The Wind River Range, Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, and the Grand Canyon (all numerous times now). Utah’s High Uintas Wilderness, Montana’s Beartooths, and Colorado’s Weminuche. Glacier National Park and the Tetons. The Canadian Rockies. Southern Utah’s Owl and Fish canyons, Buckskin Gulch, and Paria Canyon. The John Muir Trail and Wonderland Trail. Iceland’s Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails. New Hampshire’s Presidential Range and New Zealand’s Milford Track, Routeburn Track, and Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

These are just some of the places where I’ve recently tested the backpacking gear and apparel that I’ve reviewed at The Big Outside—so that I can give you honest and thorough, field-tested opinions that help you find the best gear for your adventures.

And that’s exactly how I came up with the following picks for today’s best backpacking gear.

Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-books to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.

Three decades of testing outdoor gear and apparel—including formerly as the lead gear reviewer and Northwest Editor of Backpacker magazine for 10 years and even longer running this blog—have refined my ability to identify gear that’s truly outstanding, at the cutting edge technologically, and a good value.

In this freshly updated review, I share my top picks for a basic backpacking gear kit, from several of the best packs, tents, boots, and sleeping bags, including suggestions for backpackers on a budget—because everyone has different needs and preferences—to a favorite rain shell, the best trekking poles, down jackets, and air mattresses, the camp kitchen, and water treatment.

Much of the gear in this story links to my complete review of it, where you can get more details and find links to online retailers for purchasing it. Purchasing through the “Buy it now” affiliate links below or affiliate links in each complete review supports my work on The Big Outside, at no cost to you—in fact, you’ll usually find the best prices at those links. Thank you for doing that.

Please share your questions or thoughts on my gear picks in the comments section at the bottom of this story; I try to respond to all comments. And please forward this story to other backpackers you think might find it useful.

Want to read about the many places I’ve backpacked while testing gear? See my All Trips List or use the search box (main menu, above), and check out my e-books to America’s best backpacking trips, including the Teton Crest Trail and The Best First Backpacking Trip in Yosemite, and my Custom Trip Planning page to learn how I can help you plan your next great backpacking trip.

Click on any product name to read its review. Click any “Buy it now” link to purchase it.

Backpacks

Best Overall: Osprey Atmos AG 65 (buy it now) and Aura AG 65 (buy it now), both $370, 4 lbs. 11 oz./2.13kg.
Best Weight-to-Performance Ratio: Granite Gear Blaze 60, $300, 3 lbs. 4 oz./1.47kg. Buy it now.
Best Price-to-Performance Ratio: Gregory Paragon 60 (buy it now) and Maven 58 (buy it now), $270, 3 lbs. 12 oz./1.7 kg.
Best-Fitting Ultralight: Osprey Exos 58 (buy it now) and Eja 58 (buy it now), both $280, 2 lbs. 14 oz./1.3kg.
Best For Heavy Loads: Gregory Baltoro 65 (buy it now) and Deva 60 (buy it now), both $350, 4 lbs. 14 oz./2.21kg.

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Best Ultralight Pack

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider
$379, 1 lb. 15 oz./878.8g

Many ultralight packs lack the support for carrying more than about 25 pounds comfortably. HMG’s Windrider handles up to 35 pounds, its 55 liters deliver the capacity for a week between resupplies, and it weighs much less than some best-selling competitors. Its tough Dyneema Composite Fabrics is fully waterproof and built to survive the apocalypse. The fixed suspension comes in four sizes and the simple harness system works. Its minimalist design, durability, capacity, comfort, and low weight will appeal to many backpackers who prefer hiking over simply hauling.

Read my full review of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider and see all of my picks for the best ultralight backpacks.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking this affiliate link to purchase a Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider at hyperlitemountaingear.com.

I’ve helped many readers plan unforgettable backpacking and hiking trips.
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Tents

Best Two-Door Tent That Pitches with Trekking Poles: Slingfin 2Lite, $505, 2 lbs. 10 oz./1.19kg. Buy it now.
Best 2-Person Ultralight: MSR Freelite 2, $465, 2 lbs./907.2g. Buy it now.
Sturdiest and Roomiest 2-Person Ultralight: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid 2, $699, 1 lb. 2 oz./510.3g. Buy it now.
Best Solo Ultralight: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid-1, $599, 16.8 oz./476.3g. Buy it now.
Best Value Solo Ultralight: Gossamer Gear The One, $255, 1 lb. 2 oz./510g. Buy it now.

Great Balance of Space, Features, and Weight

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2
$550, 2 lbs. 11 oz./1.22kg

For years, the Copper Spur HV UL2 has remained a leading choice for backpackers seeking an ultralight tent that doesn’t compromise on sturdiness or livability. While some would call it merely “lightweight,” semantics aside, it sports an abundance of features and space for a freestanding, two-door shelter well under three pounds, starting with the most conspicuous: two awning-style doors that can be set up in rain to allow cooling ventilation without getting wet inside or rolled up for maximum ventilation and stargazing. The DAC Featherlite hubbed poles create steep walls that make the tent feel roomier than its 29 square feet, 40-inch peak height, and 88-inch length. It pitches easily, the two vestibules are spacious and ventilation excellent, and the Copper Spur has abundant interior pockets. Very few freestanding, two-door tents strike such a space-to-weight balance.

