Camp Chef Everest 2X Stove Review

If you've ever gone car camping, you've likely seen the classic red Everest stove from Camp Chef churning out meals. The Everest 2X is the most current version of this camp kitchen staple, redesigned to be a bit beefier and more durable than the now-vintage versions. With a large cook surface and two massive 20,000 BTU burners, morning coffee and pancakes can be ready in no time. But don't be fooled: This beast can also simmer like a dream for more leisurely or delicate fare. However you like to camp, the Everest 2X is a tried-and-true kitchen companion. Below are our thoughts on the 2X based on a decade of experience with the Everest line and a recent summer of road tripping with the most current model. To see how it stacks up to the competition, check out our article on the best camping stoves.
 

Table of Contents

• Burner Power
• Simmering Ability
• Wind Resistance
• Ease of Use
• Build Quality and Durability
• Weight and Packability
• What We Like/What We Don't
• Comparison Table
• The Competition

Performance

Burner Power

One of the standout features of the Camp Chef Everest 2X is just how powerful it is for a relatively compact tabletop stove. With two 20,000-BTU burners, it’s far and away one of the strongest compact camping stoves we've used, and that high output really came in handy throughout our testing. The large, powerful burners mean faster cooking times and the ability to handle bigger pots, which is a significant advantage when preparing full meals after a long day on the road. We often cooked big meals after hours of sitting in a car—boiling water for pasta, searing vegetables, or whipping up a quick stir fry—and the Everest 2X handled it all with ease. It boils water impressively fast, even at altitude, and the burners offer much better simmer control than we expected for their size and power (more on this below). 
 

Simmering Ability

As we mentioned above, we were honestly surprised by how well the Everest 2X simmered for such a powerful stove. With two 20,000-BTU burners, we expected it to be a bit of a flame-thrower, but it actually offers great low-end control for delicate tasks like sautéing veggies, scrambling eggs, or delivering the perfect pancake. It’s rare to find this kind of finesse in a high-output camping stove and something we really value for achieving well-crafted meals in the outdoors.
 

Wind Resistance

It's easy to think that powerful burners are all you need to combat wind, but it's actually a bit more nuanced than that. Over our collective years of testing camp stoves, we've found that two design components are crucial to proper wind resistance: a well-designed windscreen and a cooking surface/grate that sits close to the actual burner. The Everest 2X offers both of these details, and—combined with super powerful burners—the wind is almost no match for this beast. The large burners sit close enough to the cooking surface to provide a protected area for the flames, and nice tall windscreens attached to the lid provide solid protection in three directions from unpredictable gusts. That said, it's important to consider the open front side when choosing where to set up your stove; if it's really windy, setting up somewhere where rocks or other features can help provide a break will provide an easier cooking experience and better fuel efficiency. 
 

Ease of Use

While the Switchback team has close to a decade of experience with the Everest line, we most recently took the Camp Chef Everest 2X on a roughly 6,000-mile road trip around the United States. From Chattanooga, Tennessee, we made our way to Wyoming, into the Pacific Northwest, and down the West Coast, camping in a rooftop tent the entire way and camping on BLM land. The conditions were mostly warm summer temps, although we did get up into some high altitudes and colder temps when camping in the PNW and the high country in Colorado. The highest altitude we camped at and used this stove was around 8,000 feet. In all ways, the Everest 2X was easy and straightforward to use: Ppen up the lid and attach the side windscreens, screw on the fuel regulator and fuel bottle, twist the matchless ignition, and off you go. 
 

That said, the stove’s bulk does inhibit portability a bit. Compared to lighter and more compact designs like the GSI Selkirk 540, Jetboil Genesis Basecamp, or even the budget Coleman Cascade Classic, the Everest 2X takes up more space and is heavier to lug around—something we felt when packing up camp each morning and trying to prioritize space in a relatively compact Honda CRV. The Everest was also just a bit too big for our Coleman Outdoor Compact Folding Table, which is about 27 inches square. The fuel tank just barely fit onto the table when attached to the 24-inch-wide stove, making things a bit precarious when cooking meals that required a lot of aggressive stirring. Still, for car campers who prioritize performance over portability, it’s a worthwhile trade-off—you just might want to use a picnic table or truck bed as a cooking surface. 
 

