There are a lot of different stoves on the market that can be used in the outdoors, but for backpacking a certain kind of backpacking stove is required. Primarily, a backpacking stove should be a lightweight stove, because why carry a heavy stove in your backpack when you could be carrying a light stove instead?
Backpacking Stove
Here is what to look for from a backpacking stove.- Lightweight - As mentioned above, a good backpacking stove is a lightweight stove. There are a lot of ways that manufacturers trim weight from their stoves, by using lighter materials, for instance, or getting rid of excess material, but generally the lighter the stove is, the better it will be for backpacking.
- Fuel Source - When looking at backpacking stoves, you cant forget that you will have to carry your fuel too. When it comes to stoves you have four major choices, which are canister stoves, liquid stoves, alcohol stoves and wood stoves. There are a few others, like solid fuel stoves, but those are the big categories. Interestingly, with a wood stove you don't have to carry any fuel, because your fuel is waiting for you at your campsite. Or at least you hope it is.
Best Backpacking Stove
Here are a few of the best backpacking stoves.- Trail Designs GramCracker - One of the most overlooked fuel sources is solid fuel, also sometimes known as Esbit tablets. The best thing about GramCracker, however, is the weight, which is just .1 ounces, or 3 grams. You will have to carry the tablets as well, but they are quite light too, so what you end up with is an extremely lightweight backpacking stove.
- Snow Peak LiteMax - The LiteMax is one of the lighter canister stoves on the market. It weighs just 1.87 ounces, or 53 grams, which will make it one of the lightest things in your backpack. Remember that you will have to carry the canisters as well, however.
- MSR SimmerLite - The SimmerLite is a liquid fuels stove, and more specifically, a white gas stove. It weighs 8.47 ounces, or 247 grams, so not quite as lightweight as some of the other options listed, but if you prefer a liquid burning stove, the SimmerLite is a great option.
- Vargo Titanium Hexagon - If you want to leave the fuel bottles at home, there is always the option to burn wood to heat your meals. The Titanium Hexagon is exactly as described, a titanium hexagon that folds down when not in use. You put the wood inside the hexagon, the pot on top, and away you go. The weight is a very slim 4.1 ounces, or 116 grams, so you definitely wont be carrying much gear, and remember that you wont have to carry any fuel, beyond some matches and a bit of starter material like a cotton ball, just in case.
