On my trip last year the plunger on my stove broke in half on my 6th day and consequently I had to find alternatives for the next 17 days. Years ago it wouldn't have been a problem as grills were left at many campsites, but no longer.

Fortunately I was coming out of Bentpine towards Sturgeon and at the last portage before Sturgeon I found a piece of rebar on an old hydro dam. Then on the river toward Sturgeon I remembered there was an old barge so I boarded and pried out a 15 inch nail. With these two pieces of metal I was able to balance my pots for 17 days. Since this happened to me about 20 years ago I have now decided to carry two stoves.

My question is how many of you carry a backup?

I carry a small backpackers folding grill for cooking fish wrapped in foil. I would use this if my stove failed. This grill is handy because of the folding legs so I just set it inside the fire pit and get a level surface not too high for a fire.

Coughlins Pack Grill

The small canister stoves are light enough that carrying a spare burner does not add much weight or bulk.

I cook with a Trangia alcohol stove set in a titanium ClikStand - very compact and light. I carry two small titanium cooking pots for all cooking. I use a home made 3 lb coffee can stick stove to heat water for cleaning and as a back up for cooking.

Everything nests together in the pot dedicated for heating water. Total weight for both stoves and ClikStand is about 8 ounces.

Alcohol stove in ClikStand with titanium pot.

Coffee can stick stove

I carried a 'twig' stove as a backup to my gas stove.

mpeebles: "I carried a 'twig' stove as a backup to my gas stove."

I have considered this, but am uncertain if it would work and how well.

What gas stove and what twig stove do you have? What pot do you use? How much does the twig stove weigh compared to the gas stove? Have you used the twig stove on a trip or did you take it strictly as a backup that never got used?

jdddl8: "...My question is how many of you carry a backup? ... "

A small wood fire is my back-up.

You can't carry 2 of everything. When something breaks, you use your wits to make what you have do the job.

I’m only carrying a twig stove this year??

Ajoutdoors: "I’m only carrying a twig stove this year??"

If it's your first time doing that, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts afterwards on the experience.

I’ll probably regret my decision when I’m waiting 10 minutes to boil water for coffee in the morning. Lol

OCDave: "

jdddl8: "...My question is how many of you carry a backup? ... "

A small wood fire is my back-up.
You can't carry 2 of everything. When something breaks, you use your wits to make what you have do the job.
"

Do you carry a grill? The little coughlins grill with folding legs is easy to get a level surface. I'd invest in a top of the line purcell trench grill but getting the right height and balancing the sides can be more trouble than I want.

Also, I go where there isn't a forest service grill so I guess a grill isn't necessary in the BW.

Too much here for my tiny brain to compute. Going back to the giant two burner Coleman that I knew so well as a younger man. Of course, that means I am going to hire a Sherpa to haul the gear and fuel, and I might as well tap into my inner Stu and bring nothing but fresh!

I don't bring an extra stove, or water filer, or most other things. Fire is my back up. In the worst case, dehydrated food can rehydrate with cold water, it just takes longer. If my stove broke and fire was either banned or very hard, I could just paddle out. If I were going on an extended, more remote trip I might consider it.

I carry spare parts in a kit for my MSR whisperlite. I've carried two of these on occasion when I've been out with my family. Generally speaking thought, I rarely carry a second.

Frenchy19: "Too much here for my tiny brain to compute. Going back to the giant two burner Coleman that I knew so well as a younger man. Of course, that means I am going to hire a Sherpa to haul the gear and fuel, and I might as well tap into my inner Stu and bring nothing but fresh!"

Don't forget to wear your blue jeans and dry foot it too!

Ajoutdoors: "I’ll probably regret my decision when I’m waiting 10 minutes to boil water for coffee in the morning. Lol"

Well i cant speak for all twig stoves but the solo stove was rock solid and dependable for a 24 day trip last summer. Of course it was August, and not a shoulder season where 3 days of rain might be an issue. And there is no long wait time..........the thing fires up quick enough and with the gasified air boils water in fine time.

I have brought a back up stove before and a pocket rocket is a good choice as a back up with canister stoves. Small, light and doesn't take up much space. I can't picture using a twig stove as a backup choice as it takes up considerable room.

