MSR Whisperlite International Stove Longterm Review

A longterm review of our MSR Whisperlite International Stove that we have used for more than 12 years for bicycle touring, backpacking, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures. Below you will find links to the pump repair and cooking a meal. Also if you watch many of our regular travel videos, you can see the different meals we've cooked using this stove. Thank you for watching!
Cooking a Meal: • Cooking with MSR Whisp...
Pump Repair: • MSR International Whis...

[@505fastlife6]

Finally a review where that stove was actually put to the test . I can’t trust reviews when the stove looks like it just came out the box.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Thank you 505 Fast Life for checking it out. Yes, we have worked our stoves and happy to hear you appreciate that. More to come regarding the newer stove and its travels. :-) Take care ~Ron & Petra

[@user-cf3ld8nl6x]

Как обладатель данной горелки с 2008 года могу сказать только одно - за той что на видео просто не следили и разжигали керосином или соляркой. Если разжигать спиртом она будет как из коробки ВСЕГДА. Мне неприятно смотреть такие видео - люди не следят за снаряжением!

[@Petr-ip1pd]

​​@@user-cf3ld8nl6x тут дело не в том что нужно только сухим спиртом разогревать, а просто регулярно чистить от копоти, я такой засранной горелки тоже никогда не видел у самого есть несколько бензинок от примуса и мср

[@1ambulator]

My experience with a Whisperlite goes back to 1991. Last spring (2023) I sent the stove along with the pump to MSR (Creative Design, Seattle WA) for an overhaul. I had replaced the all-gray pump with a red and gray pump about 12 years after purchase, both the old and replacement were adjusted with a dial. MSR overhauled the stove, replaced the covered fuel line with a longer one and replaced the pump for less than the price of a new pump (the replacement pump has a wire adjusting handle, along with 2 new wire legs. The key here is the older pumps have fallen out of favor with MSR and they would like to replace them and the fuel line as a safety overhaul. I am so pleased with the overhaul of the whisperlite I just picked up a VERY used International. In checking it out I found no fuel would go through the fuel line or the jet was blocked. It turned out the fuel line is a plastic hose that will degrade stopping fuel from reaching the jet. It is age and possibly leaving fuel in the line that causes that. MSR will replace the old line and overhaul my International stove and replace my dial pump for $35. If you have a newer style pump, they won't replace the pump, but the price is $25. Call Cascade Design repair at 800-531-9531 and get the details.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Bradley and thank you for your input and experience with your stove. This is a great review from you and hope others will take the time to read it. Sorry for the late reply and again thank you for adding to the video. Happy Adventures ~Ron & Petra

[@markwilliams2799]

Thank you for a great review I’ve had mine since I was 17 and I’m 49 now never failed me hope ur still having fun

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Mark and thank you for compliment and for taking the time and letting us know about your experiences with your stove. We've had great luck with ours as well and it's never let us down. Happy Adventures to you my friend!! ~Ron

[@paulwilkosky9192]

I would love to see you cook a meal on that and see what you would typically eat in a day in the life of someone who has traveled.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey there Paul and thank you for watching. We have several videos from our travels showing off some of the meals we've cooked. Also here is a video solely showing us cooking a meal with it. Check it out. ~Ron kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5vNiYOcgrOeoqM

[@AdventureswithRedbeard]

Thanks for this video. I just purchased one of these for motorcycle camping. Glad to see they last. I'm looking forward to my next trip.

[@lacrossed55]

I've had mine since 1996. Still works and I have the original seals and bottle. I've only used white gas. Edit: as I sit and think, I have changed an o ring

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Right on Adventures with Redbeard! We’ve had nothing but good luck with ours! Our new one is getting a full work out right now on our current big bike tour! ~Ron

[@lacrossed55]

@@PedalPowerTouring I actually pulled it out of my camping bin and fired but up. The original replacement no ring is indeed still in the bag

[@demonofheavn]

Great review, thank you for making this video!

