The Best Backpacking Stoves of 2022

　　We researched 22 of the most popular backpacking and camping stoves and spent 3 years backpacking 5,000+miles in 8 states to find the best lightweight backpacking stove for most people.

　　The best lightweight backpacking stove should be easy to use, durable, and will serve you well in various conditions. Therefore, we rated each cooking system based on how easy they are to handle when hot, and if they were small and ultralight enough to fit into a backpack. See our guide on How to Choose a Backpacking Stove for all the criteria to look for in a camp stove.

　　Warning: Reading this article is not a substitute for reading the directions! You’re responsible for your own safety so PLEASE read the instructions before you use any stove.

　　After more than a year of testing, we believe that the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is the best lightweight backpacking stove for most people. The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe’s overall above-average performance along with its ease of use and durability make it the clear winner. The Deluxe improves on the features we loved in our winner for the past two years, the MSR PocketRocket 2. The Deluxe won us over with its faster boil time, increased windproofing, and the same durability and simplicity of our former pick. The Deluxe is the unanimous favorite of almost all the professional reviews we scanned and was the lightweight backpacking stove used by nearly every thru-hiker we encountered on our John Muir Trail thru-hike in 2021.

　　The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is among the most straightforward and small backpacking stoves to use. Photo by Liz Thomas. We found that the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is among the most straightforward of the lightweight backpacking stoves to use (falling short only of the Snow Peak GigaPower).

　　While all canister stoves are relatively easy to use once you get the hang of them, we’ve seen too many backpackers struggle with their stove system and opt not to eat because of it (read more on why we think ease-of-use is the most important feature when picking a stove.) This makes the Deluxe’s ease of use a major win: a first-time backpacker and an expert too tired to see straight can both get the Deluxe up and running.

　　The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is a durable and reliable hiking camp stove, while not feeling overbuilt. Like the PocketRocket 2, the Deluxe’s simple design doesn’t have delicate parts that can snag, or break off.

　　Related: The Best Backpacking Sleeping PadsWhat makes using the Deluxe (and the PocketRocket 2) so easy is that the pot-stand arms go in two directions: up to hold a pot and down to stow away. The arms don’t fold on themselves like the phalanges on your finger. This means fewer parts to break or get stuck.

　　This photo documents the last boil of this empty fuel canister, which gave us hot water quickly and then refused to burn again. The pressure regulator means time to a full boil is consistent whether you’ve got a new fuel canister full of pressure or are whether your fuel can is near-empty. Photo by Liz Thomas. When it comes to pot stand arms, there’s a fine line between super stable and feeling stuck in place. Stable arms won’t wobble if you accidentally brush against the pot or place the stove on less-than stable ground (don’t do this). But if the joints along the arms are too rigid or stick in place (like on the Optimus we tested), they can be frustrating to open and close, especially with cold, numb hands.

　　Related: The Best Winter Gloves

　　Even after accumulating a years’ worth of trail crud, the joints on my MSR PocketRocket Deluxe stay in place without feeling like they’re stuck to the rivets. The MSR has among the best teeth on the arms of the stoves we considered (though they’re better on our upgrade pick, the WindMaster). These teeth create additional contact between the arm and the pot.

　　A close-up of the Deluxe’s teethed arms and push button start at a campsite in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. Photo by Liz ThomasMSR POCKETROCKET 2 VS MSR POCKETROCKET DELUXE

　　The PocketRocket Deluxe builds on the PocketRocket 2 by adding many of the features found in stoves twice the price and weight. MSR delineates the differences between the two stoves here.

　　Though the Deluxe is more expensive, we think these benefits are well worth it.PUSH START PIEZO IGNITOR

　　The push start integrated ignitor button (aka, piezo) on the Deluxe means that you don’t need to hold a lighter next to the stove to get the burner going. This eliminates a step many backpackers find intimidating when using camp stoves. While igniters notoriously fail, we found the piezo ignitor on the Deluxe to be reliable (however, we ALWAYS recommend keeping a lighter and/or matches handy just in case and to avoid getting your stove wet).

　　Related: Essential Hiking and Backpacking Accessories

　　PRESSURE REGULATOR

　　The Deluxe also features a pressure regulator, a feature usually found in bulkier and more expensive stoves. The pressure regulator means that in colder conditions or when the fuel canister is low, the stove will deliver a consistent flame. This means that boil times will be more consistent from boil-to-boil compared to most other minimalist camp stoves we tested. While the stoves in this guide are designed for 3-season use, a pressure regulator could stretch it into mild 4-season use.

　　Related: The Best 4-Season Tents

　　Close-up of the burner head on the Pocket Rocket Deluxe, which is much more wind resistant than the Pocket Rocket 2 (our former winner for Best overall stove). Photo courtesy Liz Thomas.WINDPROOFNESS

　　The PocketRocket Deluxe design is more windproof than the PocketRocket 2. It has a broad burner head with a wind lip somewhat similar to our windproof upgrade pick, the Soto Windmaster. Our main gripe with the PocketRocket 2 is that it doesn’t work well in the wind. We found that the Deluxe improves on the PocketRocket 2’s design and although it still isn’t as windproof as the Windmaster, it’s better than most other stoves we tested, including the PocketRocket 2.

　　SIMMER CONTROL

　　The simmer control on the Deluxe is better than on the PocketRocket. It was able to hold food at just below a boil for extended periods by controlling the flame with a half-turn of the control valve. Only the GigaPower was easier to use for simmering.

　　NOISE

　　The PocketRocket Deluxe is less noisy than the PocketRocket 2. I’ve heard some backpackers complain that the PocketRocket 2 jet can block out conversation. The newer Deluxe can be loud on full heat but can be made quieter when needed.

　　We think the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is the best backpacking stove because of its simplicity. Compared to our former winner, the PocketRocket 2, the piezo ignitor on the Deluxe adds to its simplicity by eliminating the extra 30 seconds of searching for your Mini Bic to light the stove. When you’re that tired, the fewer steps between you and food, the better.