BajaNomad

Sm. propane canister for camping stove in SJD

wilderone - 8-20-2018 at 09:29 AM

So I'm flying into San Jose del Cabo with camping gear for a couple weeks adventure. Is there a reliable store to purchase a standard screw-on propane canister for a backpacking stove in town?

dtbushpilot - 8-20-2018 at 09:41 AM

All hardware stores have them.

wilderone - 8-20-2018 at 09:50 AM

Thanks - Looks like many hardware stores along Hwy 1 out of town. I've got a few addresses to check out.

bajamary1952 - 8-20-2018 at 10:08 AM

Don't know about SJC but expect to pay almost DOUBLE at stores like Home Depot. Everywhere I found them both in Baja & mainland they were expensive compared to U.S.

Alm - 8-20-2018 at 09:30 PM

Standard screw-on canister - sounds like 1 lb green BBQ canisters, sold under Coleman brand in the US. Before I dropped my anchor in Baja, I used to fly and it was a pain to buy those canisters.

Home Depot have it in Mexico. Sport equipment stores too, - not all. Prices are double, be it HD or sport stores. Once in Loreto I couldn't find any, and bought tall blue cylinder used for torches - same thread. Size of a wine bottle. Big chain store El Arco Plomeria y Electrico, there should be one in SJD too.

Don't buy tall yellow cylinders on the shelf next to blue ones - those are different mix.

[Edited on 8-21-2018 by Alm]

gnukid - 8-20-2018 at 09:48 PM

1lb are sold at marine supply stores and are expensive and wasteful. You may want to bring a hose to optionally use a regular size propane tank and either borrow or buy one, 20lbs tanks are cheap to fill and you don't have to fill it all the way. You can also pay for deposit for tanks from propane distributors and keep receipt to try to get the money back or sell or give away. Marinas and camp grounds often have tanks sitting around, you could negotiate.

volcano - 8-21-2018 at 07:05 AM

Mega at the end of the toll rd has them

wilderone - 8-21-2018 at 07:28 AM

Not the Coleman 1 lb – like this:



I’ll bring the stove, but won’t totally rely on it in case I can’t find the canister. As an alternative I’m also bringing the alcohol stove, which I can use denatured alcohol with. I also made some wax fire starters that I can use with a few sticks as a last resort:



I may bring a few fresh pinecones that I picked up at Mammoth Lakes a couple weeks ago too - they'll burn hot and fast.

Hook - 8-21-2018 at 08:16 AM

WOW, how long has MSR made butane/propane canisters like that. When I backpacked in the 80s and 90s, I only recall seeing the bottles for the famous Whisperlite stove. A great stove for boiling water (nothing faster, really) but not very adjustable for actual cooking. I stuck with my Bluet........which I still have, for some reason. Hasnt been used in probably 25 years.

Good luck finding those down there. I would think it would be hard. Maybe convince someone on Nomads who is heading down to bring them to you. I doubt you can fly with them.

wilderone - 8-21-2018 at 08:47 AM

Absolutely can't fly with them. Those small canisters fit that small stove – cheap from China – they’re very efficient - adjustable flame too.



Your Bluet? The gaz? I have 3 of those stoves – very reliable – but the canisters aren’t sold in the US anymore, but sold in Europe all over! I only have about 3 canisters left for the Gaz.

Alm - 8-21-2018 at 12:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone  
Not the Coleman 1 lb – like this:



They are puncture-in type, I prefer not calling them screw-on. MSR is what they are normally called, though there are other makers too.

Your stove is a backpacking stove, different from bulkier single-burner or 2-burner types called "camping stove".

Difficult to find MSR tanks in Mexico. Some sport stores might have it, even in Cabo I wouldn't bet on it.

I have an Optimus stove similar to yours. The very first thing I did when began traveling/flying with it, was cutting MSR end-fitting off and replacing it with Coleman type fitting, to accept more common green Coleman cartridges. My stove is on tripod with a hose to cartridge, so it was easy to replace the fitting. Home Depot in the States have $15 Coleman single burner that you can screw on top of Coleman tank, maybe HD in Cabo would have it (and Coleman tanks, too).

Alcohol stove is inconvenient, compared to propane. Haven't used mine for long time.