Read my full review of the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 at backcountry.com or another version of the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL series at backcountry.com.

Get the right gear for your trips. See “The 10 Best Backpacking Packs”
and “The 10 Best Backpacking Tents.”

Shoes and Boots

Best Lightweight Shoes: Danner Trail 2650, $190, 1 lb. 7.5 oz./666.2g Buy them now.
Best Lightweight Backpacking Boots: Scarpa Rush Mid GTX, $199, 2 lbs./907.2g Buy them now.
Best Midweight Backpacking Boots: Salewa Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX, $250, 2 lbs. 5 oz./1.05 kg Buy them now.
Most Breathable and Sticky: La Sportiva TX3, $159, 1 lb. 9 oz./708.7g Buy them now.
Best Trail Running/Ultralight Hiking Shoes: Hoka One One Speedgoat 6, $155, 1 lb. 3 oz./538.6g Buy them now.
Killer Value: Oboz Katabatic Mid Waterproof, $180, 1 lb. 13 oz./822g Buy them now.

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Sleeping Bags

Best Down Bags: Feathered Friends Hummingbird and Egret UL, $549-$629, 1 lb. 5 oz.-1 lb. 9 oz./595.3g.-708.7g. Buy a Hummingbird UL 30 or 20 now or an Egret UL 30 or 20 now.
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30, $510-$540, 1 lb. 6 oz./623.7g-669g. Buy a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 now.
Marmot Hydrogen 30, $399-$419, 1 lb. 9.4 oz.-1 lb. 11 oz./720g-770g. Buy a Marmot Hydrogen 30 now.
Sea to Summit Spark Pro -9C/15F, $649-$689, 1 lb. 11 oz.-1 lb. 14 oz./765.4g-861g, and Spark Pro -1C/30F, $549-$579, 1 lb. 6 oz.-1 lb. 8 oz./619g-672g. Buy a Sea to Summit Spark Pro now.
Best Ultralight: Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 32 or Hyperion 20, $430-$580, 15 oz.-1 lb. 6 oz./425.2g.-623.7g. Buy it now.
Best Winter Bag: Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0, $700-$740, 2 lbs. 7 oz.-2 lbs. 11 oz./1.11kg.-1.22kg. Buy it now.
Best Budget Sleeping Bag: Kelty Cosmic Synthetic 20, $110-$120, 3 lbs./1.36kg. Buy it now. Or Kelty Cosmic Down 20, $170-$200, 2 lbs. 7 oz./1.11kg. Buy it now.

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Click here now to learn more.

Best Value Down Bag

Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 30F/-1C
$265-$285, 1 lb. 12 oz./793.8g

When shopping for sleeping bags, it’s helpful to compare certain key specs: temperature rating, type and amount of insulation (or fill), total weight, and, of course, the price. Using those metrics, the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 30F/-1C looks really good, with RDS-certified, flourine-free, 650-fill-power down, enough warmth for many backpackers on typical overnight temps of summer in most mid-latitude mountain ranges (except for people who tend to get cold more easily), and a cut that delivers more generous space than many bags—all at a weight south of two pounds and it packs down to 7×13.5 inches. Among down bags, this is a good price for a bag of this quality. It also comes in 15-degree and 0-degree versions.

Read my full review of the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 30. 

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or a women’s Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 30F at backcountry.com, or other versions of the men’s and women’s Bishop Pass bags at backcountry.com.

Click on any product name to read its review. Click any “Buy it now” link to purchase it.

Best Rain Shells

Black Diamond Fineline Stretch Shell
$189, 10 oz./283.5g
Black Diamond Fineline Stretch Full-Zip Pants
$179, 9 oz./255.1g

Few places test rain gear as brutally as New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park, where rain is almost as prevalent as oxygen. In some of the heaviest and most relentless wind-driven rain I’ve encountered over four decades of hiking and backpacking, on two classic hut treks and one long dayhike—the Routeburn Track and Milford Track and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing—Black Diamond’s Fineline Stretch Shell and Full-Zip Pants performed impressively.

For two straight days and most of a third day on the Milford, the jacket and pants never left my body. While water did penetrate both layers in spots—and in fairness, I believe those conditions would overwhelm any high-quality waterproof-breathable shells (and companions with Gore-Tex shells suffered the same fate)—they prevented me from getting soaked and cold. Credit goes to BD’s 2.5-layer BD.dry waterproof/breathable/windproof technology, which also has adequate breathability for all but very warm three-season trips.

With a one-hand-adjustable, climbing-helmet-compatible hood, the DWR-sealed pit zip vents, a waterproof front zipper, tough 50-denier fabric, and two zippered hand pockets—all at just $180 and 10 ounces/283.5 grams (men’s medium)—the Fineline Stretch Shell is a full-on technical, three-season rain shell.

Read my complete review of the Black Diamond Fineline Stretch Shell and Fineline Full-Zip Pants.

See all of the latest gear reviews at The Big Outside.

Down Jackets

Best Down Jacket: Feathered Friends Eos Down Jacket, $409, 11 oz./311.8g Buy it now.
Best Synthetic Jacket: Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody, $349, 14 oz./397g Buy it now.
Best Ultralight Down Jacket: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer/2 Down Hoody, $360, 8.8 oz./249.5g Buy it now.
Best Ultralight Synthetic Jacket: Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody, $329, 9 oz./255.1g Buy it now.
Versatile Down Jacket: Rab Microlight Alpine Down Jacket, $295, 15 oz./425.2g Buy it now.

