Spent 3 hours trying to set up a cheap camp stove that just wouldn't light

Picked up a $25 butane stove from a gas station near Yosemite because I forgot mine. Took me forever to realize the regulator was defective and the gas can wasn't seating right. Finally gave up and just cooked over the fire pit at my campsite. Anyone else run into dud gear right when you need it most?

2 comments

2 Comments

lilyp371mo ago

Honestly I used to think cheaper gear was fine for a backup but your comment about the prongs being bent just clicked for me. I always figured a stove was a stove and it either works or it doesn't, never thought about how shipping could mess up the little parts that make it seat right. That story about you fixing one with pliers is wild, I would have never tried that myself. I was so frustrated that night but now I'm kinda realizing I should've looked closer before giving up. Definitely changed my mind about cheap camping gear, sometimes it's just a tiny fix away from working fine.

jana_shah1mo ago

I mean honestly, that sounds about right for a gas station stove that cheap. Did you try messing with the little metal prongs where the can sits? Sometimes they get bent in shipping and the can doesn't seat all the way. I've had that happen with a couple of those disposable stoves, and a pair of pliers usually fixes it if you're careful. Kind of a bummer you had to default to the fire pit, but at least you had one handy.