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Mao Midong, thank you for watching !

[@tonybrown7847]

Thanks for the review. I ended up getting the whisper lite international and the xgk ex and I’m very happy.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey there Tony! Appreciate the feedback! We’ve had nothing but good times with our Whisperlite and we hope the same for you! Currently we are about 13 months into our second major world travel and our stove is working like a champ! Cheers from Serbia, Ron and Petra

[@Tiggs004]

I use and love the Intl Stove here in the UK, we get all kinds of weather in one day... Thanks for a Great in depth review of the stove from extensive practical use which is quite rare to say the least, keep them coming. Very recently I have made a Gas Canister adapter ( to make it a universal ). All I did was buy a Gas canister valve and by using a short length of gas hose and two thumbscrew pipe clamps to join the two parts together Hey Presto ( oh! .... and bought a UC jet for the Burner from an MSR agent ). All in less than $20 I find it useful on short duration trips for a quick easy cuppa tea, clean and instant light.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Cheers Jeff and thank you for your feedback. Having spent a few months touring the UK, we agree that the weather is all over the place at times. Appreciate the idea on making the gas canister adaptor. If we know we are only going to be boiling water, we will take the MSR PocketRocket with. Great little stove for just that. Cheers bud and happy adventures! ~Ron :-)

[@johnsmith-xh6je]

Me, I've used mine for 30 years, replaced o ring twice, lol burnt melted my pump once! My fault lol, lowest temperature I've used it -44 f, allude, 15000 ft, never let me down once !

[@JamesJReid]

thank you for a great review

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello James! Thank you for the feedback and for checking it out. Take care and happy adventures. ~Ron & Petra

[@stevejones5391]

Its easy to convert the Whisperlite international to canister gas. no need to change jets- use white gas jet. Parts- 2" of 1/4" black rubber fuel hose-two hose clamps- "Campingmoon Z21-25" canister fuel hose and valve (amazon $20). Remove the male threaded Nindal fitting from the new fuel line with a wrench. insert the remaining nipple into the 1/4" rubber hose and secure with hose clamp. Push the rubber fuel hose onto the stove fuel line and clamp. Can still convert back to white gas

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Thank you Steve for the tips. We don't use canister fuel but maybe someone out there does and will like your suggestions. We run regular old gasoline in our stoves and are good with that. Take care ~Ron

[@gertvanpeet3120]

I remember cooking in Fontainebleau forest ....with a Chinese wok on it, ..for four people or more... Wok is more as 22 inch wide! Started this thing around 1990!

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey there Gert, thanks for the comment. 1990? Wow that is a long time for sure. Do you still have your stove? ~Ron

[@gertvanpeet3120]

@@PedalPowerTouring bought a new one. All spare parts together.. is not cheap..

[@PedalPowerTouring]

@@gertvanpeet3120 understand that. But heck you've had it for many many many years and that speaks volumes on the quality. Heck we are happy with the amount of time we've had with ours, but you're around 31 years!! Awesome.

[@anigiainvhi1799]

Been using my International for five years now with only the occasional o-ring replacement.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Don and thank you for the feedback. Yeah these stoves are bullet-proof and work great if you ask us! Glad to hear your experience with it has been good too. ~Ron

[@Canadian_Craftsman]

Awesomely informative review my man and thanks for this share appreciate your time and efforts stay strong&healthy safe&happy!!(=✌💚

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey there Clearly Canadian!! Appreciate the feedback and hope it helps out. Same to you, stay strong, healthy, safe, and happy!! ~Cheers from Florida, Ron!

