First stove for backpacking

[smokinbobf4]

I am looking to get my first stove of some kind and wondering what people have for recommendations. Boiling water is the primary use, so the fastest with the least amount of gas used. I don’t want something heavy and bulky but if something is better with a bit more weight, I don’t need the lightest either. Obviously the lighter and smaller the better, I just don’t want to sacrifice if something is that much better. I used a friends last year and it was one that you set a pot or cup on top, seems like one that locks in may be a bit easier but without sing one, I’m not sure. Also, I tend to be in windy and somewhat cold weather probably 40% of the time. I know nothing about them other than a little research so let me know if I need more info!


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[stephane]

I have an MSR windburner and its awesome. Cup locks to the burner base and boils water super quick. Also it's true to the name - it still boils quick in windy conditions.

 

[Hussar]

The MSR Windburner gets high praises as a jetboil like system.

The Soto Windmaser or Amicus are good alternatives with a little more flexibility. I personally use an Amicus with a 750ml Toaks Titanium pot. It's a light weight system and it all fits within the pot. I believe the MSR also nests down.

This guy has reviews of a lot of stoves if you want to go down the rabbit hole. https://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/?m=1

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[Chaplain]

For a 3rd option check out Optimus crux stove

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[TheGDog]

That MSR pocket-rocket 2 is nice and small when all folded up, they have an updated one with a built-in piezo igniter. Then just a GSI Minimalist Titanium pot. No wind protection though. Wind has never been much of a problem for me though. You can always just use your body to shield it somewhat.

 

[smokinbobf4]

It’s so hard with all of the options! Seems like a lot of people are like the stoves without having the cup attach? Is that a better way to go?


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[FLATHEAD]

Pocket Rocket 2.

 

[stephane]

It’s so hard with all of the options! Seems like a lot of people are like the stoves without having the cup attach? Is that a better way to go?


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I’ve used both and prefer the cup attachment. It comes at a weight increase but you gain stability and use less fuel. I’m also in windy areas a lot here in Alberta and the detached models take forever to boil water when it’s windy because a lot of heat gets blown away.
Heads up that there’s a jetboil flash on sale at Camofire today, might be worth considering if you decide to go with the attached style.

 

[Centralcoastca]

I’ve been using the same jetboil for a few years now and have had no problems with it. It is not the lightest stove but is a very efficient and reliable water boiler, which is all I use it for. I like the stability of the attached cup and it seems to work pretty good in the wind, I usually just try to half ass block it with something and that’s all it needs. I like how quick and easy it boils so much that I keep it in my truck all of the time in a container with coffee, mtn house etc and whenever I need a second cup I take 5 minutes to make one on the tailgate. It’s been very handy. If you’re counting grams, there’s definitely lighter things out there though.

 

[Billogna]

I’ve used both and prefer the cup attachment. It comes at a weight increase but you gain stability and use less fuel. I’m also in windy areas a lot here in Alberta and the detached models take forever to boil water when it’s windy because a lot of heat gets blown away.
Heads up that there’s a jetboil flash on sale at Camofire today, might be worth considering if you decide to go with the attached style.

Thanks for the heads up on the JetBoil!! I've got one on the way!!

 

[Wrench]

I really like my soto with ti cup for weight and ease of use, but if it's potentially windy, the windburner is absolutely worth the extra weight. If there's anything better, it can't be by much.

 

[Voyageur]

Littlbug Junior Stove

The Littlbug Junior Stove is our smallest and lightest camping stove. The Littlbug Junior camp stove performed better than 11 other entires in a head to head test.

littlbug.com

This is what I've used for close to 15 years now. AK, ID, WY, SD, MN. All four seasons. It's never come up short for me. I highly recommend it.
Hope this helped.
Edit 11-16-22:
My 15 day AK moose hunt this year was preceeded by approximately 6 weeks of mostly rainy days and 14 of 15 days being rainy during the hunt. I had my Littlbug stove along for the trip, but did not even give it a chance to come up short. Needless to say there was no dry wood to be found. The best we could source was some wood from a standing dead spruce. It provided anemic fires in the tipi's wood stove. Fortunately my son had brought his Jetboil and we used that for the majority of our meals and daily coffee. Would the Littlbug worked had we given it a chance??? Maybe, but it would have taken a lot of extra work splitting and shaving to get the smaller pieces of dry wood required. We decided since we had the Jetboil option the extra work wasn't worth it, and the Littlbug never left its case.
I still hold my Littlbug in high regard, but can no longer say I have been able to use it in any and all situations.

 

[smokinbobf4]

Has anyone wished that they had a regulator or is it one of these things didn’t really matter. I really don’t plan to do much with it but boil water but there could be those few odd times.


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[stephane]

Has anyone wished that they had a regulator or is it one of these things didn’t really matter. I really don’t plan to do much with it but boil water but there could be those few odd times.


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Depends on if you think you’ll ever cook actual food in the pot. I know I will only ever boil water for coffee/tea and dehydrated meals. So for me a regulator wouldn’t impact my decision. From what i understand if you don’t have a regulator it’ll be very difficult to cook without burning the food. These stoves get super hot very quickly.

 

[pirogue]

I’ve had a Snow Peak Giga Power for years. Hard to find lighter and more compact. It and a fuel canister nests inside my .8L titanium pot.

 

[MThuntr]

while I like my jetboil for making coffee or boiling water for a meal that's about all it does. Mine also has a metallic taste that is often present in drinks which is starting to annoy me.

I leaning toward a smaller jet stove like a pocket rocket with a couple titanium pots/cups (1 for drinks and one for cooking/boiling) and possibly when on short trips not far from the road, a pan to fry something in (admittedly that probably won't happen but a guy can dream)

 

[Ron.C]

I'm still on my first stove after years of troublefree use, zero reason to change. MSR Pocket Rocket.

If for some reason this stove fails, I will go with an MSR Pocket Rocket 2

 

[cornfedkiller]

Has anyone wished that they had a regulator or is it one of these things didn’t really matter. I really don’t plan to do much with it but boil water but there could be those few odd times.


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I've only ever used one stove so a pretty small data set, but I bought a Jet Boil MicroMo and I like having the regulator. I have used it truck camping and used it to heat up some soup.

 

[*zap*]

I think the best all around stove is Optimus Polaris or similar. Multi fuel which burns gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, white gas, isobutane and propane with a convertor (must purchase separately). Works well in any temperature with the appropriate fuel for that temperature. Propane or liquid fuel is much better than isobutane for very cold temps.

Somewhat of a weight penalty.

Probably best to get the propane convertor and a second large liquid fuel bottle. With the convertor and a one pound propane bottle this stove burns crazy hot.....and if you refill the one pound bottles or use gas/diesel it is the least expensive way to go by far over using iso butane but you can use isobutane if you want to do so.....

 

[pirogue]

Has anyone wished that they had a regulator or is it one of these things didn’t really matter. I really don’t plan to do much with it but boil water but there could be those few odd times.


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Seems contradictory to your original post of wanting “smaller and lighter”