Build Quality and Durability

The Camp Chef Everest 2X is one of the most solidly built stoves we’ve tested. From the moment we unboxed it, the mostly metal construction felt burly and confidence-inspiring, and that impression held up after weeks of nightly use on a 6,000-mile road trip. We set this stove up on dusty forest roads, gravel pads, and picnic tables, and it never once felt flimsy or unstable. This thing is a tank—in a good way (or not, if you are after an ultralight build).
 

After months of bouncing around in the back of the car, everything still works like new, aside from one of the plastic burner adjustment knobs popping off (it slides back on but has continued to pop off, which is admittedly annoying). But the latches, hinges, and ignition are still going strong (though we always recommend having a lighter on hand, because piezo igniters are notorious for breaking), and the lid and windscreens feel as sturdy as ever. Despite going through super dusty terrain, the components never squeaked, and we appreciate the tall windscreens, which help the flames stay consistent in gusty conditions. The Everest 2X is definitely bulkier and heavier than some of the more minimalist designs we’ve tested, but that extra heft comes with noticeable benefits in power, stability, and long-term durability.
 

Weight and Packability

Packing the Camp Chef Everest 2X is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, the stove's sturdy design and durable construction give you confidence that it can withstand the rigors of travel, which is a plus. However, its bulkiness and 12-pound weight made it challenging to fit into our smaller Honda CRV. We had to carefully arrange our gear to accommodate the stove while ensuring everything else had a secure spot. If you’re car camping and have space, all of this is manageable, but for those who prioritize lightweight or compact setups, the Everest 2X isn't the most streamlined model on the market. 
 

What We Like

• Excellent heat output from two wide, 20,000-BTU burners.
• Great simmer control despite huge BTU output (many stoves struggle with this balance).
• Windscreen is nice and tall and provides excellent protection. 
• Solid build in a sturdy casing
• Sturdy metal locking latches on each side (previous version had flimsy plastic latches on the front).

What We Don’t

• Heavy at 12 pounds with bulkier dimensions than many competitors.
• Latest version is on the pricier side, though not overly expensive in the wider camp stove market.
• One of our fuel knobs broke off after about a month of testing; it can be placed back on the peg and still used but falls off regularly now. 
• Fuel regulator slides around noisily inside the stove body when being transported; we wish there was a dedicated and secure place for this component (we recommend wrapping the regulator in a dish towel before placing it inside the stove to help dampen the sound of it sliding around). 
   

Comparison Table

The Competition

The Camp Chef Everest 2X is a classic for a reason: powerful, durable, and time-tested. But the price, weight, and bulk may turn some people off, and while the 20,000-BTU burners are impressive, they aren't really necessary for most camp meals. If you just need a basic workhorse of a stove, the $100 Coleman Cascade Classic is perfectly adequate. Compared to the Everest, it's more compact, a smidge lighter, and will save you a considerable $90. Each burner only provides 10,000 BTUs (half what the Everest cranks out), but for simple meals on leisurely camp nights, this is more than serviceable.
 

A nice in-between option is the $150 GSI Selkirk 540+. This classy-looking stove is 2 pounds lighter than the Everest 2X with more compact dimensions, and the 14,000-BTU burners give you a leg up from most of the budget competition. If money is no object and your requirements for packed dimensions are tight, the Jetboil Genesis is also worth considering. This unique two-burner stove weighs only 6 pounds 3.2 ounces and folds in half into a compact unit measuring just 9.8 by 4.6 inches. You can also upgrade to the Genesis Basecamp for $400, which includes a lightweight pot and pan. The folded stove slides inside the pot, the pan creates a lid, and it all nestles inside a handy carrying bag. 
 

If you don't need two burners (or need a third burner), the $39 Coleman Classic 1-Burner is a great option. This little butane burner weighs just over 5 pounds, and the 7,650-BTU burner can get the job done for simple one-pot meals and water boiling. Butane canisters can be harder to come by, and butane doesn't work as well at higher altitudes, but as an extra or emergency burner, the price is certainly right. Lastly, for those who want a freestanding unit, we love the Camp Chef Explorer 14. Two massive, 30,000-BTU burners help to create a chef-worthy cooking experience in the great outdoors. There's no auto-ignition, so you'll want a lighter (preferably one of the long torch variety), and this beast weighs over 30 pounds. But for just $150, this is a fantastic setup both for more than just camping (think tailgating, canning, family crawfish boils, etc.). The legs can even be removed if you prefer to use the burners on a picnic table or truck bed.
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