Backpack Stove Prices and Reviews

The Backpack Stove store is an online catalog of the best backpack stoves on the market. We backpack, and we know the value of good equipment. We try to only put the kind of backpack stove on this site that we would carry ourselves. We offer a wide variety of backpack stoves at a range of prices so as to have something for everybody. Our backpack stove catalog contains Jetboil PCS (Personal Cooking System) stoves, MSR backpack stoves, Brunton stoves, as well as Coleman backpack stoves.

Side Note: Please visit Back Country Stoves and Cookware for great camp cooking gear! BCS is our primary sponsor, and without them we would not be able to produce this website for you.

Choosing the Best Backpacking Stove

When selecting the best backpacking stove, a few points should be considered. Generally, lighter, more compact stoves are best for backpacking, but the type of backpacking activity and the number of people using the stove are also important. Top industry brands in camping stoves offer a variety of quality products, and each provides something as unique as the backpacking individuals that use them.

The Best Backpacking Stove Selections

The following is a comparison of some MSR, Brunton, and Jetboil backpack stove products that are made specifically for backpacking - for anyone from first-timers to the experienced outdoorsman.

There are basically three considerations of backpacking travelers and a camping stove to suit each.

1. The ultra light backpacker prefers the lightest weight for all gear.

2. For longer, cross-country backpacking, some may prefer a more versatile stove that might add a few ounces to the pack.

3. Another backpacker may consider elevation and temperatures in choosing the best cook stove for their journey.

The MSR Pocket Rocket Stove

Near the top of most backpackers lists is the MSR brand for camping, hiking, and backpacking equipment. The MSR Pocketrocket Backpacking Stove is a popular stove that folds into 3.5 x 2 inches, weighing in at about three ounces. Going with less weight indicates no extra features, but the MSR Pocketrocket backpacking stove is an inexpensive and easy-to-use canister stove.

Another advantage of the MSR Pocket Rocket's small size is that it will fit into some of the better cooking sets while packed. GSI Outdoors is widely known for very innovative and ultralight backpacking cook sets. The MSR Pocket Rocket will stow into many of these cook sets for easy and compact transport. Visit BackCountryStoves.com to take a look at some of these backpacking cook sets.

Disadvantages with this stove; it does not work well in high altitudes with low temperatures and it is so light-weight it may be unstable at the base.

The Brunton Raptor

Another camp stove to consider for your backpacking trip is the very light-weight Brunton Raptor backpack stove. This butane stove folds down to a tiny 1.7 x 1.5 x 2.5 square inches and weighs about five ounces. With an electric ignition, this little guy will put out about 11,000 BTU and boil a liter of water in about four minutes, depending on climate, altitude and temperature conditions.

With a precision simmering control, the Brunton Raptor backpacking stove is inexpensive, light-weight and rests on a sturdy stainless steel platform base.

As mentioned above with the MSR Pocket Rocket stove, the compact size will allow you to pack it within many cook sets. This benefits you because carrying the stove this way protects it from damage, and conserves precious space in your pack.

The MSR Whisperlight International

The MSR Whisperlight International camping stove is worth a look for backpacking in countries outside the U.S. This versatile stove can burn unleaded gasoline, kerosene or white gas, which burns cleaner than other fuels. Fairly light-weight at about fourteen ounces, the Whisperlight is easy to use and versatile enough to use anywhere at any altitude and any temperature.

Jetboil Personal Cooking System / Jetboil Flash

If stability and a good base support is important, you may want to consider the Jetboil Personal Cooking System. The Jetboil is great for more than boiling water. Weighing about fifteen ounces, this stove uses an insulated one-liter cup with the innovative FluxRing burner. This stove cooks at about 80% efficiency, which is double the efficiency of most backpacking stoves. In about two minutes, using the Jetboil PCS you can enjoy soup, oatmeal or even a hearty stew for a nice warm meal at the end of a long day.

The Jetboil PCS packs the stove and burner into the one-liter cup and takes up a little more than 4 x 7 inches of backpack space. In addition, because of the fuel efficiency, you save money and space on less canisters for cooking, and less fuel is also environmentally friendlier. The Jetboil system has an optional Pot Support and Stability Kit that only adds one more ounce of weight. This backpack cooking stove is recommended for three-season backpacking in moderate temperatures.

Backpack Stoves for Larger Groups

For larger groups, the Jetboil Helios seems to be the favorite cook stove for reliability, however this stove is also considered to be expensive and a little heavy for backpacking. The Jetboil Helios weighs about 28 ounces, but includes an automatic igniter for faster and more efficient operation. The Helios uses an inverted butane-propane combination fuel for the best possible efficiency. With the standard two-liter pot, this stove works well for two to four people, or with the optional three-liter pot, the Helios stove can easily serve even larger groups.

Backpacking Stove Selection is About Personal Preference

Selecting the best backpacking stove comes down to personal preference. The lighter styles are good for one or two people that use small cooking pots, but in certain windy conditions or rough terrain, they can be unstable. Lighter styles may also be less expensive, however fuel type and consumption may increase the cost. Other stoves come with wind protection and more fuel efficiency, but these may increase the weight more than an acceptable amount.

But What Do the Pros Say? What IS the Best?

Users and test authorities claim the MSR Reactor to be the best overall cook stove in most conditions. This combination stove uses butane-propane fuel and combines a 1.7-liter pot with a burner that works at below freezing temperatures. Drawbacks to this backpacking stove is that it is a little expensive and weighs almost twenty ounces. While it is known to be reliable, it is recommended for no more than two people. The most important consideration is which camp stove will provide the best solution to your cooking needs, making your adventure enjoyable and memorable.

Also at the top of the list is the Jetboil Sol Titanium. The Jetboil Sol Ti is an ultralight 8.5 ounces, and provides consistant heat down to 20 degrees F. You can use the Sol Ti's cooking cup as the primary means of cooking, or you can expand the system with the Jetboil Fluxring frying pan and/ or cooking pot. For more information on the Jetboil Sol Ti, click here.