Edit - PS: for an ultimate backup I keep Sierra Zip. There is always plenty of driftwood around. Fan is not mandatory, it will work without fan, so-so. With fan it burns extremely well, easy to start fire. My old model is more compact, fan has no bulky plastic "control unit".

[Edited on 8-21-2018 by Alm]

Don Jorge - 8-21-2018 at 01:37 PM

Difficult if not impossible to find those MSR cans in Baja or in Central or South America.
Recommend MSR Wisperlight International.
https://www.rei.com/product/830341/msr-whisperlite-internati...

Burns white gas, unleaded or kerosene.

gnukid - 8-21-2018 at 01:42 PM

You can just go to the store and buy a regular camp stove that uses propane and buy a propane tank that fits when you arrive in SJ it might be much easier, then put it plastic and bury it in the dessert for next time or give it away. Or eat fresh fruits, make ceviches and drink water and skip cooking or make a fire when you want to go nuts.

Alm - 8-21-2018 at 10:17 PM

Liquid fuel stoves - other than alcohol - are very difficult if not impossible to clean of fuel residue inside, up to standards of airlines.

Ditto on on buying a propane camp stove (that works with green tanks). Walmart, Home Depot and low-end camping stores in the US have $15 single burners to screw on top of green tank, and $5 plastic stand to put under the tank for stability. There is not need to bury it in the desert before taking a flight home, without a tank they are perfectly fine in air luggage, have done this many times.

PaulW - 8-22-2018 at 12:53 PM

Liquid fuel stoves are banned in the western US fire prone zones. The propane stoves are allowed.
I guess is the liquid ones are prone to spills and fire flareup?

John Harper - 8-23-2018 at 04:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW  
Liquid fuel stoves are banned in the western US fire prone zones. The propane stoves are allowed.
I guess is the liquid ones are prone to spills and fire flareup?


Yes, and alcohol fueled stoves are particularly treacherous, as they flame is nearly invisible. I use a JetBoil Zip for camping and backpacking, very efficient on fuel, canisters last a long, long time.

John

mojo_norte - 8-23-2018 at 05:34 PM

As mentioned by the other guy I think buying a $15 one burner at Walmart stateside that take the screw on green Coleman screw ons is the way to go. The MSR style cartridges in the photos (those are butane BTW) would be difficult to find . Or - just cook over a fire of dry twigs and throw the blacken pot away at the end of the trip.

Alm - 8-23-2018 at 07:42 PM

Perils of liquid fuel stoves begin well before you arrive at destination.

TSA rule is that (pressurized) fuel bottle should be completely clean of fuel fumes and residue. If there is any smell, they'll throw it out. Forget about cleaning a used bottle that well. Occasionally inexperienced security screeners would confiscate even a new fuel bottle because of red paint and warnings written on it.

Alcohol stoves are usually OK with airlines. Small 1 oz container is shallow with wide mouth, soapy water will clean it nicely. Besides, alcohol odor is not as heavy as those other fuels.

Btw, even if you are not a smoker, you are allowed one BIC lighter in your pocket - not in checked luggage. Sometimes they ask if you're a smoker - say Yes.

wilderone - 8-24-2018 at 06:44 PM

"... just cook over a fire of dry twigs and throw the blacken pot away at the end of the trip."
Thanks for points made. I think I'll go with fire starters and pine cones and bring the alcohol stove. Going to do a test soon with titanium pot to see how long it takes to boil water. Twigs, etc. as needed. I'll take advantage of restaurants as that is part of the fun, but like to be prepared when "out there" - hot coffee on a wilderness beach is always memorable. When an alcohol stove is packed piece by piece in different places it is unrecognizable.

upload pictures

wilderone - 8-25-2018 at 11:01 AM

I tried my campfire experiment using my firestarters (egg crate/dryer lint/candle wax/wick) and pinecone (which I thought would burn fast and hot. Turns out the pinecone did catch fire quickly, but smoked, and caused black residue on my pot. It also did not burn hot until it burned up, but smoldered. So I added a pine tree twig which caught fire quickly, burned clean and little smoke. This is when the 12 oz of water started to really heat up. I added very small twigs at the end to make a little bigger fire, and decided that is the key: Fire starters, with pine twigs or sticks (which I’ll bring – have huge supply), and feed a twig or two to keep maximum heat going. The experiment took about 5 minutes, but I should be able to get an acceptable coffee-ready (noodle soup) temperature in about 4 min.










