Camp Chef Mountaineer 2X Review

The Camp Chef Mountaineer is a top-shelf stove at a premium price. We were impressed with how often this stove outperformed the competition. It is powerful, has great wind resistance and excellent fuel efficiency, and is easy to clean. While it had a slightly slower boil time than some of the higher octane stoves, it works well in the wind. Compared to other stoves in our review, this one is relatively heavy and takes up slightly more space than average, but it makes up for this in terms of durability and ease of use.

Performance Comparison

Time to Boil

To boil 1 liter of 58°F water in a windless environment, the Mountaineer took 4 minutes and 4 seconds, a respectable time.

While not the fastest water boiler, the Mountaineer had a formidable score, proving that it can hold its own with a competitive array of stoves. This stove has two burners with 20,000 BTUs each, and compared to the other stoves with comparably powerful burners, it took a little longer to boil one liter of water. The slower performance is likely due to the distance between the cooking grate and the burners, which allows for better wind resistance and simmering ability.

Wind Resistance

The Mountaineer was among the top performers in our wind resistance test. It took 4 minutes and 46 seconds to boil 1 liter when subjected to 2-4 mph of "wind," which is only 40 seconds longer than it took to boil water without wind.

To test wind resistance, we measured how long it takes for each stove to boil 1 liter of 58°F water when subjected to 2-4 mph of "wind" produced by a box fan on the lowest setting. The excellent performance of the Mountaineer in this test is likely due to the tight seal created by its windscreen and how recessed the burners are. These two design features effectively shield the burners from wind coming from almost any direction.

In addition to evaluating each stove for boiling speed with and without wind, we also collected data to determine how efficient each stove is with fuel. The Mountaineer — like other stoves designed to work exclusively with larger propane tanks — was among the most efficient stoves in our review. For these tests, we used a propane tank that weighed 25.04 pounds before the test. In the windy test, it burned 1.28 oz of fuel, which is a nominal amount relative to the weight of the tank. After the windless test, our scale couldn't discern a measurable difference in the propane tank before and after the test. All told, this stove strikes an impressive balance between wind resistance, power, and fuel efficiency.

Simmering Ability

The Mountaineer performed well in this category, owing in part to the tight burner knobs, which offer the fine control necessary to dial the burner down to a simmer.

To evaluate each stove for its simmering ability, we make a pot of rice, which requires the burner to remain on low for 20+ minutes while the rice cooks. The Mountaineer was able to sustain a low enough flame to produce delectably fluffy rice. Despite the high BTU power — at 20,000 per burner — there is a sufficient gap between the burner and cooking grate to protect your pot from large flames. We were pleased with how well this stove sustained a low temp to avoid ruining more complex meals.

Ease of Set Up

We appreciate the Mountaineer for its low maintenance set up, earning it top marks in this category.

The windscreens on the Mountaineer snap easily into place with aluminum buckles on the side of the stove, and these buckles double as the closure system. The regulator hose fits nicely beneath the cooking grate for easy transport.

The regulator easily screws onto an external port adjacent to the burner knob on the right-hand side of the stove. Our review team loves stoves with low hassle regulator ports, as it can be easy to destroy regulator threads when the port is difficult to access or align. As long as you're mindful, this shouldn't be an issue with the Mountaineer.

Piezo-electric igniters seem to have become almost an industry-standard on stoves at all price points. While a lighter should always be a part of your camping kit, it makes life easier to flip a switch to light your burner. These ignitors are a great feature, but not all igniters are created equal, and most have a limited lifespan. That said, the igniter on the Mountaineer worked consistently throughout the course of our testing.

Ease of Care

The Camp Chef Mountaineer earned top marks in this metric, as it is one of the easiest in our lineup to clean.

To clean the Mountaineer, all you have to do is lift up the cooking grate and wipe it down. This stove doesn't have a false bottom to house all the stove components, so there isn't anywhere funny to lose errant food scraps. Given that the stove is aluminum, it is easy enough to scrub it down and make it look new every time.

Portability

Compared to the other stoves in our review, portability is not one of the categories where the Mountaineer earns top marks. With packed dimensions of 25.25" x 14.25" x 5.5" and weighing in at 14.63 pounds, this stove is one of the larger and heavier tabletop options in our review.

That being said, there is a reason why portability is one of the lowest-weighted metrics in our review. When you are car camping, you're likely to have more space, and you probably won't need to carry your stove farther than a few dozen feet to a picnic bench. Are there lighter-weight and more compact stoves in this review? Absolutely! And if this is critical for you, then we recommend you seek one of them out. Otherwise, this stove is still portable enough to warrant some extra heft for high performance.

You can increase the portability of the Mountaineer by getting a 5-pound refillable propane cylinder. Unless you're truly strapped for space, the Mountaineer is still quite easy to carry around, and despite being one of the heavier stoves in our review, we were never really bothered by its size and weight.

Value

This is a premium stove at a premium price. While the cost is rather steep, the Mountaineer is designed and built for the long haul. With an aluminum body and high-powered burners, we were impressed by the power, fuel efficiency, wind resistance, and durability. In an era when planned obsolescence is baked into the design of most products, this stove bucks the norm. If you're looking for a durable camping stove to last for decades, we think you'll be impressed by the quality of this one.

Conclusion

Our review team loved this stove. It has all the features you want out of a camping stove, without unnecessary bells and whistles that will degrade over time. If you are looking for a powerful but efficient stove for river trips or weeks of cooking under the stars, and you prioritize long-term durability over price in the short term, the Camp Chef Mountaineer 2X is an excellent option for you.