Back to the Stove - My History with Cook Systems 

Everyone is different. For me though hot food raises my spirits on even the suckiest of days.

I'm nearly 50, and I spent most of my youth using a whisperlite because at the time, it wasn't a big heavy system - it was the lightest smallest stove system there was, and we paid premium price for it too. These days, I can buy several pocket rockets for what I spent on my first whisperlite, and that's not accounting for 30 years of inflation. Gear has come so far. It's easy to forget how far. You can have a top of the line ultralight packout for about what a middle-of-the-road packout would have cost back then (again, not adjusting for inflation!), and back then, nobody could even dream of a baseweight under 10 lbs in a sub-40L pack. Under 20 in a 60L would have been amazing. There was no DCF, no silnylon or ultrasilnylon, and there was no way to treat down. If it was rainy, you were taking a lot of synthetics because even fleece was a new concept, and the synthetics were heavier and bulkier than modern synthetics, backpacks were made out of cordura or canvas, and we had no idea what "trail runners" were hiking along in our 5 lb leather boots. And don't get me started on water filtration - massive ceramic canister filters that weighed more than a pound, took up over a liter of space, and if you dropped them, they were probably useless because the ceramic element would crack.

MSR: "You could not live with your own failure... Where did that bring you? Back to me."

I love how "because coffee" ends all the questions for so many people. 😉

Welcome back to hot food!!

Hey Darwin... I'm always curious about 'stove review' vids... my uncle and his boss (both Seattle Mountaineers) designed and machined the parts for the original 'tulip cup' MSR stove. Late '60s or so. and basically founded MSR. 'Mountain Safety Research'. A lot of gear they were being asked to trust their life to, they realized was junk. So there was a great deal of testing, especially of climbing gear that went on in those early years. And being 'Mountaineers' a lot of emphasis was on high altitude, cold weather gear. Enjoyed your vid. Still haven't roused the courage to try 'cold soaking' yet!! Later, Skagit Ed (pronounced 'Skajit', by the way)

Yes Darwin. Keep em coming! I have em all. Still love my SVEA 123. Been all over the world with it. That said, next backpack trip will be with the BSR,

"Which cook system do I use"? ALL of them! :-) Sound like a smart a$$ answer? It's not.... I actually collect backpacking stoves of all variety, I've got around 63 or so one burners, (somebody has to do it), and I'll take different stoves out depending on my mood, or even "theme" that I'm into. Like my last trip a few days ago was an "old school" outing where I used an EXternal frame backpack, a Soto liquid fuel stove, a big 'ole Thermarest self inflator, (almost like a base camp pad!), Mt. House, the whole nine yards. Other times I'll use a WWII stove, or the civilian version that came out shortly after because the general public loved the military version. I've got an alcohol stove from Romania when it was still a Communist Country! I love my Optimus Crux, and I often do ultra-lite trips with different home made alcohol stoves. Sometimes I'll use one of the Coleman "lunar lander" style stoves, and I do love my Jetboil system. So I use them all! (I have to admit that last "old school" trip wasn't quite as nostalgic as I had hoped, because I'm old as hell, and that pack was heavy)!

When I first started hiking, my first stove was a JetBoil MiniMo. I loved it, super efficient as you said and I loved how easy it is to pack all inside the mug. Since 2018 I've switched to the BRS3000 with a Titanium Evernew mug and it's perfect. I choose the mug just so I could pack everything inside it.

Still have my first stove a Bluett from the 60’s; Next was a Svea 123 which is great for winter use, then I went for the MSR Dragonfly. Then I had to try the Jetboil. Now I’ve gone ultralight with alcohol stoves from minibull design, which are great for heating water. I’m pretty much a day hiker these days with occasional overnights so it’s all I need. The Svea is still my favorite though just for the memories and old school charm.

Subway sandwiches are my cook system. I also have a BRS if I feel like something hot.

You should try SOTO windmaster, it's awesome

You should do a video about how you keep/store all this gear when living out of a van.

The Pocket Rocket II is a simmering monster!

Im a back country hunter and I've been using a solo stove with a pair of soda can alcohol burners.

I use a Soto Windmaster, love it.... And yes I have an MSR whisperlite that I bought in the early 80’s lol Take Care

I use a diy alcohol stove for a few reasons: 1) 'Alcool à brûler' is available everywhere here in Europe. Even tiny corner shops will stock it. 2) I simply can not stand the sound of a gas stove. What a peace-breaker. 3) I can take exactly the amount of fuel I need for a given trip. 4) Way lighter than nearly any other stove system 5) Works well at altitude and in cold environments for melting snow However, we don't typically get fire bans here...

