11 Tips to Pack a Bear Canister
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11 Tips to Pack a Bear Canister
Are you going to bring a bear canister on your next thru-hike or backpacking trip? Here are some helpful tips to consider!
Paul Bodnar Educational 9/23/2020
Paul Bodnar
Educational
9/23/2020
1) Repackage all your food in plastic bags.
The factory packaging is great for keeping food fresh for extended periods of time. But if you are going to consume the food in a week or so it is best to repackage the food in lighter plastic bags to save weight and reduce packaging volume.
2) Avoid low calorie food that takes up volume.
If you need to pack in the calories into your bear canister then it is best to focus on food that is high in calories and dense. Foods like peanut butter or olive oil are extremely high in calories and dense. Items like Ramen Noodles or granola are lower in calories and less dense.
*To learn more about calorie consumption visit this post. How Many Calories Do You Burn While Thru-Hiking?
3) Label all resealable bags so it is easy to identify the item.
It is important to clearly label any repackaged items. A common mistake is thinking you will remember what the item is. It is also important to include the cooking instructions on the bag.
4) Remove all the air in the packages before resealing.
To keep the food fresh and reduce packaging volume it is important to remove all the air from the bags before resealing. Vacuum sealers work best for removing air but if you are patient you can remove most of the air by forcing the air out and sealing the resealable bag.
5) Pack your bear canister in daily layers.
It is important to plan out your food in days. By placing your food in very defined layers you will avoid accidentally eating into your next days of food.
6) Pack spices, seasoning, and everyday ingredients near the top of your bear canister.
By having commonly used food items on the top, you will avoid digging into your bear canister to find them. That little extra spice you bring is important to keep meals tasting their best.
7) Include a general list of all the meals you pack in your bear canister.
Having a list of all the food items for each day makes it easy to visually see what you have in the bear canister without wasting time digging through the canister. Keep the list at the top of the canister and check off the items you have consumed.
8) Triple bag anything in your food bag that gives off an odor.
If you are going to pack soap, insect repellant, or anything that gives off an odor it is important to triple bag those items. This will help reduce the chances of contamination with the food in your bear canister.
9) It’s important to include at least one sweet treat in each of your daily layers.
You want to avoid eating all your treats in one day. It helps to layer your treats in your bear canister. If you place all your sweet treats near the top of the bear canister, they will likely be consumed in the first few days of your hike.
10) Pack extra food.
It is hard to predict what your appetite will be like on trail. Sometimes you will eat less food and sometimes you will eat more! But having the extra food increases the chances of a successful and stress-free hike. I like to pack at least an extra ½ day of food that is mostly easy to eat food requiring little to no cooking. If you have the space, I recommend a full day of extra food.
11) Use a bag liner.
Place all your food in a large transparent food grade bag in the bear canister. The large plastic bag will reduce food odors. By reducing the food odors, you significantly reduce the chances of bears disturbing your camp.
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Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.
How Many Snickers Can Fit in a Bear Canister?
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How Many Snickers Can Fit in a Bear Canister?
Snickers bars are a very popular thru-hiking and backpacking food not only because they're delicious, but also because they're high-calorie and compact. We decided to see how many Snickers we could fit into the average bear canister. Because...why not?
Paul Bodnar Gear Review 10/02/2020
Paul Bodnar
Gear Review
10/02/2020
It’s important to understand calorie density when packing food in your bear canister. If you are out for a long hike that requires a bear canister, you want to get as many calories as possible in the bear canister. Snickers are dense and high-calorie (250 calories for a 1.9 ounce bar), while other foods like freeze-dried meals (typically 400-600 calories, about 4 ounces) are bulky and have excessive packaging.
Bear Vault BV450 (left) and BV500 (right)
***No company solicited this review, and I purchased all tested items.***
We thought it would be fun to see how many Snickers, ramen noodles, and Mountain House meals we could cram into the BearVault BV450 and BV500 bear canisters. Unsurprisingly you can fit a lot more Snickers-calories into these bear canisters than you can fit ramen-calories or Mountain House-calories. As you see in the chart below, a BV500 bear canister can fit 143 Snickers bars (35,750 calories), or 24 ramen noodle packages (8,880 calories), or 10 Mountain House meals (5,945 calories). While the BV450 bear can holds 80 Snickers bars (20,000 calories), or 15 ramen noodle packages (5,550 calories) or 6 Mountain House meals (3,490 calories).
