The Best Backpacking Camp Stoves
There’s nothing like a hearty and warm meal after a long day of backpacking. Whether you’re whipping up something from scratch or boiling some water to rehydrate a meal, a camp stove can easily become a beloved item on your backpacking packing list… It can also be a real pain in your neck if you get a bad one. It can be tricky to find the best backpacking camp stoves, which is why we did the work for you.
Below, you’ll find some of our favorite backpacking stoves and the reasons why we love them. First, let’s cover the basics of camp stove selection and whether you’ll need a stove in the first place…
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Do I Need a Camp Stove?
Before you start browsing the best backpacking camp stoves, you might want to ask yourself if you will even need one. Many backpackers prefer to bring along a stove to whip up some hot meals and drinks. However, that doesn’t make it an essential piece of backpacking gear.
If you’re hiking in the warm months, have a water filter, and brought along meals and snacks that don’t require cooking, you do not need a stove.
Bringing along the right foods is key. You can create some quick meals that are ready-to-eat, such as tuna packets and pita bread or cured meat and cheese. This might not satisfy you in the long run, however. If you’re in the woods for 6+ days, you’ll start to crave a hot meal.
Another option is to purchase a backpacking meal that comes with a heating element that will cook itself when water is added. OMEALS has a few great options to check out if this sounds appealing.
When you’re backpacking in the winter, a stove is a bit more important. Hikers often use one to melt snow for drinking water. In the cold weather, it is also incredibly comforting to have something warm to consume.
Types of Camp Stoves
Canister Stoves
A canister stove is the most common, convenient, and easiest to use of the backpacking camp stove varieties. These are stoves that you screw onto the top of a fuel canister containing propane and isobutane.
There are many features that make canister stoves a great option. What makes these one of the best backpacking camp stove options is their ability to self-seal. When you unscrew the canister from the stove, it seals itself. You don’t have to worry about fuel spills or leaks. In addition, these are typically easy to light and give you the ability to adjust the flame.
As long as the stove has a pressure regulator, canister stoves can perform well at high elevations and low temperatures. However, they aren’t the best option for extremely cold conditions.
There are a few other downsides to canister stoves. It’s hard to tell how much fuel is left in the canister and once the canister is empty, you need to make sure to dispose of it properly. So unfortunately, these types of stoves can produce a lot of waste. These also aren’t ideal for international hiking trips because you might not find the right canisters abroad and cannot bring them on an airplane.
Best Suited For: 3 season domestic hiking for backpackers of all experience levels.
Liquid Fuel Stoves
An alternative to the canister stoves are the liquid fuel stoves, which connect to refillable bottles of fuel. These typically run on white gas, which allows for a cleaner burn. It is also a fuel that is much easier to find across the globe so these work well for international travel.
Liquid fuel stoves are the best option for cold-weather, winter backpacking or mountaineering. These stoves tend to perform very well in freezing temperatures and high elevations. Another perk is that it’s easy to tell how much fuel you have left, so you never risk setting off on a trip without enough. When it is time for a refill, the liquid fuel will be cheaper than a canister. Perfect for the budget-conscious backpacker.
There are some downsides to using a liquid fuel stove. A major one is the risk of spills and leaks. In addition, these stoves tend to be a bit heavier and bulkier compared to a canister stove and are more difficult to use. A liquid fuel stove requires priming and proper maintenance, so it may not be the best option for a backpacker who doesn’t want to deal with upkeep.
Best Suited For: All-season hiking across the globe for experienced backpackers and mountaineers.
Alternative Fuel Stoves
If neither of those stove options sound like the best backpacking camp stove for you, you may want to consider an alternative fuel stove. These stoves use fuel pellets or wood to keep the fire burning.
One of the biggest perks of these stoves are that they can be incredibly lightweight. If you’re using wood as the fuel, you don’t need to carry any fuel with you. Just use twigs and sticks you find on the ground. This also makes them very budget-friendly.
There are some shortcomings of these stoves, however. For one, they may be prohibited in areas with a fire ban or areas above the treeline. They may also be difficult to use when it’s wet out. Using fuel pellets instead of twigs is one way to get around this concern.
