W.C. Coleman
Having already become known for his camp lanterns, W.C. Coleman produced his first cook stove--the Model One, a black, two-burner--in 1923. Still a large and clunky affair, the Model One is credited with paving the way for the miniaturization of today's smaller models of camp stoves.
World War II
Like many of today's camp gadgets, the propane camp stove inherited technology developed for GI equipment in World War II. The U.S. Army wanted a small camp stove for a special unit of ski soldiers. It needed to burn a variety of liquid fuels and gasoline, light easily in temperatures ranging from 60 degrees below zero Fahrenheit to 125 F, and weigh less than 3 lbs., a daunting challenge to Coleman. Rising to the challenge, Coleman gave the U.S. Army the GI Pocket Stove in 1942.
Post World War II
Backpacking and camping hadn't caught on as a huge pastime in the years immediately after World War II and camp-stove technology fizzled, with Coleman focusing on larger units. In the early 1970s, backpacking took off and Coleman introduced the first backpacking camp stove.
Propane
Going into the late 1980s, butane and propane camp stoves began to emerge as stoves of choice. Companies like Coleman, Mountain Safety Research (MSR) and Brunton began producing lightweight, propane-cylinder camp stoves.
Jet Boil
The evolution of the propane camp stove continued into the early 2000s with the introduction of the all inclusive "Jet Boil" propane camp stove system. MSR and Coleman were quick to introduce similar systems and improve on their existing designs. A good selection of camp stoves is available at Trails.com.
Article Written By Eric Cedric
A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.
