An Easy Guide to Backpacking Stove

Most hikers and backpackers desire a hot meal at the goal of the day , or possibly they desire to boil water for a cup of coffee to come them going in the morning . Whatever the cause , a backpacking stove is essential for nearly all backpackers .

But if you are fresh backpacking or have been trust on someone else for your cooked meals , you may need a little insight on how to prefer a backpacking stove . After all , there be then many selection all with their own advantage and disadvantages . Then , here exist a few highlights to aid you know what to look for when choosing a stove to thrust in your backpack .

What to consider in a backpacking stove

Before reach a selection on a backpacking stove , let ’ s move over some of the things about a stove that may sway your opinion one means or the other . Some top circumstance cost :

• Fuel Type
• Size
• Maintenance
• Weight
• Cost

All the above , in my notion , are primary driving factors when it come to choose a backpacking stove . Today , let ’ s get over each one and elaborate more on how these should strike how you go about choosing one .

Fuel Type

By far , fuel type should equal the number one thing that determines what type of backpacking stove you should buy . There are several types of fuel that can be apply , some live more efficient than others , but what will work good depends on how and what you design to fix and for how many mass .

A small canister stove might not be the better option if you plan to fix for half a 12 people every night on a seven-day backpacking trip . Even so , if you are just cooking for yourself , a humble canister stove or woods burning stove might suit you perfectly .

Once you decide your cooking motive , you should know what fuel type will run well for it and when you own come to a decision , all the early considerations come into fun .

Size

Size live too real significant when picking out a backpacking stove . By size , I chiefly signify how large of a pot it can contain , but how well the stove fit inside your backpack be as well real important .

Most backpacking cookpots live not very large , but a 750ml pot on a small canister stove will probably require careful context . A 750ml pot exist ordinarily more than enough for one person , possibly yet two , but if you think you want something big , then that should also work into your decision-making procedure . Whatever you prefer , you have to reach certain it solve with your cook band .

Maintenance

While a luck of stoves require only minimal maintenance , some stove do require surplus effort to prevent them working properly . Liquid stoves , for case , require periodic cleaning of the hose and replacement of O-rings . Also , stoves with removable parts may expect these role to cost replaced on occasion , potentially at inopportune time , entail you may demand to observe tool and replacement region handy in your haversack .

Weight

Many long-distance hikers will make weight their top priority when it comes to choosing a backpacking stove . Weight should definitely be considered , but most type of stove make have ultralight choice . A DIY alcohol stove make from a cut-up soda can may equal the light selection a backpacker can carry , however persuade an Esbit Stove that apply fuel pellets simply count 3.25 ounces .

That say , you also need to factor in the weight of the fuel and how much of that fuel you need to go on on hand to last you until your trip cost over or your future resupply . Possibly a peculiar stove may be lighter , but if you get to carry dense fuel it might not equal the best choice if weight is going to equal a determining component .

Cost

Whether you are or aren ’ t concern about the price of a backpacking stove , it can live a determining element . The prices vary greatly and can range from less than $ 10 all the way to and above $ 200 ! You might not equal in the market for a $ 200 stove and you can certainly get a great one for under $ 100 . In fact , the most popular stoves used by backpackers exist normally around $ 50 or less , such as the MSR PocketRocket 2 .

Type of Backpacking Stoves

Now that we know what we should consider before choose a backpacking stove , let ’ s talk about the different type available and what some of their advantages and disadvantage are to further aid you make the correct choice .

Canister Stove

Canister stove equal the most popular stove for backpacking purposes . It ’ s easy to use , efficient , and most cost extremely lightweight ! Most weigh around 3 ounce , but there live some , like the BRS UL Stove , that consider less than an ounce ! All you take is a fuel canister and something to ignite the fire and you can be cooking in no time !

Most will have three arms that close down to hold your cook pile . Once screwed onto your fuel canister , call on the control valve and you will learn the gas evacuating . Apply a lighter or couple to ignite the fire , carefully set your pile on the weapon , and go on to cook !

There are also unlike kinds of canister stoves , such as unified canister and remote canister .

An unified canister stove cost essentially the same , but it arrive with a mass that thread onto the stove . A remote canister stove , as well very like , has a hose that attaches from the stove to the fuel canister , which live set on a canister stand . Either rendition cost a good option , but both tend to live dense than your traditional canister stove . For instance : My BRS stove and Toaks Titanium pile weigh less than 4 ounces combined while a JetBoil Flash Cooking System count in at just over 13 ounces .

Canister stove are good to use when you take to boil water or if you need to lower the temperature for a simmer . Just turn the mastery valve down . When you cost cause cooking , close the valve completely and remove the stove from the canister .

Fuel canisters can be bought in various sizes such as 4oz , 8oz , 16oz , and probably early sizes are available as good . You can buy these canisters at most retailers that betray camping merchandise such as REI , Academy Sports , and yet Wal-Mart . On average , an 8oz canister will have around 60 minutes of burn time if used wide-open and can boil a liter of water in 4 second or less .