Which puffy should you buy? See “The 12 Best Down Jackets” and
“How You Can Tell How Warm a Down Jacket Is.”

Trekking Poles

Best Overall: MSR Dynalock Ascent, $190, 1 lb. 1 oz./481.9g Buy it now.
Best Ultralight: Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ, $210, 12.7 oz./360g Buy it now.
Most Versatile: Leki Makalu FX Carbon, $230, 1 lb. 1.9 oz./508g Buy it now.

Need a good headlamp? See “The Best Headlamps.”

Air Mattresses

Best All-Around Air Mat: Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated and XT Extreme, $219-$249, 1 lb. 1 oz.-1 lb. 9 oz./482-709g. Buy it now.
Best Comfort-to-Weight Balance: Nemo Tensor Insulated Air Mattress, $200-$230, 13 oz.-1 lb. 5 oz./369-595g. Buy it now.
Best Ultralight: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT, $200-$240, 11.5 oz.-1 lb. 1 oz./326-482g. Buy it now.
Best Inflatable Pillow: Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Ultra Light, $50-$55, 2.5 oz./71g. Buy it now.

What do you really need for backpacking?
See my “Essentials-Only Backpacking Gear Checklist.”

Camp Kitchen

Best Ultralight Pot: MSR Titan Kettle 1400ml, $70, 5.4 oz./153g, or Titan Kettle 900ml, $65, 4.4 oz./126g. Buy it now.
Best Cook Set: Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Collapsible One-Pot Cook Set, $146, 19 oz./527g. Buy it now.
Best Solo Stove: Jetboil Flash, $145, 13 oz./369g. Buy it now.
Best Family/Group Stove: MSR Windburner Group Stove System, $260, 1 lb. 4 oz./567g. Buy it now.
Best Bear Canister: Bear Vault BV500, $95, 2 lbs. 8 oz./1.1kg. Buy it now.

Buy smart with my pro tips on buying a backpack, backpacking tent,
hiking shoes or boots, a rain jacket, and a sleeping bag.

Best Ultralight Stove

MSR PocketRocket 2
$50, 3 oz./85g (4 oz./113.4g with plastic case, included)

Backcountry stoves come in a variety of designs these days. But in many respects, the simplest design remains the most versatile and reliable, and the PocketRocket 2 continues to embody everything a backpacking stove should be. It fires up easily every time, boils water fast, has good flame control for wilderness gourmands, weighs next to nothing, and costs less than many of its best competitors.

Whereas some types of stoves have limitations on what you can cook with them, you can use the PocketRocket 2 for cooking almost anything, almost anywhere, for any size party (or more than one stove for a large group). That may explain why it’s so popular.

Read my full review. The PocketRocket Deluxe ($85) adds a piezo push-button igniter, but as with that feature on other stoves, its performance can be erratic.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase an MSR PocketRocket 2 at backcountry.com or cascadedesigns.com.

I can help you plan the best backpacking, hiking, or family adventure of your life.
Find out more here.

Water Treatment

Best Pump Filter: MSR Hyperflow, $150, 9 oz./255g. Buy it now.
Best Gravity Filter: Katadyn BeFree Gravity 6L or 10L Filter, $115-$145, 9-10 oz./255-284g. Buy it now.
Best Filter Bottle: Lifestraw Go, $35-$50, 650ml to 1L, 7.8-8.6 oz./221-244g. Buy it now.
Best Ultralight Personal Filter: Katadyn BeFree Water Filtration System 0.6L, 1L, or 3L bottle, $45-$80, 2.5-3.5 oz./71-99g. Buy it now.

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned backpacker, you’ll learn new tricks for making all of your trips go better in my “12 Expert Tips for Planning a Backpacking Trip,” “A Practical Guide to Lightweight and Ultralight Backpacking,” and “How to Know How Hard a Hike Will Be.” With a paid subscription to The Big Outside, you can read all of those three stories for free; if you don’t have a subscription, you can download the e-guide versions of “12 Expert Tips for Planning a Backpacking Trip,” the lightweight and ultralight backpacking guide, and “How to Know How Hard a Hike Will Be.”

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Join now and a get free e-book! ]]> https://thebigoutsideblog.com/the-best-backpacking-gear-of-2018/feed/ 23 27582 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/review-jetboil-flash-backpacking-stove/ https://thebigoutsideblog.com/review-jetboil-flash-backpacking-stove/#respond Mon, 29 May 2023 15:30:10 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=58862 Read on

]]> Backpacking Stove
Jetboil Flash
$145, 13.1 oz./371g
backcountry.com

On chilly, windy, early-April mornings and evenings in camp in Arizona’s Aravaipa Canyon, at windy campsites in mid-April on two backpacking trips in the Grand Canyon and in September in southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, and calmer but still cool mealtimes on a section of the Arizona Trail along the Gila River, plus backpacking three days on southern Utah’s Owl and Fish canyons loop in early May, four days in the Wind River Range in August, seven days in Glacier National Park in September, four days with freezing nights on the Uinta Highline Trail in Utah’s High Uintas and three days on the Boulder Mail Trail-Death Hollow Loop in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in early October, among other trips, the Jetboil Flash did everything you want a backpacking stove to do: assembled quickly and easily, fired up immediately every time, and boiled water so fast that even our group of five hungry backpackers were content sharing just that one stove.

