Finest Backpacking Stoves of 2024

Whether or not it’s making your morning espresso or cooking a heat night meal, a backpacking range is a vital a part of your backcountry kitchen. To determine which mannequin gives the perfect efficiency and the smoothest consumer expertise, I acquired in brand-new canister stoves from MSR, GSI, Primus, Soto, Snow Peak, and JetBoil. They had been then put by way of a collection of managed assessments earlier than heading out on Out of doors Life’s annual backpacking gear testing journey to the Goat Rocks Wilderness to be examined in tandem by skilled backpackers. Listed below are the perfect backpacking stoves, based mostly on these managed assessments and subject experiences. 

How We Examined the Finest Backpacking Stoves

Area Testing

Backpacking stoves had been included in Out of doors Life’s second annual backpacking gear check, which passed off alongside a 40-mile part of the Pacific Crest Path in Washington State’s Goat Rock Wilderness.

Every day, testers had been assigned a brand new range to make use of whereas making their morning espresso, and cooking up the finest backpacking meals. The group included thru-hikers, ultralight fans, and conventional backpackers. We took notes on our experiences, which had been then collected in formal testing sheets on the finish of the journey. 

Management Testing

Along with gathering subject notes from a spread of testers, that are each goal and subjective in nature, I additionally ran a collection of managed assessments on the backpacking stoves we checked out. I weighed every range, with out its carrying case or add-ons like piezo lighters. I measured the size of the pot helps to higher perceive how secure a pot can be when perched on prime, and the way giant of a pot every backpacking range might help.

Lastly, I measured how lengthy it might take every range to boil a half liter of water, at sea degree, and the way a lot relative gasoline was utilized by every range, in a managed, windless surroundings (my storage). I then introduced out one of many finest tenting followers, turned it to a medium setting and set it about 2.5 ft again from the stoves. The wind that was hitting the stoves was not excessive, however it was noticeable and prompted the canister stoves to sputter. Canister stoves should not appropriate for extreme-wind circumstances, so quite than cooking in excessive winds, I’d advocate establishing a windshield or shifting on down the path earlier than stopping to prepare dinner. Out of doors Life has plans to conduct a head-to-head of canister stoves designed particularly for intense wind at a later date.

Management Testing Outcomes

Beneath are the outcomes of my managed assessments of the perfect backpacking stoves. 

The next critiques present extra particulars about our testers’ subject expertise. 

Finest Backpacking Stoves: Evaluations & Suggestions

Finest Total: JetBoil Stash

See It

Execs

• Superb gasoline effectivity
• All-in-one bundle
• Range may be very light-weight

Cons

• Costly
• Accompanying pot is on the heavy facet

Key Options

• Value:
  $150
• Weight:
  2.1 ounces (simply the range); 7.1 ounces (as a system)
• No push-button ignitor

Take a look at Outcomes

• Timed Boil Take a look at in Windless Circumstances:
  3 minutes, 14 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Windless Circumstances:
  0.20 ounces
• Timed Boil Take a look at in Average Wind:
  4 minutes, 25 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Average Wind:
  0.25 ounces

JetBoil is understood for its nice efficiency in windy circumstances, however even in my managed setting — a windless storage — the Stash blew the competitors out of the water for gasoline effectivity when used with the included pot. It used a lot much less gasoline than different backpacking stoves on this check — about half as a lot — that you could possibly simply get away with buying a smaller gasoline canister quite than a bigger one. That greater than makes up for the burden differential of pairing a unique backpacking range with an ultralight titanium pot. Over sufficient journeys it’ll make up the worth differential too.

Testers had been all impressed by how straightforward the JetBoil Stash was to make use of. “I like the ridge on the underside of the pot which grooves into the range so it doesn’t slide off,” stated Sven “Magic” Anderson. “Tremendous safe, straightforward to arrange,” reported Diana Helmuth, who described this because the backpacking range system she wished she had had when she began backpacking. “Felt intuitive to activate and off.” Magic additionally famous that “A small gasoline canister attaches to the lid (inside) together with the range and lighter, which makes for a decent and compact prepare dinner system. Having Parkinson’s illness, I actually appreciated that.” 

