New gasifier twig stove test

[Guest]

As I said, the solo stove design is the best burning twig stove I have tried. besides being way heavy and bulky, the Kelly kettle makes some really nasty smelling smoke. everybody has different needs and cooking styles. I only boil water and my little, folding titanium stove and a titanium pot is my favorite set up.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

What do you use for twigs after 4, 12, 24 or 72 hours of rain?

 

[Canotrouge]

What do you use for twigs after 4, 12, 24 or 72 hours of rain?

Up here, it is always possible to find dry wood, i.e. under a thick spruce or pine, you will find enough to get your stove going for a wile, enough to cook you meal and boil water.... n the coast like in Alaska, that is a different story lol, even the dry wood is wet over there!

 

[Bob B.]

Glenn,

When traveling in the Northern MN or in Canada I take my axe and look for balsam or black spruce. The lower branches ( dead ones) come off right quick with my axe. Also I can usually find standing dead timber and cut/split that for fire, smudge, twig stove what have you. I have been in 6 days of straight rain and have found plentiful dry fuel for my solo stove. I do take alcohol however, to use in case of a fire ban, that would work if I do not have the time/desire to process twigs and small sticks for fuel.

Bob

 

[yknpdlr]

For strictly boiling water, I don't think you can beat the Kelly Kettle. It's the most efficient method I have found for boiling water, faster than any liquid fuel stove.
Oh, and spewing water out the spout? Just don't fill it to the top.
With that said, if I ever switch from strictly dehydrated foods, I'd like to try a twig stove.

I've used a KK for several years. it takes only 5 minutes or less to start and boil 3 cups of water (but time should not be a big factor for any stove, we have plenty of time to boil water on any stove when camping) I made a platform that fits on top to make use of heat going up the chimney to cook on, but the problem is the KK boils water so fast that there is not time enough to meaningfully cook anything on top. The biggest complaint is the KK is rather bulky, but you can store items inside if you protect them from the accumulated soot.

 

[BobMills]

I received a Biolite stove as a Christmas present. It's supposed to also charge electrical things that use a USB connection. Once Spring arrives I'm going to give it a try. It's sort of heavy. I've used gas stoves with canisters for the last 8 years which seemed fine..so we'll see. As far as charging - I don't take a cell phone on trips, although last Summer I used an InReach which could be recharged I suppose. Has anyone used a Biolite stove?

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

I received a Biolite stove as a Christmas present. It's supposed to also charge electrical things that use a USB connection. Once Spring arrives I'm going to give it a try. It's sort of heavy. I've used gas stoves with canisters for the last 8 years which seemed fine..so we'll see. As far as charging - I don't take a cell phone on trips, although last Summer I used an InReach which could be recharged I suppose. Has anyone used a Biolite stove?

One of the guys I river trip has one that was a gift from his wife. Once the novelty wore off, he went back to using his antique 2 burner Coleman stove. He says it makes better and quicker perked coffee. I don't argue. I give him a pound of coffee and he does the work while the rest of us relax.

 

[Guest]

Another big advantage of twig stoves for me is that they are quiet. In the wilderness, even a quiet gas stove is irritating, some sound like jet engines! About finding dry wood; I never have failed to, but as an emergency backup, I bring extra fuel heat tabs. I get the cheap military trioxiline ones and they will get any wood to burn. In boreal type areas you do have to look sometimes for suitable wood. If it snaps when you break it-it's good.

 

[Iskweo]

Biolite. Yes, we had one when they first came out. I will say that it does work, and if you are a boil water type of person then it is the cats pyjamas. Having said that, it is a rocket stove and you have to assemble a substantial supply of wood to keep it fed and monitor it constantly. It is NOT a stable cooking platform. We used a small trench grill on two rocks with the stove underneath. I beleive biolite has copied that too. This makes it easier to slide the pot over to reload the wood. And you will need to. Often. This is a hungry little stove and unless you keep it rockin it will smoke and soot up really quick.

