Spent 45 minutes trying to get a new camp stove to light in the rain

I mean, it was just a simple backpacking trip up near Lake Tahoe last month, and I bought this new little canister stove that had great reviews for being reliable. First night out, a drizzle starts, no big deal, right? I set it up under my tarp, follow the instructions exactly, and nothing. No click, no hiss, just wet metal. I checked the seal, wiped everything down, even tried a different fuel canister. My friend kept saying 'maybe it's just the altitude' but we were only at 7,000 feet. I finally gave up and ate a cold dinner, feeling pretty dumb. The next morning, in full sunlight, I looked closer and realized the tiny little safety pin on the valve connection was still pushed in from the packaging. I flicked it with my thumb and it lit first try. Has anyone else been totally defeated by a piece of plastic smaller than a pea?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_taylor5d ago

Honestly that kind of safety feature seems more like a hassle than real help. My old stove just screws on and works, rain or shine. Those little pins always feel like they're gonna break off and get lost in the dirt anyway.

murray.betty5d ago

Know someone who got real hurt when their old stove tipped over on a camping trip. Those pins might seem fussy but they stop that from happening. Lost one once and the company sent a replacement for free, no big deal. I'll take a little hassle over a bad burn any day.