[@mark-wolverine]

Bad news the stove iPad forever was stolen. I went to go and start it up and it’s just gone. Definitely going to have to buy another one.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

That sucks Mark! Sorry to hear this. When we were cycling through southern California, some of the places we camped at, the Campground host or the Ranger warned us to put everything in our tent at night because there have been others that had gear stolen at night. Sucks for sure and hopefully you can get another one soon. Take care ~Ron

[@jplamb77]

I guess,, if I was overseas,, and had to burn gasoline; or a emergency and use jet fuel,,, I Would. But WOW,,, what a Mess that makes,,,!!!! Your hands were covered in black. Unless I have too,,, I’ll stay with white gas,,,!!!! Excellent Video,,, Joshua

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Appreciate the feedback Joshua. Yeah sometimes the soot can be a bit much but nothing a little soap and water can't get rid of. White gas is nice, but expensive and typically you can only find it by the gallon cans or at least this has been our experience. However, yes there are some outdoor shops that we've come by that will sell it by the ounce, but again it's expensive. We're good with using regular fuel since it works, is easy to find, and way cheaper than the white gas. Thanks again and happy adventures!!! ~Ron

[@Euronasa]

Great review😀👍 I have the excact same stove for almost 20 years. Only difference is the pump is a little different. I also use regular gas, but in the winter I prefer white gas inside the tent. I try not to preheat with gas like you do. I prefer alcohol. Just fill up the little cup and let it burn out. Then lit the burner with a match. The alcohol makes hardly any soot at all on the burner. I really reccomend trying that! I have never had success running kerosene ( with the correct jet) . In the cold season it does not work. It flames up yellow flames real bad after a while. In the summer kerosene might work ok. Good luck with the new one. And Wow😲 amazing trip you are on right now!!! When you were in Finland, how far north did you go, did you reach the North Cape here in Norway? 👍😀⛄

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Torbjorn! Appreciate your feedback, many thanks!! We've heard about using alcohol to preheat the stove but never tried it. We used to only use White Gas but it became so expensive that it's not worth it to us. Regular gas works just fine. :-) Yes we cycled all the way to Nordkapp and spent 3 days camping out with the midnight sun! We were very lucky and had amazing weather up there. The day we started cycling back there was so much sea fog you couldn't see anything, but the tourists buses kept arriving. Sadly those folks missed out and didn't see anything. Cheers from Mexico ~Ron & Petra! Here is Part 2 of Nordkapp if you're interested. pedalpowertouring.com/world-cycle-tour-blog/norway/nordkapp-part-2/

[@Euronasa]

@@PedalPowerTouring You guys are freakin awesome! I read all your posts from traveling Norway. The price level is beyond absurd I agree. Seems like we live in our own bubble there. Glad you enjoyed the scenery. And the mosquitoes, they are big like helicopters in the north. 😀 And plentyful😁

[@PedalPowerTouring]

@@Euronasa haha thank you! Yes the mosquitoes are monsters for sure. I thought we had hungry mosquitoes in Florida, but nah nothing like what you have. The same in Alaska, they are monsters and very hungry too. Thanks again and have you seen our any of our latest videos from our current travels? Alaska to Argentina?

[@Euronasa]

@@PedalPowerTouring Thanks for sending me there😀Now I have just finished episode 21 of cycling the Americas, and it is so great! You are so fine people! 😁👍👍

[@PedalPowerTouring]

@@Euronasa many thanks again and happy you enjoyed the videos. Really appreciate it! Take care and happy adventures my friend! ~Ron

[@yotoma]

MSR somewhere in their literature talked about the using the Stove Service Kit for "annual maintenance". However, I assume you use the service kit more for "repair" and not for "maintenance". Do you use spares before they break, or when the stove can't be fixed by usual needle and clog maintenance? That service kit has lots of spares, but are they ever really high wear items? Seems you guys only needed an o-ring for many years use.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Mark! I've only used the kit when something is not working or leaking. Correct, besides an "O"ring or two, I only recall needing to replace a primer wick (Item G) , a Check valve (item J) and a plunger (Item H) since 2008 on our stove. The only regular maintenance I do is shake the stove before and after each use to keep the jet clean and when the flame becomes weak, I'll take the fuel line cable (Item K) and run it back and forth for about 30 times to clean it out and while I have it apart, I ensure the jet is not clogged. We always carry with us 2 pumps, just in case one has issues. I'll use the good pump and then after dinner, I'll work on the pump giving me fits and this has been very rare for us. The items above that I am referencing are from MSR's repair instructions in case you were wondering. I hope this answers your questions, but if not please let me know. Cheers from Baja, Mexico! ~Ron