Still carry my pre self cleaning Svea 123 occasionally, especially when the temps are below 40. Bought it slightly used for $10 roughly around 47 years ago. Replaced the wick one time. Still going strong. For me isobutane gets a little finicky below 40 degrees.

I literally just watched your episode where you ditched your stove, then this came on today...LOL...Great episode..thanks

Picked up the BRS when you relased your video and it's been my go-to ever since.

RIP to everyone who followed Darwin on his cold food fad.

I've used several different canister stoves but think I've found my gem in the Soto Amicus. Love that thing. My go to pot for quite a long while now is the Toaks 750.

After big miles hot food just has no comparison...i understand the ease of the cold soak, it is practical...but i just crave the hot food...

It's totally ok to go stoveless on the trail. But, apparently I'm not allowed to go pantsless on the trail. Now, if someone would be so kind as to come and post bail for me...I'd be forever in your debt.

The Snow Peak Litemax. I've used this stove for over 6 years now and it never fails.

Darwin, I use the MSR pocket rocket, the 1st version, still to this day, as well as my 20ish year old whisperlite when winter packing. I don't use white gas, unleaded gas is cheap and the stove come with proper hardware to adapt. Love em both, my buddy swears by the jetboil. I've been looking at stove less meals for my AT attempt hopefully next year, just trying to shave weight. Love the videos man, keep em coming.

Pretty much same setup. Except I use the MSR pocket rocket 2. That plus a fuel can fit into the snowpeak 700ml cup so it's all in one.

Awesome video Darwin. I got a lot of different stoves. All stoves have its advantages and disadvantages. In love with the Biolite 2 but ist a bit bulky. Have an amazing Sunday, Andreas from Off Grid Sweden 🇸🇪

Going to have to go 100% stove for a while here. My state is fully under a burn ban (MS).

Nice! Thanks for sharing your journey. Personally, I'll never be stoveless. Hot coffee in the morning is not merely a luxury.

"Pocket Rocket" here...been using it for years. Love it.

A white has Optimus 99 from the 1980s runs like a champ

"pure laziness" .... yep, totally identify with that lol

Picked up a Coleman Peak 1 years ago and have not switched. Yeah, a few ounces more but Boy Scout tough and has never let me down.

just tried cold soaking for my grand canyon rim to rim last month and loved it! cous cous for the win! also did some oatmeal with milk powder, rx butter and dehydrated fruit and it was fantastic. turned my whole group (full of skeptics) on to cold soaking.

I experimented with so many alcohol stoves from beer cans i literally became a alcoholic!!

The original MSR stove was designed after some climbers on Mt. Rainier died of dehydration. Their stoves couldn't melt enough snow to make drinking water. There are 50 years of alternatives now, but I still have my MSR #1.

Hi! Very nice video! We are also using only one stove for all our cooking in our camper with a four people family and it's a must. Ours is an optimus and does the work perfectly! Hope you will have a look at our video about cooking stuff! Cheers🙂

My first backpacking stove was the SVEA 123 white gas stove weighing in at 1 lb 3 oz not including the fuel bottle. It is a classic brass stove that I still keep as a memento. I had been using a JetBoil MiniMo canister stove for a few years until last year when I switched to the BRS pocket stove. I heard complaints about failures with this stove, but I used this exclusively on my recent 28 day JMT hike with no problems. I think the Jetboil will go on the shelf with the old SVEA.

I’m still using my whisperlite I have had for 23 years. Still works amazing. I don’t really get to do long hikes and just go out for a week at a time so this stove has done well for me.

Like the Scout reference.

Best part about the Whisperlite and other WG stoves is that they basically can run on any kind of liquid fuel. I had to use gasoline for a few weeks and it worked just fine.

Man, i would never go hike in my life if that would mean constantly eating from a plastic bag. Do yourself a favor and put a bit of effort to make some food you really enjoy. It will not add too much weight in your backpack, and it will take a bit of time from your days, but nothing better than a cup of tea and real meal in nature

I picked up a Soto Windmaster last year when I was having trouble in cold windy conditions with my BRS. I get to get back out tomorrow (it's a day hike and a short one but better than not after 3+ months of 90-100* temps) and will put the Soto back to work (or keep it for the higher elevation hikes or sub-freezing temps) and keep the BRS I have for the better days hiking.

One word (name): Soto. Whether I’m going all out with the Windmaster, or lightweight with the Amicus, they really do nail it. And the Japanese quality. No more to be said.

I still love my Svea 123

How long in cooking time do you get out of the third system your using ? I need something I can pack in a kayak and spend a week out on islands cooking fish and lobster

You should check out the Soto Windmaster! One awesome stove!

