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Should You Buy A Light or Heavy Wall Tent Stove?

Here's a question I get asked a lot:

I want a wall tent stove, but don't know what size or weight to look at...can you help me out?

That's a good question, and the answer depends on how you want to use it.

I'll give you an idea of what advantages/disadvantages each stove type has, in order to help you figure out what you need. As always, in the end, it boils down to your personal choice, and what you want your stove to do.

A. Lighter Weight Wall Tent Stoves:Looking for a featherlight tent stove? Check out titanium.

When looking a a lighter stove, like the Two or Three Dog models--or any of the titanium models--you'll want to ask yourself two questions:

Question 1. How much space do I have to heat in my tent?

Answer 1: That's pretty well covered here, as well as in each of the product specs--I tell you how big a space a stove will heat, in minus degree F weather.

Question 2: Will I need to hand-haul my tent stove a lot?

Answer 2: If you hand haul (portage) a lot, have a smaller tent space to heat, and move your campsite often...then weight will be a big concern (or selling point) for you.

If you don't move your camp often, can drive to your campsite, or don't mind extra weight on the trail, then you can look at a heavier camp stove.

The smaller steel stoves are light enough to hand haul with a couple people (even solo can work), but if you get into the Four or Five Dog DX Stove, those are tough to haul--unless you have pack animals or motorized transportation.

B. Heavier Wall Tent StovesMaybe you prefer a tent stove that's built like this guy?

You'll want to consider a heavier wall tent stove model, only if you can stay in one place for a longer period of time (you don't break camp often), or you have to have a larger stove for cooking/heating water for a larger number of campers.

If you can drive right up to your camping site, then weight won't matter to you. Get as big a tent stove as you want, or as big as your space allows.

If it was up to me, and one stove would heat the space I have just barely--but the other would really heat it easily--with the cost being only a few bucks more...I'd go with the bigger stove. 

If I needed maximium heat output, for minimal weight, then I'd look at titanium. Titanium wall tent stoves are light, durable and conduct heat amazingly well. You can read more about that here.