In this video I (Matti) show the three categories of gas stoves I keep coming back to on our backpacking tours up here in Jokkmokk, just above the Arctic Circle. We live and work year-round as guides with Jokkmokkguiderna, so this is not “table testing”—it’s what ends up in my backpack when I’m out for real. I go through a super tiny titanium top-mounted stove (crazy light and cheap), a better top-mounted stove for actual cooking (with a wider flame and wind protection), and then the ground-standing “spider” style stoves where the canister sits on the side for stability. My main advice is simple: choose the stove based on the trip. If I go solo or with one other person, I normally bring the Soto WindMaster because it’s small but still lets me cook food without burning it. For groups, big pots, canoe trips, and anything where stability matters, I prefer the stoves that stand on the ground—especially when you’re cooking pasta, stew, porridge, or anything that likes to burn. And also: don’t sit at home waiting for the “ultimate stove.” The best stove is the one you actually use out in nature—coffee first, then adventure.