A BV500 bear canister can fit 143 Snickers bars.
Calorie density varies slightly for each Mountain House meal.
(Pinch to zoom.)
143 Snickers bars fit in a BV500 bear canister
24 Ramen packages fit in a BV500 bear canister
10 Mountain House Meals fit in a BV500 bear canister
Conclusion
We do not suggest packing a bear canister full of just Snicker bars to maximize calories. A variety of healthy food is important for your diet on trail. The important point is that calorie density matters when thinking about what food you want to load into your limited-size bear canister. High-density, high-calorie food items can significantly increase the amount of food you can take into the wilderness.
*The BV450 and BV500 we used have a measured capacity of 6.8 liters and 10.8 liters, respectively.
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Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.
7 Thru-Hikes on the West Coast
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7 Thru-Hikes on the West Coast
While many folks are familiar with the Pacific Crest Trail, the west coast of the United States is home to a number of other notable thru-hikes. Some of these trails traverse the coastline, while others explore the high Sierra and beyond. Check out our favorite of the trails the west coast has to offer!
Kenna Sarae Explore New Trails 9/28/2020
Kenna Sarae
Explore New Trails
9/28/2020
1. Pacific Northwest Trail
1200 miles • Montana, Idaho & Washington
The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail is one of the youngest National Scenic Trails and traverses some of the most beautiful lands in the country, including three National Parks and seven National Forests. This spectacular journey of over 1200 miles (1930 km) takes you from the Rocky Mountains of Glacier National Park, Montana, to the coastal wilderness of Washington State. The PNT ranks among the most scenic and rugged long-distance trails in the world, and is an incredible hiking adventure for thru-hikers, backpackers, section-hikers, and day-hikers.
2. John Muir Trail
210 miles • California High Sierra Range
The John Muir Trail runs for over 210 miles through the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range of California. It starts in Yosemite Valley and travels to the summit of Mt. Whitney. The JMT is one of the most popular hiking trails in the country and is an incredible adventure for thru-hikers, section-hikers, and day-hikers. It passes through beautiful and scenic protected areas including Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and two national forests.
3. Tahoe Rim Trail
170 miles • Lake Tahoe, California & Nevada
The Tahoe Rim Trail is a circular journey of over 170 miles (270 km) that circumnavigates Lake Tahoe, crossing into both California and Nevada. The TRT traverses the Sierra Nevada and Carson ranges of California and Nevada, and shares about 50 miles of its western section with the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. On the Tahoe Rim Trail, there is no defined beginning or end. Thru-hikers and backpackers can begin anywhere on the loop. Along its path, the trail offers many stunning views of Lake Tahoe, which makes it perfect for day-hiking. Hikers and visitors wishing to give back to the Tahoe Rim Trail can adopt a mile or vista through the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.
4. Lost Coast Trail
24 miles (38 km) • California
The Lost Coast Trail is one of the only coastal wilderness experiences in the contiguous United States. Earning its name after California’s HWY 1 had to be routed around this rugged section of the coastline, the 24-mile trail follows the beach of the King Range Conservation Area and is one of the most unique backpacking experiences in the world. Daily encounters include whales, elephant seals, coyotes, and bears; while the trail shows off tide pools, wildflower-covered mountains, and stunning waterfalls from the adjacent cliffsides into the ocean.
5. Mt. Whitney Trail
10.4 miles • California High Sierra Range
At an elevation of 14505 feet (4421 m), Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the continental United States. The Mount Whitney Trail, starting at the Whitney Portal, is the most popular route to the summit, and travels for 10.4 miles (16.7 km) with an elevation gain over 6000 feet (1820 m). It lies on the boundary of Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest. Hikers come from all over the world to experience this permitted summit hike and its commanding panoramic views of the surrounding area. Thru-hikers and day-hikers should be aware of the effects that a hike can have on those not accustomed to the high altitude.
6. Wonderland Trail
90 miles • Washington
The Wonderland Trail is an adventure of about 90 miles (145 km), encircling Washington State’s Mt. Rainier. The loop is a challenging hike with lots of elevation change, taking travelers from high alpine peaks, to glaciers and glacial valleys, to sub-alpine meadows, to temperate rainforests, to cascading rivers, affording spectacular views of Mt. Rainier all the while. Situated in Mount Rainier National Park, the trail was built in the early 1910s and was designated a National Recreation Trail in the 1980s. As the trail circumnavigates the mountain, hikers will be treated to astonishing views of the different sides of Mt. Rainier, colorful wildflowers, and much more. The trail is ideal for thru-hikers, backpackers, and section-hikers.