Jetboil’s fastest stove, the 9,000 BTU Flash boils a liter of water in under three-and-a-half minutes in a controlled environment, according to Jetboil. However, the pot’s fill line permits boiling just two cups/0.47 liter to avoid it boiling over the top. On windy mornings in the 30s and 40s Fahrenheit in Arizona in early April, at elevations under 4,000 feet/1200m, we found the Flash boiling water fast enough that the insulated FluxRing cooking pot’s capacity—enough to basically cook for one person at a time—worked fine even for our group of five people in Aravaipa Canyon, as it did for three of us sharing it on a seven-day, nearly 70-mile hike in Glacier National Park in September. (On both trips, everyone just boiled water for breakfast and freeze-dried dinners.)

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The stove’s burner flame control dials it down well enough for simmering, but this stove’s superpower isn’t gourmet cooking—it’s raw power generating fast boil times. For Ramen or other noodles, I often simply bring the water to a boil, dump the noodles in, turn off the stove and leave it with the lid on for maybe five minutes until the noodles are ready to eat. That works just as well pouring the boiling water and noodles into an eating cup or bowl that has a lid.

The protected burner delivers high fuel efficiency—it uses about half as much fuel as many stoves with an unprotected burner. That translates to less fuel weight in your pack: Planning our fuel needs based on Jetboil’s estimate that the Flash will boil 10 liters per 100g JetPower fuel canister, we hiked out of Aravaipa with a little unused fuel (a perfect outcome because who wants to pack in an unnecessary surplus of fuel?).

Coolest feature: Jetboil’s thermochromatic color-change heat indicator on one side of the pot shows you how close the water is to boiling—and always works. So does the push-button igniter to light the stove.

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The stove parts assemble quite easily and all pack inside the FluxRing pot, including the stove burner and a 100g fuel canister. The Flash comes with a fuel canister stabilizer—folding leg supports that easily snap onto the bottom of a fuel canister, making it much less tippy on rocky or soft ground like the sand at our desert campsites in Arizona—and the bottom cup is a measuring cup (calibrated only in U.S./British units, not metric). The lid is designed for easy pouring with it on the pot—though take care to ensure the lid is securely attached before tipping it to pour boiling water.

One complaint: The piezo auto-igniter seemed to stop lighting the burner on my fourth trip with it, then resumed functioning just fine on a subsequent trip; turning the gas up higher appeared to remedy the problem. But I’ve seen the piezo auto-igniter fail on other backpacking stoves from other brands. I carry a butane lighter as a backup.

Compact at 7.1×4.1 inches/18×10.4cm and 14 ounces/397g for the entire unit (including lid, fuel canister stabilizer, and bottom cup), it fits easily either upright or on its side even in smaller backpacks. Those metrics and the fact that it can function as the only stove for a small group (like our five people in Aravaipa Canyon) makes a difference when similar cooking systems designed for groups can weigh upwards of a half-pound/227 grams more and take up significantly more space in a backpack.

Plan your next great backpacking trip on the Teton Crest Trail, Wonderland Trail, in Yosemite or other parks using my expert e-guides.

 

Plan your next great backpacking trip on the Teton Crest Trail, Wonderland Trail, in Yosemite or other parks using my expert e-guides.

The Verdict

Fast to boil water even in windy conditions, simple to operate, and reasonably light and compact, the Jetboil Flash works very well for one, two, or even several backpackers who just want to boil water.

BUY IT NOW

You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the Jetboil Flash backpacking stove at backcountry.com.

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned backpacker, you’ll learn new tricks for making all of your trips go better in my “12 Expert Tips for Planning a Backpacking Trip,” “A Practical Guide to Lightweight and Ultralight Backpacking,” and “How to Know How Hard a Hike Will Be.” With a paid subscription to The Big Outside, you can read all of those three stories for free; if you don’t have a subscription, you can download the e-guide versions of “12 Expert Tips for Planning a Backpacking Trip,” the lightweight and ultralight backpacking guide, and “How to Know How Hard a Hike Will Be.”

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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]]> https://thebigoutsideblog.com/review-jetboil-flash-backpacking-stove/feed/ 0 58862 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/review-msr-windburner-group-stove-system/ https://thebigoutsideblog.com/review-msr-windburner-group-stove-system/#respond Fri, 21 May 2021 13:28:24 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=45960 Read on

]]> Backpacking Stove
MSR WindBurner Group Stove System
$260, 1 lb. 5 oz.
backcountry.com

When cooking for more than two hungry people in the backcountry—especially if that includes kids—having a large pot and powerful stove keeps the team from waiting so long that they threaten revolt. But the stove’s performance in wind matters, too. On family backpacking trips of three days in Hells Canyon and the Canadian Rockies, four days on Nevada’s Ruby Crest Trail, and six days in Utah’s High Uintas Wilderness, plus a five-day hike with three friends in The Maze District of Canyonlands National Park, MSR’s WindBurner Group Stove System not only staved off rebellion, it boiled and cooked quickly in a range of temps and even surprised with its fuel efficiency.

