GSI Outdoors Selkirk 270 Butane Stove Review
The GSI Outdoors Selkirk 270 Butane Stove ($100) is one of the smallest, lightest, and cheapest car camping stoves we’ve tested. None of those traits is a real knock on it, though, and this single-burner stove is great for solo campers, chefs who want to make their operation a bit more portable, or anybody looking to augment their current camp kitchen setup. The Selkirk lacks the power and weather resistance of larger stoves, but it brings decent flame control and high portability to a tough and reliable build.
Power
Temperature Control
Wind Protection
Build Quality & Durability
Ease of Use
Sustainability
Fuel Type
Butane
Burners (Output)
1 (5,300 BTUs)
Auto Ignition
Yes
Weight
2 lb. 12.8 oz.
Pros
Cons
GSI Outdoors Selkirk 270 Butane
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Camping Stoves.
The GSI Outdoors Selkirk 270 is the weakest stove I’ve tested in terms of raw output. In four different locations (Joshua Tree, June Lake, and Sycamore Canyon, both also in California, and at home), it delivered consistent results—just not fast ones. Its single 5,300-BTU burner took over seven minutes to boil a liter of water at sea level on a calm day, and over nine minutes at 7,700 feet in a light breeze. The Selkirk is slower than every other gas stove I own, including the 10,000-BTU Coleman Classic and the 12,200-BTU Zempire DLX Wide. Even the BioLite CampStove 2+, which burns biomass and is wildly inconsistent, still felt more powerful than the Selkirk when it was fully stoked.
The GSI Outdoors Selkirk 270 does fine in a campsite cooking setup if you treat it as a support player—heating soup, sautéing veggies, or simmering sauces, perhaps. But it’s not cut out for cooking full meals for a group, especially if you’re in a rush. There’s also a noticeable performance dip when you use it with partially empty fuel canisters, indicating poor pressurization. On an older canister, it took nearly 10 minutes to boil; swapping in a fresh one shaved off more than two minutes.
Precision is limited with this stove. The Selkirk’s knob only rotates a quarter turn, and the difference between “too cold” and “too hot” is pretty narrow. Still, the dial is nicely tensioned, and I managed to find stable settings after a bit of trial and error. I had to fiddle to get eggs to cook evenly, but once I dialed it in, the Selkirk held a medium flame well enough to make fluffy pancakes.
This stove doesn’t hold a candle to the control I get from the Zempire DLX Wide or the Camp Chef Kodiak, both of which have knobs that turn multiple full rotations. But the Selkirk is still easier to manage than something like the CampStove 2+, which has no dial at all. In the end, the best use case for this stove is for boiling water or letting some food warm up, rather than treating it as your main source of cooking heat.
Unlike the larger and heavier camping stoves I’ve tested, the Selkirk lacks a built-in wind shield and a recessed burner, which makes it borderline unusable in gusty conditions. I ran a boil test in about 5-mph winds at June Lake, and the flame kept getting blown out from under the pot. The stove stayed lit, but most of the heat was wasted, and the boil time increased by more than two minutes.
Even the CampStove 2+ has better wind resistance, thanks to its sunken burner housing. The Selkirk’s totally exposed design means any breeze can throw off its form. If you’re outside on a calm day or sheltered in a van, this stove’s performance is manageable. It struggles in any real weather, though.
The GSI Selkirk 270’s build is far better than I expected for its price. Its die-cast metal body feels stout, and all of the hinges and swivel mechanisms operate smoothly. After several uses—including cooking and boiling at campgrounds and on my apartment balcony—it’s held up without any issues. Even the burner prongs feel beefy and well-machined.
Cleaning is easy. I mostly dealt with light oil splatter, and everything wiped off quickly with a wet rag. I wouldn’t hesitate to toss this stove in a bag (which tracks with its packable appeal) or carry it around in the back of my car. The Selkirk may be minimal, but it’s not fragile.
Setting up the GSI Selkirk 270 takes a few steps, but it was intuitive after my first time doing it. You flip the lid open, swivel out the burner, extend the prongs, load a butane canister, and press the igniter. The magnetic canister mount clicks nicely into place, and the ignition worked on the first or second try every time.
The burner surface is stable enough for a variety of pan sizes. I wouldn’t put a full stock pot on here, but I felt totally comfortable with an 8-inch pan or a 1-liter kettle. The whole stove weighs less than 3 pounds and packs down to about the size of a 40-ounce water bottle. There’s no carry case included, but I never felt like it needed one.
