Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Backpack stoves, what’s your favorite and why?

Having watched this topic for 30 years or so, state-of-the-art now is Jetboil, then everything else. Most find their upsides better than their downsides. But anyone who thinks they perform at 0 degrees like they do at 50 degrees has an unpleasant physics lesson coming. Is this a deal-killer? No, but it makes a dif. Some may be willing to sleep with a cold-assed fuel cannister in the bag. I am not one, though I have done it. My own go-to stove is a JetBoil. As for the cost of the fuel, by the time one gets in the woods so much has been spent for the entire experience that the actual cost of the canister is meaningless.

Best way is to have two hikers share the load, and not double up on the stove. In AZ, we have to carry so much water, or sacrifice so much distance, strategies like that make a lot of difference. Have never packed in once in AZ where there was drinking water at my end camp that did not come out of my own pack. Not saying it is impossible, but that's how it plays out.

The Reactor is the best stove on the market in my opinion... and that guy you speak of and myself have warmed up by one more than a few times together.

Tanner

If its winter I will likely have my snowtrekker and fourdog titanium stove. That's the best, but for backpacking I love my Bushbuddy wood stove. About five ounces, and slower than most naptha or canister stoves, but faster than any alcohol stove I have tried to get water to boil. I have several whisperlites, (which are pretty bomb proof), but prefer them for boat camping, duck hunting, etc. If I got into canisters I would look pretty hard at the jetboil type stoves. Pretty efficient from what I gather.

Love my bushbuddy though! Never any fuel needed.

Here is a random review of it.

www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Co...tra/Owner%20Review%20by%20Dan%20Feldman/

I heard that when you're in the tent, no extra heat is needed because you have enough internal capacity to blow the flaps open at will.

Going through some of my photos and found this gem... forgot I had it

Best? Silly concept...

SHTF...you're gonna be taking care of quite a few stragglers...Sheepdog.

You couldn't pay me enough to use that thing.... (bush buddy)

LC

I think he probably had a particular application in mind.

You're probably right.

Lots of happy backpacking enthusiasts would apparently disagree.

MM

Massive heat output, being mostly immune to wind affects, and efficiency are what I love most about it.... It is a bit heavier than most options discussed already but it's a weight penalty that I will suffer. This past August I used a single 13oz MSR fuel can for 8 days between a client and myself on a sheep hunt. That was breakfast and dinner for both of us, and some hot drinks mixed in as well... I don't think I could do that with my Pocket Rocket, but maybe somebody will correct me.

And I know all of the tents say on the label you aren't supposed to, but with the vestibule cracked for some air flow, that little stove will warm up cold hunters pretty quickly if you have the extra fuel and a nice flat spot to secure the stove.

Tanner

All I know is, I was impressed by the reactor.

My back is so screwed up I go as light as possible. Been using the redbull can/catfood can for years now with a ti mug. Heat water in the pot, dump it in a zip lock bag with freeze dried meal. Stick it in a beer coozie, let it sit about 15 minutes then eat it from the bag. Only thing to clean is the spoon.

I've cooked in tents for over 40 years... not dead yet.

If you want a real blow torch, try the MSR XGK.

To actually "cook" on, a Kovea Spider is pretty nice. But for whatever reason, my original JetBoil has seen more use than anything. Keeps on ticking....

I heard angels sing when I first bought & used a Jetboil. Inexpensive, trustworthy and fast.

MSR Pocket Rocket 2 with Grandma's grease pot...........oh yeah.

The bag sounds simple. But, I would not eat anything from hot plastic!

A cheap primus something or other. It works, and has so for years.