7. Pacific Crest Trail
2650 miles • California, Oregon & Washington
The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail is an epic journey of over 2650 miles (4260 km) and is one of the most popular thru-hiking trails in the United States. Its path travels from the US-Mexico border to the northern US-Canada border, passing through California, Oregon, and Washington. The trail offers desert sun and heat, challenging and snowy high-elevation passes, and all of the amazing views and experiences in between. As one of the Triple Crown trails, the Pacific Crest Trail is an amazing hiking adventure for long-distance hikers and thru-hikers, yet it is also perfect for day-hikers and section-hikers looking to enjoy the beautiful views.
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Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is an epic journey of three states and over 2600 miles. Its path travels from the US border with Mexico to the northern border with Canada.
2650 mi (4260 km) $29.99 full guide
Washington, Pacific Crest Trail
Photo by Justin Helmkamp
Washington, Pacific Crest Trail
Photo by Justin Helmkamp
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is an epic journey of three states and over 2600 miles. Its path travels from the US border with Mexico to the northern border with Canada.
2650 mi (4260 km)
$29.99 full guide
Get our trail guide for this area!
About the Author
Kenna Sarae
Kenna-Sarae grew up in Northern California visiting her grandmother’s cabins along the PCT, which helped catalyze her love for the outdoors and interest in backpacking. She is particularly passionate about the intersection between sustainability and outdoor recreation, connecting with womxn and communities that have been historically underrepresented in outdoor spaces, and pesto pasta. You’re likely to find her having an impromptu dance party with her pup, whether it’s while backpacking, climbing, mountain biking, or just on the side of the road.
Thru-Hiking Calorie and Food Weight Calculator
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Thru-Hiking Calorie and Food Weight Calculator
Calculate how many calories you will burn on your hiking trip and plan how much food you will need to bring on your trip using our Calorie & Food Weight Calculator.
Paul Bodnar Educational 9/24/2020
Paul Bodnar
Educational
9/24/2020
How much food should you take on your next hike? It depends…
The number of calories you will consume on a hike depends on many factors. We narrowed the variables down to five essential components: the number of days hiking, your body weight, average number of hours hiking (not including breaks), the hours you sleep, and the fat content of the food you eat. By using the Calorie & Food Weight Calculator below, you should get a good idea of how much food you need for your next backpacking adventure.
For more information:
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.
We Tested 5 of the Most Popular Backpacking Stoves
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From left to right: MSR PocketRocket 2, Snow Peak LiteMax, Soto Amicus, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, Soto WindMaster
We Tested 5 of the Most Popular Backpacking Stoves
We tested five of the most popular lightweight backpacking stoves to see which performed the best and which is the most affordable.
Paul Bodnar Educational 9/18/2020
Paul Bodnar
Educational
9/18/2020
We tested five of the most popular lightweight backpacking stoves that weigh three ounces or less. All five of the stoves would work well in the outdoors, but some stoves performed better in our tests. We evaluated stoves based on cost, ease of lighting, weight, packed dimensions, burner pot support, simmer performance, maximum gas flow rate, 2-cup 72°F water boil time, average wind boil time at 1, 2, and 4 mph wind speeds and fuel efficiency.
The Results:
* Soto WindMaster – weight with 3-support arm stove stand
** Pinch to zoom
Soto WindMaster was the overall best performing stove.
The best overall stove tested was the Soto WindMaster with the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe coming in a close second. The Soto WindMaster outperformed the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe in overall fuel efficiency and burner pot support function. The maximum estimated 2-cup boils per 100 gram canister is 15. This is one extra boil when compared to the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe. The Soto WindMaster tested had a removable 4-prong pot support. An optional 3-prong support can be purchased reducing the total stove weight to just 67 grams. The ability to convert from a 4 to 3-prong pot stand, great boil times, and best overall fuel efficiency makes the Soto WindMaster the clear winner.
Soto Amicus was the best affordable stove.
The best affordable stove based on the test results was the Soto Amicus. The Soto Amicus stove retails for $39.95, weighs only 72 grams, packs nicely, had quick boil times and was fuel efficient even in the wind. This made the Soto Amicus a clear winner for the best affordable stove.
