Gear Guide: Cooking & Fire
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Canister Stove
The MSR PocketRocket-2 stove's ultra compact size is perfect for outdoor adventures where weight is a factor. This stove consistently ranks as the fastest cooking among the stoves in its class.This little transformer fits in the palm of your hand, but will dependably cook your meal in almost no time, almost anywhere.
This is the stove I would bring for the most dependable and fastest meal preparation on the trail or at camp. The only drawback (as with other stoves of this kind) is the need to carry —and later dispose of— the fuel canister.
We carry canister fuel at Cosmic Bikes, but we are unable to ship it.
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Woodstove
If you wish to eliminate the canister disposal dilemma one faces with typical backpacking stoves, I’ve got something you’ll love! The minimalist Vargo Titanium Wood Stove packs down to the size of a small saucer, and uses only natural kindling and sticks for fuel.
A natural firestarter will help. I’ve tested the Vargo Stove with Baddest Bee wicks, which made starting fire in the diminutive stove considerably easier and more consistent.
This stove is ideal for day trips, but it’s so compact that you can easily carry it on all your trips, and use when natural fuel is abundant. This would allow you to preserve your canister fuel for those occasions when it’s really unavoidable.
Never carry fuel again! This tiny stove uses found sticks, bark and pinecones to build a fire.
Cookset
I have not found one indispensable piece of cooking gear that works for all occasions. What I use really depends on where I am going, for how long, and whether I’m going alone or with a partner. I’ve used everything from a “car camping” type of cookset you can buy at the outdoor sections of any Walmart, to a cast iron pan brought from home, to a minimal stainless pot/mug for boil-in-a-bag meals.
If you’re just starting to assemble your camping cookware arsenal, the two brands I can recommend for durability and versatility are:
MSR
Well-crafted cookware for between 1 and 4 people in a range of materials to suit your budget.
Sea to Summit
Innovative ultralight collapsible cookware combining stainless steel and food-grade silicone (including collapsible tea kettles, which are notoriously bulky to carry!)