Looking for backpacking stove recommendations

[Chris]

I'm looking for some sort of a packable backpacking stove so that I can easily boil water for making freeze dried meals when I'm out hunting, hiking, camping, etc.

Something like this:

https://cascadedesigns.com/products...hCt_LjXu5gUa4H9txvwWM2N05zglR13RzHWjyzgNStg9T

In fact, I'll probably buy that one unless someone has a better recommendation.

Just thought I'd ask for opinions before I buy something.

 

[voodooridr]

I have the FireMaple Jet Boil clone from Amazon and it's working great so far

 

[Chris]

I have the FireMaple Jet Boil clone from Amazon and it's working great so far

Have you tried it in high winds? That's one of the reasons I was looking at the MSR. It seems that most people say it does really, really well in super windy conditions.

 

[B1Toad]

Have you looked at Primus? https://primus.us/pages/primus-history

 

[Chris]

Have you looked at Primus? https://primus.us/pages/primus-history

Not yet, I'll check it out. I'll have to read some reviews since my main concern is wind.

 

[JEEPSTEVENANAIMO]

I use a folding stove. just some kind of thin metal and i usesticks and twigs to make the fire. insanely small light and fuel is everywhere. i shave twigs down with a pencil sharpener to make my kindling/firestarter with wax. never left me stranded and i live in a rain forest

 

[rasband]

I have an MSR (the pocket rocket) that does great in the wind and even rain storms. The one big feature I would recommend finding is self lighting (such as the MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe) . I have a separate piezo igniter and know at some point I will forget it and would much rather it be integral to the stove.

A buddy swears by the jetboil, but I didn't want to be locked into a proprietary system of pots and such.

 

[voodooridr]

Have you tried it in high winds? That's one of the reasons I was looking at the MSR. It seems that most people say it does really, really well in super windy conditions.

I've used it in windy conditions but not what I'd call high winds and it works fine

 

[Apparition]

Used the snow peak gigapower from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the base of Denali

https://www.snowpeak.com/products/g...7Oh9Yi-cpOs1Mmw1jzZua_Mz0hX31YsBoCQKsQAvD_BwE

 

[voodooridr]

I also carry a very old Primus classic (it wasn't a classic when I bought it) as a backup, that will burn anywhere but takes longer to boil H2O

 

[DaveC]

I've had great results with this. It's cheap and has worked without failure in all conditions.

https://www.rei.com/product/114799/snow-peak-gigapower-20-stove?redirect-pup=false

Paired with these, it's been great.

https://www.rei.com/product/139459/toaks-titanium-750-ml-pot?redirect-pup=false

https://www.rei.com/product/668815/snow-peak-giga-power-windscreen?redirect-pup=false

Whichever you wind up with, I'd suggest always bringing a small disposable lighter in case the igniter acts up. Hasn't happened with mine, but I've been on backcountry trips when other people's stoves wouldn't light and the little $.99 lighter saved the day.

 

[sab]

I'm looking for some sort of a packable backpacking stove so that I can easily boil water for making freeze dried meals when I'm out hunting, hiking, camping, etc.

Something like this:

https://cascadedesigns.com/products...hCt_LjXu5gUa4H9txvwWM2N05zglR13RzHWjyzgNStg9T

In fact, I'll probably buy that one unless someone has a better recommendation.

Just thought I'd ask for opinions before I buy something.

If weight is not an issue, and you won't be above 10,000 ft that's an excellent choice. I've had one since they first came out, and when they added the smaller and larger sizes, I bought those pots, too. I also have the coffee press for the small and medium pots, which is nice, if you're a coffee drinker. I must have 15 different backcountry stoves of one kind or another. The Reactor is one of my favorites.

 

[jrfuda]

I have the JetBoil MicroMo it is great.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019GPIYZC?tag=wranglerorg-20

You can use this so you can use any pot or pan you want with it, but the included pot works so well I rarely used it.. maybe with a pan to fry some eggs.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MUYTTH4?tag=wranglerorg-20

That said, any of the isobutane-propane stoves are great. So much better than liquid fuel.

I had an MSR whisper light for years that I bought in the early 1990s. The only good thing about it was that it was light weight. It used white fuel in seperate canisters, took forever to setup, and was a little scary to light. It's tucked away woth the camping gear unused for a good 10 years.

My.next stove was a Coleman Exponent multifuel.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009VC7QK?tag=wranglerorg-20

I don't think they make that exact model anymore. It was a step up functionally from the whisper light, but bigger and heavier. It is lit is a similar manner but seemed more reliable. It could run off of any liquid fuel you had. I used it for the first half of the 9 years my boys were in Scouts as it was well suited to the camping we did.

I upgraded to the JetBoil after seeing fellow Soldiers using them for shaving water early in the morning. For me it was almost exclusively used for that, morning coffee water, or heating water for backpacking meals.

I do not think isobutane propane stoves are impacted by wind as much as liquid fuels stoves especially with the heat exchanger/wind guard most of them have.

I think the biggest differences among them are volume of the included pot and how compact they pack down.

 

[red02tj]

My MSR dragonfly is over 20yrs old and REI still makes a field service kit for it. Paired with the wind shield, I’ve never had an issue in bad weather. Weight wise (not including fuel) it’s within an ounce of the Jetboil.

 

[bbaldwin237]

I use a Jetboil, can't remember which model, but a canister and the burner all fit inside. I got the one that holds like 32oz of water because I don't really need to pack a smaller one. Just make sure you buy the right fuel for your conditions. I tend to just buy the 4 season fuel so that I never have to worry about the cold.

 

[StG58]

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/revi...g/backpacking-stove/msr-whisperlite-universal

Or the whisperlite international.

 

[srimes]

Tons of good choices out there. I just recommend you don't buy anything from REI.

 

[sab]

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/revi...g/backpacking-stove/msr-whisperlite-universal

Or the whisperlite international.

I have both the Reactor and the Whisperlite Universal. The Reactor is much easier (quicker, which is important to me) to use, but the Whisperlite Universal is my go-to for the following:

1. Exteme cold
2. High altitude (above 10k)
3. If I want to cook (never happens) instead of just heat stuff up

 

[Apparition]

Tons of good choices out there. I just recommend you don't buy anything from REI.

While I'm not a fan of REI, I've had a membership for years and if there's something I want the 20% off coupons are the only way to buy anything.

For a cheap stove not that big of a deal.

 

[gasiorv]

I went from a whisperlight to a pocket rocket and thought the pocket rocket was the greatest thing since sliced bread until the first time I went to use it in very cold temps. The isobutate that I had would not burn in the cold on that trip. Luckily someone had a propane stove and the propane burnt and another hiker with me had a penny stove and I was able to use his alcohol based penny stove the rest of the trip. Not sure if it was the particular brand/mix of Isobutane that I had (it wasn't MSR, it was the GSI i believe) but it would not burn at approx 13 deg F. It was not only cold but humid, so cold and dry may have been OK. The butane lighter that I had would also not light on that trip. Now if I am going out in below 20 deg weather, I pack up the old whisperlight with gas. Funny thing about that particular trip is that nothing battery operated would work neither (gopro, cell phones, etc...) but when I am skiing in similar temps in Colorado I have never had an issue with my phone or go pro working?

As a side by side, my buddy has a jet boil and I have a pocket rocket and his jet boil is faster at boiling water than my pocket rocket with the same fuel.

All my backpacking has been on the east coast, so elevation has not really been an issue. Not sure how isobutane does at elevation but it definitely does not work in cold and humid.