How to Use Stoves When Hiking

Outdoor stoves have come a long way since their clunky charcoal grill days. Stoves are now designed to fit into packs of all shapes and sizes so it's no longer worth sacrificing your taste buds for the convenience of leaving your stove at home. Read more to learn how to get the most out of your culinary skills while on the trail.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pots
• Stove
• Matches or a lighter
• Cooking utensils

1. Choose your stove model. Stoves that are geared for hikers come in different fuel types; such as liquid or pressurized, and come in various weights and sizes. Each one is highly compact or can be broken down to fit in your pack along with the fuel.

2. Check the burner size. Before deciding on cooking pots, check to make sure that they sit stably on the burner surface. If the burner is too small, you risk being burned by an overturned pot.

3. Set it up. Before anything else, familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's instruction manual and include it in your pack. Choose a stable surface to assemble your stove and then test its balance before lighting.

4. Start it correctly. Some stoves come with an auto-ignition which enables the stove to heat up fairly quickly. Others may need to be lit the old-fashioned way with matches.

5. Cook your meal. Be sure that you have read the instructions carefully before you go hiking. Familiarize yourself with the various settings to avoid a ruined meal.

6. Maintain it. Cleaning your stove after each use can keep it in proper working condition. Less build up of food or oil also means less chance of an accidental fire.

Tips & Warnings

• It's very hard to tell how much fuel a pressurized stove canister has remaining and reading devices on the market are still imperfect. For this reason, don't dispose of a canister unless you are sure that it is empty.

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