Old school Coleman Products.. Worth IT?

[texas taco]

I have been saving for a camp partner stove for a while. I just got back from a Big Bend trip. My buddy brought his dad. He whipped out his 30 year old Coleman white gas stove and a smaller white gas lantern. I was really reluctant because the newer products seem real cheesy. We used both products quit a bit over our four day trip. After it was all said and done they were quite impressive. What are yall's impressions of these products. I am beginning to think about converting to white gas only to limit multi fuel sources. These products seam to be very good quality...
The reason for this is to up grade my original camping kit, which consist on a Wisperlight international, alpine pots and a Brunton Liberty lantern. Its getting sorta hard to provide the comforts needed for a family of 4..

 

[Sean VHA #60013]

I have always found the old school Coleman lanterns & stove to be reliable and trouble free. I would not hesitate to take them on longer journeys :victory:

 

[Michael Slade]

Dude, you will NEVER regret having some old-skool Coleman around. Knowing how to repair them and how they work makes them even more valuable.

 

[Colorado David]

I have and use a Coleman Stove and Lantern that my dad and I bought in 1967. On the credenza behind my desk here, I have two Coleman Lanterns I bought at an estate sale a couple of years ago. They work great. They are both much older than my others. The oldest dates from the 1930s.

 

[njtaco]

...and they can be had cheap! My last two two burner white gas Coleman stoves cost less than ten bucks...for both! And one is a multi-fuel. One was brand new in its original packaging. Yard sales are the best!

 

[bobcat charlie]

Coleman white gas equipment

I have, and use, 2 Coleman 2 burner white gas stoves, 1 Coleman single burner 502, a Coleman Apex with both white gas and kerosene generators, and 2 Coleman white gas lanterns (large [w reflector and handle] and small)...they ALL work great!

I have played with the Apex and it works fine with regular unleaded gasoline in place of 'white gas', and also works great with ULSD diesel in place of kerosene with the kerosene generator. Smokes a little on start up and blackens the pot but runs fine! Since I have a diesel truck, the Apex stays in the truck.

I suspect the 2 burner stoves will work on regular unleaded gasoline as well but I still have some 10 year old Coleman fuel to use up. Fired one of the stoves up with the old fuel last weekend...it ran fine!

The 2 burner stoves are over 30 years old, only maintenance has been to clean the exposed surfaces and a couple drops of oil on the pump seal. That's it!

Carry a package of spare mantels for the lanterns and that's the only spare part you will need. I also use a Coleman fuel funnel/filter to clean any fuel I add to these units.

These units have been used, and abused, on many many Boy Scout and family camping trips...can't recommend them enough!

Just writing this response has me longing for the hissing sound of the stove and the smell of that morning coffee in the outdoors!

 

[justfred]

You need to learn to put on mantles and replace generators or pumps properly - which is really easy - in which case they're great and they will last forever.

 

[SunTzuNephew]

I have always found the old school Coleman lanterns & stove to be reliable and trouble free. I would not hesitate to take them on longer journeys :victory:

Thats it...built like a tank, parts are still available (they're mostly the same parts), available from garage sales at a pittance... Over the years I bought one new coleman stove (back in the early 1980's) and have models picked up for free to a couple of bucks going back to during WWII (military versions). They still work great! And, you can EASILY replace the tank/generator with a propane adapter (that stores in the case with the rest of the stove) so they're dual fuel.

Same with lanterns, the newer propane models are cool but the older white gas models work as well.

I'm always on the lookout for them at garage or farm sales...clean them up, replace a few parts (maybe) and theyr'e GTG.

 

[texas taco]

Thanks for all the replies. I agree. One think I like the most is you can buy just about any part you need. Again thanks....

 

[Desert Dan]

the dual fuel stove and lanterns are nice because you can use the gas from your ring if you run out of white gas.

You can connvert an old stove to propane if you want.

I kept my old Coleman gear but have upgraded to propane. It is cleaner and hotter.

 

[RHINO]

old school coleman is great, reliable and simple, the only downside is liquid fuel, works very well but propane has the top notch for ease of use.

 

[rusty_tlc]

My only complaint with the Coleman lanterns is they are to bright and harsh.

 

[Michael Slade]

My only complaint with the Coleman lanterns is they are to bright and harsh.

That's kind of like complaining about the sun.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

I love my old school Coleman stuff!

I bought all of my units at garage sales for under $10 each. I am considering them as being collector items. I grew up using them.


I buy every old school piece I can find.

.

 

[rusty_tlc]

That's kind of like complaining about the sun.

How so? The sun is what it is.
You can select the quality of light you want by the source you use.
If I need a lantern I use an old kerosene wick style, it has a nice mellow light.
We usually don't use much more than a table candle around camp though.