I have also brought a second stove if I was cooking for several folks.........especially with an Outback Oven. You can be cooking lemon poppyseed muffins on one burner and frying fish with the other.

I only take the twig stove on longer trips where lugging several canisters starts becoming impractical. Less than 10 days and I'm going with Iso.

No I don't carry an extra stove. I figure as long as I can get a fire going I can set my pot on the rocks next to a fire and get the water boiling. It doesn't have to be right over it on a grill. If in the BWCA you don't have to worry about it unlike Quetico where there is none.

We usually do take 2 stoves. One has very little adjustments, great for boiling water. The other is more adjustable so simmering is possible. So it depends on what we plan on eating, how many people are going, how long we are going, and weather predictions.

It just occurred to me that while we have upgraded and decreased weight on much of our gear, we have not done so with our stoves - a peak 1 and a Coleman dual fuel. They have been pretty reliable, but not the lightest or most compact. After 30 years it might be time for a new stove.

boonie: "

mpeebles: "I carried a 'twig' stove as a backup to my gas stove."

I have considered this, but am uncertain if it would work and how well.


What gas stove and what twig stove do you have? What pot do you use? How much does the twig stove weigh compared to the gas stove? Have you used the twig stove on a trip or did you take it strictly as a backup that never got used? "

Boonie.....

I used an old Coleman single burner that screws onto a tank. I have other stoves but these are pretty bulletproof. I took the 180 twig stove (pretty sure that's the name of it) as a back up. I take one small sauce pan to boil water and one small fry pan for fish, etc. The twig stove weighs a few ounces and measures about six inches x six inches and about an inch thick when folded. I did not have to use the twig stove on the trip but used it on a trip prior to that just to see how it worked. I boiled water in no time flat. The trick was to have dry tinder/twigs/small sticks ready to go. I was impressed how good it worked when I did use it.
Good luck and safe travels.......Mike

I take two (I solo). One is a twig burning Emberlit. I actually had to depend on it a few years ago when the other stove was no longer operational. I know I could just build a fire (I was a Scout!) but the twig stove really is simpler.

Dave

mpeebles: "

boonie: "

mpeebles: "I carried a 'twig' stove as a backup to my gas stove."

I have considered this, but am uncertain if it would work and how well.

What gas stove and what twig stove do you have? What pot do you use? How much does the twig stove weigh compared to the gas stove? Have you used the twig stove on a trip or did you take it strictly as a backup that never got used? "

Boonie.....

I used an old Coleman single burner that screws onto a tank. I have other stoves but these are pretty bulletproof. I took the 180 twig stove (pretty sure that's the name of it) as a back up. I take one small sauce pan to boil water and one small fry pan for fish, etc. The twig stove weighs a few ounces and measures about six inches x six inches and about an inch thick when folded. I did not have to use the twig stove on the trip but used it on a trip prior to that just to see how it worked. I boiled water in no time flat. The trick was to have dry tinder/twigs/small sticks ready to go. I was impressed how good it worked when I did use it.
Good luck and safe travels.......Mike"

Thanks, Mike - that's good information. Along the same lines as your experience, I came across a blog where he stated that the wood-burners were much quicker and more efficient than building a fire.

I just wanted to add to my post above that if you're using a canister stove, there are several that are very small and light - you could take two for 5 oz. or less and even for 2-3 oz. for two!

On solos I always think about bringing a back up stove but never do. But my trust Pocket Rocket is likely 8 years old so this year I may decide to bring the spare. Good reminder, thanks.

good thread.
i love my svea 123.
this is my preferred stove
i got it because of my coleman 442 failed on day 1 of a trip. the needle cleaner being the weak linkage, broke and wedged into the valve.

i have picked up a couple $6isobutane stoves for a backup. their only weak point is using large heavy stainless steel pots and melting thepiezo igniters. then you need matches.

if i was going to use my whisperlite.i would brind a spare pump.

I have put a wire bale on my pots. So, if my stove doesn't work (not likely since I use alky burners) I can hang the pot above the fire.

my fancee feest is my main alcohol stove, backup is vargo stick stove.