Learn more about these stoves:
Left to right: Soto Amicus, MSR PocketRocket 2, Snow Peak LiteMax, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, Soto WindMaster
Left to right: Soto Amicus, MSR PocketRocket 2, Snow Peak LiteMax, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, Soto WindMaster
Left to right: Soto Amicus, MSR PocketRocket 2, Snow Peak LiteMax, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, Soto WindMaster
Left to right: Soto Amicus, MSR PocketRocket 2, Snow Peak LiteMax, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, Soto WindMaster
Read more!
Check out some related blog posts!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.
Soto WindMaster Stove Review
Planning an adventure? Check out our popular trail guides! 4.8 stars (17K+ ratings)
Soto WindMaster Stove Review
The Soto WindMaster was the overall best ultralight stove tested. Here is what we tested and why it ranked number 1.
Paul Bodnar Educational 9/17/2020
Paul Bodnar
Educational
9/17/2020
Overall Score: 92/100
Best Ultralight Stove Tested
The Soto WindMaster was the overall best ultralight stove tested. It is lightweight (87 grams / 3 ounces) with the four-prong pot stand (as tested), boils 2-cups of water in 106 seconds, works in the wind, simmers well, packs up small, has an auto-ignitor, and was the most fuel-efficient stove tested. A three-prong pot holder can be purchased separately reducing the total stove weight to just 67 grams or 2.3 ounces.
Stove burner almost identical to the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe stove
The only differences observed between the two burners is the older Soto WindMaster (right) is 46mm wide and the newer MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is 47mm wide. They have the exact number stove top holes in the exact same order. The better fuel efficiency observed with the Soto WindMaster is likely due to the slower maximum fuel rate which causes slightly slower boiling times. The maximum estimated 2-cup boils per 100 gram fuel canister for the Soto WindMaster is 15. This is one extra boil when compared to the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe.
Stove has a detachable pot support
There are two different pot stands available, a three-prong (7 grams / 0.3 ounces) or four-prong pot support shown (27 grams/ 1 ounce) which came with the stove. You can purchase the three-prong separately for around $10. The published stove weight with the three-prong pot support is 67 grams or 2.3 ounces.
Conclusion
The Soto WindMaster performed best overall. The ability to switch pot stands for your individual cooking needs is a nice bonus. In seconds you can convert from the four to the three-prong pot stand reducing about 20 grams of stove weight. The boil times were just a few seconds longer than the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe but the better overall fuel efficiency of the Soto Windmaster and the ability to change out pot stands makes the Soto WindMaster the winner.
Read more!
Check out some related blog posts!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.
Snow Peak LiteMax Stove Review
Planning an adventure? Check out our popular trail guides! 4.8 stars (17K+ ratings)
Snow Peak LiteMax Stove Review
The Snow Peak LiteMax was the lightest stove tested and the easiest to assemble and disassemble but had the longest boil times compared to the other stoves tested.
Paul Bodnar Educational 9/17/2020
Paul Bodnar
Educational
9/17/2020
Overall Score: 79/100
Lightest Stove Tested
The Snow Peak LiteMax was the lightest stove tested. The titanium Snow Peak LiteMax is very lightweight (56 grams / 2.0 ounces) with the three-prong pot stand, boils 2-cups of water in 163 seconds, simmers well and packs up small.
Compact stove and easiest to assemble
The Snow Peak LiteMax packs up small and was an easy stove to assemble.
Snow Peak LiteMax showed poor performance in the wind test
Conclusion
The Snow Peak LiteMax was the lightest stove tested and the easiest to assemble and disassemble but had long boil times compared to the other stoves tested. The Snow Peak LiteMax performed poorly in the wind likely due to the side burning ports. The boil times in the wind were about three times longer than the boil times using the Soto Windmaster. The maximum estimated 2 cup boils per 100 gram fuel canister for the Snow Peak LiteMax is 11. If you aren’t concerned about longer boil times or fuel efficiency and want to save a few grams the SnowPeak LiteMax might work for you.
Read more!
Check out some related blog posts!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.
Soto Amicus Stove Review
Planning an adventure? Check out our popular trail guides! 4.8 stars (17K+ ratings)
Soto Amicus Stove Review
The Soto Amicus performed well at an affordable price while being one of the lightest stoves tested. It also compacts up nicely and is easy to assemble.
