Was super skeptical about those $8 camp stove wind guards until a trip to Big Sur changed my mind

I figured they were just a gimmick to sell more gear, but last month in Big Sur the wind was so bad my little isobutane stove couldn't boil water after 20 minutes. A stranger lent me one of those folding aluminum guards and water boiled in like 3 minutes. Bought one as soon as I got home. Has anyone else had a random piece of gear they thought was useless turn out to be a lifesaver?

2 comments

2 Comments

uma3061mo ago

That "couldn't boil water after 20 minutes" hits close to home. I used to think wind guards were overkill too, until I spent an hour trying to cook dinner on a windy ridge in Joshua Tree. Now I keep one shoved in my pack at all times, even for short trips.

stone.thomas1mo ago

Bought one of those cheap folding wind screens after a similar experience up on Mt. Whitney. Thought it would be a waste of weight but man, it saved my trip. Now I use it as a makeshift table sometimes too, keeps my stove off the dirt. Also doubles as a reflector if you angle it right to warm your hands on cold mornings. Fits right against the side of my pack, barely notice it's there.