Gear Review: Coleman Sportster II

VERDICT

This tank-tough stove is a steal for people who are brutal on gear (it’s one solid piece of metal with no detachable parts) and cook mainly one-pot meals and freeze-dried fare. There’s zero setup—the 17-ounce fuel tank is integrated with the burner—and the stable, 4.5-inch-diameter burner even supported a 16-inch cast iron skillet full of chicken and potatoes. Boil times are respectable (5:30 to full rolling bubbles in temperatures down to 20℉), but flame control is limited, so don’t plan meals that require extensive simmering. Downsides: Pumping and priming are not intuitive (practice at home), and it’s hefty and bulky (5 x 5 inches).

BEST FOR

Campers hard on gear, short on budget, and not concerned with weight

TESTER DATA

> Julie Ellison

> Duration Sept. to March

> Locales/conditions CA, CO, UT; hail, temps down to 20℉, wind up to 25-mph

> “It runs on white gas or auto fuel, so you can run to the gas station to fill up.”

THE SPECS

> Weight 1 lb. 15 oz.

> Price $80

> Infocoleman.com