So as the weathers gets cold again, I am reminded of issues I have had in years past while camping/hunting in the cold. Last year (or maybe earlier this year) I was out at sandy sanders, and the temps got down to -10 or so. Cold cold. All my water froze and to make things worse, my propane tank didn't work. Which meant no cooking or water until the weather warmed up some hours later. I hate spending the money on the little bottles, so I just have a regular 20lb tank I take with me everywhere. I dislike it because it takes up so much space when packing all my hunting/camping gear into my truck. I also hate batteries, they die at weird times, leak, perform poorly in the cold, and are expensive. I never seem to have the right ones with me at the right time. So I was thinking of going "old school" and getting some older Coleman stuff that runs off white gas, specifically their camp stove and a lantern or two. Thoughts? What kind of prices should I be paying for used equipment? I'm seeing lanterns from $15-200 and stoves from $50-150.
They make a fill valve that goes on the 20 lb tank and fills 1 lb bottles. I've got one and it works great. Just buy a couple of new ones, use then don't buy anymore and just refill. My camp stove and lantern run on the 1 lb propane cans so I have about 10 I keep in the garage then fill if/when needed. Also have a Mr. Buddy heater than runs on them.
Sorry but no help on the used equipment prices for white fuel.
Sorry but no help on the used equipment prices for white fuel.
Man I had some cool ones i gave away.
When I go hunting there are usually no burn bans in place and I never take any gas lanterns or propane devices.
I do have flash lights so I can find my way or look for shot critters if that scenario comes up.
I do not use light around camp after the sun goes down unless it is camp fire light or moon light.
My idea of camping is closer to Indian style.
Sleep in a small tent make a small fire go to bed early and get up early.
Do you really need all that gear?
I do have a gas lantern I will loan you if you truly need one.
It is an antique with a flat wick.
I would bet a tiki torch would work also.
When I go hunting there are usually no burn bans in place and I never take any gas lanterns or propane devices.
I do have flash lights so I can find my way or look for shot critters if that scenario comes up.
I do not use light around camp after the sun goes down unless it is camp fire light or moon light.
My idea of camping is closer to Indian style.
Sleep in a small tent make a small fire go to bed early and get up early.
Do you really need all that gear?
I do have a gas lantern I will loan you if you truly need one.
It is an antique with a flat wick.
I would bet a tiki torch would work also.
White gas isn’t temperamental like propane. It will work regardless of how cold it is. If you want reliability in extreme temperatures like you’re talking about white gas is the way to go.
As for prices they’re all over the place. Newer stuff has Silver founts or tanks. That means it’s dual fuel. You Can run regular unleaded gas in it. It’s best to put a cap full of carburetor cleaner in with every refill to help prevent the generator from clogging. And if you’re not gonna use it for a long period of time it’s best to make sure to dump it so that it doesn’t rust out the tank or ruined the generator.
As for price it is kind of all over the place. Just remember a new lantern is gonna run you about $100. A new stove closer to $200. So if you can find something that is used for less then that’s a deal. Cheaper the better. It’s all about condition.
Mantels for the lanterns are still pretty cheap. You can still get four packs of number 21s out of Walmart for two or three bucks. I like the older pumps that are made of leather. They last forever. If they dry out you just need to oil them and they’re good to go. The new ones used plastic cups and when they were out they were out.
So if you can find a good lantern for 20-30 bucks, same with the stove that looks almost new then that’s a super good deal
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It kind of depends on which models. If you just want useable ones, $20-$30 on a lantern is pretty normal. Stoves can be found for $25-50. Most that I’ve gotten in this range can be cleaned up and work great. Often you can just put new gas in them and they work.
You can get smaller tanks at 5-pound to 11-pound size. Refillable just like the 20-pounder size. Easier to carry, smaller size, etc. You’ll probably have to order those.
When it’s that cold you’ll need to really slow down the knob turning to open the valve. Slowly.
When it’s that cold you’ll need to really slow down the knob turning to open the valve. Slowly.
I rarely make campfires unless I'm out with someone who wants one, or unless I bought some steaks to grill up. Most of my cooking is done over a camp stove, I typically hunt until the end of shooting hours, 30 minutes after sunset, and am up early enough to be at my hunting spot by 45 minutes before sunrise. So my cooking is done in the dark at the start and end of the day. When I am cooking is the only time I use light, because I am like you; I wanna be in nature, in the dark looking at the stars with my cup of coffee or whiskey, not lighting up the country side. But I tend to eat pretty dang well when I am out hunting/camping, and definitely need some light for prep work. Poptarts and little debbies are for the mornings when I slept in too late and don't have time to cook.
Thats a good thought, and definitely a solution to one of my problems, but I still have to worry about extreme cold.
Amazon has lanterns on sale right now. A brand new Coleman dual fuel lantern is 66 bucks right now. Normally it’s 100. And it comes with a carrying case. That’s a good deal.
Coleman Premium Dual Fuel Lantern with Hard Carry Case
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