Backpacking Stoves

[Benny]

I was recently at Sport Chalet doing a little Christmas shopping. I just so happened to walk over to the backpacking section and started looking around, I made my way to the stove section. I currently have the MSR Whisperlite Internationale which has served me nicely for, I want to say the last 20+ years (wow that's a long time). The stove works great, but I was looking at the Snow Peak LiteMax Titanium Stove. Oh man... this stove is super ridiculously light, 1.9 ounces! I was amazed at how light this stove was, so amazed that I will soon have it, well on Christmas Day. My girlfriend got it for me.

I started talking with one of the workers in the backpacking section who said to make sure I keep my old MSR Whisperlite Internationale, I was already thinking of selling it. He said it would be a better option for the longer backpacking trips of like two weeks or more. Not sure when I plan on being out that long, in my early backpacking days yes, now it's highly unlikely.

Anyhow, I was curious what you guys are cooking with when out in the backcountry. Like I said, my old stove served me well, I am going to be keeping the MSR WLI. I hope the new Titanium Snow Peak LiteMax serves me just as long, here's to another 20+ years with both stoves.

[Rob909]

I have a Jetboil. Not super light, but I like the fact that it is all inclusive.....cup/bowl already a part of the unit.


Rob

[1mocast]

Benny,
I have been using a DIY alcohol stove made out of 2 aluminum cans paired with the old snow peak titanium pot for years. I was thinking for of trying the esbit type next time. I thought I saw someone with the snow peak Ti stove and you can't beat them from time to cook to eating.

Like Rob mentioned, many like the ease of use of the Jetboils.

[Gary C.]

I carry a MSR Pocket Rocket, great stove for my needs.

[rkfiske]

I use an alcohol stove as well, I have quite a few actually lol. Most are homemade but I also have a trangia, can't beat alcohol for weight savings but it's quite inefficient and can be somewhat dangerous. I also have a snow peak giga stove and it's light as far as canister stoves go and it works great.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Eric1]

Right now my go to is a trangia. I have not used my jetboil in a couple years. But my favorite is cooking over a campfire.
Eric

[Benny]

I have a Jetboil. Not super light, but I like the fact that it is all inclusive.....cup/bowl already a part of the unit.


Rob

The Jetboil looks really convenient. The only draw back for me was the bulky size and weight. I was trying to cut the weight down. The weight on my old Whisperlite compared to the Snow Peak LiteMax was what was so attractive, not to mention the price was not to bad.

Benny,
I have been using a DIY alcohol stove made out of 2 aluminum cans paired with the old snow peak titanium pot for years. I was thinking for of trying the esbit type next time. I thought I saw someone with the snow peak Ti stove and you can't beat them from time to cook to eating.

Like Rob mentioned, many like the ease of use of the Jetboils.

I have seen the DIY alcohol stoves and it's a great idea, plus are super light. Not sure how long it takes to cook with them at higher altitudes. Still a great idea for someone on a tight budget and still wants the ultralight stove.

I carry a MSR Pocket Rocket, great stove for my needs.

I was also looking at the MSR Pocket Rocket, very light as well.

[Benny]

Right now my go to is a trangia. I have not used my jetboil in a couple years. But my favorite is cooking over a campfire.
Eric

I had to look up the Trangia and saw a video on Youtube, looks like a pretty cool little stove.

[RichardCullip]

I too like the simplicity and light weight of an alcohol stove. My current stove is a Fancee Feest by Zelph Stoves http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/fancee-feest.php I don't do much "cooking" while backpacking. I usually just boil up enough water each evening to rehydrate some dehydrated food and this stove combined with a 900ml Ti pot does the job just fine.

[Papasequoia]

But my favorite is cooking over a campfire.

I miss cooking over a campfire; it always reminds me of Boy Scouts. Our moms would pack us chunks of steak and some squares of onion and pepper to make shish kebabs for our first night out. To accompany that would be a nice, big can of beans. Here was the standard procedure upon arrival in camp: First, start a fire and remind each other that you had to build up a good bed of coals to cook over so everyone should gather wood and keep the fire stoked. Those good intentions would last about 37 seconds until we all scattered to chase each other through the woods. When we got hungry we would return to find the fire out. Hmmm, no coals. Ok, time to start a roaring fire and wait for it to burn down to coals. Of course, someone was always so hungry that they decided not to wait for coals and said they would cook over the open flames. Not long after we would all follow suit.

Now, find a green stick and whittle a point so you can thread the meat onto it. Throw the onions and peppers into the fire (why does mom keep packing those?) Open the can of beans and put it into the fire. Now try and cook the meat without burning your hands while holding it over the fire. A short time later (very short) and it's time to enjoy the perfect meal: meat that is black on the outside but raw on the inside and beans that are burned on the bottom of the can and cold in the middle. Delicious!

Ahh the good old days. But, the question was about stoves. I recently retired an old Camping Gaz propane stove that I had used since 1978 and replaced it with a Jet Boil. I have yet to fall in love with it. It's efficient and all that, but I'm still not sold on it for some reason. I bought the bigger pot sold separately for family camping trips (one or two quarts, I think), but that's kind of big and heavy. I am tempted to go to a smaller and lighter stove and just carry my titanium cook kit, but with so many other things on my REI wishlist, a new stove is not even in the top five.

[Wildman]

I have a MSR pocket rocket...my 50 year old Boy Scout aluminum Esbit stove...a Triangia ETOH stove and a tiny tin can wood stove for areas where you can burn wood. Like Papa, I prefer the old fashioned cooking over a fire and coals but so many places are not allowing that.

[Gary C.]

I take my Pocket Rocket on extended trips and think that is where I really appreciate it. The one real reason I would recomend keeping your Whisperlite is for cold weather trips. Canister stoves can be a problem when the temps drop below freezing. Some canister stoves are made so you can invert the canister but compared to them you are still better off with your Whisperlite. Anytime I've been out and it's that kind of cold I've just slept with the canister in the foot of my bag or put it under my jacket for a few and it works fine. If I were to go someplace and spend a few days in temps below freezing I would want a different stove. I would want something along the lines of your Whisperlite.

[flybob]

I am lazy......The Jet Boil has been the best and easiest stove I have ever owned, and I have owned a few!
I do not carry pots and pans any more, I just boil water for everything! and dang fast too!

[johnnhoj]

I have been using a whisperlite for the last 20 years and it's still growing strong. I just started to get interested in lightening my load, so I am seriously considering the trangia or another comperable alcohol stove. My last few trips I have only been boiling water for dehydrated food, so I think the alcohol stove will probably work just fine for that.

[87TT]

I like the idea of alcohol stoves but I can't get around their heating time. I need my coffee in the am and don't want to wait 20 min for the water to boil plus if you aren'i alone it takes that much longer. If you want a bomb proof, reliable, all weather, all temperature,good heat range stove I vote for the Coleman Peak1 multi fuel. Lately I have been falling in love with my Snow peak Giga. It takes a little work to keep the flame low for simmering but can be done. Our last trip this year in Oct. I was able to steam bake biscuits and gravy, chicken and dumplings and cake deserts. I actually carry it in my daypack everywhere. Makes a great streamside or tailgate lunch in the field. Stove and fuel canister fit inside Ti cookpot. Only thing I didn't care for because it quit working was the petzel ignition. I always carry two or three sources of fire anyway.