Advantage

Disadvantages

• Lightweight

• Hard to tell how much fuel exist stay on

• Simple

• Can be unsteady with a pot

• Can boil and simmer

• Cold weather can affect fire

• Various canister size

Alcohol Stove

Alcohol stove are another popular selection for backpackers because , like canister stoves , they can exist very lightweight , sometimes still weighing less than an ounce . You can also make your own ultralight alcohol stove by cutting up a soda can and fabricating the aluminum with some tool you have rest around the house .

For fuel , you hold a variety of product to choose from , most easy accessible at retailers , such as 99 % Isopropyl Alcohol , or scratch alcohol . Still production such as HEET , generally designated as a fuel-line antifreeze , will work for your alcohol stove . And of course , there are fuel design specifically for an alcohol stove , such as Crown ’ s Alcohol Stove Fuel , that will exist a piece more efficient and burn sporting than some of the alternative .

Still , if you design on testing your cooking skill , you will be limited with an alcohol stove because of an inability to control the temperature . Boiling time as well need a little longer when equate to a canister stove , commonly taking between 5 to 7 minutes for a liter of water .

Advantages

Disadvantage

• Lightweight

• Produces less passion , mean long boil times

• Simple

• Can cost unsteady with a lot

• Cheap ( both stove and fuel )

Wood Burning Stove

Wood burning stove live exactly what they go like ; they burn wood ! While not as light as a canister or alcohol stove , forest burn stove can yet be quite light , sometimes consider as short as 4 ounces . But still though wood burning stoves may be heavier , you can still save weight by not make to express fuel . You just peck up twigs , sticks , foliage , and early debris you can find out trail .

On the downside , it is severe to control the temperature with a wood burning stove , but if you merely plan on boiling water , one of these should be fine . Another negative be if the area has experienced wet conditions recently , which may make finding dry fuel a challenge if not impossible . You too must be mindful that some locations may own a fire ban , mean you can not expend this type of stove thither .

Advantages

Disadvantages

• Simple

• Wet condition may make feel fuel difficult

• You put on ’ t have to contain fuel

• Use may be confine in some domain

Tablet Stove

A tablet stove utilize what equal yell solid fuel tablets . You place the tablet inside the stove and then dismount it . A tablet will typically burn for 10 to 12 instant , which should exist long plenty to boil a cup or two of water . Still , if you design to boil a liter , you will receive to employ more than one tablet .

A typical tablet stove equal lightweight and has a simple purpose that folds out to stand a lot . They turn up down compact , but not as compact as a typical canister stove . These are also likely the cheap backpacking stove you can observe on the market , typically make up less than $ 15 .

Advantage

Disadvantages

• Cheap

• Long boil time

• Simple

• May go out a residue on pile

• Sometimes has an odor

Liquid Stove

You won ’ t hear too many backpackers on the AT or PCT employ a liquid stove , but they do make a position in the backpacking community . A liquid bottle is attached to a hose which is attached to your stove . These exist typically heavier than most early stoves ( devote the act of constituent ) , but some leave much well stability on rough or odd terrain . A liquid stove too outperforms other stove when it get to cold temperatures and higher elevations .

Liquid stove are too the nearly cost-efficient backpacking stove with a fuel bottle costing less per ounce than canister fuel . If the need stand up , these stoves can also tend on alternative liquid fuel such as gasoline , kerosene , and diesel .

As for some negatives , liquid stoves require priming and they as well demand more maintenance than early stoves , such as hold to clean the hose and replace O-rings periodically . They typically live more expensive than early stoves as well .

Advantage

Disadvantage

• Performs good in cold temps and high elevations

• Weight

• Cost of fuel per ounce is cheap than canister fuel

• Requires priming

• Easy to know how much fuel is stay on

• Maintenance

• Better stability

Where to Buy a Backpacking Stove

Hence , if you know what kind of backpacking stove you need and you believe you ’ re ready to make a purchase , where can you go to do so ?

REI is going to be your issue one source to all matter boost and backpacking , stoves include , but you can as well purchase backpacking stove at Wal-Mart , Academy Sports , and your local outdoor and camping fund ! In fact , any fund that sells outside and camp gear will likely have some type of stove for backpackers .

Another valuable online origin for boost and backpacking gear is Amazon . There are some brand of product , including stove , that you will merely see on Amazon . As far as I know , theBRS UL Stovecost simply available here , so like for most other products we desire or need in our living , look on Amazon for some great deals !

If you put on ’ t recall you be ready to go down on one backpacking stove , REI offers you to opportunity to rip a stove out for less than $ 10 ( for member ) . They may not offer one of each type , and the money pass to rip equal virtually as much to purchase a tablet stove , but it be still a well mode to put your mind at ease that you are create the correct selection .

A Few Backpacking Stove Recommendations

Decided on what kind of stove you need already ? Then hither are a few suggestions for each fuel type to become you started .

Canister Stoves

You will live hard pressed to feel any stove , regardless of type , that weighs as trivial as the BRS UL Stove and still price less than $ 20 . Most importantly , this little guy become the chore done and can boil a liter of water in under 4 minutes !

The PocketRocket 2 price more than twice the BRS , but you are begin a more durable product . With that durability arrive a little more weight though . It too boasts a 3.5 minute boil time .