Paul Bodnar Educational 9/17/2020
Paul Bodnar
Educational
9/17/2020
Overall Score: 85/100
Best Affordable Stove
The Soto Amicus was the best affordable stove tested. It is lightweight (72 grams / 2.5 ounces) with an attached four-prong pot stand, boils 2-cups of water in 110 seconds, works in the wind, simmers well, packs up small, and is relatively fuel-efficient. The maximum estimated 2 cup boils per 100 gram fuel canister is 13. It just takes more time to boil water and is a little less fuel efficient than the more expensive Soto WindMaster.
Most compact stove tested
The Soto Amicus stove compacts up nicely and is easy to assemble.
Stove has an easy to deploy pot support
Conclusion
The Soto Amicus performed well at an affordable price while being one of the lightest stoves tested. It outperformed the MSR PocketRocket and Snow Peak LiteMax in both boil times and fuel efficiency. This makes the Soto Amicus the best performing affordable stove tested.
Read more!
Check out some related blog posts!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.
MSR PocketRocket Deluxe Stove Review
Planning an adventure? Check out our popular trail guides! 4.8 stars (17K+ ratings)
Educational
MSR PocketRocket Deluxe Stove Review
The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe was the second best performing ultralight stove tested. It boiled water the fastest in all the boil tests.
Paul Bodnar Educational 9/17/2020
Paul Bodnar
Educational
9/17/2020
Overall Score: 87/100
2nd Place
The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe was the second best performing ultralight stove tested. The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is lightweight (82 grams / 2.9 ounces), boils 2-cups of water in 102 seconds, works in the wind, simmers well, packs up small, has an auto-ignitor, sturdy pot stand and is very fuel efficient.
Stove burner almost identical to the Soto WindMaster stove
The only differences observed between the two burners is the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is 47mm wide and the Soto WindMaster is 46mm wide. They have the exact number stove top holes aligned in the exact same order. The faster boil times observed with the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is likely due to the faster maximum fuel burn rate. The maximum estimated 2-cup boils per 100 gram fuel canister for the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is 14. This is one less boil when compared to the Soto WindMaster stove.
Stove is easy to assemble and packs up small
Conclusion
The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe performed very well and boiled water the fastest in all the boil tests. This is an impressive stove. The stove burned a little more fuel than the Soto WindMaster which would be expected with the faster boil times. The limitation of the attached three-prong stand and the slightly lower fuel efficiency brought the MSR PocketRocket down to second place just behind the Soto WindMaster.
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Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.
MSR PocketRocket 2 Stove Review
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MSR PocketRocket 2 Stove Review
The MSR Pocket Rocket 2 is probably one of the most used stoves for long distance backpacking. It has a reputation for being durable and getting the job done.
Paul Bodnar Educational 9/17/2020
Paul Bodnar
Educational
9/17/2020
Overall Score: 83/100
Durable
The MSR PocketRocket 2 is one of the most used stoves for long distance backpacking. It has a reputation for being durable and getting the job done. The MSR PocketRocket 2 sounds a bit like a rocket and tests showed it had the highest fuel flow rate of all the stoves tested. The PocketRocket 2 is lightweight (73 grams / 2.6 ounces) with the three-prong pot stand, boils 2-cups of water in 112 seconds, simmers well and packs up small.
Small Compact Stove
The MSR PocketRocket 2 packs up small. Just find a different case for the stove. The heavy plastic case coming with the MSR PocketRocket 2 weighs a whopping 30 grams!
Stove has a detachable pot support
The advantage of the MSR PocketRocket 2 is the simplicity of design.
Conclusion
The MSR PocketRocket 2 performed okay if not used in windy conditions. If you use the MSR PocketRocket 2 in windy conditions you can expect to burn through fuel. I’m sure the MSR PocketRocket 2 will remain a common favorite amongst long distance hikers.
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Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Showers Lake Vista, Tahoe Rim Trail
Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Trail guides that get you to places you’ve dreamed of.
As the makers of Guthook Guides, Bikepacking Guides, and Cyclewayz, we help you navigate the most popular trails around the world on your smartphone. Our hiking guides and biking guides work completely offline. Let Guthook guide your next adventure!
Download our popular hiking and biking guides!
About the Author
Paul Bodnar
Paul has always liked hiking and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 after college. After years of working in chemistry, he wanted to create a career involving the outdoors, so he hiked the PCT again in 2010 to do research for his guide book, Pocket PCT. He realized that creating a smartphone app for navigating the outdoors would make it easier to keep the data current and provide a better way to navigate. While hiking with Ryan (aka Guthook) in 2010, they decided to work together to create the first comprehensive smartphone guide for the PCT.