|
|
Wood Fired Campstoves
Although I remain open to good ideas, wood burning camp stoves for backpacking leave me unconvinced. The arguments for their use include efficient burning of common debris instead of firewood, and no petroleum based pollution. You can save some weight, because you don't have to carry fuel, and some people love the smell of a wood fire, even if it's small and inside a metal can.
You do not eliminate all fire danger by putting the fire in a metal can. In areas where campfires are banned, these stoves may as yet outwit the regulations but they probably won't do that for long. In many places you will have to pack in fuel, because even debris can be hard to find if you travel above the treeline. Folding stoves will save on space, but home made or commercial can stoves will not. Wood smoke counts as pollution and crude fires make more smoke than efficient stoves. It's different but it still fouls the air.
The Littlebug woodstove is the best idea of this kind that I've seen so far. This is a clamshell design, with four shells and one sliding platform to keep the fire above the draft. It holds a small fire of wood chips, twigs or debris like pine cones, and it can also hold an alcohol stove. The Littlebug disassembles and packs away efficiently -- the manufacturer suggests using it as a cover for your sleeping pad. Putting it in a plastic bag makes more sense to me, since there are bound to be problems with soot and ash.
The Stratus Trailstove is even simpler, with a one piece canister design that ought to be idiot proof. Put the fire inside it, set your cooking pot on top, and add fuel through the large port. It's not too big, but it isn't collapsible.
To me, the attraction of a wood fire when backpacking is that I don't have to carry anything, not even a stove. When I use a wood fire for cooking I prefer digging a small pit and laying a grid of green wood over it for a pot rest. I generally don't do this except on gravel bars where a pit is pretty much self healing. I'm not inclined to bring the fuss of a wood fire, and the inherent dangers of wind blown sparks and loose coals, to my tidy gas-fired camping strategy.
But, if it appeals to you, check out the listings at Zen Stoves. Lots of people with ideas, free plans, and varying degrees of good sense.
Although I remain open to good ideas, wood burning camp stoves for backpacking leave me unconvinced. The arguments for their use include efficient burning of common debris instead of firewood, and no petroleum based pollution. You can save some weight, because you don't have to carry fuel, and some people love the smell of a wood fire, even if it's small and inside a metal can.
You do not eliminate all fire danger by putting the fire in a metal can. In areas where campfires are banned, these stoves may as yet outwit the regulations but they probably won't do that for long. In many places you will have to pack in fuel, because even debris can be hard to find if you travel above the treeline. Folding stoves will save on space, but home made or commercial can stoves will not. Wood smoke counts as pollution and crude fires make more smoke than efficient stoves. It's different but it still fouls the air.
The Littlebug woodstove is the best idea of this kind that I've seen so far. This is a clamshell design, with four shells and one sliding platform to keep the fire above the draft. It holds a small fire of wood chips, twigs or debris like pine cones, and it can also hold an alcohol stove. The Littlebug disassembles and packs away efficiently -- the manufacturer suggests using it as a cover for your sleeping pad. Putting it in a plastic bag makes more sense to me, since there are bound to be problems with soot and ash.
The Stratus Trailstove is even simpler, with a one piece canister design that ought to be idiot proof. Put the fire inside it, set your cooking pot on top, and add fuel through the large port. It's not too big, but it isn't collapsible.
To me, the attraction of a wood fire when backpacking is that I don't have to carry anything, not even a stove. When I use a wood fire for cooking I prefer digging a small pit and laying a grid of green wood over it for a pot rest. I generally don't do this except on gravel bars where a pit is pretty much self healing. I'm not inclined to bring the fuss of a wood fire, and the inherent dangers of wind blown sparks and loose coals, to my tidy gas-fired camping strategy.
But, if it appeals to you, check out the listings at Zen Stoves. Lots of people with ideas, free plans, and varying degrees of good sense.
Legal Information
Copyright: All original material on this site is the sole property of the author and cannot legally be copied or used in any form without his permission. That would be me.
Data Collection of Non-Personally Identifying Information:
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.
Copyright: All original material on this site is the sole property of the author and cannot legally be copied or used in any form without his permission. That would be me.
Data Collection of Non-Personally Identifying Information:
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.