This year I have my MSR pocket rocket and then a back up twig stove from Pathfinder. It lines the bottom of my water bottle so it takes zero space in my pack.

Also have a 1 foot by 6 inche grill to use if I want to make a small grill using two rocks.

I own about 2 dozen stoves that use all the common fuels, mostly MSR, a few primus and oriental burners, wood and alcohol. Never took a spare in 4 decades of camping/tripping.
I do clean and maintain them at home and check function prior to any trip. Even the repair kits are seldom taken.
I mostly use MSR liquid fueled stoves. About the only thing that may go wrong is a clogged jet from a boil over, I do add the MSR wrench and jet tool for that purpose and clearing a jet is easy. The MSR pumps get maligned regularly mostly because of the early brittle plastic version supplied for the last 2 decades the pumps are nylon reinforced and redesigned and are very reliable. Honestly I have more trouble with Primus pumps, the pump "leathers" are fussy, and the check valves not as dependable (many internal pump parts are plastic). The most unreliable stoves in my use are the Coleman liquid fueled singe burners, the in the tank fuel/air system is easy to clog and what is used as a jet is difficult to clean or disassemble if it's the lever variety.
Canister stoves have very little to go wrong, except the boil over thing cleaned the same way. More likely a bad fuel canister valve will be out of alignment or stick open.
Alcohol and twig stoves are are reliable as a rock, long as ya don't step on them.
Only backup I use is a fire which I often prefer to cook over.

butthead

I use the Peak One and have a new Solo Stove as my back up. I just did a solo trip and did not use the Solo stove. But! I did use the pot into which it nests.

I like my emberlit twig stove. I use that for coffee and water more than my pocket rocket. It folds flat so it doesn't take up much space.

I own:
Whisperlite
several alcohol stoves
MSR Pocket Rocket
Esbit stove

They all stay home these days. Just bring a little canister and a BRS-3000.

When on a trip in the BWCA, I don't bring an extra stove because there's always (well, except for PMA's) a fire grate I can use if need be.

In the Q, because there are no fire grates, I bring a small canister stove and a LittleBug, which takes up zero room in the pack.

For tandem/group trips, I have a Primus and the twig stove for backup and fuel savings.

I always take MSR pocket rocket as secondary to Reactor stove. Takes such little space/weight.
It is uncanny how you were able to improvise with rebar & nail...usually not a chance of finding in most locations.

MSR Windpro is my main stove, but I always bring a PocketRocket as a backup. I have several small stoves that only weigh a couple of ounces, so there may be one of those in there too. Altogether the extras are probably less than an pound. Never had to use them so far, but better safe than sorry

My "always carry" is a Pocket Rocket 2, and a wood stove of some sort, usually a gasifier. A backpacker's grill is part of my always carry. The reason I carry like that, even with the increased carry volume and weight, is that sometimes I like to slow down and cook my meal. Additionally, it conserves gas fuel and provides me a backup.

jdddl8: "On my trip last year the plunger on my stove broke in half on my 6th day and consequently I had to find alternatives for the next 17 days. Years ago it wouldn't have been a problem as grills were left at many campsites, but no longer.

Fortunately I was coming out of Bentpine towards Sturgeon and at the last portage before Sturgeon I found a piece of rebar on an old hydro dam. Then on the river toward Sturgeon I remembered there was an old barge so I boarded and pried out a 15 inch nail. With these two pieces of metal I was able to balance my pots for 17 days. Since this happened to me about 20 years ago I have now decided to carry two stoves.

My question is how many of you carry a backup? "

I typically follow the "two is one, one is none" motto. I bring a Scorpion stove as a primary stove for meals, a Jetboil for boiling water, and a Kelly Kettle as a backup to both. ( Quite honestly the Kelly Kettle is just fun to use)

I bring a bushbuddy and an alcohol stove. Bushbuddy nests in pot. I usually use the alcohol stove in the am to boil water for coffee/oatmeal and the twig stove for dinner (Mac and cheese or freeze dried.) I’m planning on longer trips and I think fire is the way to go, especially outside the bwca.

