Japanese outdoor gear maker SOTO is known for its compact, cleverly designed camping stoves. Its ST-340 stove takes the familiar spider-style stove design, with four folding legs and a low-profile burner, and pairs it with a wider flame that’s better suited for cooking outdoors.
Unlike conventional backpacking stoves that screw directly onto a gas canister, the ST-340 sits on its own four legs, with the fuel canister connected horizontally to the side. This gives the stove a lower center of gravity and a more stable cooking platform, particularly when using larger pots and pans.
The ST-340 is the bigger-burner sibling of SOTO’s popular Windmaster and the ST-310, featuring a 66mm burner head compared to the latter’s 45mm. But it’s not just about size. The wider burner spreads its flame across a larger area instead of concentrating heat in the middle, helping food cook more evenly. With 3.3kW (2,800kcal/h) of heating power, it’s well suited for cookware between 11 and 19cm in diameter.
There’s some clever engineering here, too. SOTO’s built-in micro regulator helps maintain consistent heat output as temperatures drop, while a piezo igniter makes lighting the stove easy. The stainless steel pot supports fold inward for storage, and the whole unit weighs just 360g.
The ST-340 runs on cassette-style butane canisters rather than the threaded gas cartridges used by many backpacking stoves. It’s not the lightest option for ultralight hikers, but for campers who enjoy cooking proper meals outdoors, the combination of a stable, low-profile design and wider burner makes it an interesting alternative.
