Hiking Stoves

All hiking stoves are not created equal. I have used three different types with varying success; 1) white gas (Coleman fuel), 2) isobutane, and 3) wood chips.

I use white gas when I'm hiking and camping in the snow or when it's going to be cold. The fuel is heavy and so are many of the stoves, but these stoves are by far the most dependable. When cooking on snow make sure you have a stand or rock to cook on or you will find your stove sinking out of sight in the melting snow.

Isobutane works well in the summer when it's not going to be too cold. Do not count on these stoves when it's cold because they will not light. The compressed gas requires warmth for the isobutane to be released in the cylinder. They may work in cold weather if you are willing to carry the cylinders under your coat by day and sleep with them at night but I say no thanks. The fuel and stoves are light and they cook with lots of energy, a great summer stove.

The wood chip (pinecone) stoves are great because they are light and you carry no fuel on your back. They boil water as fast as any stove with a few pinecones or dry branches. These wood stoves leave tar residue on the bottom of the cooking pans that will require extra care in packing them and more cleanup when you get home. You are also limited to camping below the tree line so you have cooking fuel. I also found large pans to be unstable on these stoves; I had to support the pans with rocks on each side of the stoves. (What we will do to save on pack weight) On a hike last summer, I cooked for 14 using two small wood chip stoves and they worked as well as any fuel stove. But one word to the wise, do not light these stoves with white gas because it may burn up their fans and wiring. I burned one up on the first hike where I used one. I now use cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly to light the wood in these stoves and it could not work any better.

I plan to keep using all three types, deciding which will be best for a particular outing. Make sure that you check them out before you head for the hills because there is no insurance that they are still working from your last outing.

El Capitan & Half Dome

Mount Lyell in Yosemite

Devils Postpile

Minarets