I'm a gearhead and have tried everything. Couple things: Alcohol stoves (trangia) do have a "valve" u can use to control heat and "turn off. " Secondly, nothing is more fun to use than my firebox stove with wood, wood pellets, or as an added bonus the trangia as they are compatible. Comes in titanium or aluminum, light as hell, and feels great to use as it's like cooking on a controlled campfire.

I also still have my trusty whisperlite stove that I bought in the 90’s. My current go to system is an MSR pocket rocket with an MSR titan titanium kettle/pot. Great video!

Soto Windmaster...that pressure regulator is great. I've had a SnowPeak Gigapower for 20 years, but it gets iffy at elevation and the BRS I bought failed miserably above 5000 ft in wind.

The Jetboil isn’t really overkill when you think about it. Cause it comes with it’s own cook pot. So in reality, it is the same size as if you bought a pot and a burner separately. But its all good. ✌🏼

I use a collapsible wood stove, a ferro rod, and a 750 ml titanium mug. That’s all I need in my backpack. That my main cooking kit. There is fuel everywhere.

I had to laugh when I saw this. The idea of eating only cold food.... sounded absolutely horrible, not to mention unhealthy in cold climates, and certainly if any mountaineering is going on. I give him credit for being open minded, at least. He's not afraid to change his mind. The MSR stove is brilliant, and I had one sinc ehte late 80s. They are not bulky by my assessment, and are reliable.

I use the BRS with a Stanley Camp 24oz set. I keep one of the green mugs in it and modify the lid tab and handle to be able to remove. A Ozark steel mug fits snug on the pot base. My BSR, lighter, and small fuel can fits snug inside the pot. I don't through hike. Just weekend adventures and it works for me.

First stove was a early 80's coleman gasoline single burner. (I am a little older than you) Was heavy along with all my other gear. Second stove was a MSR pocket rocket which never let me down and boiled water pretty fast. 3rd was a Primus Crux. About the same results as my pocket rocket stove except it folded up smaller. I now have the smaller Titanium Jet Boil system. Love it!! I still use all depending on what the trip is.

My "serious" backpacking stove is the 3 ounce SnowPeak gigapower canister stove, and usually titanium cookpot.

Since I backpack with my husband and 3 teenagers, I use a MSR reactor stove. It boils enough water to hydrate 5 meals. Sometimes it's just my husband and I that go out for 3-4 days, so I am looking for a smaller system. The one issue I had with stoves in the past was wind. The wind would blow out the flame. The MSR reactor does really well in high wind. What other smaller stoves perform well in windy situations?

Still like my seva123. I’ve been using it for 45 years I know it’s heavy but it works every time in all weather and all altitudes and all temperatures. A few years ago I borrowed some canister roves from friends and was not impressed by any of them I’ll just keep using my trusty old 123.

Look up the IRIDIUM stove..... very light......no moving parts..... never fails...... fuel cells......alcohol.....or campfire 🔥.... even clips outside your pack to save room

Thanks for the great info! I always get excited to see you’ve uploaded a new video. 🙌🏼

I haven't used a canister stove for many years now. I generally use an alcohol stove(specifically the Zelph fancy feast or diy elite clone).At around 7g for the stove and a 600ml TI cup, thats my cook set, compact and very light. Every now and then, I'll use my Jetboil SOL as it's crazy fast for midday tea etc. and not as bulky as the early models. I have pretty much all the iterations of camping stoves, but they all just sit in their box while the same 3 stoves get a hammering.

I'm really liking my Soto Windmaster that I bought earlier this year. Previous to that, I used the MSR Pocket Rocket, which is a solid and very lightweight, convenient stove, although I had a few minor issues with it at higher elevations (above 10,000 feet).

Still have my MSR Whisperlite laying around. Either full power or off, no chance of fine tuning. ;-)

Yep. Same here. 750 toaks mug. BRS. I have definitely consider going stoveless for the same reason... I'm lazy when I get to Camp after walking all day but I'm too damn attached to my hot coffee in the morning.

I have recently fallen in love with the @firebox Nano. It’s Titanium, very compact and works like a charm. Wood stove for me.

That is so Hoosier, "Wild Hair up my A__" So glad to reconnect with you and Snuggles my fav fellow Hiking Hoosiers. God Speed as they say at Indy 500.

Optimus111! If i am on day hikes, or use a canoe, kayk or pulka when skiing :) Otherwise MSR Simmerlite!

I love my white gas stoves, and own quite a vast collection of them........but when it comes to backpacking......I only use my lightweight canister stoves. I also love my Trangia alcohol stove, but there's no way I'm lugging that thing down the trail either! I completely agree about the Jetboil. I love the efficiency, but I feel that the lighter weight of a pocket burner with a small pot wins out for my trail use.

