Are you tired of going backpacking only to realize you over packed your bag and are now stuck carrying a ton of items that you might not need?
Well, with the help of the best ultralight backpacking stove, you can save a lot of space and weight when you’re getting your things ready to head out on a trail. The only problem is, trying to find a backpacking stove is akin to finding a needle in a haystack, as there are thousands of models on the market.
In this guide, we’ll discuss the top three backpacking stoves that you can find that not only offer versatility but lightweight carrying as well.
Oliasports Ultralight Camp Burner
- Integrated Piezo ignition with an adjustable flame
- Weighs in at 95G
- Foldable design
- Compatible with butane and propane screwtop canisters
Pros
- Quickly boils coffee and water: One of the largest advantages to the Oliasports Ultralight Camp Burner is it quickly boils any type of liquid ranging from water to coffee in approximately three minutes. It’s also incredibly useful for cooking canned meals, such as soup, as it can get the food to an enjoyable temperature in about four minutes.
- Offers precise flame control: When it comes to perfecting meals while you’re camping outdoors, you’re going to want to have as much control as possible when it comes to working with the flame. Luckily, the Oliasports Ultralight Camp Burner does have flame controls that are precise enough to customize the heat of your meals.
- Includes an electric lighter switch: Unlike many other lightweight camping stoves, this particular model comes equipped with an electric lighter switch, so you don’t have to worry about manually starting the stove.
Cons
- Not recommended for extremely windy conditions: If there’s one thing that can be said about the Oliasports Ultralight Camp Burner, it’s that it’s not designed to work well in windy conditions. In the event that you’ll be heading out into torrential weather during your backpacking trip, its best to rely on a more weather-resistant model.
- Care while setting the stove up is crucial: Another disadvantage to this particular backpacking stove is the fact that without proper care while assembling the unit, you might end up spraying fuel everywhere. It’s best to ensure the fuel bottle is kept upright while attaching it to the stove.
Zoeson Mini Camping Stove
- Constructed of stainless steel and aluminum alloy
- Equipped with carrying case and compact design
- Compatible with many EN 417 fuel canisters
- Adjustable flame control valve
Pros
- Push button ignition is simple to use: One of the largest advantages of the Zoeson Mini Camping Stove is it offers a push button ignition that is incredibly easy to use. Instead of having to worry about manually lighting a flame with a match or a lighter, all you have to do is push a simple button.
- Adjustable flame valve is placed perfectly for safe operation: When it comes to adjusting the intensity of the flame, the adjustable valve is put in the perfect location where you can turn it up or down without sticking your hand directly into the flame.
- Easy to set up without instructions: If you’re searching for a lightweight backpacking stove that will be easy to use as a beginner, this is certainly a model to entertain. The Zoeson Mini Camping Stove does not include any instructions because it’s incredibly simple to setup even if you’ve never used an outdoor stove in the past.
Cons
- You must carefully balance meals while cooking: Due to its small size, it can be difficult to balance larger items on the burner while it’s cooking. This makes it ideal for adults to use, but not recommended for younger children, as there is a severe risk of fire without proper use.
- The burner is too small for large meals: Considering the unit is designed to be the best ultralight backpacking stove, it’s not recommended for large meals such as an entire pan of bacon or hamburgers. Instead, it’s recommended for meals that require the use of small pots, such as soups.
SIMBR Portable Stove
- Integrated Piezo ignition
- Weighs three ounces
- Compatible with any EN 417 canisters
- Adjustable fuel valve
- All-in-one design
Pros
- Foldable feet help to create a strong cooking base: When it comes to cooking with the SIMBR Portable Stove, you’ll surely appreciate the strong base that eliminates the worry of pots and pans tipping over while they are cooking. It also makes it easier to accommodate slightly larger pots and pans.
- Easy to use during wind storms: By far, the largest advantage of this camping stove that makes it the best ultralight backpacking stove is the fact that its wind guards are incredibly useful. Even in the most torrential weather, the flame will stay lit, allowing you to make the most out of every meal.
Con
- Not recommended for cooking with big pots because of the wind guards: Although the wind guards do make it easier to cook meals in the middle of wind storms, they also prevent you from using large pots and pans to feed larger groups of people. The guards aren’t adjustable, and so you can’t adjust the size of the burner.
Summary
Finding the perfect ultralight backpacking stove can be difficult, as there are a wide variety of models on the market. Your best bet is to pay attention to three crucial aspects that every outdoor stove should have: weather resilience, sufficient heating power, and adjustable flame control.
- Weather Resilience: All of the portable stoves on this list offer some type of weather resilience, but the Zoeson Mini Camping Stove stands out amongst the rest as it is constructed out of stainless steel and aluminum alloy. These materials held to ward off corrosion and rusting as a result of being exposed to rain and snow.
- Sufficient Heating Power: When it comes to making sure you can cook relatively anything, you need to find an outdoor stove with an ample amount of power. The Oliasports Ultralight Camp Burner and SIMBR Portable Stove are certainly powerful units, allowing you to boil water and soup in as little as three minutes.
- Adjustable Flame Control: Another important feature is to be able to adjust the flame produced by your camping stove so you can customize how you cook. All three units on this list offer the Piezo ignition, which is essential for having access to variable flame control.
What is the Best Backpacking Stove?
Each of the stoves on this list offers their own array of benefits, for the best all-around user experience, the Zoeson Mini Camping Stove is a great option, as long as you use the unit with care.
Depending on how you camp, you might be looking for particular features that certain stoves may not offer. It’s best to consider your personal camping style when choosing the perfect cooking apparatus for your needs.