Alm - 8-26-2018 at 07:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone  
that is the key: Fire starters, with pine twigs or sticks (which I’ll bring – have huge supply), and feed a twig or two to keep maximum heat going. The experiment took about 5 minutes, but I should be able to get an acceptable coffee-ready (noodle soup) temperature in about 4 min.

Why reinventing a wheel :)... Alcohol stove will be easier to work with and no soot. 16 oz bottle of alcohol costs less than a dollar in grocery tiendas, will last a few days.

For "smoke and fire" experience try Sierra stove. Once started, it burns everything, dry cow dung, wet twigs etc. Fan creates an effect similar to that in industrial blast furnace. Like with any wood fire, you'll get sooty pots, smoke in your eyes, smoke smell on your clothes, - the whole shebang. At least, it burns well. Fire starters - brown sticks - are nice to have, but again, airlines might not like it. Though they were never able to spot it inside metal Sierra can filled with other items.

Get Single propane burner and you'll be a happy camper with your own kitchen on the beach, without all this mess. Walmart and Home Depot in the US.

Edit-PS: as usual, you get what you pay. $15 Ozark is a so-so, $20 Coleman is slightly better. Flame adjustment knob doesn't work smooth, though better than on-off work of an alcohol stove. $26 Stansport in Home Depot is better, reportedly.

[Edited on 8-27-2018 by Alm]

wilderone - 8-27-2018 at 11:39 AM

I hear ya, Alm - I will take the alcohol stove, but not going to spend too much time looking for denatured alcohol (maybe at an RV supply store) (isopropyl alcohol does not work - HEET antifreeze works but couldn't find that in Yucatan). I'll be happy with a little twig fire - worked fine in Alaska, but I didn't have a nice pot support on the folding stove I had then, and the flames shot out the sides instead of heating the middle - I can make a bigger fire with my grill support too. I have 9 or 10 stoves as it is - I don't want to buy anything else. I'm separating the fire starters from the kindling - airlines shouldn't have a problem with wax. If the sticks get nixed, not a big deal.

John Harper - 8-27-2018 at 03:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm  
$26 Stansport in Home Depot is better, reportedly.


I got the tabletop single burner Stansport for my trip to Idaho, did not feel like taking the Coleman two burner. I just set it on the tailgate, worked great. It's only 5500 BTU but that was plenty heat. I did have problems with wind, so I made a cardboard windscreen to place around it. Kind of funky how the bottle attaches, but I've seen pots tumble off those burners that sit on top of the bottle. Without a base you're in trouble too.
https://www.amazon.com/Stansport-Single-Burner-Propane-Stove...

John

[Edited on 8-27-2018 by John Harper]

Alm - 8-29-2018 at 01:09 PM

Wilderone, there should be no problem finding a "real" alcohol in Baja. Sold in grocery stores, in cleaning supply isle. It says "not for drinking" but I didn't see any other components mentioned on the bottle, just a plain Alcohol Ethilico, looks like this one:

In a pinch, 70% rubbing alcohol will work too, so-so, it's sold in pharmacies and costs 3 times more than this 96% ethyl alcohol.

white whale - 9-27-2018 at 11:49 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Jorge  
Difficult if not impossible to find those MSR cans in Baja or in Central or South America.
Recommend MSR Wisperlight International.
https://www.rei.com/product/830341/msr-whisperlite-internati...

Burns white gas, unleaded or kerosene.


That's what i brought. My 20 yr old unit. Got an extra look at airport screening but was fine. Took a while to find fuel, had the wrong phrase in spanish at first, couldn't work it out in hand language either . Then I learned
the best phrase to remember is the "hardware store"... ferreteria. Then I started seeing them everywhere. All like the old school stores you had up to the Home Depot and the like invasion. They use white gas more as a paint thinner for the locals i think. Glass bottles - odd. Never did see the propane bottles - the common camp ones.

wilderone - 10-11-2018 at 05:19 PM

Turns out I had no problem with a little wood fire using my fire starters (they worked best), along with my construction pine splinters – was a reliable system with quick results.





bajarich - 10-11-2018 at 06:00 PM

Many years ago we searched all over for Coleman Fuel or White Gas with no luck. Then someone told us to go to a paint store and ask for Naptha. It is the same as white gas.