- Eating well on a backpacking trip is often an oxymoron — since the intent is to travel light, bringing food that's fast and easy to prepare is preferred.
- With the right backpacking stove, you're able to improve the quality of those trail meals without dramatically increasing the amount of weight in your pack.
- The best backpacking stoves are portable, reliable in inclement weather, and fuel-efficient enough to avoid the need for an assortment of gas canisters.
- Our top pick, the MSR WindBurner, is an all-in-one camp stove that's efficient, lightweight, and reliable — and it's worthy of a spot in anyone's backpack.
There's nothing quite like enjoying a hot meal at your campsite following a long day on the trail. Energy bars and trail mix do well to curb hunger during the day but when it's time to relax for the night, you'll want something a bit more substantial. That's where a good camp stove opens up the options for meals, snacks, and hot beverages, making your time in the backcountry much more enjoyable.
I spend much of my summer either out on a multi-day backpacking trip or planning my next one, and I've learned that prioritizing how and what I'll eat is always a vital consideration. This means making sure I'm able to start each morning with a cup of instant coffee and a few bites of rehydrated scrambled eggs so that I'm replenished enough and able to take on however many grueling miles lay ahead.
Refueling at night is just as important, too. A satisfying evening meal goes a long way to making my legs feel less tired and my body less sore, despite having hauled a 30-pound pack for several hours prior. Satisfying those meal needs always comes down to the type of backpacking stove I bring along. Even on shorter trips, it always finds its way into my pack — it's that important.
What to look for in a backpacking stoveShopping for a backpacking stove is slightly different than what you'd look for while car camping, where size and weight don't matter as much. When you're carrying your entire allotment of gear inside a backpack, it's vital to go small and lightweight. It's also important to find a stove that's highly fuel-efficient in order to reduce the number of gas canisters you'll need.
But those aren't the only features to consider. You'll also want to take into account the number of people the stove supports, the kind of fuel it uses, and how durable it is. As with all outdoor gear, your stove should be extremely reliable and easy to use, as well. After all, there's nothing quite like arriving at your campsite after sunset, exhausted and hungry, only to find your stove won't start.
What else to considerWhen selecting a stove for your own use, it's also important to think about when and where you'll be using it. If you go backpacking in cold and windy conditions, you'll want a stove that quickly boils water without using excess fuel. The same holds true when hiking at higher altitudes, where thinner air has a dramatic impact on efficiency.
If this sounds too complex or overwhelming, fret not. There are plenty of reliable backpacking stoves to choose from, many of which are lightweight, compact, and fast. In fact, we've taken a look at the crop of stoves currently available and came away impressed. There are now options available for just about every type of backpacker with any kind of budget. These are our favorites.
Here are the best backpacking stoves available:Updated on 5/13/2020 by Rick Stella: Updated the introduction to include more on personal experience and the benefit of a backpacking stove, as well as what else to consider when shopping, checked the availability of each selected model, and updated the prices, links, and formatting.
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