I picked up one of those svante freden reflector ovens and a collapsible stove from a small outfit in Winnipeg. Also have mt eye on purcell trench grill. Looking forward to trying them out.

I bring Jetboil and Toaks twig stove that fits into Toaks 750ml pot, combined weight 9oz, just 2oz over the weight of a 100g propane canister. On group trips we don't depend on firegrates when we carry 2 fire irons manufactured by Craig Macdonald. They are very well designed, will fit practically any fire place, total weight around 11oz. They will support at least 2 pots if required and can be positioned at various heights above the fire.

Always

I have started carrying mostly meals that can be heated or can be cold soaked. So I don't bother to bring a 2nd stove.

When I solo in BWCA, I bring two stoves. My breakfast (coffee) stove is a cat can alcohol stove. If moving, I find myself breaking camp early (before the wind and sun) so I do not want a fire.

For dinner and in-camp breakfast, I use the Bushbuddy wood stove. I like the ability to have unlimited fuel. I tend to drink a lot of hot drinks, make cooking water, and fry bread, eggs, or fish. its much more wood efficient than using the fire grate. If I'm having a fire, I will use the fire grate area to cook by placing my pot next to the coals. The newer grates seem to be much taller (higher above the wood pile) than in the past, which has made cooking over the smaller fires I prefer almost impossible.
I also like the maintenance of the small Bushbuddy fire, it makes waiting for water to boil seem much shorter.

I like the way the stoves nest in my pot. The alcohol stove fits into the middle of the wood stove, which then fits into a small bag (contain wood ash). All of this fits into the 1100 ml bale handle pot.

If a fire ban is in progress, I will only have one stove and a smaller pot. In warm weather I take my Ion butane can stove, my 750mL pot, and a lot more fuel than my alcohol/fire stoves need. I will take an extra O-ring. This is the part that seems most likely to fail. But, in the 7 years I've used it backpacking, it hasn't had any issues.
When I bring this stove, I really try to simplify meals to eliminate any actual cooking. Hot or cold soaking foods, less coffee and tea, no fry bread, more protein bars, etc. Not as much fun eating this way, but it is super simple.

I've used just about every type of camp stove since 1973. Since about 2010, I've found cannister stoves fit tripping my style best. I always bring an extra cannister and stove top (Primus Classic or a Snowpeak titanium stove top that folds down to almost nothing in space or weight). My solo trips are generally 12-17 nights. I also bring a Purcell trench grill for baking lakers in foil.

PineKnot: "I've used just about every type of camp stove since 1973. Since about 2010, I've found cannister stoves fit tripping my style best. I always bring an extra cannister and stove top (Primus Classic or a Snowpeak titanium stove top that folds down to almost nothing in space or weight). My solo trips are generally 12-17 nights. I also bring a Purcell trench grill for baking lakers in foil."

I got into Primus cannister stoves from you Mr. Knot around 2020. The primus classic is like $20 and small/lightweight so I figure "Why not carry a back up?" I bought the better primus stove that simmers real nice for about $40. I like it!

Solo I never carry an extra. In a group I'll often bring two so coffee and breakfast can be produced simultaneously. I use MSR liquid stoves for tripping, canister stoves for road trips (rest area coffee). Don't like canister for tripping due to aversion to partially use canisters and the wind problem with the direct connect canister stoves.

I found in my travels that all equipment has a breaking point. Before a longer trip I found it extremely important to go through everything. In 2012 while up in Woodland Caribou on like day six of twenty six my boots blew out. I was able to sew them with dental floss and they did ok. But I had a number of fails on that trip. So later that year when I went in for forty days I made double sure everything was fresh. I do carry a pocket rocket for backup with one canister. But I use a dragonfly out there. At home I keep a spare pump... but most important is maintenance. When returning home it’s good to take your pump apart and clean and lube everything. Inspect the o rings and put it away like you would your prize deer rifle after hunting season. That goes for all your gear... but both my stove and my water filters for some reason were my main concern... and carry a basic repair kit. Anything beyond a week I took extra care to go through everything. That 2012 blunder happened after doing some shorter spring trips. It was in June. I did some shorter trips in July and the forty day was August /September. My point is when I got lax I had problems. I’ve been in my truck camper since early November... I’ve been boondocking in Arizona in the desert. Running 100% off solar my fridge, fan, lights and what not. And I’ve used my dragonfly a lot. Mostly because I have gallons of white gas I need to use up. But it’s good to have backups and best if everything is well maintained and fresh!