Internally pressure-regulated to produce consistent heat output, with an enclosed burner that blocks wind, as well as flame control that goes from boiling fast to a low simmer, the WindBurner Group System boils a liter of water in about three minutes (in a lab setting at room temperature). It puts out 7,000 BTUs—but more importantly, the protected burner means wind doesn’t blow heat away and more of those BTUs actually reach the pot.

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Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-guides to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.

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Compared to simpler (and admittedly lighter) stoves that lack wind protection, the WindBurner—true to its name—shines in campsites where there’s no avoiding wind. According to MSR, the WindBurner stoves achieve fuel efficiency of 60 percent to 75 percent, depending on the cookware used—as do MSR’s Reactor stoves—compared to about 50 percent fuel efficiency for the brand’s PocketRocket (and other, simple canister stoves like it).

However, an 8 mph breeze will slash the fuel efficiency of simple burners like the PocketRocket roughly in half, to 25 to 35 percent, according to MSR’s research. But a stove operating off of 100 percent primary air—like the WindBurner or Reactor—that’s much less affected by wind, sees its fuel efficiency drop off by only about two percent. It basically performs in wind as if there was no wind.

MSR says the stove’s efficiency makes an eight-ounce fuel canister last 95 minutes. In the High Uintas, cooking at elevations up to 11,000 feet with wind at times and mornings down to around 40° F, four of us used less than two full, 16-oz. MSR IsoPro fuel canisters in six days (five breakfasts and dinners). The only time I saw diminished performance was in early March in The Maze District of Canyonlands, when we had mornings in the 20s Fahrenheit, which slowed the stove’s fuel vaporization.

The Windburner Group Stove System comes with just the stove, pot, and lid. Nearly eight inches wide and six inches deep, the 2.5-liter, ceramic-coasted, aluminum non-stick pot has the capacity to feed four people—although with two older teenagers, that often required a couple of rounds of boiling water. A ring on the pot’s bottom fits over the burner ring, centering and stabilizing the pot while trapping heat—just be careful to set the pot on the burner properly (it should lie flat, not tipped at an angle).

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It has a strainer lid with locking latch—meaning you don’t have to risk first-degree burns from steam when draining boiling water out after cooking pasta—and a folding Talon handle. As with any canister stove, setup is remarkably easy and it may never require maintenance or cleaning (short of spilling food onto the stove). Plus, the stove unit or an 8-ounce fuel canister (but not both) fits easily inside the pot, with room to fit small items like lighters or a little food. (Use a soft cleaning cloth under the stove or fuel canister to avoid scratching the non-stick surface.)

Other WindBurner products include the WindBurner Personal Stove System ($200, 15.3 oz.), WindBurner Duo Stove System ($230, 1 lb. 5 oz.), and WindBurner Ceramic Skillet ($93, 7.6 oz.).

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The Verdict

With high fuel efficiency, an easy setup, excellent flame control, and user-friendly features in a system weighing just a few ounces north of a pound, the MSR WindBurner Group Stove System ranks among the very best backcountry stoves for cooking for up to four people, especially when you want do more than just boil water.

BUY IT NOW

You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the MSR WindBurner Group Stove System at backcountry.com or cascadedesigns.com, or other WindBurner stoves and products at backcountry.com or cascadedesigns.com.

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Please also consider sharing it using one of the buttons at right and leaving a comment or question at the bottom. Thank you, I really appreciate it.

 

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned backpacker, you’ll learn new tricks for making all of your trips go better in my “12 Expert Tips for Planning a Backpacking Trip,” “A Practical Guide to Lightweight and Ultralight Backpacking,” and “How to Know How Hard a Hike Will Be.” With a paid subscription to The Big Outside, you can read all of those three stories for free; if you don’t have a subscription, you can download the e-guide versions of “12 Expert Tips for Planning a Backpacking Trip,” the lightweight and ultralight backpacking guide, and “How to Know How Hard a Hike Will Be.”

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

Plan your next great backpacking trip in Yosemite, Grand Teton, and other parks using my expert e-guides.

]]> https://thebigoutsideblog.com/review-msr-windburner-group-stove-system/feed/ 0 45960 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-msr-pocketrocket-2-backpacking-stove/ https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-msr-pocketrocket-2-backpacking-stove/#comments Wed, 24 May 2017 09:00:32 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=23458 Read on

]]> Backpacking Stove
MSR PocketRocket 2 stove
$60, 3 oz. (4 oz. with plastic case, included)
rei.com

On three-season backpacking trips of two days to a week, with one or two companions—especially when you’re oriented toward cooking simple, one-pot meals—a single-burner canister stove offers efficiency and versatility in a very lightweight, compact, affordable, and durable package. On various trips, including a five-day backpacking trip in the North Cascades National Park Complex, a five-day hike in Montana’s Beartooth Mountains, and a three-day hike in Utah’s Dark Canyon Wilderness, the MSR Pocketrocket 2 demonstrated to me why it’s a leading choice in this category of ultralight stoves, on top of representing an improvement over its predecessor.

If your priorities are low weight and bulk, you can hardly do better than the Pocketrocket 2. At three ounces, its three pot-support arms fold up against the burner to create a collapsed unit that almost disappears inside a closed fist. But when deployed, the stove easily holds pots of two to 2.5 liters. MSR says the Pocketrocket 2—which, like many similar models, burns standard MSR IsoPro fuel and any other brand’s screw-top, isobutane canister fuel—boils a liter of water in 3.5 minutes, a metric undoubtedly measured with no wind at low elevations.

