Winter Cooking Gear

It is vital to have the proper gear for winter outings.  Part of your gear should include a cook system that will work in the winter, heat your meals and be able to melt enough water to keep you healthy.

Recommendations:

• Isobutane Stove

  • MSR WindPro II Stove

    • Inverted canister system allows for reliable function in subfreezing conditions

    • Remote canister allows you to use a tight windscreen and ground reflector to reduce fuel use and boil times

    • Low profile is much more stable than traditional stove systems and allows you to use larger pots

  •  MSR PocketRocket 2 Stove

    • Simple and reliable system for 4-season use

    • The Windpro is better in the winter, but the PocketRocket is easier to pack

    • If you just want one stove to use all year round, this is a great one

• MSR IsoPro Fuel 

  • Best fuel blend for winter use

  • 1 8oz canister per person for each 2 days in winter

  • Find at REI

• Bic Lighter

  • It won't create a flame when cold, but sparks can ignite stove

• Backup Ignitor/Firestarter (one of the following)

  • Ferrorod

  • Storm Matches

  • Arc Lighter

    • SOL Plasma Dual-Arc Lighter

    • UST Fuel-Free Lighter 

• Thin Plywood Base 

  • Large enough for your stove system, mug and spoon

Winter Cooking Concerns

• Snow Melts

  • Running a stove over snow will melt the snow under the stove

    • A stove sinking into the snow and cause your meal/water to spill

  • If you place a hot pot on snow, it will melt enough snow for ice to form on the bottom of the pot

    • If you place an icy pot on a stove, the ice will melt and put out the stove

• Winter is Cold

  • Certain fuels won't work in the winter

  • Butane does NOT work in subfreezing temperatures -

    • You need a special fuel with propane and isobutane

  • Propane does work in the winter as long as your stove has a good regulator

  • White Gas generally works if stove is well maintained 

    • NOT recommended for younger Scouts

• Water is Frozen

  • You may need to melt snow for water - this requires a LOT of fuel

• Winter Winds can be Harsh

  • Unprotected gas flames can easily get blown out

  • It is hard to melt snow when your flame is being actively blown away from your pot

Subpage

Winter Stove Fuel

Stove and Cook System

• A Stove is vital in the winter for cooking, providing emergency heat and for melting snow to drink

• There are many types of stoves to consider 

Isobutane Stove

• • • Isobutane is very easy to use, but can be problematic in subfreezing temperatures

    • Butane will fail to work at near freezing temperatures 

    • Special blends of isobutane and propane will work much better at lower temperatures

    • Special training and techniques are required for use in subfreezing temperatures 

    • An isobutane stove that uses an inverted canister works so much better in subfreezing temperatures than a stove over canisters system.  See below. 

Propane Stoves

• • Propane fuel vaporizes down to -40° (F or C)

  • Most are too big for backpacking use

  • If you bring a pulk, these are GREAT for Patrol use

  • Some of our Scoutmasters use Propane Stoves

    • Higher heat output for melting a lot of snow

    • Dependable in subfreezing temperatures without preheating - good for emergency use

    • No fuss compared to white gas stoves

    • We have refillable canisters

  • Valve can freeze and lock in the open position

    • Sprayed fuel is extremely cold and can cause flash frostbite

    • Care must be taken when disconnecting fuel canister in cold environment - especially right after use when the canisters is colder than the outside temperature

• • • Isobutane Stove with Adapter - aka FrankenStoves

      • Adaptors are readily available to connect propane bottles to butane/isobutane appliances

      • A lot of outdoor enthusiasts use stoves designed for isobutane with propane

      • When used with a remote stove system, these configurations are excellent

        • Very stable setups are possible

          • Example: WhisperLite Universal with Propane Adapter

          • There are many remote feed stoves made in Asia and seem to work, but these don't have a built in Propane regulator

        • Cold weather dependability and economy of propane 

        • These are some of the best setups for cold weather

        • A stove designed of isobutane will not have a regulator designed for propane

      • Is it safe to use propane with an stove without a propane regulator?

        • We do not recommend FrankenStoves in our Troop

Musher Stove

Winter Firestarter

You need a dependable firestarter for emergencies, which is why it is part of your 10 essentials.  You also need a firestarter to get your stove started.  Some come with a built in ignitor and many don't.  The built in ignitors don't always work.

In the winter, you MUST have a firestarter that will work

Butane Lighters

• Butane Lighters DON'T WORK in subfreezing temperatures!

