by Michael Hodgson

It's a burning question. Which stove, which fuel, which trip. You've got your dual fuels, multi-fuels, single fuels, solid fuels, liquid fuels, gas fuels and more. There are stoves you have to prime, stoves you don't, fuels that burn cleaner, fuels that don't. The option smorgasbord blur doesn't stop there. We even have electronic ignition (just like your favorite Chevy, well, not quite) and battery-powered fan-assists add glow to the coals on the solid fuel stove. There are two burner, single burner, micro, macro--good golly miss molly, just what's a person to do?

Relax. It's not all that difficult really.

The first thing to determine is what activity you will be pursuing--backpacking, car camping, etc. If the use is car camping or base camping with bigger parties then that dictates a two burner stove. If you desire a more compact approach or will be backpacking or trekking, then that indicates leaning toward a single burner.

Once you have determined stove size, then you will need to decide on fuel preference.

White gas has limited availability outside of the United States and Canada but it burns hot and clean and can be used as its own priming agent.

Butane is available internationally, requires no priming but loses some performance capability in cold temperatures.

Isobutane and butane / propane blends offer higher octane performance than butane alone, solving the cold temperature doldrums somewhat.

Propane , now available for single burner stoves using larger, heavier cartridges to accommodate the higher pressures, has limited international availability, but offers the very best performance of any of the pressurized gas canister fuels.

Kerosene is available internationally but can be quite finicky to prime and light and it burns with a dirty flame. Still, once properly preheated and burning efficiently (say your fuel mantras) kerosene has a heat output as good as that of white gas.

Denatured alcohol is making a comeback of sorts since it burns so cleanly and quietly and is virtually explosion proof, however it generates much less heat than that of pressurized or liquid gas fuels.

Solid fuel stoves, utilizing twigs and pinecones, are a super alternative for the trekker or backpacker out for a long time where store-bought fuel is unavailable or not practical to carry in the quantities needed. Still, you must be prepared to tinker and fidget with the flame, albeit a very hot one, if and when dry wood is legal and available to use.

If convenience is your primary concern then utilize any of the pressurized gas canister fuel stoves since electronic ignitions are available with them and you won't have to deal with pressuring or pouring liquid fuels.

Liquid fuel stoves have two obvious advantages over pressurized gas stoves. Their hourly operational costs are less than that of pressurized gas and you will gain far more versatility with them since liquid gas stoves can be designed to burn more than one type of fuel.

If you're heading into remote areas or traveling internationally where white gas or pressurized canisters are not readily available, it is a real advantage to be using a multifuel stove that burns white gas, unleaded fuel, kerosene and, in a pinch, aircraft fuel. With all the redesign features of liquid stoves in recent years, the old argument that they are too hard to keep clean and maintain is no longer a valid one.

Once you have decided what kind of stove and what kind of fuel, it's a matter of choosing between the more subtle features available as well as the weight and carrying size of the stove.

Boiling times, often listed by manufacturers as a means of comparison should be utilized with a bit of skepticism--like those infamous sleeping bag temperature ratings. Realize that there are many variables which affect a stove's operating efficiency including: operator familiarity with the stove, fuel quality, the type of pot, stove cleanliness, wind conditions, air temperature, beginning water temperature, altitude and more.

You will be most likely to match the "laboratory" conditions that allowed the listed boiling time to be so quick if you utilize a full-coverage windscreen and if you use a pot that is blackened for better heat absorption with a tightly fitting lid.

© 1999 Michael Hodgson; All Rights Reserved