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Longevity
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Replacement Parts
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Responsible Manufacturing
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Recycled and/or Reduced Packaging
Packaging can add significant waste to outdoor gear purchases, so many brands work to reduce its impact by using recycled materials, incorporating Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, and minimizing plastic and paper use. A green check mark indicates a brand uses recycled or reduced materials across all of its packaging, a yellow check indicates moderate or limited use of recycled or reduced packaging, and a red X indicates the brand does not make either of these efforts.
Repair Services
Repair services extend the lifespan of outdoor gear and reduce overall consumption, though programs vary widely. Some brands offer comprehensive repairs for a range of issues, while others provide limited or no repair support. A green check mark indicates a robust repair program, a yellow check mark indicates limited repair services, and a red X indicates the brand does not offer repair services.
Carbon Footprint Tracking
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Annual Impact Report
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Accessories
The Selkirk features a Piezo igniter and one nifty party trick—one of the folding legs doubles as a bottle opener. That’s about it. There’s no carry handle, no extra kit, and no griddle compatibility. But at this price point and size, that feels fair.
Transportation
This is the most portable stove I’ve used for car camping. At just under 3 pounds and measuring less than 10 inches long, I could toss it in a tote or daypack without thinking about space or weight. It’s not light enough for a true backpacking excursion, but you can certainly tote it a short distance to a picnic or a lake hangout. Space-wise, this camping stove is ideal for campers, van-lifers, or road-trippers who don’t have room for a bigger setup.
Snow Peak Home & Camp Butane Stove ($130): A Boost in Power
The most significant upgrade you’ll get with the Snow Peak Home & Camp stove is power. With an 8,333-BTU output, it boils water and cooks meals faster than the Selkirk’s 5,300-BTU build. Otherwise, both stoves perform similarly on nearly every other front. Each features a slim profile (the Selkirk is slightly lighter and smaller), with a single burner that folds out of the stove body and comes equipped with auto ignition when you’re ready to fire it up. Both stoves also lack wind protection, and their size limits usability as standalone units. On a superficial note, the Home & Camp leans toward a classy, sophisticated look, while the Selkirk has a fun, playful design. Aesthetics aside, though, we favor the Home & Camp for its larger output. If that’s less important to you, the Selkirk is still a solid—and cheaper—choice.
Eureka SPRK Grill ($150): A More Specialized Cooking Experience
If you’re looking to expand the versatility of your camp cooking kit, the SPRK Grill offers a style of cooking you won’t find on the Selkirk. With a 120-square-inch grill-top surface, it lets you achieve char marks on burgers and chicken that the Selkirk can’t replicate. Its burner is also nearly 2,000 BTUs stronger than the Selkirk’s, and it features adjustable legs to stay level even on rough surfaces. Unfortunately, the SPRKS’ specialization is also its greatest weakness. Without a traditional cook surface, the range of dishes you can prepare on the SPRK is much more limited than with the Selkirk, which makes shelling out an additional $50 an even harder pill to swallow. It’s also over three times as heavy and six times as large, limiting its portability. Unless you’re a huge grilling aficionado and want that capability in camp, the more economical Selkirk remains the smarter choice. For more, read our SPRK Grill review.
The Selkirk’s standout portability makes it a great addition to an existing camp kitchen setup or a solid choice for anyone who wants a stove that’s small and easy to take on the go. But its single burner, modest performance, and lack of wind protection make it a poor fit for campers who want to cook up some gourmet meals.
Power
Temperature Control
Wind Protection
Build Quality & Durability
Ease of Use
Sustainability
The Eureka SPRK is designed to be an on-the-go version of your backyard grill. We like that it’s light and extremely portable, but, because of its limited functionality, we don’t recommend it as a standalone camping stove.
Power
Temperature Control
Wind Protection
Build Quality & Durability
Ease of Use
Sustainability
The CampStove 2+ is a unique all-in-one stove that utilizes wood and other organic materials to create powerful flames and generate electricity. However, while its design is promising in theory, its performance falls short in practice.
Power
Temperature Control
Wind Protection
Build Quality & Durability
Ease of Use
Sustainability
Is the Selkirk 270 for You?
If you want a compact stove that you can use away from your campsite, as an additional burner for your outdoor kitchen, or in your van, GSI Outdoors Selkirk 270 offers solid value. It’s not very powerful or weatherproof, and the single burner limits its versatility. But if all you need is a simple stove that fits in a pack and boils water (eventually), this one’s built to do just that. For side dishes, freeze-dried meals, or lightweight travel, it fills its niche well.
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