Personally, how is it possible to start a hiking day without a good HOT coffee ? I can't imagine it !!!

I still carry the feather 442 dual fuel. 😂

Good to hear! Having warm meals and drinks is so rewarding ! FYI: my pocket rocket, albeit lighter, seems to use more gas heating the same amount of water as compared to my jet boil. Also, the pocket rocket seems to leak some fuel each time I twist it on that I think it made a big difference on a weekend family trip :( So I’m going to revert to the jetboild or run more experiments.

I use the Primus classic trail stove. Weight isn't an issue for me, because my travels are in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, so gear is in the canoe, and not always on my back. The Primus is truly awesome.

I use a Primus 8R that I bought new back in the early 70's when weight was never a concern. Love the sound and speed. I have a cheap, 12$, knockoff pocket rocket to travel light.

I use the BRS UL stove from your recommendation, and I love it. Its so tiny and light and does an amazing job.

The optimis crux stove, it folds in half and fits underneath the fuel can great for saving space.

MSR Pocket Rocket & Toaks Cup. I love how the fuel canister, lighter, and pocket rocket fit in the cup. It's perfect 😊

I bought my Whisperlite in 1993 and it still runs like the day I bought it.

Welcome back to the cooking crew. I love the BRS-3000T. Hot coffee is my carry luxury item. I carry a 8.4 oz Moka Pot just for trailside expresso, but as my cooking video shows, coffee is my trailside highpoint.

After you did the review of the bsr stove picked up a couple.I keep one in with my gear and one in my kitchen that i use all the time.About ypur bike trips are you going to a gear list for those ?

Thanks, I'm actually in the market for either an MSR Windburner or Jetboil Flash cooking system, but haven't made up my mind yet. Thanks for this video as I am also still considering an ultralight stove like yours, but have read that either of the aforementioned cooking systems shield the flame/heat from high winds very well, helping to keep boiling water or cooking food as efficient (saving fuel) and quickly (saving time) as possible. Thanks again.

My first was the coleman 1lb green can stove. Bit heavy and over kill for hiking. Great for camping tho.

Cooking or not cooking. I will always have my boiling pot/cup/bottle. Which depends on what I'm doing. I like the versatility. And I like the backup water disinfection by boiling in case of a filter fail. Which I've had happen from miatakenly breaking gaskets on sawyers from over tightening and freezing. But I've also baked bread and all sorts of things in my pots and cups.

I started with my parent's camping Gaz stove. That was wild since the Gaz canisters get punctured and can't be removed from the stove until empty. But it worked until I replaced it with a pocket rocket. Used that for many years until I acquired an Optimus Nova (white gas), and started using that almost exclusively. I'm not much of a weight counter, so I didn't mind, but the advantage for me was that I always knew how much fuel I was bringing on each trip, and the low profile of the stove meant I could cook with larger pots and pans. Since I hike with groups of up to 6, and we almost always cook group meals, the weight per person of the white gas stove made more sense than bringing two or three canister stoves. But, I've lately I've been going back to the pocket rocket since it is lighter and takes up less space in the pack and doesn't require priming before lighting up.

Still got my Coleman stove dual-burner, for car camping and my grandpa just gave me his. Classic! Fires up most of the time unless its super cold! Plus they work great during a natural disaster. Been using the trusty old MSR Pocket Rocket for backpacking since the beginning. Now i did pick up a brs to as well but the gasket never set right in the end .. replaced it.. also its not very efficient on gas. Pocket Rocket seemed to out perform the BRS. Each is own when it comes to stoves...There are so many on the market, its all personal preference i guess.

JetBoil is pretty popular, but check out the MSR Windburner. It is lighter and more compact than the Reactor and works eccelent in cold and windy conditions. I am using it for mountaineering. For UL hiking I am also using the BSR.

Jetboil, for all the reasons you stated. Generally I am making tea/coffee for 3-12 people in all weathers, nothing else comes close (MSR reactor included) when it comes to convenience/reliability etc for this particular job.

My first backpacking stove was a camping gaz globetrotter in the 80s. Then I used a svea as I did a lot of winter mountain camps. Currently I mainly use an optimus crux with a primus litech pot or an edelrid hexon (very light petrol stove) with the litech or, usually when in France with my wife, a Trangia 27. Alcohol is readily available there so makes sense and it is a better size for two. My favourite is the crux at the moment. It is compact and fits in the bottom of the gas canister. It is controllable and quiet and it has a good windshield.

