Camping Stoves - Come on Baby Light My Fire

Whoever invented camping stoves should be awarded a knighthood in my own humble opinion. On our first camping trip I almost lost my entire family to starvation after I insisted that camping was about getting back to nature, remarking on the fact that I had never seen or heard of camping stove trees in the wild.

Armed with enough matches to build an entire generation of matchstick men, we embarked on our journey with full stomachs and a cold bag full of uncooked food ready and waiting to be introduced to a roaring campfire.

I can safely say that there was a lot of roaring but can confirm that the only fire within our vicinity was the one in our empty bellies. After several hours of failing miserably to get the campfire lit the only thing that was smoked in our camp was us.

I am now a fervent advocate of camping stoves. Our stove has changed the way we feel about camping. We now enjoy tasty, healthy and cooked food around our campfire.

Camping stoves are very reasonably priced, and are easy to research and find online.
There are however some simple considerations to bear in mind when deciding which one is right for you.

Fuel Source:
Different makes and models use different fuels. Decide on the fuel that you are most comfortable with. What weight you are happy to carry around and how easy it will be to buy extra fuel in your camping vicinity if you run out. The most popular and convenient is white gas.

How many people will you want to cook up a storm for? You will need to decide how many burners you require, or what size grill will accommodate your needs if that is the route you are taking.

Weight and Size:
Take a moment to consider how far you will be transporting your camping stove off road. If you will be eating within a short distance of your auto then this will not be such a major consideration. However, of vital importance is the ability to actually fit your camping stove into your mode of transport. My first choice had to be returned for this very reason.