nctry: When returning home it’s good to take your pump apart and clean and lube everything. Inspect the o rings and put it away like you would your prize deer rifle after hunting season. That goes for all your gear... but both my stove and my water filters for some reason were my main concern... and carry a basic repair kit."

Or throw it in the closet and pull it out years later when you need it again. No, I'm not exaggerating. :-)

Gear I Hold Dear: The Svea 123 Camping Stove

I bring my regular stove which is and MSR canister stove. I also bring one of the really small canister stoves as a backup. I have been lucky enough so far that I have not had to use the backup other than pre-trip testing.

I recently bought the Uberleben twig stove and I like it a lot. Very sturdy when I have used it locally, and once a fire is going it pumps out a lot of heat. Very pleased so far and may take it up this year.

I recently bought an Optimus Vega 4 season stove, but have not had time to tinker with it yet. Someone want to go ahead and explain why that was a poor choice? Thanks for your input.

I use an Evernew TI DX alcohol stove, it can be used as a twig stove.
may bring a Kovea stove, tonight it’s in cook kit , tomorrow night it’s out.

MossBack: " I recently bought an Optimus Vega 4 season stove, but have not had time to tinker with it yet. Someone want to go ahead and explain why that was a poor choice? Thanks for your input."

Challenge accepted!
The Vega uses a horizontal fuel air mixing tube. It is laid directly under the burner, and can catch boil-overs that can cause clogging of the jet.

Beyond that it is an excellent stove, low profile (due to the horizontal mixing tube), large pot support, long fuel line capable of using inverted canister fuel. Engoy it on your travels!

butthead

For many years we traveled in the shoulder seasons, but were using Coleman Powermax aluminum fuel cells, which seemed to be very susceptible to the cold. I liked the idea of the Vega being capable of inverted cylinder use in the mornings when the water is frozen in the Nalgene bottles.

I am always happy when someone can benefit from my own mistakes. I posted yesterday about my new Optimus Vega 4 season stove. I never owned or operated this type of stove before. Paraphrasing slightly, the instruction booklet that came with it states "To use the stove in liquid mode, fold out the canister support legs and turn the canister over slowly and keep the canister low when inverting." I did all of these, but the instructions made no suggestion of allowing it to run in vapor mode to preheat for a bit, before inverting the canister to use in liquid mode. I have used standard canister stoves for many years without any real trouble. But when this one made the "WHOOFING" sound, it got my attention. There are a couple of good YouTube videos on the Vega, worth watching if you are contemplating a stove of this type. I have successfully operated this stove in both modes since my event. Works great. Hopefully ButtHead will add some wisdom here as well. MB

Any liquid fueled burner needs to warm up first. The liquid fuel does not burn, the vapor does. You experienced what a lot of liquid fuel burners do, the initial flare as the liquid fuel stands off the cool burner orifice where it turns to vapor and flames up, often spectacularly. It needs to vaporize in the hot mixing tube before igniting at the burner.

butthead

As always....thanks for your accurate explanation and guidance. MB

butthead: "The Vega uses a horizontal fuel air mixing tube. It is laid directly under the burner, and can catch boil-overs that can cause clogging of the jet.

Beyond that it is an excellent stove, low profile (due to the horizontal mixing tube), large pot support, long fuel line capable of using inverted canister fuel. Engoy it on your travels!
butthead"

Oh, hey, I didn't catch that about the opening in the fat horizontal tube right under the burner edge.

Yep, excellent stove. I tried one other highly-rated remote canister stove and the fuel valve adjustment was so flakey that I returned it for the more expensive Optimus Vega. No regrets. Now I have options of a really compact Optimus canister top mount (same head on a folding setup that fits in the hollow of a canister), Svea's, or a Coleman Peak 1.

