BioLite Wood Burning Stove

[lola85]

Saw this the other day when I was prepping for a backpacking trip.

-Wood burning stove
-Recharges small electronics
-Only $130

BioLite Wood Burning CampStove - Free Shipping at REI.com

Introducing the new BioLite CampStove - YouTube

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[ATCclears]

It's been discussed on here and you can find videos of it on YouTube. I own one too and it's dandy.

Peter

 

[B.P.]

Haven't had a chance to field test mine, they have a nice grill for them now too

<broken link removed>

 

[Truenorth]

Have you guys used one yet?

I borrowed on for weekend just out of curiosity.

Good at turning small pots sooty black and warming 1/2 liter of water almost to boiling in about an hour.
Water starts to get warm about the time you run out of sticks so you gotta reload the tiny hopper while water cools down and start over, and over, and over.
I found it kind of annoying at 5:30 in the moring when I really just wanted hot coffee.

Heavy and bulky for backpacking, too slow for my morning coffee. In a purely survival situation I'd just cook on the fire and have hot coffee in 5-10 minutes.

Handy for someone who wants/needs a wood fired cell phone charger while camping or just has to have the latest electronic gizmo I guess.
A typical $10 solar panel from Harbor Freight will peak charge a cell phone in 2 hours with direct sunlight and weighs almost nothing.


I assume this item would be a NO GO during our frequent burn bans in WA state?
You cannot turn it off once you start a fire and it does spit flying embers when you bump it or remove the pot so I'm guessing no go for summer camping.

 

[HBIII]

Thank you for saving me $130

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

Why? Cell phone service in the woods is rare as well as disaster zones, EMP or SHTF situations. Google ROCKET STOVES. I made a small one that had promise but needed some improvements. They don't smoke much and can be made out of junk items like cans or old pipe.

 

[knuckle Head]

For backpacking or survival situation, I will either use my Primus alpine titanium using canister fuel or a survival stove. Right now I cannot spending the money on it when I have an excellent butane / propane stove, a coleman two burner propane stove was never used and paid $20.00 for. and two emergency compact esbit/ cohglans stoves

I have however put one of these on my wish list, but before I buy I need to find a way to use it to charge other items life two way radios and such or rechargeable batteries, I this would be good home backup and shtf scenario to charge items and have the ability to cook.

But if I can find an adaptor to charge other thing besides cell phones, I pads and such I would probably get one and set aside like the majority of stuff I bought.

 

[Truenorth]

Since we're talking about stoves we like I'll offer up a couple of my favorites.

I have a little MSR pocket rocket stove that cost around $30 and uses iso-propane canisters; boils water in no time at all and can be turned down to a light simmer for keeping the coffee pot hot. The little 8oz canisters will last about a weekend boiling 1/2 liter pots of water. Stove and fuel canister both fit inside my titanum kettle.
Not the best for cooking food, the flame is centered in the pot so it will burn chili if you don't know the can in the pan of boiling water trick.

I bring two fuel canisters just in case one fails for whatever reason. After 5 years of pretty frequent use it has never failed me.
The snap on leg kit makes it stable and safe for use in the vestibule of my tent. For about $40 with several fual canisters at most outdoor stores it seems to be a good value.
Lightweight, fits the outside pocket of my ruck, boils water really fast and simmers well.

My old time favorite is a multifuel stove from MSR my father handed down to me. Model 9 I think, pre-dates their XGK, probobly mid-60's I'm guessing?
Thing is a friggin blow torch, burns kerosene, diesel, white gas, gasoline, JP8, and any good mooshine. I should dig that thing out, been a long time since I used it.
While it doesn't simmer well (just blasting high) it does offer the comforting sound of a DC10 landing in your campsite and boiling water in about 30 seconds.
Built like a MACK truck. Not super light but certaily the fastest boiling and toughest camp stove I've ever crossed paths with.