Even if you do use pellets, you may still struggle with these stove’s inability to control and regulate temperature for cooking. In fact, you may have trouble cooking at all if you don’t have a windscreen to protect the flame with.
Best Suited For: Dry weather hikes across the globe for budget and weight cautious backpackers.
Important Features in a Backpacking Stove
- Stove Weight – Like most backpacking gear, weight is of the essence. Keep in mind that the stove, fuel source, and pot should all be accounted for when considering total stove weight.
- Stove Size – Similar to stove weight, stove size should also account for the full cooking system. A stove with an integrated pot is often designed to store within itself. This makes these systems more efficient with space than a stove with an unrelated pot.You should also consider the amount of water the stove will hold. A small stove may be nice for a solo trip, but not ideal when you’re camping in a group setting.
- Integrated Pot– Some stoves come with an integrated pot that screws or fits snuggly into the stove itself. This makes the stove more stable and easier to use, but less versatile if you plan on doing a variety of meal preparation.
- Boiling Time – When shopping for a camp stove, you’ll notice most brands will include the boiling time as a key spec. This indicates how long it takes for the stove to boil a liter of water. This is helpful for evaluating fuel efficiency.
- Stability – The design of the stove will determine how stable the stove is. You’ll want to avoid any stoves that tend to tip over easily unless you plan on holding it in place as you cook. The best backpacking camp stoves can support themselves on relatively flat surfaces.
- Lighting Method – Many modern stoves will have an ignition button that you simply press to light. However, there are some that may require a lighter or matches. Bring a lighter just in case – it can serve as a backup if this button fails. Many modern stoves will have an ignition button that you simply press to light. However, there are some that may require a lighter or matches. Bring a lighter just in case – it also serves as a backup if this button fails.
- Dependability – If you backpack in a variety of conditions, make sure your stove can handle those conditions as well.
- Affordability – Depending on how much you are willing to invest in your backpacking gear, you may have to make some tradeoffs. Find the balance between weight, features, and price. Look for the best backpacking camp stoves that are in your budget.
Best Backpacking Camp Stoves
Best All-Around Stove
MSR PocketRocket Deluxe
- Weight: 2.9 oz
- Boil Time: 3.3 minutes
- Stove Type: Canister
- Integrated Pot: Included
The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is an enhanced version of a dependable favorite among backpackers. One of it’s key features is a pressure regulator, which makes it suitable for lower temperatures and higher elevations. It also has a broad burner head with wind protection for better heat distribution and simmering. The Deluxe has a push-button igniter for quick and easy lighting without use of a match. All around, we consider this one of the best backpacking camp stoves.
The MSR PocketRocket 2 comes in at a close second. This is a slightly lighter and smaller version of the PocketRocket at 2.6 oz. With that smaller size comes a few setbacks that make us prefer the deluxe version, such as the lack of a pressure regulator. This one is also less stable and windproof compared to the Deluxe version, but is still outperforms many competitor stoves.
Best Easy-to-Use Stove
Jetboil Minimo
If you’re just getting started with backpacking, the Jetboil Minimo is a great stove to get your bearings with. It is a complete setup, containing everything you need to get cooking (besides the fuel canister and the food). The total system was designed to be compact, all the pieces easily fit within each other to pack down to a 5 by 5.5 inch cylinder.
What makes this stove so great is how easy it is to use. It has a push button ignition and heat adjuster to make cooking a breeze. Since all the pieces are integrated, it is simple to set up as well.
This stove doesn’t do so well in windy conditions, however, and the pot is rather small. Due to these drawbacks, it is best suited for a backpacker who sticks to milder weather, lower elevations, and low-prep meals.
Best Lightweight Stove
BRS 300 T
If you’re trying to go ultralight, the BRS 300 T is one of the best backpacking camp stoves for its weight. It is made of titanium alloy, so it is one of the lightest options out there at only 26 grams and is incredibly compact. Not to mention it’s affordability!