In the field, I found the stove, when mostly protected from wind on mornings around 40° F in the North Cascades and in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, boils a liter of cold, mountain lake or stream water in four to five minutes—as quickly as similar models. Also like other single-burner canister stoves, it has very precise flame control, enabling you to dial back the heat and avoid burning food to the pot when a meal requires a longer cooking time over low heat.

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Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-guides to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.

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Assembling it is about as easy as backcountry cooking gets: Fold out the pot supporters, screw it onto a canister, and light it. One advantage of this type of stove is that its simplicity of design means there’s little to break, so they tend to last for many years. The Pocketrocket 2 lacks an auto-lighter, so you have to use an old-fashioned match or butane lighter; but I’ve seen stove auto-lighters that function well for years, and others that break within two or three seasons. Plus, like any canister stove that burns isobutane or butane-based fuel, freezing temperatures can cause condensation on the canister and diminish flame output. (Placing the canister in a pan of shallow water while cooking alleviates that problem.)

While self-contained cooking systems are popular with solo backpackers, MSR’s Pocketrocket 2 provides a more affordable burner that’s versatile, efficient, ultralight and compact, for two or three backpackers on weekend to weeklong trips, and will likely endure many years of use.

BUY IT NOW You can support this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these links to buy an MSR Pocketrocket 2 stove at rei.com or cascadedesigns.com.

See all of my reviews of backpacking stoves and backpacking gear at The Big Outside.

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NOTE: I reviewed gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

]]> https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-msr-pocketrocket-2-backpacking-stove/feed/ 5 23458 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-sea-to-summit-x-pot-set-31/ https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-sea-to-summit-x-pot-set-31/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2015 10:00:21 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=14212 Read on

]]> Collapsible Cook Set
Sea to Summit X-Pot Set 31
$120, 1 lb. 6 oz.
Set includes a 2.8L X-Pot with lid, two X-Bowls, two X-Mugs, all collapsible
rei.com

At Helmet Falls camp on the first night of a four-day, 34-mile, family backpacking trip on the Rockwall Trail in Kootenay National Park in the Canadian Rockies, a group of backpackers cooking near us looked at my X-Pot set and one asked, “What is that and who makes it?” When I answered him, he responded, “I gotta get one of those. Or I’m going to watch which bear locker you put your food and cooking gear in later and take it.” I was pretty sure he was kidding—but not entirely certain. The collapsible X-Pot cooking set is sure to change the way we think about cooking systems for backpacking, and many backpackers will covet it.

The key feature is the collapsible, heat-resistant, food-grade silicone walls that lock in place on the 2.8L/3-quart pot, which has a 6063-T6, hardened alloy aluminum base. My family boiled water, cooked pasta, soups, mac ‘n’ cheese and other messy dinners that we found easy to clean from the pot’s bottom and walls, and pouring hot water from the pot was a breeze, with no spills. Both of the 0.7L/22-oz. X-Bowls and 0.5L/16-oz. X-Mugs in this set have collapsible sides, allowing them to nest inside the X-Pot. The clear, plastic pot lid has a strainer for pouring out hot water, and the flexible handles on the pot lock onto the lid when the entire set is collapsed, keeping it closed up for storage and eliminating the need for a pot gripper. When stored, the complete set measures a mere 21.3cm/8.4 inches in diameter and 3.8cm/1.5 inches tall. It’s like a full cook set for two people packs down to the size of less than half a cook set. (My family of four supplemented this set with a couple more mugs.)

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The X-Mugs are marked on the inside for measuring in cups and milliliters and the X-Bowls are marked in milliliters. To avoid damaging the pot’s walls by exposing them to direct flame, or damaging the lid, use the X-Pot only on camp stoves, not in a campfire or on any stove that has a burner wider than the X-Pot’s base (such as a kitchen stove), and not in an oven (such as a Dutch oven). Sea to Summit also warns against putting the set in a dishwasher or using the scouring side of a sponge when cleaning it by hand.

File this under brilliant. While not the lightest cooking system out there, the X-Pot and its accessories change the game when it comes to fitting your cooking system inside your pack—showing us that a cook set doesn’t have to be bulky. Sea to Summit’s X-Pot also comes in 1.4-liter and 4-liter sizes, and various X-Sets, a 1.3-liter X-Kettle and a 20.3cm/8-inch X-Pan are available.

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BUY IT NOW

You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to buy the Sea to Summit X-Set 31 or any individual X-Seal & Go Cup, X-Cup, or X-Bowl at rei.com or seatosummit.com.

See all of my reviews of backpacking cooking systems and backpacking stoves that I like and all of my reviews of backpacking gear.

NOTE: I’ve been testing gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See all of my reviews by clicking on the Gear Reviews category at left or in the main menu.

—Michael Lanza

You live for the outdoors. The Big Outside helps you get out there.
Join now to read ALL stories and get a free e-guide and member gear discounts!