This being a discussion about backup stove, and BWCA: nope, there's grates on all the sites. However, on an extended trip I might carry a much smaller canister stove for morning coffee and light breakfast, and use the grates or small twig stove for the evening meal. If dispersed camping I'll just use logs or rocks to hold my pot if my stove craps out.

I have two MSR Simmerlites, two MSR fuel bottles, and two adapter pumps to connect the bottles to the stoves. I bring all of them every trip. I'm not a fire guy, so I cook exclusively with them, and I like a backup. I alternate using them during a trip, every other day or so.

I would be very interested in a wood-fired backup stove. I thought there existed a stove that operated on twigs and duff with a battery-powered fan. Is there such a thing?

Mike

Kelly Kettle! Kelly Kettle

MikeinMpls: "I would be very interested in a wood-fired backup stove. I thought there existed a stove that operated on twigs and duff with a battery-powered fan. Is there such a thing?
"

Are you thinking BioLite? They came out a few years back. They are twig stoves with a fan that turns from the heat and generates electricity to power devices. I don’t hear about the often, but REI still carries them. I have no idea how much power they put out.

Since I first posted on this thread years ago I have started carrying a Solo Lite in addition to my Whisperlite on most trips. I originally got it to reduce the amount of liquid fuel and a fuel bottle on longer trips. But I also found I really love having it as a mini campfire right under my tarp. You do have to feed it often, but you can burn a long time on the scrap wood chips and twigs found 15 feet from every fire grate. I love the ambiance.

Jaywalker: "

MikeinMpls: "I would be very interested in a wood-fired backup stove. I thought there existed a stove that operated on twigs and duff with a battery-powered fan. Is there such a thing?
"

Are you thinking BioLite? They came out a few years back. They are twig stoves with a fan that turns from the heat and generates electricity to power devices. I don’t hear about the often, but REI still carries them. I have no idea how much power they put out.


Since I first posted on this thread years ago I have started carrying a Solo Lite in addition to my Whisperlite on most trips. I originally got it to reduce the amount of liquid fuel and a fuel bottle on longer trips. But I also found I really love having it as a mini campfire right under my tarp. You do have to feed it often, but you can burn a long time on the scrap wood chips and twigs found 15 feet from every fire grate. I love the ambiance.
"

Thanks, Jaywalker!

So I'm considering the TOAKS Titanium Backpacking Wood Burning Stove - Small versus the Solo Stove Lite. The Kelly Kettle looks like more than I need. The only BioLite stove I could find also generates electricity which I don't need. The Toaks looks smaller, but they make a bigger model that appears to be approximately the same size as the Solo Stove Lite. Both use the same dual chamber combustion method. Looks like a toss-up.

Thoughts on Toaks vs. Solo Stove?

Mike

MikeinMpls: "Thoughts on Toaks vs. Solo Stove?”

I have not used the Toaks stove, but there are several YouTube videos comparing them and a few other similar stoves. There are a couple others that are also probably very good.

The larger of the Toaks is nearly identical in weight to my Solo lite (0.1 oz difference). The smaller Toaks is about 2.5 oz lighter which will matter to some, but it’s narrower meaning a smaller “fire box” less wood = less heat and even more feeding. I usually just heat water on it, but sometimes cook pancakes or other things so the extra heat is helpful. I also don’t care for Toaks taller design which seems like it might be more tippy. Then again Jetboils spook me but people love them. One upside for Toaks is they are designed to nest well with other Toaks pots and cups.

The only thing that has troubled me about my Solo is that the top portion that the pot sits on is not attached to the bottom. Sometimes, especially when burning pine, the bottom of my pot gets sticky and when I lift it off the top of my stove goes with it. Annoying, but not a big deal. I’m training myself to lift the pot with one hand and use a twig to hold down the top part of the stove.

OCDave: "

jdddl8: "...My question is how many of you carry a backup? ... "

A small wood fire is my back-up.


You can't carry 2 of everything. When something breaks, you use your wits to make what you have do the job.