It doesn’t come with any integrated pots or pans, so you’ll need to buy one separately. Make sure the ones you buy are small, however, because the support on this stove is rather narrow. The design of this stove is simple and easy to use. Unfortunately, that minimalistic design means it won’t hold up the best in windy conditions and isn’t the most well-performing stove out there. For the ultralight enthusiast, this could be a good fit for mild-weather treks.
Best Stove For Solo Hiking
Jetboil Flash Cooking System
When you’re out on your own, the Jetboil Flash cooking system will keep your meal prep easy and efficient. It is one of the fastest Jetboil systems out there, boiling water in only 100 seconds in ideal conditions. You’ll be able to tell when the water is ready for you at a distance, thanks to the color-changing heat indicator. So feel free to heat up that water while you start to set up camp. No need for teamwork when you can multitask!
The entire system is compact, small, and lightweight. When you’re the one carrying all the gear, you’ll appreciate this system’s efficiency. It’s also simple to use, so you can focus on other camp chores rather than fumbling around with your stove.
Best Stove for All Weather
MSR Windburner
- Weight: 15.3 oz (includes pot)
- Boil Time: 4.5 minutes
- Stove Type: Canister
- Integrated Pot: Included
If you’re the adventurous type who can’t be held back by the shortcomings of their stove, the MSR Windburner may be right for you. This all-in-one stove system is sturdy and windproof, so it works well in high altitude and gusty conditions. One of the key features that contributes to it’s resiliency is it’s pot’s locking mechanism. It locks onto the stove to maximize heat transfer while the radiant burner helps protect the flame from the wind.
The downside is that it is a bit heavy, but all the add ons store inside one another, making it potentially more compact than a system with mixed and matched pieces.
Another excellent option is MSR’s Windpro II. It’s remote-burner design provides improved stability and allows for the use of a windscreen for additional wind protection. This is not a full system, unlike the Windburner. It’s lack of features and more tedious set-up makes it fall to second choice on our list.
Best Budget Stove
Soto Amicus Stove and Cookset
- Weight: 11.2 oz (includes pot)
- Boil Time: 1.7 minutes
- Stove Type: Canister
- Integrated Pot: Included
If you’re looking for a great all-in-one system for a low price, the Soto Amicus Stove and cookset is fantastic. The cook set includes a small 500 ml pot and a larger 1,000 ml pot that fit together nicely, the small pot serves as a lid to the large pot while cooking. These can also be used separately as serving dishes or as separate pots, so it’s a nice option for couples.
Like many other canister stoves on this list, the Soto Amicus features a push-button igniter so you can light it without use of matches.
There are a few downfalls to this budget-friendly stove. A key one is the lack of gradient markers within the pots, which make it difficult for you to measure the amount of water you are cooking. There can also be some issues with the lid not fitting very well, which can cause some shifting and rattling.
Best Liquid Fuel Stove
MSR WhisperLite Universal
If you plan on traveling far and wide with your stove, the MSR WhisperLite is an ideal stove for you. It has the ease and capabilities of a typical canister stove, but with the option to alternate to liquid fuel when it’s needed. This versatility makes it the best backpacking camp stove for anyone who sets out on trips during all 4 seasons.
If you go overseas, bring along the refillable canister that is suitable for a variety of liquid fuels. You’ll be able to find something that will work for you when you get to your destination.
There are a couple of downsides to this system. It is heavy, the weight listed does not include an integrated pot or the fuel. This stove will also require regular maintenance in order to perform properly since it is a liquid fuel stove.
Best Wood Stove
Solo Stove Lite
Avoid purchasing fuel and stick to wood with the Solo Stove Lite. It’s a lightweight stove that helps you skimp further on weight by not requiring you to carry fuel. Instead, you can feed this efficient fire with small sticks and twigs. The double-wall construction paired with low vent holes allow for a hotter burn that creates less smoke. The cooking ring at the top also acts as a windscreen to keep the fire burning despite the weather conditions.
This stove doesn’t come with an integrated pot set, but there are some solo stove pots that will work well with the system. Though this stove works great in most weather conditions, it is not ideal for damp or rainy days, since it requires dry wood for fuel.
Photo by Sage Friedman on Unsplash
