Buyer Considerations and Pro Tips
Frankenstove – the money-is-no-obstacle perfect backcountry cook system
If money is no issue, we recommend combining the Jetboil Stash Pot (the best pot on the market) with the Pocket Rocket Deluxe Stove (the best stove on the market). The reason this is so expensive is because Pocket Rocket Deluxe is the most expensive standalone stove, and the Jetboil Stash Pot cannot be purchased without its accompanying stove unit. Combining these two costs well over $200.
Jetboil Stash comes with the best cook pot in existence. The Stash Pot is so effective because of its wind blocking, heat-transferring flux ring under-pot-technology, and the way it stores a fuel canister in the lid to save space and prevent rattling. It’s the headliner in a really great system. However, the Jetboil Stash Stove unit, by itself, is decent and has good fuel economy, but is no means exceptional.
The best stove is the Pocket Rocket Deluxe because of its output, wind resistance, fuel economy, pressure regulator, and pietzo ignitor. It is the superior to the Jetboil Stash stove unit in almost every way, except fuel economy.
Power ranking the most important backpacking stove traits for ultralight backpackers
- Boils water
- Lightweight
- Good fuel economy
- Low bulk/nests
- Boils reasonably quickly
- Performs acceptably in wind and cold
- Simmer control
- Integrated ignitor
How and when we use our stove
We don’t ask much of our backpacking stove, which is why we prefer simple, lightweight, and compact models. Most of our backpacking meals require only boiled water, rather than boiling the food itself, which minimizes fuel consumption. On average, we use 5 cups (1.25L) per person day, which breaks down as follows: 16oz of boiled water to rehydrate a dinner; 12 oz of hot coffee in the morning; 12 oz cocoa, tea, or miso soup at night. Our backpacking stove selection and preferences are based on that kind of usage.
Backpacking stoves and pressure regulators
Examples of pressure regulated stoves are the Jetboil MiniMo Cooking System and Soto WindMaster.
Most backpacking stoves don’t have a pressure regulator — this is fine for the warmer temperatures of most 3-season backpacking — and regulators add cost and weight to a stove. But when outside air temps drop the temperature of the your fuel canister also drops. As a consequence the fuel pressure in the canister drops and your heat output of your stove proportionally declines. In short, when it gets cold, unregulated stoves do not put out as much heat — the colder it is, the less heat they put out. When combined with already cold water in your pot and colder outside temperatures you can expect longer boil times.
In contrast, a backpacking stove with a regulator has a similar fuel output, and same heat output even as temperatures and canister pressure drops. In short, a regulated stove puts out the same amount of heat, even when temps get around freezing. You are still contending with colder pot water and colder outside temperatures but your stove is putting out the same amount of heat is it would on a warm day. This means significantly faster boil times for a backpacking stove with a regulator vs. and unregulated stove in cold temps.
More about food for backpacking
We’re here to help with the best knowledge & thinking available on healthy, nutritious backpacking food. This article will touch on the amount of food you should bring, where you should get it, and basic trail nutrition ideas. We’ll discuss different diets; Low Carb, Omnivore, Gluten Free, Veggie, Vegan and Keto. Where to get natural fat, protein, and micronutrients. And finally we can save you a ton of food weight in the process. Dig in!