Finest Worth: MSR PocketRocket 2

See It

Execs

• Used barely much less gasoline than different backpacking stoves
• Works nicely within the wind
• Light-weight
• Small

Cons

• Just a little finicky to fold the range arms down

Key Options

• Value:
  $50
• Weight:
  3.7 ounces (with case); 2.6 ounces (with out case)
• No push-button ignitor (Deluxe mannequin does have one)

Take a look at Outcomes

• Timed Boil Take a look at in Windless Circumstances:
  3 minutes, 32 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Windless Circumstances:
  0.30 ounces
• Timed Boil Take a look at in Average Wind:
  5 minutes, 36 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Average Wind:
  0.40 ounces

A number of of our testers had used each the primary technology and the second technology of the MSR PocketRocket prior to now, and on the finish of testing nonetheless believed that that is the perfect backpacking range on the market. The second gen MSR PocketRocket excels in each class: It’s straightforward to activate and off, straightforward to regulate the peak of the flame. It’s mild, the second lightest range we checked out. It had a pleasant, extensive base to help the pot. It’s lots reasonably priced. And it by some means used barely much less gasoline to boil a half liter of water than each different backpacking range we checked out besides the JetBoil. 

Testers who had been new to the MSR PocketRocket 2 struggled at first with the wraparound arms, as you basically fold them in the other way from what you anticipate. “It took me a minute or two to determine how the range folded/unfolded into such a compact kind,” famous OL editor-in-chief Alex Robinson. “However as soon as I understood the design it was tremendous straightforward to deploy.”

One word right here is that the model of the MSR PocketRocket 2 we examined didn’t have a push-button ignitor. The difficulty with push-button igniters is that they all the time break. You do nonetheless want to hold no less than matches if not a lighter with you. Provided that, my feeling is that it is best to save the burden and the expense and go for a backpacking range that doesn’t hassle with the piezo igniter. Nevertheless, in the event you benefit from the comfort of the push-button igniter, then you should purchase the deluxe model of the range for $35 extra and one other 0.3 ounces and likewise choose up higher wind resistance and a stress regulator within the course of.

Finest for Unhealthy Climate: MSR Windburner

See It

Execs

• Quickest boiling range I’ve used
• Glorious efficiency in windy circumstances
• Very gasoline environment friendly

Cons

• Very gasoline environment friendly
• Heavy

Key Options

• Value:
  $190
• Capability
  1 liter
• Doesn’t embrace a piezo igniter

Take a look at Outcomes

• Boil Time in Windless Circumstances:
  2 minutes, 11 seconds
• Boil Time in 10 mph Wind:
  2 minutes, 40 seconds
• Gasoline Utilized in Windy Circumstances:
  0.3 ounces
• Weight:
  16.6 ounces (measured), 15.3 ounces (producer spec)

The poor efficiency of nearly all of backpacking stoves in even average winds pointed to a critical vulnerability that many backpackers are already acquainted with: in dangerous climate, you’ll be fortunate in the event you may even heat up your water, not to mention boil it. To search out out which range is the perfect for dangerous climate, I put the three main all-in-one range methods by way of a check involving a ten mph wind.

By way of uncooked efficiency, the MSR Windburner blew the competitors out of the water, and it wasn’t even shut. It boiled water in below three minutes, twice as quick because the JetBoil Flash and 5 instances as quick because the Primus Lite+. Should you usually face difficult environments, then the Windburner is the range you need. It additionally used barely much less gasoline than the JetBoil Flash. 

Learn Subsequent: Backpacking Range Head to Head to Head: JetBoil Flash, MSR Windburner, and Primus Lite+

In contrast to the JetBoil Flash, the MSR Windburner is simply designed to boil water, so in case you have different culinary ambitions, this won’t be the appropriate range for you.  

Lightest: GSI Pinnacle

See It

Execs

• Lightest backpacking range on this check
• Small packed dimension

Key Options

• Value:
  $50
• Weight:
  2.6 ounces (with case); 2.35 ounces (with out case)
• No push-button ignitor

Take a look at Outcomes

• Timed Boil Take a look at in Windless Circumstances:
  4 minutes, 44 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Windless Circumstances:
  0.35 ounces
• Timed Boil Take a look at in Average Wind:
  6 minutes, 5 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Average Wind:
  0.50 ounces

Testers appreciated the small dimension and light-weight weight of the GSI Pinnacle. It was notably notable that although this was the lightest backpacking range by a number of tenths of an oz on this check, it used 0.35 ounces of gasoline to boil a half a liter of water, similar to the whole lot else on this check. That is certain to go straight to the highest of ultralight backpackers listing, based mostly on this alone. That doesn’t imply, nevertheless, that it wasn’t with out points.

Magic, who’s mountaineering with Parkinson’s, expressed some frustration with the range arms on the GSI Pinnacle. “They had been too unfastened and it was tougher than it wanted to be to get all of the arms up,” he reported. “I had a troublesome time lighting the range and I discovered it troublesome to control temperature as a result of it was all the time sizzling.” Whereas different testers didn’t report any points with the setup, Helmuth did word that this range is considerably louder than others that we checked out. “I needed to increase my voice to talk to the individual subsequent to me,” she reported. 