If yoiu are cooking with it, that is the only task you will be able to do. In the end, I too went back to my two burner Coleman. For light fast trips I use a screw on burner with a 1 lb propane canister. If I want to cook with wood...I make a fire.

Christine

 

[Canotrouge]

And they don't burn only wood... They will burn dry pine/spruce cones, moose droppings, dried out mushroom, etc etc!

 

[Bob B.]

I think what I like best about my twig stove is the flexibility. I plan on cooking on an open fire - it is something I enjoy doing, even the wood collection, processing, it is a part of camp life for me and this chore is a mainstay of canoe camping for my style. I enjoy the twig stove as I can whip up a cup of coffee while under my tarp deeper in the timber, or in my Leanone tent if conditions warrant it. I do not need a fire ring - I can ( and have ) used the stove to take the chill and dampness away in my tent. I also just enjoy using it more so than a gas stove - purely personal preference.

Bob.

 

[Black_Fly]

I'm exploring the fuel tab thing as an alternative to the alchohol or white gas stove. That may be the ticket. Think I'll put the Fireant stove on my Xmas list so my kids know what to get. I'll play with tablets and alchohol burner to see what works. I have several MSR windscreens that should work. Do you need a special stand to elevate the fuel tab in the twig stove? Oh, I see it comes with a plate to hold a fuel tab. Excellent.

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

. Do you need a special stand to elevate the fuel tab in the twig stove? Oh, I see it comes with a plate to hold a fuel tab. Excellent.

The fuel tab saucer with my stove will hold alcohol but it isn't very efficient. I haven't tried the tabs. I'm happy using twigs

 

[dogbrain]

I have used a Trangia alcohol stove for many years along with a click-stand base. This is my standard setup for multi month long thru hikes where weight and bulk are the main concern. The trangia is a bit heavier than other alcy stoves, but it has a screw on lid that allows you to save the fuel between uses. The simmer ring works reasonably well too, so you're not just limited to boiling water. Fuel availability is one of the big attractions since you can get something at any hardware store, auto parts, gas station, convenience store or liquor store to burn in it. I even had to buy some expensive grain alcohol to burn in it once, which made for an interesting evening. The stove and the click-stand with windscreen fit inside my 600ml pot along with a small fuel bottle that is sufficient for a 2 night trip.

That being said, the little propane/butane stoves are the most efficient for longer trips in my opinion, and typically what I bring on any portage and paddle canoe trips. On a two week trip I typically burn about 1.5 of the medium sized canisters. I'm using the stove for everything except for cooking fish in a frying pan which I only do over the fire because I like the oil to be really hot. On river trips involving no portages I bring an old white gas stove. A single burner Coleman peak one for solo trips or the trusty double burner when weight and bulk don't matter.

For winter camping trips it's always white gas, either a coleman or MSR.

Mark

 

[Bob B.]

As I mentioned previously in this thread as well in my trip reports, I am so happy with my twig stoves - they are the gassifier type that can be used with an alcohol stove. I have used the alcohol with these stoves and they have preformed well. However, I am thinking of wood pellets over the alcohol stove with the gassifier to use at times when it has been raining for 6 days straight or i am struggling to get a fire going and need one now!( trip from 2 years ago).

I have heard some state they get close to an hour burn with hard wood pellets - no messing with the stove, light it and forget it. I may start bringing a small nalgene bottle with wood pellets to use in emergencies - should weigh close to the that of alcohol fuel and stove.

Have any of you used wood pellets in a gassifier stove?

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

.

Have any of you used wood pellets in a gassifier stove?

My son has experimented with the pellets and thinks they work fine... good backup for wet trips.

 

[Craig]

I have a Bush body made in Canada, a great stove, the Solo is basically a copy of it. I really like the stove! I also like the Kelly kettle and I would like to try one of the large Litelbug I think it would be a great family stove!!

I enjoy my BushBuddy gasifier stove, yes solo stoves are cheap Chinese copy's. Cheers

 

[Keeled Over]

I thought this thread seemed familiar - I' gonna put a sticky note on my screen to check the dates. On the other hand, I have read Day of the Jackal multiple times, so......