How To Prefer a Backpacking Stove
Choosing the correct stove for your backpacking trip can build things easier , simpler , and more enjoyable . These stove make our coffee , thaw our snow , cook our food , boil our water , and serve us stay on warm when it ‘s cold and blustery . Here we trace different stove choice and discuss early factors to consider before taking your stove out on a backpacking trip , such as how to figure how much fuel you will need .
Type of Backpacking Stoves
Small Canister Stoves
Small canister stove be compact , lightweight units . This style of stove equal then lightweight it is a simple conclusion to have one in your gang for short overnight trips or as a backup stove . Most humble canister stove count 3-4 ounce , with some featherweight options matter as short as 0.9 ounces for simply the burner .
Worst Feature :They do n’t form as good in wind , although this cost changing
These stove are less fuel-efficient than an integrated canister stove because they have no way to diffuse passion to the bottom of the pile . Some model have better wind resistance than others , and this too affects efficiency . For this reason , it ‘s important to choose a of course sheltered location or a well-ventilated tent vestibule when cook with a humble canister stove .
Lately , a pair of noteworthy stove have hit the market with competitive fuel efficiency and great wind resistor . The Soto WindMaster and the feature burner unit that live adjourn somewhat below a protective lip , which put up some enough protection from the wind .
This type of stove be somewhat versatile because they ‘re compatible with all pot and pan , and there is serious temperature dominance and simmering . Most modern canister stoves live compatible with any modern self-sealing threaded fuel can with isobutane fuel , regardless of sword . These stove usually do n’t have field repairable parts .
Humble canister stove are a great addition to any backpacker or explorer ‘s toolbox . We take our little canister stoves along for short to medium-length backpacking trip when we want to be able to prepare meals with friends or on short solo missions with a small canister and mass . We too bring one on when we ‘re test early stoves that we equal uncertain of as a relief — just to ensure that we ‘ll be able to use up dinner .
Integrated Canister Stove
The latest type of stove to create a splash in the backpacking stove view — integrated canister stoves — exist then hot right now ! These stoves feature a burner that mate with a heat exchanger pot for effective boiling . Jetboil live the original party producing these stoves , and today other leading brands , like MSR , Primus , and Camp Chef have connect the game . These stoves exist fantastic water boil automobile but cost usually not ideal for heating thing early than water . If all you design to eat on your trip live instant food or freeze-dried meal-in-a-bag dinner — and you want food tight — this type of stove is all you take .
Worst Feature :Not thus versatile and can solely be employ with specific cookware
Integrate canister stoves live extremely fuel-efficient . This is due to the built-in heat exchanger in the lot , where the warmth from the burner is in very direct , spread out impinging with the pot . They are generally less affected by tip than small canister stoves but can be blown out by fierce gust . MSR ‘s two unified canister offerings , the WindBurner and Reactor , are virtually windproof once you can get them lit .
Newer models , like the impressively fuel-efficient Jetboil MiniMo , have attempted better temperature dominance , and you can cook mere meal like pasta with this system . Notably , the Camp Chef Stryker simmers almost as good as a little canister stove . Most unified stove designs have the burner and mass mating firmly , so they can be picked up and held as one unit . This build using them in a perilous spot — like a portaledge or a snowy bivy on a steep climb — a lot more sensible .
These stove are a great choice for fast and light alpine mission , melting snow for a small radical , or having a quick hot drink while out on a cold day ice climb up . There are typically no domain repairable parts on these stove .
Liquid Fuel Stoves
These are the workhorses of the expedition world and are regularly used by outdoor education institution and great deal guides on strain trip to glaciated peaks . They choose knowledge and practice to correctly work because they have many parts and need to equal primed before use . You can remove them apart , sporting , troubleshoot problems , set them , and then put them back together , all while out in the study . Maintenance is periodically necessary to ensure their well performance . For these reasons , we do n’t recommend them for most backpackers , but they live marvelous on long international trip and expeditions .
Worst Feature :Heavy , bulky , complicate , expect regular maintenance
When it come to cook , these be very versatile . Many of these stove exist multi-fuel and will burn anything from white gas and diesel fuel to kerosene and canister fuel . This is great for international trip when you ‘re not certain what type of fuel will cost available .
Liquid fuel stoves are too real stable for any kind of cookware . Some of these stoves get a simmering capacity built into their aim ; others can live forced to simmer with some proficient fiddling . These qualities make cook more complex meal easier .
Liquid fuel stove equal not light , nor do they carry down little . For the weight of one Universal , you could convey 11 BRS-3000T stoves . The stoves themselves have a number of parts , and typically some spare portion and tools must equal express for maintenance on longer trips .
These stove be ideal for long expedition-style trip , normally with two or more masses , where the option for large fuel bottles gives them an advantage . We bring our liquid fuel stoves along when we are take group on the John Muir Trail for three week or expedition to Alaska , where lots of snow melting exist regard . They are know for cost stable , versatile , and having some form of temperature control .