]]> https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-sea-to-summit-x-pot-set-31/feed/ 4 14212 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-joule-group-cooking-system/ https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-joule-group-cooking-system/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2015 11:00:59 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=11817 Read on

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Camp Cooking System
Jetboil Joule Group Cooking System
$200, 1 lb. 12 oz. (not including soft stuff sack for storing burner unit inside the pot)
moosejaw.com

When I’m backpacking with my family, I look for several important qualities in my backcountry stove: speed, versatility, simplicity, fuel efficiency (so I carry less, not to mention burning less carbon), and modest weight and bulk. Too much to ask? I don’t think so, and apparently Jetboil agrees with me. My family used the Joule GCS to boil water for our breakfasts and cook our dinners on a five-day backpacking trip down Paria Canyon in Utah and Arizona in late March, and the Joule met all of my demands.

The Joule’s specialized heat regulator keeps burner output at a thermonuclear 10,000 BTUs, boiling a liter of water in an eye-blink few minutes; turn your back on it and you’ll hear steam erupting from the see-through lid’s built-in strainer. Most uniquely, the Joule’s fuel canister mounts upside-down, thus delivering fuel to the burner as a liquid rather than a gas. The benefit is that it performs more like a liquid-gas (i.e., white-gas) stove, maintaining a strong flame in below-freezing temperatures, where butane-gas stoves can experience condensation on the canister and diminished heat output. But unlike a liquid-gas stove, the Joule assembles quickly and without fuss and fires up with a push-button igniter—without the complicated, sometimes-temperamental assembly and priming of liquid-fuel stoves. Jetboil says the technology produces consistent heat from the burner down to 10° F/-12° C.

 

Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside, which has made several top outdoors blog lists. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter, or enter your email address in the box in the left sidebar or at the bottom of this story. Click here to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Follow my adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

 

While simmering was not quite as good as the best butane burners, and a little tricky—you have to carefully dial the knob to the flame’s lowest level, shy of turning it off—it’s better than earlier Jetboil stoves and better than most liquid-fuel stoves. The 2.5-liter, insulated FluxRing vessel was large enough to cook a pound of pasta for the four of us. Like other Jetboil stoves, the Joule shines in fuel efficiency: We used one 230g fuel canister cooking seven meals for four people, with gas to spare. The pot handle folds over the top for storage, locking the lid securely atop it the pot, with the stove and one 230g canister inside. The Joule is compatible with any screw-mounted 100g or 230g butane fuel canisters made to the EN417 specification, a standard used by manufacturers worldwide, including Brunton, Gigapower, MSR, Primus, and Snow Peak. And for a group, the Joule GCS is a reasonably lightweight and compact, complete cooking system.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog by clicking any of these links to buy a Jetboil Joule Group Cooking System at moosejaw.com or ems.com.

See all of my backpacking stove reviews and all of my reviews of backpacking gear that I like. If you intend to purchase this product based on my review, by clicking directly on the ad below you help support The Big Outside.

NOTE: I’ve been testing gear for Backpacker Magazine for more than 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

 

You live for the outdoors. The Big Outside helps you get out there. Subscribe now and a get free e-guide!

]]> https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-joule-group-cooking-system/feed/ 3 11817 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-minimo-personal-cooking-system/ https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-minimo-personal-cooking-system/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2015 12:00:00 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=11350 Read on

]]> Solo Camp Cook Set
Jetboil MiniMo Personal Cooking System
$165, 1 lb. 1 oz.
backcountry.com

When I’m backpacking long days and traveling as light as possible, I want a cooking system that’s not only lightweight, but efficient and easy: I need it to boil water fast in the morning, and by the time I get around to dinner in the evening, I’m too knackered to want to make much effort. Jetboil’s solo cooking system, the MiniMo, delivered that kind of performance and convenience on a four-day, 86-mile ultralight backpacking trip in northern Yosemite National Park in September; a nine-day hike of nearly 130 miles through the High Sierra in August, mostly on the John Muir Trail; a five-day, late-summer hike in the Wind River Range; an overnight hike down Zion’s Narrows in early November; and a pair of hut treks in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park in March.

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Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-guides to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.

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I used this stove with one or two hiking partners on those trips, taking turns because the pot, with a cooking volume of 0.75 liter, is only large enough to cook for one person. With an output of 6,000 BTUs, the MiniMo cranks out a pot of boiling water in a few minutes, so there wasn’t much waiting when sharing it. The highly efficient burner reduces fuel weight: Feeding three of us for four dinners and breakfasts with at least 40 pots boiled in the Winds required just one eight-ounce fuel canister; and we saw the same fuel consumption rate boiling water for our meals in the High Sierra..

A breeze and a temperature not much above freezing on our November morning in Zion’s Narrows did not noticeably affect the stove’s output. Jetboil claims the stove performs well in temperatures down to 20° F/-6° C.

While the rub against previous Jetboil stoves has been that they’re only water boilers, the MiniMo has fine simmer control, to prevent burning soup noodles to the bottom of the pot. The push-button lighter worked every time, and I really like this stove’s efficiency (typical of other Jetboil models): In Yosemite, two of us cooked a total of 12 meals (three dinners and three breakfasts each) using just one 100-gram/4 oz. Jetboil canister. With three people eating eight dinners and breakfasts on the John Muir Trail, we finished the trip without burning completely through one 450g/16 oz. fuel canister. Its size and fuel efficiency make it the Prius of backcountry cooking systems.

