Stumbled on an old Coleman stove review that made me rethink my whole cook setup

I was flipping through a 1998 issue of Backpacker magazine I found at a used bookstore last weekend. There was a review of the Coleman Peak 1 stove that basically said 'it's fine but heavy, get a WhisperLite instead.' That one line made me realize how much modern gear reviews are just affiliate link bait now. Has anyone else gone back to old reviews and found their gear picks held up better than the current hype?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_diana1mo ago

My buddy actually bought that same Peak 1 after reading a 1990s review and still uses it today.

jasonallen1mo ago

That "still uses it today" part really says it all. Those late 90s Peak 1 models were built like tanks, and it's rare to find outdoor gear that holds up that long. It just goes to show that sometimes the old reviews got it right.

knight.felix1mo ago

Yeah, that "still uses it today" line is gold. I've got an old Peak 1 from around '98 that I still take on car camping trips. Thing has been rained on, dropped down a hill, and the stove still fires up like new. The old reviewers knew their stuff for sure.