camping.
But they are durable as hell and will run on anything flammable.
I’d probably only take mine on another trip if I’m going to really remote and rather poor areas. Otherwise a lightweight propane/butane stove is much more convenient.
What is stealth camping?
Sleeping in a place you probably aren’t legally allowed to. I do it pretty often when cycle touring. Not rare to end up in a place with no proper campsites or any affordable hotels anywhere close. So you just ride until well after dark, find a bit of forest, pitch the tent and sleep, then leave before dawn.
My buddy and I would regularly backpack in state parks and just park the car in the lot. We only found out a few years later we had voicemails from the state telling us we were illegally camping overnight. It was around that time when talking to other enthusiasts that they called it bandit camping.
Yeah it’s insane how often camping in the woods is illegal.
That’s why places like Scandinavia and Scotland are rad. Unless you’re basically in somebody’s garden, it’s fair game.
How did you get voicemails? As in how did they know your phone number?
Not entirely sure, but I’m pretty sure the park Rangers did a search on my license plate then looked up registration or personal property and found a phone number tied to something. I didn’t have my voicemail setup for a very long time so never got their messages, lol.
They’re so much better in the cold compared to canister stoves too. Suck for cooking though (you need to control the pressure to simmer).
Takes forever to boil water at -25, but it will boil.
Yeah, I like my dragonfly because it simmers so nicely, but it is so loud
The Simmerlite was sort of like a Whisperlite that you can cook with, not as versatile for fuel sources though, but tbh I’ve never had issues finding white gas but don’t really bring it too far from home
Yeah I can see that, though I usually try to avoid camping when it’s much below freezing.
And I never found cooking on mine to be much of a problem? They take a while to really properly prime / heat soak, but once they do there’s pretty good control
The Optimus Nova+ is a heavier but beefier version (technically the original) of a whisperlite that you can get silence caps for which reduce the sound and visual.