Smallest: Soto Amicus

See It

Execs

• Inexpensive
• Small packed dimension
• Quiet
• Good efficiency in windy circumstances

Cons

• Doesn’t present as extensive a base for pots as others we checked out
• Feels flimsy

Key Options

• Value:
  $50
• Weight:
  3.15 ounces (with case); 2.80 ounces (with out case)
• Has push-button ignitor

Take a look at Outcomes

• Timed Boil Take a look at in Windless Circumstances:
  3 minutes, 2 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Windless Circumstances:
  0.35 ounces
• Timed Boil Take a look at in Average Wind:
  6 minutes, 14 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Average Wind:
  0.40 ounces

The Soto Amicus impressed testers with its small packed dimension. “It could actually undoubtedly match within the pot with a gasoline canister,” famous Patrice “Regular” La Vigne. “This was additionally the quietest I examined of all of the stoves.” Whereas its development felt flimsier to our testers than different backpacking stoves we checked out, this was the lightest range we examined that included a push-button ignitor. Sadly, it wasn’t as dependable as others we checked out, and through testing I famous that even when the push-button ignitor generated a spark, it didn’t all the time spark a flame on the range. This isn’t a make or break problem, however it’s a little annoying and may result in gasoline loss over time. 

The diameter of the pot help was one of many shortest in our check, with OL affiliate editor Ashley Thess noting that the “arms had been finicky and a little bit brief for balancing.”

Take care when utilizing a more recent gasoline canister with this range, as each the Soto Amicus and Soto Windmaster are inclined to leak a shocking quantity of gasoline when screwing on the range, and much more once you unscrew it once more. 

Primus Categorical

See It

Execs

• Straightforward to make use of
• Steady pot floor
• Sturdy construct

Cons

• Bigger packed dimension
• Considerably heavy

Key Options

• Value:
  $50
• Weight:
  4 ounces (with case); 3.05 ounces (with out case)
• No push-button ignitor

Take a look at Outcomes

• Timed Boil Take a look at in Windless Circumstances:
  3 minutes, 26 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Windless Circumstances:
  0.35 ounces
• Timed Boil Take a look at in Average Wind:
  5 minutes, 4 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Average Wind:
  0.55 ounces

Whereas a lot of the backpacking range designs on this check made an effort to tuck away the range arms when not in use, the Primus Categorical merely accordioned all of them collectively off to the facet. This made this range exceptionally straightforward to make use of, however resulted in an odd form. “It doesn’t pack down tremendous small and stays in an L-shape, which is mildly inconvenient for storage,” stated Regular, with Magic noting that it “was cumbersome to hold within the carrying pouch.” He ended up storing the range in a backpack pocket quite than the within of his pot, as a result of it merely didn’t match. 

Whereas different backpacking stoves made an effort to disperse the flames throughout the bottom of the pot, the Primus Categorical distributed with this and easily shot the flames straight up. For the needs of boiling water (what we had been testing), this had no impression on the quantity of gasoline getting used and the Primus Categorical clocked a good boil time for a half liter of water. Precision backcountry cooks, nevertheless, might balk on the lack of warmth disbursement, nevertheless. The path of the flames meant that the smaller regulator was nonetheless straightforward to make use of and never sizzling to the contact when it got here time to show down the warmth. 

Soto Windmaster

See It

Execs

• Broad pot help
• Quick boil time

Cons

• Just a little expensive
• Heavy
• Finicky arrange

Key Options

• Value:
  $70
• Weight:
  3.4 ounces (with case); 3.05 ounces (with out case)
• Has push-button ignitor

Take a look at Outcomes

• Timed Boil Take a look at in Windless Circumstances:
  2 minutes, 36 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Windless Circumstances:
  0.35 ounces
• Timed Boil Take a look at in Average Wind:
  4 minutes, 40 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Average Wind:
  0.50 ounces

Whereas there have been some benefits to the Soto Windmaster, testers discovered the setup irritating. In contrast to different backpacking stoves our testers tried out, the helps for this range will be eliminated once you take it down, permitting for a smaller general pack dimension that’s simpler to suit into your pot. All testers, nevertheless, discovered this gorgeous irritating. Thess famous that “the arms of the range detach from the stem making it annoying to switch it and fan them out each time. The ends of the arms are additionally very unfastened so it’s a must to be sure that these are prolonged as nicely.” Magic, who’s mountaineering with Parkinson’s, famous comparable points, stating, “I had a tough time establishing this range.” 