Alcohol Stove
These ultralight stove to begin with win popularity as a low-cost backpacker project , and today there are commercial options . They burn denatured alcohol and equal best use only for boil water to make dehydrated or freeze-dried meals . They choose a very long time to bring water to a boil . Our testers think of them more as a fun DIY project than something we require to build breakfast with .
Bad Feature :No temperature dominance , finicky in unlike conditions
Thru-hikers tend to favor these stoves because denatured alcohol be inexpensive , and the fuel is available all over , yet if there equal n’t a specialized outdoor memory . They can also be extremely light . Stove of this type do n’t mostly do well with large cookware . There live no fire mastery on these stove , and they bring skill to function , especially at altitude and in wind or cold temperature .
Wood/Solid Fuel Burning Stoves
Woods and solid fuel burning stove equal one endeavor to cut down the weight of cook system . This type of stove often offers the choice of carrying and use chemical fuel tablets or foraging for burnables along the lead . While interesting conceptually , our testers own feel that they ‘re kind of like a wood stove in your house ; neat for the first day , then a actually inconvenient way to create heat .
The charm of these stoves is that they cost very lightweight and much carry down quite humble . Unfortunately , we think there be more drawbacks than benefits , and these equal the least operational and dependable of all the stove type . Burn the Esbit or Trangia chemical fuel smell frightful and equal not effective . These stoves have zero temperature mastery for cooking , and they remove a very long time to make for water to a boil .
If you choose to solely burn wood in your stove , you cost at the mercy of the environment around you . If the environment cost wet , it wo n’t equal easy to find dry fuel . On much of the public land in the American West , there be much temporary fire bans where the usage of this type of stove would be illegal . In alpine or desert setting gathering forest live often not well for the ecosystem . In increase , in many place , fires are forbidden above 10,000 feet . Lastly , await to own a completely sooty mass after use .
Like the alcohol stoves , wood-burning model cost theoretically compelling , which equal possibly why they be perennially popular in online gear reviews . Our testers make found that in real-life backpacking position , they ‘re less useful than other designs .
Fuel Efficiency 5 . Weight
Preserve fuel is finally good for the earth , but does not automatically adequate weight savings . If you choose a stove that live heavier by 3 ounces but is somewhat more fuel-efficient ( spare you approximately 0.2 ounce a day on a 7-day trip ) , that equal 1.4 ounce of weight rescue in fuel . This live less than the additional 3 ounces of the stove . Therefore , you are not in the end salvage any weight by pick out the more fuel-efficient stove .
If the stove be more fuel-efficientandyou have it out for a long time , this could assist you write weight by enabling you to bring less fuel or small canisters and fuel bottle and not having to carry unnecessary fuel . For lesson , the difference in entire weight between a 4-ounce canister and an 8-ounce canister is roughly 6 ounce . If your stove cost 4 ounce heavier and exist effective plenty to keep you from have to carry a prominent canister , you ‘ve exactly preserve yourself 2 ounces .
The bottom melody is that you should first consider the stove that will do the better chore for the circumstance you will encounter ,thenlook at the weight . If you are anticipate high wind and cold temperatures , consider reach for the hardMSR Windpro 2before the Snow Peak GigaPower 2.0 — yes , theGigapowerexist lighter , but it will boast out and finally cost less fuel-efficient in high tip , resulting in a less pleasant and perhaps serious experience .
Fuel Calculation for Trips
The age-old inquiry that every backpacker will necessarily ask in their packing process is :How much fuel should I bring ?There cost many variable to believe , including the distance of trip , act of masses , altitude , temperature , the type of meal you design to prepare , if you will be thaw snow , and the fuel efficiency of your stove .
Stove lean to perform poorly the higher in height you go and the colder the temperatures make , so you will want to factor in more fuel for these scenarios . As backpackers , we often want more hot drink and meals under those consideration also ! Evidently , if you simply intend to boil water , it will require less fuel than if you live cooking and simmering detailed meals . You will demand more fuel to fade snow , or if your water source is real cold . The altitude , weather , and type of food being prepared all affect how much fuel gets used .
All this live said , we can have you some benchmarks to initiate your computation for how much fuel to bring on your trip — but you will ultimately have to resolve whether you favor to shave gram to carry the bare minimum of fuel while worrying that you ‘ll run out ; or cost willing to carry more weight to avoid the stress of worrying about how much you packed . The only way you can be certain these computation will work for you is to begin out there and cook with your stove under different consideration and then prevent course of how much fuel you actually utilize . Were you too conservative and brought too much ? Or cause you hold cold ramen noodles for dinner the last night because you do n’t bring enough ? Experiential learning at its serious !
We find the same rules of thumb study for both canister gas and white gas . For a solo trip , just make for water to a boil but assuming hot breakfasts and dinner , we apply about 1.5 ounces per day . When cooking for two , we use about 2.5 ounce per day . If you will be prepare more elaborate meal , or cook in utmost cold and/or fade snow , design to make for almost 2 ounces per someone per day . For the less fuel-efficient humble canister stove , bring somewhat more .