[@5USgRWFH]

get yourself a can of Barkeeper's Friend. It's in a shaker can similar to Comet powder. Buy the silver-colored can because it it best for cleaning stainless steel. Put about a teaspoon in a cup, then moisten the brushes of an old toothbrush. Dip the toothbrush in the powder and go to work on all surfaces. You will be amazed how clean your stove comes out.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey there 5USgRWFH! Appreciate the suggestion and tip. Normally, I don't let it get this bad and probably should have cleaned the stove first, but it is what it is. I know before we fly, I completely disassemble the stove and scrub so it looks new. This way the airlines and/or security don't toss it on us. Again appreciate the tip and happy adventures my friend. ~Ron

[@quigzinator]

just curious why you got the international and not the universal? dont plan on much alpine camping?

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Michael that is a great question, thank you. I think mostly because we don't really see ourselves camping at altitude all that often to justify the additional cost and trying to find fuel canisters on the road could be tough; especially, in remote parts of the world. Since both will run on regular fuel, we chose the International. Maybe too, we already own one and it's never let us down. Also, we do already own a Pocket Rocket 2 and will use it for adventures that only require us to boil water. Happy Adventures and safe travels!! ~Ron

[@tylertotten890]

Iam going to pick up a used one this weekend it has the old style pump should i by the new one

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Tyler! Without knowing the condition of the current pump it's hard to say. However, we would recommend always having two pumps with you. If one does fail (highly unlikely) you have the spare to cook with and then you can repair the pump giving you troubles. Just a suggestion of course. We always have two with us no matter if it's just an overnight trip or a multi year one. All the best with your new stove. ~Ron

[@shahabadolf3227]

Hello, I hope you doing fine, I just bought one of these, the newer version to be precise, can you tell me about the flame control and simmering capabilities of this stove? Since you have long time experience with it, I see from the internet that people saying it’s not good in simmering , and only good for boiling water.I hope they are wrong with that.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Thank you Shahab and we hope you're doing well too. So yes, technically, this stove does not do simmering, but BUT we have managed to cook some truly truly amazing meals with it. It is not just for boiling water we can promise you this. However, you will need to practice a little with it. We have a little work around that helps keep the flame to a minimum and this has allowed us to cook some pretty good meal. 1. Don't pump it up as much as you would normally. 2. Once the stove is hot close the on/off valve and then just barely (as I mention in my video) open it. This will take some practice and the stove will sound like it wants to go out, but it should stay burning and the flame will be small allowing you to cook something other than water. Here is a typical meal we would cook while bike touring or just out camping. Hope this helps and good luck with your stove. Remember just experiment and practice with it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5vNiYOcgrOeoqM

[@shahabadolf3227]

@@PedalPowerTouring many thanks , you have just convinced me to keep the stove and not return it to the retailer , it is still new inside the box I haven't put it to use yet, can't wait to go adventure and cook some good meal with it, have a wonderful time.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

@@shahabadolf3227 you're very welcome and we hope you have as many wonderful meals with your stove as we've had with ours. Again practice with the on/off valve and try to keep the number of pumps low and you should be ok. If you're really concerned though about the simmer function, check out the Dragonfly. I believe it has a true simmer but it's my understanding it is a loud and heavy stove. Good luck and happy adventures! ~Ron

[@Canadian_Craftsman]

@@PedalPowerTouring hey man BIG THANKS for your input and advice this is exactly what I was trying to find i bought a Bemco backpackers oven and then a msr Dragonfly apparently the oven likes the Whisperlite but I needed to control the flame for a slow burn so again thank you!!(=✌💚