"

In our groups we in fact do bring two of most things. As already mentioned, we bring stoves similar to jet boils for quick water boiling. We also bring ultralight small stoves like Spyder stoves for cooking with pots. Backup is a wood stove like an Esbit.

We also bring primary water filtration and backup system. Same for fire starter: Storm matches, bic lighters.

There are very few items I would go to the BWCA with without a secondary backup.

We operate. . .and drill in to our guys. . . plan as if you KNOW you will capsize the canoe, your gear will go out, and/or you may have to call for rescue. We then plan accordingly

Wow, seems like overkill to me for the BWCA where you are rarely a day or so from an emergency exit point, wood is plentiful for starting a fire, if needed. The only thing I carry duplicates of would be fire starting and one set is always strapped to my body with my ditch kit. Personally, I think it is much safer to travel lighter to lessen the chance of injury. A trip to more remote Canadian locations might warrant a bit of duplicate gear, but to each their own.

straighthairedcurly: "Wow, seems like overkill to me for the BWCA where you are rarely a day or so from an emergency exit point, wood is plentiful for starting a fire, if needed. The only thing I carry duplicates of would be fire starting and one set is always strapped to my body with my ditch kit. Personally, I think it is much safer to travel lighter to lessen the chance of injury. A trip to more remote Canadian locations might warrant a bit of duplicate gear, but to each their own."

When I said we bring backups on everything, that doesn't mean more weight or bulk. My backup to my jetboil is a fold up Spyder stove (it could fit in a pocket). My backup to that is an Esbit stove (can also go in a jacket pocket).

When it comes to firestarter we bring storm matches in waterproof cases, a couple of bic lighters, and a ferro rod.

Water filtration primary is a Platypus water filter. Backup is a Lifestraw or Lifestraw bottle with filter in it.

Lastly we have a first aid kit in camp with trauma kit, and we carry first aid kits on our PFD's

We travel very light. But we also travel with backups on all critical gear. Most of the backups are on our PFD's or in a ditch bag that is always with us.

Backup stove is overkill IMO, but if it makes you feel better and you don't mind carrying it, then it doesn't matter what I think. I love to have a fire going in camp all the time anyway, so sometimes I don't even bring A stove. It really just depends on how you trip and what your priorities are.

bumabu: "Backup stove is overkill IMO, but if it makes you feel better and you don't mind carrying it, then it doesn't matter what I think. I love to have a fire going in camp all the time anyway, so sometimes I don't even bring A stove. It really just depends on how you trip and what your priorities are. "

Here is what I carry as a back up stove. Weighs just 6 ounces. Uses the same fuel as my jetboil.

In the preparedness/outdoors community I bounce ideas off there is a saying: "Two is one, one is none". The 3 most important elements to plan for is food, water and shelter. 6 ounces if pretty cheap backup insurance. A lifestraw to backup the platypus system is 2 ounces. An SOL emergency bivy is 4.5 ounces. 12 ounces all together and very little packing space to have backups of your 3 primary needs.

Actually I have all 3 in a bug out bag in my vehicle at all times I also carry them in a ditch pack that goes on the back of my PFD when in the BWCA.

Kovea Spyder

jdddl8: "My question is how many of you carry a backup? "

None of us carrying one of these, in my experience. :-)

Svea 123 Backpacking Stove: 48 Year Review

BTW, that’s not my review. My ever-reliable Svea turned 52 the year that “youngster” was reviewed.

Oh, yeah. Every time.

Don’t count on fire as a backup myself after the season-long fire ban couple years ago

LaVirginienne: "Don’t count on fire as a backup myself after the season-long fire ban couple years ago "

I never count on fire, twig stoves, alcohol stoves, or solid (esbit) fuel due to fire bans. I use a canister stove for which a backup burner is only a couple of ounces and compact.

gravelroad: "

jdddl8: "My question is how many of you carry a backup? "

None of us carrying one of these, in my experience. :-)


Svea 123 Backpacking Stove: 48 Year Review

BTW, that’s not my review. My ever-reliable Svea turned 52 the year that “youngster” was reviewed."

Hmmm...my Svea 123 is only 45 years old....still works like a charm every time.