The first thing to consider when shopping for some type of backpacking cookset and stove combination is whether you need one. You don’t necessarily have to cook or heat food while backpacking; you can simply bring along foods that require no cooking or heating such as nutrition bars, gels, fruits, nuts, trail mixes, etc. However, these foods are typically heavier and bulkier than many dehydrated foods that require boiling water. Of course, coffee, tea, and cocoa can also be nice in the backcountry if not near mandatory for caffeine addicts like myself. Those with a little more botanical knowledge enjoy cooking with fresh, foraged plants (I currently only forages through grocery stores, unfortunately.) Whether cooking gourmet backcountry cuisine or simply heating up oatmeal, most backpackers will want to have some type of cooking system. This guide offers a broad overview of the most frequently used and easily accessible options for cooksets, stoves, and other backcountry cooking accessories. This is by no means exhaustive but is more than enough to get you acquainted and ready to begin putting together your own cooking kit. Let’s start with cook sets before covering stoves.