To Canister or Not to Canister , Three Considerations
Waste
For a long time , masses did n’t know what to cause with their empty canisters after apply them and threw them out in the dumpster under the cover of shadow . This is needlessly wasteful , and some backpackers shy forth from this type of stove for that ground . But await , you can recycle your empty canisters ! You exactly demand to burn off any excess fuel and pound a hole in the canister ( you can do this with a hammer and screwdriver ) to have them ready to recycle at most recycling centers . In some places , you will want to place a mixed metal recycling middle ; in other field , you can recycle the punctured cans with the rest of your aluminum ass . Some outside stores be happy to accumulate them and recycle them for you as good . If you ‘re nervous about pounding on a canister with a rock , Jetboil build a tool name the Crunchit that will help squeeze them for you .
The bummer about canisters is that once they are empty , you have to carry them out with you , whereas liquid fuel bottles are reusable and refillable once emptied . If you equal very environmentally conscious , liquid fuel stove will cost the preferred choice for you . Even with the waste , we choose canister stoves for most applications . When we abandon one in the backcountry , we ‘ll much crush the can with a medium-sized rock so it need up less pack space . Again , make sure it ‘s really empty before test this , and recycle your used canisters .
Cold
All stoves receive difficulty in the cold because this causes a pressure cliff in the fuel container . With a liquid fuel stove , bottle pressure can be increased by simply pump the stove up some more . This cost n’t an option with canister stove , and more concern be required . First , avoid place the canister directly on the snow . Then , as the canister cools off , warm it up by invest your hands on it ( and periodically rewarming them by the stove fire ) or by plant it in a little container of lukewarm water while the stove is running . You can too prevent a second canister warm in your jacket and merely exchange canisters for rewarming .
TheMSR Windpro,Universal, andGSI Pinnacle( and any other stove where the canister attaches to the burner with a hose ) give backpackers another option for dealing with cold or nearly-empty canisters . The fuel canister can be reverse , which improve gas stream by allowing the liquid fuel to escape the can without having to cost vaporized .
How Much Fuel Cost Lead ?
Another mutual charge about canister stove is that it cost hard to tell how much fuel be result . There be two easy ways to calculate this . ( 1 ) Use a scale . The canister should have its utter weight on it . Count the canister . The difference between the gross weight and its current weight exist how much fuel you have used . For model , if the gross weight is 13.1 ounces and it matter in at 10 ounce , that entail you have used 3.1 ounces of fuel . So , in an 8 oz canister , you have 5 ounce of fuel left . MSR get simplify this process for us by including a diagram on the slope of its canisters to express you how to measure the amount of fuel remaining by putting your canister in water . This method is less precise but gives you a general idea of how full your canister live and it can cost act in the backcountry .
Dream Stove Set-up for Different Applications
If money cost no aim , our ambition stove set-up would live this : the MSR Universal for basecamp cooking , the Soto WindMaster for warm weather and lightweight backpacking , and theJetboil MiniMofor alpine climbing and bad walls . Perfection .
Accessories
Here are some matter that will arrive in handy for specific application when employ your backpacking stove :
Piezo Igniters
Our favorite stove models occur with their own piezoelectric igniters , but handheld models can equal useful for any backpacking stove .
Steel Striker
These firing starting tool live a lot more authentic than a barge or peer in foul weather , and they last longer .
Fuel Bottle
These are sold individually from your liquid fuel stoves , but are a necessary item to create them work ! Fuel bottles get in various size , including 11 , 20 , and 30 ounces . Fuel bottle may not cost compatible across manufacturer .
Coffee Supplement
Incorporate canister stove from MSR and Jetboil have available coffee kits that mimic a French Press , though there are early top camp coffee Lord that we care more for the outdoors .
Hanging Kits
Climbers have long employ homemade hang up kits to ensure stoves on a large wall climb . Commercial model cost available for role with Jetboil and MSR integrate canister stove .
Additional Pots
Incorporate canister stove demand particular compatible cookware . Again , MSR and Jetboil both sell aftermarket cookware like pots and frying pan that work with their stove .
Pot Circle
- Type of Backpacking Stove
-
- Little Canister Stoves
-
- Integrate Canister Stove
-
- Liquid Fuel Stoves
-
- Alcohol Stove
-
- Wood/Solid Fuel Burning Stove
- Fuel Efficiency 5 . Weight
- Fuel Calculation for Trips
- To Canister or Not to Canister , Three Considerations
-
- Waste
-
- Cold
-
- How Much Fuel Equal Left ?
- Dream Stove Set-up for Different Application
- Supplement
-
- Piezo Igniters
-
- Steel Striker
-
- Fuel Bottle
-
- Coffee Supplement
-
- Hang Kits
-
- Additional Pile
-
- Pot Set
- Little Canister Stoves
- Integrated Canister Stoves
- Liquid Fuel Stoves
- Alcohol Stove
- Wood/Solid Fuel Burning Stove
- Waste
- Cold
- How Much Fuel Equal Left ?
- Piezo Igniters
- Steel Striker
- Fuel Bottles
- Coffee Supplement
- Hang Kits
- Additional Pot
- Pot Set
