Camp Chef Mountaineer Stove

David.D

New member
Love it but welds are ugly.

I got mine as a gift recently. Friend had the Everest model which has the same 20k btu burners. This model is physically larger, the nobs are all recessed so they can't get broken off as easily, and it has legitimate latches to close instead of cheap plastic ones on the Everest. A number of reviews mention the welds, and yah, they are poor. But each corner is also riveted to a bracket for attaching legs. So between the rivets and welding it would take a real lot of force to break the corner - to the extent that I think you'd pretty much have to crush it, at which point the welds wouldn't matter anyhow. I agree a quick disconnect would be a great addition. I don't know pressures well enough to know if it's an issue, but the fitting would have to tolerate 40,000 btu/hr.
 

dcg141

Adventurer
I got mine as a gift recently. Friend had the Everest model which has the same 20k btu burners. This model is physically larger, the nobs are all recessed so they can't get broken off as easily, and it has legitimate latches to close instead of cheap plastic ones on the Everest. A number of reviews mention the welds, and yah, they are poor. But each corner is also riveted to a bracket for attaching legs. So between the rivets and welding it would take a real lot of force to break the corner - to the extent that I think you'd pretty much have to crush it, at which point the welds wouldn't matter anyhow. I agree a quick disconnect would be a great addition. I don't know pressures well enough to know if it's an issue, but the fitting would have to tolerate 40,000 btu/hr.

I'm working on some mods for a quick disconnect. I'm with you on the welds and the build quality. Seems fine to me and other than Partner I guess most stoves are made in China now.
 

ckkone

Explorer
I haven't seen the aluminum Camp Chef, but I bought one of these . When it came to the house, it had RUNS in the red paint. No kidding. Never even lit it. Been sitting in the garage for 18 months. Junk.

Haha, yes a run in the paint really shows how well it performs it must be total junk. Why the heck didn't you just return it?
 

comptiger5000

Adventurer
As far as quality issues on the Everest, when I bought one, one burner didn't work well (barely lit at all, etc.). Swapped it for another one, works perfectly fine. The build quality isn't perfect by any means, but the stove does its job as expected. So if it's not being used all the time and you're not beating it up, it'll do the job pretty well relative to the price.
 

dcg141

Adventurer
Got a quick connect figured out.
IMG_0843[1].jpg
IMG_0844[1].jpg
IMG_0841[1].jpg

Using an adjustable regulator at the tank. I get more fire control with it also.
IMG_0842[1].jpg
 

perterra

Adventurer
I let it sit in the Jeep pile for too long to return it (before I got around to opening it). It wasn't a run, it was RUNS. Looks like a six year old with a can of spray paint is working for Camp Chef. Hell, being produced in China, it may very well HAVE been a six year old that painted it. Maybe it is the most awesome stove that has ever been produced. Still junk.

Any company that:
1. Can't seem to get the hang of applying paint to aluminum properly, or
2. Can't seem to figure out that they need to perform quality checks before putting stuff in a box, or
3. Assumes that their stove combusts so awesomely that a customer will accept shoddy foreign cosmetic details when purchasing a new product

Only gets my $s once. That kind of laziness/oversight makes me wonder about the problems that I can't see. Just me. Like I said, lotsa people like 'em. Besides, for a hundred bucks, who wants to monkey around with returning it. It's now my "loaner" stove. If I ever get around to loaning it out, I'll ask that person to give me a review. :) Have a feeling it's gonna wind up being somebody's birthday present.


Different strokes, different folks, I couldnt care less if it has runs in the pant. It's a stove.
 

dcg141

Adventurer
The OP wanted to know about the Camp Chef Mountaineer Stove. I chimed in because I actually own one. I got it because it has twice the BTU output of a another stove that cost more, but that one has really pretty welds. I already had a stove that puts out 20,000 BTU. I got it more than a decade ago at a sporting goods store on sale for $39. Used it for years as my main camp stove, never took very good care of it. Gave it to my son 2 years ago and he uses it every week during hunting season. Still works like the day I bought it. It was no doubt made in China. I have an American made stove that puts out close to that BTU already and does not need a propane bottle. My 60's era Coleman 426C. The Camp Chef works and puts out significantly more heat than my older stoves including my Primus Firehole, which puts our more than, you guessed it, the pretty stove. Unless I actually run over it with my American made Jeep I'm sure the less than perfect welds will hold up just fine.
 

perterra

Adventurer
The OP wanted to know about the Camp Chef Mountaineer Stove. I chimed in because I actually own one. I got it because it has twice the BTU output of a another stove that cost more, but that one has really pretty welds. I already had a stove that puts out 20,000 BTU. I got it more than a decade ago at a sporting goods store on sale for $39. Used it for years as my main camp stove, never took very good care of it. Gave it to my son 2 years ago and he uses it every week during hunting season. Still works like the day I bought it. It was no doubt made in China. I have an American made stove that puts out close to that BTU already and does not need a propane bottle. My 60's era Coleman 426C. The Camp Chef works and puts out significantly more heat than my older stoves including my Primus Firehole, which puts our more than, you guessed it, the pretty stove. Unless I actually run over it with my American made Jeep I'm sure the less than perfect welds will hold up just fine.

Cosmetics of the weld are a non issue with how well a stove works. Not sure why it's so upsetting to many. It's pretty simple, if cosmetics are important, look at it before you buy.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
I haven't seen the aluminum Camp Chef, but I bought one of these . When it came to the house, it had RUNS in the red paint. No kidding. Never even lit it. Been sitting in the garage for 18 months. Junk.

People seem to really like the Camp Chef stoves though. Since then I've purchased two Partner stoves. Love 'em.

I let it sit in the Jeep pile for too long to return it (before I got around to opening it). It wasn't a run, it was RUNS. Looks like a six year old with a can of spray paint is working for Camp Chef. Hell, being produced in China, it may very well HAVE been a six year old that painted it. Maybe it is the most awesome stove that has ever been produced. Still junk.

Any company that:
1. Can't seem to get the hang of applying paint to aluminum properly, or
2. Can't seem to figure out that they need to perform quality checks before putting stuff in a box, or
3. Assumes that their stove combusts so awesomely that a customer will accept shoddy foreign cosmetic details when purchasing a new product

Only gets my $s once. That kind of laziness/oversight makes me wonder about the problems that I can't see. Just me. Like I said, lotsa people like 'em. Besides, for a hundred bucks, who wants to monkey around with returning it. It's now my "loaner" stove. If I ever get around to loaning it out, I'll ask that person to give me a review. :) Have a feeling it's gonna wind up being somebody's birthday present.

I find these posts comical, as in a funny troll comical without much merit.
 

jacobconroy

Hillbilly of Leisure
I find these posts comical, as in a funny troll comical without much merit.

I have deleted my earlier comments in this thread. No interest in arguing with anyone. I was operating under the assumption that the OP was interested in purchasing a stove from Camp Chef (newly created model). I explained my direct experience as to the quality of this company's products. Some among the group seem to be offended by this info.

So, never mind. Camp Chef is the only stove i would ever consider purchasing. Awesome product and reasonably priced. Buy two. And, I offer my most sincere apologies for...whatever you took offense to.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,529
Messages
2,875,555
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top