The MiniMo’s compact size (five by six inches/127x152mm) not only makes it more packable than many cooking systems, but the low, wide pot is easier to eat from and easier to clean. And as is typical of Jetboil stoves, the pot cozy allows you to grasp and hold it right after cooking without burning off skin.

Jetboil is compatible with fuel canisters that have valves made to the EN417 specification, a standard used by manufacturers worldwide, including Brunton, Gigapower, MSR, Primus, and Snow Peak.

BUY IT NOW

You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to buy a Jetboil MiniMo Personal Cooking System at backcountry.com or moosejaw.com.

See all of my backpacking stove reviews.

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NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See The Big Outside’s Gear Reviews page for categorized menus of gear reviews and expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

]]> https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-minimo-personal-cooking-system/feed/ 2 11350 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-sumo-titanium-gcs-and-companion-bowl-set/ https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-sumo-titanium-gcs-and-companion-bowl-set/#respond Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:53:00 +0000 http://thebigoutside.net/?p=1192 Read on

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Camp Kitchen
Jetboil Sumo Titanium Group Cooking System
$190, 12 oz. (weight not including the measuring cup or the pot support)
$130, 16 oz. (for the aluminum version)

Jetboil Sumo Companion Bowl Set
$20, 6 oz.
Set includes two 23-oz. (675 ml) bowls and one 15-oz. (450 ml) bowl
jetboil.com

From boiling water in near-freezing temperatures, wind, and drizzle with two friends in the Olympic Mountains in September, to family backpacking trips in Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness in August and Capitol Reef National Park in March, this cooking system delivered everything I want in a backcountry kitchen for a small group: fast, efficient cooking even in inclement weather, and low weight and bulk in my pack.

The first time she used it, my wife remarked, “Wow, this really does boil water fast!” In the mild, calm conditions we encountered in Capitol Reef, the stove and 1.8L pot brought a liter of water to a boil in just over four minutes (as Jetboil claims). Strong gusts and temps around freezing in the Olympic Mountains did not noticeably affect the stove’s performance, because the burner is protected within the assembled unit, and Jetboil’s Jetpower fuel mixture vaporizes efficiently down to around 20° F. My family of four went through not quite three of the compact, 100g Jetpower fuel canisters making four dinners and breakfasts, which is pretty efficient. The pot lid doubles as a strainer for pasta, and the push-button lighter worked every time, even in wind. The only downside: The 100g Jetpower fuel canister will not nest inside the Companion Bowl Set (the 15-oz. bowl is not large enough)

The Sumo Companion Bowl Set (sold separately) nests inside the Sumo GCS pot, with the stove burner and folding pot support fitting inside one of the 23-oz. bowls—creating a compact kit for a small group (more than three people would have to either share or bring extra bowls). The tough, polypropylene bowls each have a cozy and sipping lid and are a good size for a serving of pasta or oatmeal.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog by clicking this link to buy this product at outdoorplay.com.

NOTE: I’ve been testing gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See all of my reviews by clicking on the Gear Reviews category at left or in the main menu. See more reviews of backpacking gear I like by clicking on the “backpacking gear reviews” tag in the tag cloud in the left sidebar.

—Michael Lanza

]]> https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-jetboil-sumo-titanium-gcs-and-companion-bowl-set/feed/ 0 1192 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-gsi-pinnacle-dualist-cooking-system-and-stainless-cup/ https://thebigoutsideblog.com/gear-review-gsi-pinnacle-dualist-cooking-system-and-stainless-cup/#respond Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:02:56 +0000 http://thebigoutside.net/?p=1205 Read on

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Camp Kitchen
GSI Pinnacle Dualist integrated cooking system
$65, 1 lb. 4 oz. (without included stuff sack)
Set includes a 1.8-liter pot with strainer lid, two insulated bowls/mugs with lids, two bowls, two telescoping sporks

GSI Glacier Stainless Bottle Cup
$13, 5 oz.
Volume: 18 oz.
gsioutdoors.com

Here’s the smartest cook set for two backpackers that I’ve used. At just over a pound, the entire set of two mugs (whose lids have sipping holes), two bowls, and a hard-anodized pot all nest together, with space inside for the sporks and an ultralight butane stove (not included). I used this setup backpacking with my daughter to Norton Lakes in Idaho’s Smoky Mountains and camping in Idaho’s City of Rocks. The pot has a low center of balance to prevent it being tippy, even on a small stove burner, yet has a good, functional capacity and pours cleanly. Its insulated, folding handle locks into place for cooking and in the closed position, to secure all contents, so you don’t need the included, welded stuff sack (although it does double duty as a sink). The pot’s crushproof, heat-resistant, nylon lid with a silicone ring doubles as a strainer. The entire set is easy to clean. You really get a lot of functionality and durability for the weight and bulk. One gripe: I’ve never been a fan of sporks.

I’ve always liked the indestructibility of a stainless steel mug when camping, and this one has plenty of volume for a big, hot drink. Its folding arms and a size designed to fit over standard liter bottles make it packable. I used it backpacking in Idaho’s Smoky Mountains and Oregon’s Eagle Cap Mountains and suspect I will be using this mug 20 years from now.

NOTE: I’ve been testing gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See all of my reviews by clicking on the Gear Reviews category at left or in the main menu. See more reviews of backpacking gear I like by clicking on the “backpacking gear reviews” tag in the tag cloud in the left sidebar.

—Michael Lanza

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