Fuel Your Adventures With The Best Backpacking Cookware

A compact backpacking stove is crucial if you want to do anything more than boil water, and the Soto WindMaster tops our list of the best backpacking stoves for its featherlight design and reliable ignitor. Forbes Vetted’s gear editor Cam Vigliotta notes that “the 4Flex Pot Support provides plenty of stability for large pots of water and the concave burner keeps the flame alive in light wind.”

If you want to keep it simple by boiling water for coffee or dehydrated food pouches, the Jetboil Flash is one of the most effective cooking systems for fast meals. It heats up 16 ounces of water in less than 100 seconds, which is pretty much ideal if you need your morning cup of joe within minutes of opening your eyes. When you’re ready to break down camp, the flame component and fuel all pack neatly into the Jetboil cup. However, if you want to do any real backcountry cooking, you may want to look for a more traditional stove with more versatility—this one’s really good at boiling water, but we wouldn’t recommend it for much else.

This all-in-one kit from MSR has everything you need to cook basic meals for one or two people, so it’s my go-to for personal backpacking trips. It comes with a Pocket Rocket camp stove, a 1.2-liter aluminum pot, large bowl, strainer lid and pot handle. I particularly love the insulated grip around the pot because it boosts the vessel’s functionality—you can stabilize it with your hands while you’re cooking, without getting burned. (Backpacking stoves are notoriously unstable.)

Once you purchase your backpacking stove, you’ll need to get the right kind of fuel. Canister fuel is compatible with most stoves (including those found in this roundup), although some stoves use refillable liquid gas. Fuel canisters come in various sizes, and the amount you’ll need will depend on the length of your trip, the complexity of your meals and the weather conditions. For example, freezing temperatures and wind will require you to burn more fuel to heat water or cook meals. This canister is 4 ounces and features a floating gauge, so you can see how much fuel is left if you put it in water.

If you intend to cook for a group while backpacking, you’ll need something a little bigger than a one-person pot. I used this GSI Pinnacle cookset on small group trips because it has enough capacity to make a meal for four: Two pots, a frying pan and pot-straining lids. It also comes with everything you need to eat the meal—plates, insulated mugs and bowls (although you can leave some of them behind to shed weight.) And when it’s time to clean the dishes, you can use the waterproof carrying bag which doubles as a sink. It may be overkill for backpacking, but I love the fact that you can pick and choose what you bring with you depending on your group size and meal plan.

There are many ways to make coffee (or tea) while camping—from instant packets to the good ol’ cowboy coffee method. However, my favorite method calls for a simple, reusable pour over filter because it’s most similar to the cup of coffee at home and, over time, saves you money (instant coffee can be pricey.) This one from MSR is super light—it only weighs one ounce—and although it is not collapsible, you can stash it in your mug to save space. Just bring your favorite coffee grounds from home and you’re set.

Just because you’re away from home doesn’t mean you need to eat bland food. GSI’s Spice Missile is an easy way to carry up to six of your favorite spices so you can enhance the flavor of your favorite backpacking meals. While each compartment is pretty small, it should offer enough space to store seasoning for a short backpacking trip.

Sure, a dehydrator is not a backpacking essential—and we don’t recommend you bring it with you on your trip—but prepping your meals at home can make your work a whole lot easier when you settle down at camp. With a food dehydrator, you can make your own dried meals or snacks (dried pears are my favorite) to boost your caloric intake without weighing down your pack along the way.

Usually when I’m backpacking, I only bring a bowl (instead of a plate) to cut down on weight and space, but the Sea to Summit X-Bowl offers the best of both worlds: It folds down to deliver the slim profile of a plate, and expands to improve capacity when it’s time to eat. The nylon base is cut-resistant, so I also use it as a cutting board when chopping veggies (although you’ll need to make sure you don’t slice the flexible, silicone walls.)

Whether you’re drinking coffee or sipping on spirits around the campfire, a lightweight mug is a must-have. This plastic mug from GSI Outdoors comes with an insulated sleeve to keep your beverage hot without burning your hands, and the spill-resistant top helps seal in extra warmth, too. And, as all coffee lovers know, the feel of the mug in your hand actually matters, and this one feels natural and comfy to hold while you sip and sit around the campfire.

Backpacking gear is all about simplifying the number of items you need to bring. So instead of bringing a fork and a spoon, you should only bring one utensil that can do it all. Humangear’s Uno Spork is made of high-temp nylon which is safe for stirring your food on the stove, and the material doesn’t get so hot that it’ll burn your mouth. And for less than $4, you can’t beat the price if you’re shopping on a budget.

If you plan to eat dehydrated backpacking meals straight out of pouch, you’ll be able to scoop from the bottom of the bag and keep your hands clean thanks to this extra-long spork from Sea To Summit. It’s also equally great for stirring whatever goods you’re cooking up in a full-sized JetBoil, too. The incredibly lightweight aluminum (it weighs only 0.4 ounces) profile has a tiny carabiner so you can clip it to your pack when it’s not in use.