How to Choose a Backpacking Stove

Receiving the OutDoor Industry Award in Germany in 2015, the TOAKS Titanium Backpacking Wood Burning Stove is compact, lightweight, highly efficient and easy to light a natural wood fire with.
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Imported.
Best Use | Backpacking |
---|---|
Fuel Type | Wood |
Fuel | Wood |
Dimensions | 4.13 x 8 inches |
Weight | 7.9 ounces |
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Takes some practice to figure this thing out. I've done 8 test runs now and, to be honest, I doubt this stove will ever make it into my pack for a real trip. Just takes too much time to get a good fire going and sometimes fails entirely if you don't have great fuel. For the weight savings vs. a small iso-butane stove, it's just not worth the hassle for trips of 7 days or fewer. Well built and super lightweight. This is the first twig stove I've tried so can't compare to others. May make sense for thru-hikers who don't want to carry multiple fuel canisters, but I just need a simple source of hot water for coffee and meals. I really wanted to love this stove, but it's just not very practical for typical 3-7 day trips.
I bought this with the 1.1Liter pot and pan/ lid. The stove fits nicely into the pot and the entire assembly weighs less than my fast boiling propane stove alone. All it takes are just some twigs and a bit of birch bark. Even after heavy rain I had no trouble lighting the fire. It takes a bit of maintenance to keep the fire going but I found it very relaxing. I was actually able to cook real food and not just hot water for a dehydrated meal. If you need hot water, the pot holds 4 cups of water = coffee for two happy campers at the same time. We even roasted hotdogs and made pancakes. I was concerned about cooling down but if you turn it upside down in a safe spot using a stick or leather glove it cools down quickly. I had no issues with it feeling unstable. I highly recommend this product.
I wanted this to be a no-brainer and it wasn't. Overall happy because I found a way to DIY and use this, 2 tent stakes and a homemade alcohol stove as two options (twigs or alcohol stove with this as windscreen). When using as intended, you need to gather quite a pile of twigs before cooking. Starting this stove isn't the easiest, but if you know how to start a fire you'll be fine. Cooking requires a careful balance (don't tip the pot and stove over) and coordinated stirring, lifting the pot if it gets too hot, and constantly feeding the stove. I made scratch soup and oatmeal without too much trouble. Overall it is good and fits a need, but other designs are likely a little easier to use.
I probably didn’t need the larger version, but it’s what I bought, and it works great. I use this with a toaks 1.1 liter pot. The 750ml and 450ml don’t rest on the top, but they hang nicely in the fire. If you’re just interested in boiling water, consider the smaller, cheaper version.
My first test of the Toaks large stove was on a cold morning with light rain. I didn't take the time to prepare perfect fuel, I hastily grabbed some medium quality wood nearby. I had to use dry newspaper to get the fire started, but once going the stove performed well. I had 750 ml boiling in the Toaks 1100 ml pot in under 10 minutes. Totally usable. The next day the weather was dry and I cut some good solid branches to the perfect size. It started much easier, and burned hotter and longer. Make no mistake, this stove is for tinkerers. If I want convenience I'll use one of my canister or liquid fuel stoves. If you enjoy messing with equipment like I do you'll enjoy the Toaks stove. It takes finesse, but delivers its advertised strengths. I also bought a set of Toaks cross bars so I can put a smaller pot or cup on the stove. Highly recommended.
Very well made. The bigger size is what I was looking for when I go camping & fishing it's great to cook a fresh fish.
I've had one of these stoves for several years, it's fast and easy to use and packs down super well. Very fun alternative to gas or propane!