A clogged camp stove showed me why cleanup matters

I used to pack my stove away without washing it. On a fall trip, it wouldn't light and left me without hot food. Now I give it a quick wipe after each use, and it's been reliable for over a year.

2 comments

2 Comments

jason7521d ago

Man, that's a solid lesson learned the hard way! I read a trail maintenance guide once that said a dirty stove is the number one cause of failure out in the woods. It's wild how just a bit of old grease or a food crumb can totally jam things up. Your story proves that the two minutes of cleaning right after you cook saves so much hassle later. Good on you for getting into that habit.

tylerg301d ago

Had a similar wake-up call on a backpacking trip last year. Let my stove gunk up for two days and spent a cold night eating energy bars when it quit. Now I wipe it down after every meal, no exceptions. It's not just about function, either. A clean stove attracts less wildlife, which is a bonus when you're trying to sleep. That two-minute habit saves you from a lot more than a broken stove.