Backpacking is one of our favorite ways to enjoy the outdoors, but picking the suitable gear to get started may be confusing for beginners. After you've decided on a sleeping bag, tent, you'll need to choose the ideal backpacking stove to cook a tasty meal. We discuss fuel types, simmering capabilities, weight, and other important facts below.
1. Choose a Fuel Type
Backpacking stove fuel comes in five types: canscanister, liquid fuel, alcohol, wood burning, and solid tablets. The latter 3 options are also known as alternative fuels. The focus today will be on cans and liquid fuels.
Canister Gas stoves
Gas stoves are increasingly popular nowadays since they are more convenient and easy to operate. They are sometimes even lighter than liquid fuel stoves.
The fuel canister is pre-filled with an isobutane/propane pressurized combination. Simply screw the canister onto the burner, open the valve, and light the burner.
Unfortunately, at freezing conditions, isobutane ceases vaporizing, and canister burners struggle to maintain pressure at altitude. As a result, if it's really cold outdoors, they're not as user-friendly as a liquid stove.
Integrated vs. Non-Integrated Canister Stoves
The next step is choosing between an integrated and non-integrated canister stove.
With their compact and thoughtful designs, integrated stoves are unquestionably the most efficient versions. Therefore, they have the quickest boiling times of any stove type on the market by a wide margin. If you choose an integrated stove, you'll need to consider its ability to simmer, to match other cookware. And yes, of course, its weight.
Polaris Pressure Regulator Cooking System is the owner of
the revolutionary micro regulating technology of FireMaple allows for progressive heat changes from moderate simmer to full boil, making it suitable for stir-frying, simmering sauces, and other applications. If you choose an integrated stove, you'll need to consider its ability to simmer, to match other cookware. And yes, of course, its weight.
All of Fire Maple's X-Series cooking systems are excellent options.
The Polaris system, on the other hand, is recommended for usage in severely cold climates.
Liquid fuel
We know liquid fuel stoves need a fuel bottle and they commonly burn white gas, which is a highly refined, clean and hot burning fuel.
In colder regions or at higher elevations, liquid fuel stoves frequently function well. If you intend to travel often in the cold or live in the mountains, this is the great decision for you.
A huge jug of fuel is also convenient since you can refill your bottle whenever you need to. Keeping track of how much fuel you have left in your bottle is simple, and it's also more environmentally friendly since you won't have to purchase new canisters as often.
In comparison to a canister stove, they're a headache to get going. Once they've been primed, they're a touch tricky to get started and may be a little difficult to deal with.
2. what type of cooking you're going to cook?
If you just need to boil water for freeze-dried meals, a canister burner with a high heat output, such as the FireMaple Buzz stove, is ideal.
If you want to prepare various meals, you should seek for a stove with simmering capabilities. That implies you'll need a controlled stove or a stove with a variable flame.
3. shapes and sizes
Another important consideration is the diversity of camping stoves, which come in a wide range of sizes and designs.
Consider the length of your trips and how much room you have to work with when it comes to deciding how much space and weight to carry.
FMS-116T, which weighs 1.7oz and has an impressive output capacity, is an excellent choice for this purpose.
So, what should you look for？
As a beginner backpacker, I advocate using a canister stove since they're simple, easy to use, and unlikely to be used in temperatures below freezing, so you don't have to worry about that.
