Ask the Gear Guy

Lighting stoves without flare-up

What’s the best way to light a camp stove without getting too big of a flare-up? I have an MSR WhisperLite.
– Phil the Fireball, Johnstown, Pa.

A. Good question, Fireball. For this one we turned to MSR’s Michelle Vela, who spent three years in the stove repair department learning every inch of the WhisperLite. She says: “The best way to start a stove without a big flare-up has everything to do with how much fuel you initially let flow into the priming cup at the bottom of the stove.”

Here’s how:

1. Turn the control valve on the fuel pump until you can hear the sound of gas.
2. Then, shut the valve off. The fuel you heard will be enough to flow through the fuel line and into your priming cup.
3. Light the fuel to prime your stove.
4. When the flame begins to die down, slowly crank open the control valve.
5. Once the stove is heated and running, you can turn the control valve on full blast.

Read 6 comments about “Lighting stoves without flare-up”

1. 1 - Cowboy says:
   December 10th, 2007 at 4:33 pm

   I really needed to know this. Thank you!

2. 2 - cityslicker says:
   December 27th, 2007 at 2:20 pm

   Does this involve all types of stoves????? Thanks anyway

3. 3 - hairless henry says:
   December 29th, 2007 at 7:58 pm

   thainks (see the name)

4. 4 - andy says:
   March 16th, 2008 at 1:59 pm

   i was camping in braemar (scotland) a few year ago and the group next to us had the gas stove near there tent turned the gas on but could not light the match and well you should have seen the flame.

5. 5 - GoSt.LouisCardinals says:
   April 2nd, 2008 at 4:24 pm

   Hey just wanted to chime in this is great advice but int the flare up thing nesceary to heat rhe generator so the fue will flow with out consrant pumping to get the fuel to move and plus it is half the fun

6. 6 - charedface says:
   April 23rd, 2008 at 12:48 pm

   thanks before this i always nearly blew my head up see name

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