Size Matters

Before wrapping up backpack season, I made a decision to purchase a smaller stove. I primarily use my stove to boil water for cooking when backpacking. I have used a large and efficient stove for several years when “car camping”, but it’s heavy and bulky. In a pack with limited space, ounces count, and size matters.

I have tried alternatives in the past. An experiment with a wood burning stove seemed promising in theory. The wet tinder of the mountains of Vermont made finding fuel difficult, particularly after a long day on the trail. Rainy days proved even more challenging. I even tried “cold soaking”. A good hot cup of coffee on a chilly morning eventually brought me back to butane. This year, in an effort to slim down my pack, I purchased an inexpensive burner to mount on my fuel canister.

The BRS 3000T is not a high quality stove that’s built to last, but for $15., I expect it to serve at least a single season. It’s not as nearly as efficient, and will fair poorly in windy conditions. The size and cost alone makes it a no brainer to experiment with. Paired with a lightweight titanium pot, it measures six inches shorter than the larger stove, and much lighter.

Before the end of summer backpacking season, I took the tiny burner with me on an overnight hike in Vermont. The little stove worked surprisingly well. It is now stashed away until summer returns and will travel with me to the Green Mountain State again. We’ll see how it fares on an extended trip!