Camping is a popular pastime for kids and adults alike.
The time spent out in campgrounds away from the busy life back in the city is a welcome change for everyone.
As you start getting ready for the trip, one thing that you can very easily overlook is the cooking facilities.
You could either spend loads of money eating regular fast food or starve depending on where you decide to camp.
Alternatively, you can carry a camp stove and save a lot of hassle.
Don't worry, the camp stove is not unwieldy and heavy like the one in your home.
As the name suggests, camp stoves have been designed with the needs of the camper.
They are small, handy and light with a fuel source.
Classification The camp stoves are typically classified based on the fuel source.
The two major classes are oil based and gas based.
The oil based stoves are powered by a combustible oil.
These need to be pumped first to create the right conditions for the stove to fire up and cook foods.
These are great to use, but they are not convenient.
The pumping of oil can take some time and effort.
The gas based stoves are more convenient in handling.
Typically, these come with a cartridge containing the liquid gas.
The cartridges are sealed tightly to prevent the gas from escaping.
These gas based camp stoves are very easy to fire up.
Just turn the knob on and light it up.
The combustible gas lights up immediately - no pumping required.
These are further classified based on the type of gas used.
Butane is a common gas used, but by far the most popular gas is propane.
The gas stoves are not just more comfortable to use, but they are also cleaner source of fuel and can cook food better.
Another type is the multi-fuel stove.
The reason this was introduced is for ardent campers who may travel to places that may not have propane cylinders.
In such places, a propane camp stove is useless.
If you have a multi fuel stove, you could substitute the propane with a locally available source - letting you enjoy your camp anywhere.
Types When you go out shopping, you should see many variations of the oil and gas stoves.
You'll see everything from a single burner back pack to the more elaborate four burner.
Depending on your needs, you can choose what suits you the best.
Another common feature is that they are not a single unit, but something that can be built from parts.
The reason for this flexibility is that you can dismantle the unit once you are done and carry it in a more convenient form.
So don't forget you camping stove the next time you decide to go the camp grounds.
You'll not regret it.