I love my JetBoil! Still have my MSR XGK which has been nicknamed the “Screaming Demon” stove cuz it’s so loud. Great for long motorcycle camping trips cuz it can burn the same fuel as the bike. For backpacking tho it’s the JetBoil!

I see you going back and forth between your Ghost Whisperer and your Torrid APEX jacket. You did a Down vs Synthetic jackets comparison a while ago but you still go back and forth. Is that just for funsies or have you settled on one over the other at this point?

I didn't want to lug the canisters, so I went with trangia alcohol stoves. While they are slow to bring a boil (6-8 min vs 2-4 min), you get a small campfire for warmth and a moment to reflect. With a good cover and a stand system (like you have in the photo) there is as much change for a fire as any other system. I have a canister that makes a perfect 1 once pour so you don't spill everywhere. So it is light, compact, quiet, and warm.

I use 2 kinds. an DIY alcohol popcan stove with an altoid tin pot stand which doubles for my 2nd system. I carry round esbit tablets for backups and firestarting. my cook pot was a 5 dollar walmart knockoff. I bring my own silverware and cloth napkins I made from home.

Pocket stove, 750ml Ti cup, and Nalgene with Canyon Coffee Press bot. Does a lot of things for me. I also have a stainless Nalgene I’ll lug when I hit the mountains and need more hot water at once (hot drinks, food, hot Nalgene in my sleeping bag the list goes on)

I appreciate what you have shared on cooking AND cold soaking...in the really hot summer months, I've cold soaked. It is easier and dinner can be had sooner in many cases, and when it is 90 degrees outside, eating hot food is not appetizing for me. But come fall until summer, it's cooking all the way. I don't feel I have to be in one "camp' or another. Why not both?

I prefer a Swedish Military Trangia alcohol stove/mess kit. ( or even a modern Trangia cook set ) The reason is there are no moving parts , nothing to fail on you in the middle of nowhere. You can use Rubbing Alcohol , Denatured Alcohol from a hardware store , Grain Alcohol from a liquor store , the Yellow bottles of HEAT that you put in your gas tank that you find in gas stations , grocery stores etc. as fuel for the Trangia stove. You can also use cans of Sterno , or even cook over an open fire or coals. So no matter where you are you can find fuel for them. They're not as fast as a jet boil stove , but they are extremely reliable. Here is the link to Trangia's website in case you're interested in checking them out. Please note this is a personal opinion of mine from having used surplus Swedish Military Stove sets , I do not work for Trangia and I don't know anyone who does. www.trangia-central.com/trangia-shop-usa.html

First backpacking stove (in 1975) was a Svea 123 nested in a Sigg Tourist cook set. Still have it, still works but no longer in use for obvious reasons. Now use a variety of canister stoves.

Hey Darwin. I've watched several of your videos and really enjoyable and appreciate the information. Can you please give more detail on the fuel you use on the trail? More specifically how long it lasts, how do you plan fuel usage, how many canisters you carry or just send new fuel in you resupply packages? Keep up the great work!

I've tried a lot of stoves as well. Alcohol is interesting as you mainly make them yourself and it's cool to try different designs (cost is $0 as just use old soda cans). While they are light, they are not as trustworthy and are not as efficient. Jetboil... never used one but hike with people that do. They are nice in that they are modular and they are very efficient but they are a little bulk. I took only use a pocket stove now. So very small, is only slightly less efficient then Jetboil and dependable. It is also nice that you can use any size pot. My go to mug is no longer made. It was under the REI brand and is a titanium put. LOVE that thing! It has a lid with a drain spout. The lid also has a hook in case you want to hang it. Also, the fold out handles are coated so they don't get hot. Such a great mug. It is a shame that REI does not have it any longer.

Knowing your desire to lighten the load and minimize bulk, you may like to get a little practice with alcohol stoves. I use a double walled red bull can stove. fuel is cheap as can be and found everywhere. stored in light weight plastic containers, the alcohol weight disappears as you burn it, and you're only left with the weight of the plastic container(s) , which are refillable/reusable and much more eco friendly vs the weight and bulk of a fuel canister which becomes useless and garbage once empty. With alcohol, you know exactly how much fuel you have left vs the guessing game of a canister of iso. but the cons, alcohol takes longer to boil, no temperature regulation (unless you get something like a trangia which weighs a ton) and to make them work efficiently, you need to make sure wind is at a minimum or you carry or build an effective wind screen -- a piece of alu foil or something like that. I enjoy your videos

Just saw this. Good video. Do you use a lid with your cup? I have a Jetboil system and a small stove similar to yours. I find the system bulky especially in my day pack for something quick to drink.