Cooking out in the wilderness can be an exciting daily event or a tedious unnecessary chore. Personally, I grew to hate cooking on the Pacific Crest Trail, and ultimately, I decided to go stoveless.
Your choices when it comes to stoves can be narrowed down into two general categories: canister stoves, and non-canister stoves. Canister stoves use compressed gasses (ex. propane or white gas), and non-canister burn solid esbit fuel tablets, biomass (ex. wood), or a combustible liquid such as denatured alcohol or HEET.
The three most popular stoves (I saw) out on the Pacific Crest Trail were alcohol stoves, MSR Pocket Rockets, and Jetboils.
ALCOHOL STOVES
Perhaps the most popular choice among PCT thru-hikers, alcohol stoves come in a wide variety of styles. From the ultra-inefficient DIY cat can stoves to more carefully crafted pieces of aluminum that claim to provide superior cookability, the alcohol stove is what I opted to bring along on my PCT thru-hike.
So why did I decide on the alcohol stove?
PROS:
- Fuel is generally quite easy to come by (usually found at gas stations, hardware stores or sporting good stores).
- They are by far the lightest option for hikers.
- Stoves can be made at home if desired.
- Alcohol stoves are cheap – they can cost as much as little as a can of soda (or beer).
CONS:
- The weight of your liquid fuel can quickly dilute your stove weight savings.
- The lack of an on/off switch makes alcohol stoves dangerous if not properly supervised.
- You will encounter many people who do not know what denatured alcohol is when you go into stores looking for it (even when they carry it).
Check out the alcohol stove I brought along: Trangia Alcohol Stove
Note: some people claim that all alcohol stoves are equally inefficient, but I can personally attest to more quality alcohol stoves providing much more efficient burns than the DIY cat can stoves.
MSR POCKET ROCKET
The MSR Pocket Rocket is a popular choice on the trail as well. It is a lightweight canister stove, and can easily win you over if you find yourself frustrated with your alcohol stove.
PROS:
- The stove itself is light – it weighs only three ounces.
- It is very efficient and can be lit without priming.
- Boils water much more quickly than an alcohol stove.
CONS:
- Canisters can weigh between 6.7 and 12 ounces.
- Balancing your pot on it can be tricky for larger meals.
- New canisters can be difficult to come by in more remote areas.
Check out the MSR Pocket Rocket Stove
JETBOIL
Another variation of the canister stove, the Jetboil is a very popular choice among hikers (despite being one of the heaviest and most expensive options available).
Personally, I would never carry a Jetboil myself, but I must admit that I was happy to be around friends willing to let me use theirs. The speed with which a Jetboil is capable of boiling water is truly remarkable.
PROS:
- The Jetboil pot easily doubles as a mug, and can be eaten out of with ease.
- The boiling time of water in a Jetboil is ludicrously fast.
- The lid features a pour spout and built-in strainer.
- Packs into itself for easy storage.
CONS:
- Jetboils are heavy when compared with the alternatives (10.5 oz before adding canister).
- New canisters can be difficult to come by in more remote areas.
- Jetboils are expensive compared to the alternatives.
Check out the Jetboil Personal Cooking System