  • This should be your Primary Firestarter in ABOVE freezing temperatures

  • There are tricks to get lighters to work in subfreezing temperatures, but if you are really cold and have cold hands, you may NOT be able to get a butane lighter to work

  • This is the WRONG Primary firestarter for winter camping

  • You might be able to get your lighter to work by warming it inside your shirt, but should have a more dependable firestarter

  • These DO work as a stove igniter

    • Sparks from a lighter should be sufficient at starting your stove if you are using isobutane or propane

Matches 

• • Work when dry, which is a challenge in the winter

  • Storm Matches are water and wind resistant

  • This should be your Primary Firestarter in the Winter

  • Example:

    • UCO Stormproof Matches are fantastic - make sure you use a waterproof case for them

Electric Lighters 

• • Work great at starting gas stoves

    • This is a great options for your primary stove igniter

  • These are great at starting ember fires and igniting fine tinder

    • These are not good firestarters for most users

  • Working Arc Lighter Examples:

    • SOL Plasma Dual-Arc Lighter

    • UST Fuel-Free Lighter 

  • NOTE: Piezo Igniters are NOT High Output Arc Lighters

    • The produce about 1000V, but very little electrical current

    • A Piezo does NOT produce enough electrical current to ignite anything other than gas 

    • A Piezo is NOT an acceptable Firestarter 

    • Some stoves, such as the MSR WindBurner and Reactor stoves will NOT ignite with a Piezo Igniter

Ferrorods

• • Ferrorods usually work fine for starting a stove, but the burnt metal dust can muck up a stove over time

  • A Ferrorod takes a LOT of skill to use proficiently

    • This should NOT be the primary firestarter for most users in the Winter

  • Most ferrorods work about the same

  • Anything 1/4 to 3/8" should be fine

    • Bayite 1/2 Inch X 6 Inch is a survival instructor favorite, but is way more rod than you need 

Cooking Gear

Pot

• • 750-1600 mL Solo

  • 2000-4000mL Group

  • Use for boiling water

  • Wider pots make it easier to melt snow

  • May be used as a bowl if you are not eating out of a bag

    • Not ideal if you are using pot to melt water

  • MSR Titan Kettle 1400mL

    • Great pot for solo snow melting use

    • Titanium makes it lighter than steel

    • Can fit 8oz fuel canister and PocketRocket Stove

  • MSR Alpine 4 Pot Set 

    • The 3L pot in this set is great for melting LOTS of snow

    • Good for 2-3 people

    • Stainless Steel is durable and easy to clean

    • Something smaller and titanium would be easier to pack

    • Fits nicely on WhistperLite

  • MSR Reactor Systems

    • These are designed for cold and windy conditions

    • Heat Exchanger and regulator help with efficiency

    • May not work as well as advertised but do work

    • Excessively expensive

    • Can be difficult to light

  • JetBoil Systems

    • Favorite system for many

    • Insulated pot/mug feels really good in your hands when filled with boiling water

    • Pot is a little small and narrow for melting snow

  • Pot Cozy

    • Consider making a cozy for pot

    • Slows cooling

    • Examples:

      • antigravitygear.com

      • freshoffthegrid.com DIY Cozy

Cup

• • Use for Hot Brew

  • Use to scoop out water from pot

  • Consider making a cozy for cup

  • Snow Peak Titanium Mini Solo Cookset

    • Excellent quality

    • Use larger 28oz mug for brew

    • Use smaller 10oz cup as scoop

    • The newer 2.0 is a bit larger with 30oz./14oz pots

    • You can find more affordable options on Amazon

Spoon

• • Long handle allows you to eat out of deep bags

  • Toaks Ti Long Handle Spoon is excellent 

  • Go Far Gear - Custom Printed Titanium Spoons and Sporks! 

Snow Collection Kit

• Snow Scooper

  • Something to scoop up snow for melting

  • A trowel made for digging catholes works great - just make sure it's only used for snow or sanitize before your trip

  • Using a dull scoop is fine and is less likely to cut your basin or gear

  • Choose something other than white or clear as these disappear when left or dropped on the snow

  • Plastic is also not as cold as metal when working in subfreezing temperatures 

• Water Basin

  • Used to collect snow if you are bringing snow to your pot

  • You can easily get away without this if you build a kitchen with a wall you can later consume

  • 20L seems to be a good size