[@PedalPowerTouring]

@@Canadian_Craftsman cool deal and happy to hear this helped you. While the Whisperlite takes some finesse and practice you can keep that flame low and create some pretty good meals. We were very close to getting the Dragonfly, but the additional weight and noise just didn't make sense considering how faithful our Whisperlite has been. ~Ron

[@Sagittarius-A-Star]

What is called white gas in the US and is sold quite expensively by Coleman etc. can be replaced (at least in Europe) by something used for cleaning (e.g. for removing glue or fat). Unfortunately there is no reliable translation available for that stuff ... It is not alcohol but a petroleum product - like gas for cars but cleaner. *Headache* (There is an even cleaner variant available which is suitable for cleaning around wounds (to remove the glue left from band aids) - of course much more expensive.)

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Thank you Sagittarius A* for the feedback and tips. We can't remember the name of the stuff that we were told that is a decent replacement for "White Gas" in Europe, but even that seemed to be hard to find. At least it was when we first landed in Madrid, so we just gave up and started using regular low grade automobile fuel and it works. It does get messy, but you can find it in the most remote areas of the world, it's fairly cheap, and it works. We've never missed a meal or hot coffee or tea. Happy Adventures!! ~Ron

[@brianwang1173]

ahh, the sound of freedom in the background.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Indeed!! :-)

[@padude131]

I bought my international stove back in May of 2018 and I've only used it a handful of times, mostly in the winter. I went to use it th I s past weekend and I realized the copper gas valve didn't have shutoff. It just keeps turning and turning. I emailed msr last night but ended up buying a new pump. I'm thinking the threads on the valve are stripped. Any thoughts?

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey there Pa Dude! That is a bummer and sorry to hear you had an issue with the pump. We always take two pumps with us and besides a leaky o-ring or the plunger popping off, we've never had any other issues; nor, have we missed a meal or hot cup of coffee since we always have two plumps and the repair kit. I'm pretty sure MSR (Cascade Designs, Inc.) will take care of you. I can say that our experience with them has always been great. Good luck and please let us know how things work out. ~Ron

[@padude131]

@@PedalPowerTouring I emailed them and told them I needed a new brass control valve. They told me it would be $5.00. I said ok but I'm thinking, this is a multi million dollar company and they charged me for that. I got the new valve and put it in the old pump. Just tried it today and no good. I have since purchased a whole new pump. I guess I'll have to use the new one.

[@jplamb77]

Hey,,, why don’t Y’all try using ONLY White Gas in the New Stove,,, Great Video,,, Joshua

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Thank you Joshua for the comment and compliment! We used to use only White Gas, but during our first world tour (2013-2015) after leaving America we could not find it anywhere. So at this point we switched to regular gas and haven't looked back. Also, White Gas is stupid expensive now whereas, we can top off both bottles for next to nothing depending on our location and regular gas can be found even in the smallest and remote villages around the world. Currently, cycling Alaska to Argentina (now in Baja Mexico) and the stove is going strong as always. Cheers and happy adventures. ~Ron

[@grant9908]

Watch at 2x speed. Thank me later.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey there Grant! Thank you for watching and the feedback. Happy adventures! ~Ron

[@clivedunning4317]

Thank you Grant !

[@TheMccluref]

Any problems with the pump?

