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How to choose a 1-burner backpacking stove.Mar 18 '06 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Some things to look for when buying a backpacking stove.
The focus of this article is on single burner backpacking stoves. It is designed more like a backpacking stove FAQ then a full fledge essay, so if you have any questions for me feel free to e-mail me and I’ll add them in if I can. Decide what environment(s) are you going into? This is really going to dictate what fuel source you are going to get. If you are going into an environment where 15 degrees Fahrenheit is the norm then you probably do not want to get propane. Propane can supposedly work to 0 degrees but I am pretty sure have seen a reduction in efficiency at temperatures below 25 degrees. Where do you plan on hiking? The states or elsewhere. If you only plan on hiking in the states than it doesn’t matter what fuel source you use because propane and white gas are easily accessible in most parts of North America. But there are other parts of the world where white gas and propane tanks are not available. If you do plan on going outside of the states then you need to buy a multi-fuel stove like the dragonfly that can burn kerosene and gasoline. Weight & Size The weight is significant because it will be carried in your backpack, not your car. So it is advisable that you look at weight first when looking at stoves. This includes the fuel source and fuel canisters. Most just list the weight of the stove dry, but you will need to add in the weight of the canister when fuel in your overall calculations. The size is also important. It should be able to collapse upon itself so it takes up little space. In addition to collapsing it should also be sturdy enough to support a pot full of water without breaking or bending. This can only be determined by looking at the design but the diameter of the top of the stove is a pretty good indicator of its stability and food capacity. Make sure you go to an outdoors shop where you can actually touch the product. Don’t be afraid to put a little bit of pressure on the store model to see its weaknesses. Fuel source White gas- Easily obtained in the states, clean burning, burns in almost all weather conditions. Needs to be pressurized before igniting. Some stove can be a little difficult to start if you’re a novice. Propane- Clean burning, easy to use, commonly available in major retailers. May not be available in rural areas or outside the states, does not work well in cold weather. Kerosene- Easily available around the world and works well in cold weather. It does not burn cleanly. Alcohol- Stable and clean burning. But not always available in all locations and not a very hot flame. Gasoline- Hot and easily accessible. It does not burn clean and may be difficult to use in cold weather. Some people caution to not use gasoline at all (especially the oxygenated version) because it will slowly break down the stove. Solid fuel- These are an interesting concept. They don’t spill and are easy to handle. But they also are not very hot when compared to the mainstream fuels. The fuel container. The container used to hold the fuel is very important. You should first look at the weight of the container. Propane will have a thicker wall and will be a little heavier than a liquid at-room-temperature fuel container will be. The second thing you should look at is the capacity. MSR has containers of different sizes so you can choose your capacity. Usually propane stoves only have a limited number of sizes. Average boil time This is how quickly a stove can get water to boil. Usually it is one liter of water. The faster the time the hotter (or more efficient) the flame is. Most backpacking stoves will boil a liter of water in less than 4 minutes in lower elevations. Liters of water boiled This is a measurement of how fuel-efficient the stove is. The great number is desired here. Like average boil time, many times these numbers are not posted in an obvious place, it at all. Stability This is a big issue with backpacking stoves. Every backpacking stove I know of has stability issues and will not support big pots. That is the way it should be because backpackers shouldn’t be carrying a lot of stuff anyways. How it lights Most stoves just light with a match since installing an igniter will give the stove more weight and volume. Controls Not all stoves have a fuel control on their stove, instead the fuel level is controlled by the pressurizing unit itself. This makes controlling the flame level a little more difficult. Stoves like the dragonfly have an extra control valve on the stove itself that makes the flame easily controllable. Propane or White gas? This is the fuel source most of you will pick from. Propane stoves just require you to screw in a propane canister and light it. White gas stoves require you to pump up the canister, heat up one of the gas lines, then light the stove. Some propane stoves also have automatic lighters, I don’t know of a white gas stove that has a built in lighter. I am a white gas fan and I do not mind the extra work required but if you want convenience and you are not going in below freezing weather then propane will work just fine. Features you may want to look for. -Push button igniter (I’m not even sure if a backpacking stove has this as an option.) -Larger knobs if you wear gloves (in cold weather.) -Separate control valve to control the flame much more precisely. -Field maintainable- you can fix it during your trip if something goes wrong. -Collapsible stove for easy storage. Accessories to look for -A stove footprint increases stove stability. Also called a stove stand. -Funnels. -Maintenance kits and replacement pumps. -Heat exchanger- This helps keep heat in the pot. -Wind screen.- Usually this comes with the stove and it is nice to have. Some of my reviews on stoves. MSR Dragonfly multi-fuel MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet Coleman 2-burner propane stove.  |
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