| Job | Cook and boil water outdoors |
| Fuels | Canister gas, liquid fuel, alcohol, wood |
| Backpacking | Light, fast-boiling |
| Car camping | More burners and power |
A camp stove is a portable stove for cooking and boiling water outdoors, burning fuel such as pressurized gas canisters, liquid fuel, alcohol, or wood. Backpacking stoves prioritize light weight and fast boiling, while car-camping stoves offer more burners and power. The fuel type is the main choice to make.
Fuel types
The big choice is canister vs liquid fuel, plus lighter alcohol and fast integrated canister systems.
Match to conditions
Canisters for easy three-season use; liquid fuel for cold and altitude.
Frequently asked questions
What are the types of camp stove?
The main backpacking types are canister stoves (screw onto pressurized gas), integrated canister systems (Jetboil-style, fast boilers), liquid-fuel stoves (refillable white gas, great in cold), alcohol stoves (ultralight and simple), and wood stoves (no fuel to carry). Car-camping stoves are larger two-burner units.
Canister or liquid fuel stove?
Canister stoves are lighter, simpler, and cleaner — ideal for most three-season backpacking — but lose power in cold and at altitude. Liquid-fuel stoves perform far better in cold and let you carry exact fuel amounts, at the cost of priming and maintenance. Choose by conditions.
What stove works best in cold weather?
Liquid-fuel (white gas) stoves are the most reliable in deep cold and at altitude, since they pressurize the fuel by pumping. Standard canister stoves struggle as the gas struggles to vaporize in the cold, though cold-weather canister blends and inverted-canister stoves help.
Sources
- Backcountry cooking — American Hiking Society