Nevertheless, testers had been impressed with its efficiency in windy circumstances, due in no small half to how highly effective the flames had been: This one boiled a half liter of water in a mere two and a half minutes. Regardless of having the identical gasoline leaking points that the Soto Amicus has (ensure that your flames are fully extinguished earlier than taking the range off the canister), all however one of many testers said that the push-button ignitor labored for them. 

Snow Peak GigaPower

See It

Execs

• Inexpensive
• Small packed dimension

Cons

• Troublesome to regulate the regulator with out the windscreen
• Troublesome to place the windscreen on
• Heavy
• Gradual boil time
• Carried out poorly in windy circumstances, even with the windscreen

Key Options

• Value:
  $45 (Windscreen offered individually)
• Weight:
  3.9 ounces (with case); 3.05 ounces (with out case)
• Has push-button ignitor

Take a look at Outcomes

• Timed Boil Take a look at in Windless Circumstances:
  4 minutes, 15 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Windless Circumstances:
  0.35 ounces
• Timed Boil Take a look at in Average Wind:
  10 minutes, 57 seconds
• Gasoline Used to Boil in Average Wind:
  0.70 ounces

Whereas testers had been impressed with the extreme warmth that this range gave off, the design of this range left them pissed off. Whereas each different backpacking range in our check shot flames upward, the Snow Peak GigaPower shoots them out the facet. Whereas this might be very efficient in sending warmth out throughout the bottom of a giant cooking pot (not a difficulty on this testing journey which checked out one-person backpacking pots), it resulted in a couple of points for testers. The primary was that it made it troublesome (and a little bit scary) to succeed in the regulator, given how shut it was to the flames. “I’m joyful I didn’t burn down the forest!” stated one tester. It additionally prompted the handles of our smaller pots to warmth up in a short time, in order that we wanted to make use of a makeshift pot holder to choose up the water as soon as we had been finished. 

Whether or not or not testers preferred the design of the folding arms relied on whether or not or not they used the optionally available windscreen. Regular, who skipped that step, was impressed by the “4 arms that simply transfer into place for cooking, and no twisting or turning required to get it to break down.” Nevertheless, she famous that “you couldn’t regulate the flame with out the windscreen on as a result of the flames had been taking pictures up and outward.” Thess, who did use the windscreen, ended up much more pissed off. “It’s important to place a defend over the arms earlier than opening them and coordinating it was very annoying,” she stated. “Troublesome to arrange.” 

I ran the average wind check on this unit twice and, sadly, the windscreen didn’t seem to end in any vital gasoline or time financial savings in these circumstances. 

How you can Select a Backpacking Range

Backpacking stoves are pretty easy, as backpacking gear decisions go, however there are nonetheless a couple of issues you’ll need to bear in mind.

Backpacking Range Weight

The backpacking canister stoves we examined all weighed round 3 ounces or much less. There are some fashions, sometimes designed for excessive chilly or excessive wind, which are heavier than this, however for most individuals in most circumstances, your backpacking range doesn’t have to be particularly heavy.

Packed Dimension of the Finest Backpacking Stoves

A range that’s sufficiently small to suit into your cooking pot alongside along with your gasoline (perhaps even a utensil), will make for an easier mealtime preparation. The backpacking stoves on this check will all simply match inside a 1-liter pot or bigger, however some might not work nicely in a 750mL pot or smaller. 

Gasoline Kind for the Finest Backpacking Stoves

The overwhelming majority of backpacking stoves, and the entire backpacking stoves we examined, use isobutane as their primary gasoline supply. Nevertheless, there are some backpacking stoves that use white fuel, kerosene, and even unleaded gasoline. Know which sort of gasoline your range wants and the place you may get hold of it (gasoline sometimes can’t be shipped within the mail) earlier than making a purchase order.

Push-Button Ignitions on the Finest Backpacking Stoves

It’s change into pretty customary for backpacking stoves to function push-button ignitions. Nevertheless, these are all liable to failure, generally after solely a few makes use of. All the time deliver a lighter or matches with you into the backcountry.

FAQs

Ultimate Ideas on the Finest Backpacking Stoves

The standard of backpacking stoves popping out of the likes of MSR, Soto, JetBoil, and different producers is spectacular. No matter your plans to your subsequent backcountry journey, one among their canister stoves will take up a miniscule quantity of room in your pack and supply wonderful performance. 

 

The Finest Offers on Out of doors Gear Presents

After field-testing the perfect gear all yr lengthy, we all know precisely what ought to be in your procuring listing. Try the highest performing open air merchandise and the perfect offers out there.