Folks,
I'm looking to get a couple of camp cookstoves for camping / hunting. The first one I am looking for suggestions on is for base camp and for truck camping. I have used the standard Coleman propane ones in the past but maybe there are better options out there?
The second one would be for solo backpacking into elk country. I have used the Coleman Peak 1 stove here in the past but I am thinking there may be some better options for temp control, overall weight, fuel options, etc..
Thanks in advance.
Not sure you can beat the good old green Coleman although I prefer the ones that use naphtha for fuel...just a little simpler than the propane ones...I have been around them now for over 50 years...I can remember my grandparents using one when we went on picnics when I was a kid
DDave
I keep saying I am going to upgrade as well like eflanders...but keep just going back to my two Coleman green camp stoves...both are propane but going on 20 years old and been everywhere.
some of those light weight alcohol or butane stoves for higher altitudes and weight savings look nice...like JetBoil.
I have considered getting a new stove with a piezo starter...like Primus Profile brand or Camp Chef Rainier models...
Camp chef is where I get my cooking gear.
For the backcountry a Jetboil is hard to beat. I tried a Whisperlite but didn't care for it, didn't like packing liquid fuel in a canister that had the potential to leak.
Steve
Liquid fuel is more reliable at high altitudes and/or cold temps.Propane/butane canister stoves are really light weight and work great during warmer months,you can use them a little later in the season if you are careful to buy canisters rated for 4 seasons
Tim
I have a camp chef oven for base camp. With the two burners and the oven it cooks just about anything.
My old propane stove was about to burn down the tent so Her Majesty got me a new one. Two burners and a burn section between.
It has electric ignition and I sort of made fun of that. What a mistake. The electronic ignition is fabulous. Turn the valve, press a button and it's burning.
Butane is weak at high altitude and in the cold. I just read up on Kelly stoves. May have to try one
I have an old coleman too, always reliable
A Camp Chef Explorer 2-burner, 20lbs of propane, a dutch oven, a griddle and a well-seasoned wok, and you can cook anything on earth as long as it's close to a base camp! When it's hot, I have the Toyota Tacoma model with the 110 outlet in the bed, so we fire up the blender for margaritas.
Roadkill, I have the Kelly 44oz size, and you need to make sure you have a pile of ready fuel, and hover over it to keep it going, but it boils water REALLY fast! Can't use it where there are fire restrictions though. It does exactly what they say it does, and runs on pretty near anything that'll burn.
I love the Coleman stoves. Not so much for backpacking, but for base camp they ALWAYS work!
I have the Coleman's and they are OK; but Camp Chef is where it is at for base camp-and backyard BBQ.
Camp Chef is a great base camp stove, but I live at elevation 33!
I use a Snow Peak Giga for backpacking, though there are others that work as well, JetBoil, MSR Pocket Rocket, etc. They aren't designed for cooking, just boiling water for dehydrated meals. I've been happy with the Giga.
Another vote here for the venerable Coleman Green stove. You can usually find good ones used on the web for great prices. I have purchased several in the past couple of years so I could run two stoves at once and still have a spare if needed. They are great stoves, provide tons of heat, and are pretty much foolproof. Add Fuel, pressurize the tank and light the flame.
For base camp we have a Camp Chef two burner and a 3 burner blind stove from Cabelas. With 5 burners available we can cook for a large group and have it all done at the same time. Of course we have an oven and grill too.
For backpack or fly in hunts we are back to fuel stoves due to the ban on the jetboil cannisters on flights.
Mike
For lightweight and very low cost I suggest the sterno gliding stove. Not fancy or high tech brand name. But with a good pan and pot set with a lid I can cook anything from dehydrated soups to frying fish ( must use a lid ), or to boil water. Cost? About 25 bucks with fuel. Temp does not matter, altitude does not matter. Best working and cheapest stove for the price unless you make your own alcohol burner. For truck camper you can't beat a Colman stove and a foldable grill to put over a fire. Simple and nothing fancy
I use a Camp Chef also for base camp also. For packing in it's a MSR Pocket Rocket.
Think about a Trangia alcohol stove for your backpacking. Very light, boils water pretty fast. My entire cook kit is 4.5" x 5" and weighs about 18oz.
Optimus solo cook pots, everything nests inside, windscreen/ pot stand ( home made out of flashing) small drinking cup, lighter, matches, ferno rod, spork, alcohol measuring cup, scuby, bandana. I keep a 4oz bottle of HEET for fuel. 1oz will burn for 12-15 minutes. Pot holds 16oz of water. Will boil in about 8-9 minutes. I basically boil water to rehydrated diy dehydrated freezer bag meals and instant make coffee.