The Happy Camper: Reviewing New Eureka and JetBoil 2021 Camp Gear
I’m finally heading off canoe tripping and campground camping for the summer season. Yay me! I’ve got over 30 nights organized so far, ranging from provincial parks and conservation areas across southwestern Ontario to remote paddling trips in northern Ontario. And I’ve got myself a few new pieces of camp gear to use along the way.
Eureka SPRK+ Camp Stove: $69
The Eureka SPRK is a perfect portable size stove for campground use and for a couple of canoe trips I have planned that don’t require portaging. It’s got a powerful 10,000 BTU burner, which is good when you want your morning coffee in a hurry. And it has its own integrated fuel compartment for 8-oz butane canisters. The simmer control is awesome, and the auto-ignition makes lighting it up a breeze. It comes with adjustable feet to keep your cooking surface level and the double-walled wind protection helps keep the flame strong and consistent. You can splurge and pay an extra $10 for the plus model, with comes with a burner that fits up to a 11” for or pan.
Eureka Midori 3: $299
Last season I gear tested the Eureka Midori 3 tent before its release in 2021. I liked it so much I got myself one for this season. It’s one of the best Eureka tent designs. The Midori has lots of head room; enough for my partner Kristine, me and the two dogs. It’s also lightweight and well-vented. I really like the added ridge pole which creates more volume. There’s a storage pocket on each side of the door, a gear loft and a full V3 front vestibule. And the colours chosen for 2021 sure beat this year. It rained about 80 per cent of the trip last season—and I remained dry and cozy throughout.
JetBoil’s New Stash Cooking System: $169
JetBoil has been my preferred single burner butane/propane camp stove for quite a few years now. Their MightyMo is my favourite for backcountry trips (I love the simmering capabilities). But now they have a lighter JetBoil design for 2021. The Stash Cooking System is a stand-alone stove with titanium burner and 0.8-litre FluxRing cook pot—weighing in at a mere 200grams—making it the lightest Jetboil system ever made (40 per cent lighter than the 0.8L Zip). The FluxRing technology gives you a rapid 2.5-minute boil time, and the nesting design makes everything compact.