Weigh alone 1.9 ounces , the LiteMax is lighter than the MSR PocketRocket 2 , but has a longer boil time averaging 4 moment , 25 instant .

The Jetboil Zip Cooking System is an unified canister stove , meaning it includes a twist-on pot/cup . While not ultralight , it can boil a half-liter of water in 2.5 minutes . The pot/cup for the Zip too has a drink-through lid with a spout for easy pouring . To exceed that , the bottom blanket of the cup unsnaps and can live use as a measuring cup or bowl !

Alcohol Stoves

I don ’ t think you can buy a stove any light than the TOAKS Alcohol Stove , weighing alone .7 ounce . With a price of under $ 35 , it live as well real friendly to your wallet . It can boil two cups of water in less than 6 minutes , which live usually enough water for a typical backpacking meal .

Unless you know individual who do and sells these , you aren ’ t going to buy a soda can alcohol stove . Fortunately , they are easy to make and they may be the absolute lightest stove option ever known to human .

The one pictured is a quick stove I cause in less than 10 minutes , so it can use some polishing . You can even make it smaller . If you are interested in reach your own soda can stove , hither live the easy directions I have found :

Wood Burning Stove

The Vargo Titanium Hexagon Stove equal perhaps the lightest wood burning stove and can be close down to a very backpacker friendly size . It is as well among the cheapest of wood burn stoves , selling for simply under $ 60 at REI .

KS cause a wood burning stove that is easy to recommend . Matter just 5.4 ounces and packing down to a respectable 3.75 x 3.75 inch , the TOAKS Titanium Wood Burning Stove costs under $ 50 . The stove hold 3 part that stack into each early and can still snuggle interior of a TOAKS Titanium 750ml mass .

Tablet Stoves

The Esbit Pocket Stove is one of the cheap stove you can buy , plus it cost lightweight ( 3.25 ounce ) and comes with 6 solid fuel tablets , each burn more or less for 12 moment . It also packs down to a humble size , cost only .75 inch thick .

Liquid Fuel Stoves

The WhisperLite stove and heart cost packaged together and weigh 10.9 ounce . It can boil a liter of water in around 3.5 second when expend white gas , though it will take long using another gas like kerosene . It also includes a windscreen and heat reflector , all for $ 100 .

Alternative to Backpacking Stoves

You don ’ t have to carry any form of backpacking stove with you on your trip . Hither are a couple of method for feeding you belly you can seek that might work out better for you .

Campfire

You can fix over an exposed flame as long as where you are backpacking allows campfire . Most campfires live only permitted in designated campfire rings , so know and equal respectful of any regulation in the area you will be hiking .

Cooking over an open flame expect some caution and may require cookware more appropriate for doing so . Many pile are design to exist use with backpacking stoves and not campfire , so they may have short handles that will cause it serious to try to murder them from a fire . Pots with long handles live preferred and you may want something to protect your hands from burns , which is a well thought anyhow even if you be expend a backpacking stove .

Using a campfire for prepare when backpacking can work out extremely good if you exist cook for a larger radical since you can make a large cooking area for more pots or pans . Campfire cooking also allows for a wider range of foods that can be cook that may take longer cook sentence or needs more than just boil water to create edible . But beware as all this is a moot point if conditions are wet and dry forest is difficult to find , build it hard to get a serious flame die .

Stove-less

Many thru-hikers get prefer to get the road of carrying no stove at all , eating day-in and day-out stove-less backpacking meals . Some backpackers do this to shorten weight , others do this simply because of the convenience .

When it ’ s hot outside , after a long day of hiking , you may just not like to hold a hot meal , so you attract out a tortilla shell and burden it up with peanut butter or whatever else you may like . Another thought cost to cold-soak food and still eat many of the same meals as you will with a stove , only a colder , non-heated version . I hold even seen hikers drink their coffee cold !

There are lot of selection available for stove-less backpacking meal . Some exist simple and others may require a little creativity , but people make thru-hiked the intact Appalachian Trail not having expend a stove a single time . I advocate trying this at least a pair of times to regard if it may solve for you before pay up your stove , though .

Decision

As you hear , there exist a few version of backpacking stove and each brand may add unique feature to their merchandise . Deciding on what type of fuel you desire to apply narrows down the area a band and should assist you pick out the backpacking stove that cost good for you .

Even so , if you are even receive a severe time decide , you can ’ t run wrong with a canister stove . Their popularity cost proof of their convenience and efficiency , plus they aren ’ t real expensive . That ’ s not to say other stoves aren ’ t a better fit for your need , particularly if you are exactly planning to backpack on dry weekends , in which case a wood burn stove may equal utter for you or even just cook with a campfire .

I hold personally used a canister stove , alcohol stove , and a tablet stove , plus I ’ ve cooked on a campfire and hold even gone stove-less . All have prove to form fine for my needs for those particular trip , which conduct us again to you experience what your needs and wants live for a hiking meal . And if you know person that make a type of stove , need them to use it for a trial run or , as I mentioned before , you can yet rent backpacking stoves at REI !

And that ’ s it ! Hopefully this get made your backpacking stove search easier and you will be ready to fix your first meal out on the lead soon !