In the good old days you would just take a hatchet and some matches. You would make a fire-ring and start a fire. To some extent, this is still done. Many campers and hikers recommend that you cook with a stove. You see, the ground cover is necessary for future plant growth. As those dry and dead trees decay, they help prevent erosion and also provide the nutrients that future growth needs. Please, if you are just cooking, use a stove. If you are looking for some atmosphere, try not to take all your wood from the spots that are already picked over, or even from one spot for that. Use only what you need.

I believe in emergency preparedness, so my list of things to consider include things you may not care about. The stove must be:

• Light
• Reasonably compact
• Use multiple fuels
• Not require pressurized/non-refillable tanks

This stove just rocks. Check these specs:

• 11.5 oz (without fuel bottle)
• Burns white gas, kerosene and unleaded auto fuel
• Made with an extra-durable fuel line, including Shaker Jet technology
• Folds small enough it can fit into some cook sets

There are only a few problems I have with this stove. One, it can get very black if you follow their recommended procedure of using the gas to prime it. They recommend you don't use the alcohol based primers as alcohol is corrosive. The other is that temperature control is very difficult to achieve. This is OK, as all camp stoves have that problem. Pancakes and eggs in about 30 seconds.

Beyond what kind of stove or lantern you use, there is also the choice of fuel types. This is especially true not that dual and multi-fuel stoves and lanterns are available. Below is a table of pros and cons of each type, as I understand it.

No matter what fuel you use please, don't spill fuel in the outdoors!