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Fred and thank you for your question. Sure but nothing that couldn't be fixed while traveling. We always carry two pumps, so that if one does act up, we can still cook our meal and then afterwards I can repair the pump with the issue. The issues we've had are very minor, leaking "o" ring or a stuck plunger, but again nothing that couldn't be repaired very easily. Hope this helps. Cheers and happy adventures. ~Ron

[@Beingkindfeelsgood]

I've been using the msr rocket with msr isopro. It cooks great and easy to put away with no mess. I also have the international stove but it's still sits in bag. I'm afraid to use it.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Make Bodhi Resolve. Yeah we also own the MSR Pocket Rocket and it's great for short getaways or in locations where you can buy the fuel canisters. However, we would not recommend taking one for long term international travel since finding the fuel canisters can be hard to find or are actually none existent in some countries. Whereas, you can always find regular gasoline even in the smallest of villages in any country. Appreciate you feedback and all the best in your adventures. Cheers from El Salvador! ~Ron & Petra

[@arielnapenas8240]

I feel like I understand why you may be afraid to use it, I've sort of felt the same. I think I want to finally try though. I'm sure if you continue to use it, you will feel more comfortable with it. It does seem like more steps are needed, but with repeated use, we may be doing it without even thinking. All the best to you!

[@hybridhdd1926]

I'm looking for a stove that won't set my hex tent on fire.

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey there Hybrid. Yeah not sure I'd use any stove in a tent. Well.. except maybe an alcohol burner one, but nothing like this Whisperlite. I've used this one under our tarp, but that is after it has heated up and the flame is low. I'll get it started just outside of the tarp and then once the flame is ready to cook on, I'll pull it under the tarp if it's raining out. Good luck and let us know what you come up with. ~Ron

[@hybridhdd1926]

@@PedalPowerTouring I had a buddy once who caught a hex tent on fire with a Pot Belly stove. Do you have any experience with that type of stove?

[@PedalPowerTouring]

@@hybridhdd1926 haha ok this must be an Army bud! Who is it? LOL! Yeah I burned a couple of them in my time for sure. Did your buddy also burn them during a field problem in Hohenfells, Germany?? lol

[@shoersa]

Don't use this stove!

[@BaseCampERTCebuPhilippines]

MSR user for 16 years

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Awesome! Yeah we've met a few a long term MSR folks. Great products all around if you ask us. Happy Adventures! ~Ron

[@crackpotcrackpot2504]

Keep some alcohol hand and Prime with alcohol that way your stove whont get dirty and suted up plus priming with alcohol no fire ball like you do with gasoline or white gas

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hey Crackpot! HAHA love the handle! Yeah we've heard about the alcohol but that is just more to carry and worry about having with. However, we do appreciate the feedback and suggestion. The new MSR International seems to clean up easier and not get as dirty as the original one. Take care and happy adventures ~Ron & Petra

[@crackpotcrackpot2504]

@Pedal Power Touring yes that is true the legs are easy to fit compeard to the older model same with changing jets no more pussole just simply remove pre heat cup and whick slide it out tip upside down remove jet and shaker needle fit needle into new jet slide back in refit wick and prea heat cup very simple

[@vincentc6919]

Gasoline looks a lot dirtier than white gas. Wow

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Vinny! Yeah it is, but you can get it everywhere. We've been using regular gas since 2013 and it works just fine. ~Ron

[@vincentc6919]

@@PedalPowerTouring it’s awesome that the stove can use a bunch of different fuels. We’re now just getting old school unleaded in my area without the ethanol and additives.

[@Art49783]

Put gloves in your kit. So much cleaner

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Yeah I should have cleaned up the stove a bit before doing the video, but typically it’s not this bad! We’ve been on the road now for 2 and half months cycling the Americas using the new stove we got and it seems to clean up nicer than the original one! Appreciate your feedback and happy adventures my friend! ~Ron

[@iam1ee]

very messy

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Lee! Yeah normally I don't let it get this bad. ~Ron

[@andrewlapensee]

Looks soo dirty

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Hello Andrew! Yeah normally I don't let it get this bad. ~Ron

[@coconutboost7796]

To much talking

[@PedalPowerTouring]

Thanks for watching! ~Ron

[@demonofheavn]

I disagree. But no one is stopping you from making videos where you don't speak while reviewing items.

[@shoersa]

Just turn off the audio! Oh, just add an "o" to your To --> Too much talking.