Love my Firebox Nano, Ohuhu gasifier wood stove, and my Firebox Gen2 Stainless Steel stove. When I plan my cooking for a trip I then need to pick the appropriate stove. Being able to simmer plays into this and is a key to good cooking. I often turn to my Redcamp alcohol stove for simmering. You have cost me $$ but I get the best product because of your reviews, thank you so much, this is really fun!
Firebox SSG2, stays in every kit I carry. Does everything from coffee to grilling. I pair it with a trangia, if I’m in a hurry on a trail. I use it at my home as my primary charcoal grill when I feel like grilling. At camp, it’s an efficient campfire in a box (I mean really, how big a darn fire do you need?) Yep, it pushes my base weight up a good 25 ounces over ultralight alternatives, but the versatility is unmatched (can’t convince myself to buy the Ti version )
Me too. And got a Nano X box to play with the Trangia. ~ While there I got the nylon Nano case. A D ringed dandy to keep my fishing license clipped handy 'n dry, even if still in a baggie. ~ Kinda silly, but ice fishing one has a gazzilion pockets. (-:
Good to see you back! I agree 100% with your top choice. I have the firebox G2, but stainless. Also sprung for the trangia isobutane burner, and since they arrived 2 years ago I've not used any other stove!
Same here....I love my biolite wood stove....on my camp trip , we had a hiker family come over and charge their phones and they cooked us , authentic shrimp noodle soup.. ...it works well.
I love your enthusiasm and energy to do all these tests, thankyou. I'm interested in the twist type tinder/firestarter you use, can you tell me what it is?
Great review. Hard to disagree with your top choice. The Firebox G2 can be fueled with twigs or pellets as well as the Trangia type stoves, light weight, easy to pack as it folds flat. Add a 10" skillet, a fresh caught trout, and life is GOOD! Pricey - yes, but if ya want the best, ya got to pay up.
I'm more a generalist...love Sterno stove versatility...but each person must discover what is the "solution " that works for themself. Thank you for your videos...glad you are back 👍👍👍
My top ultralight wood burning stove would be either the PicoGrill 85 or the Goshawk EDDY-205 Pioneer Pro. My top backpacking wood burning stove would be the Brennerle Hobo Stove. Half the weight of the Firebox 5” Ti, and a bigger burn chamber. I don’t think you’ve reviewed the Brennerle yet. It’s an AWESOME stove for performance and a lot of fun overall.
i was looking at a biolite. If it had a larger capacity and output speed, i would already have one. i went with the goshawk multi-fuel. It's super light, fits in my pot, multi fuel; it checks all the boxes. It's basically a windscreen and a pot stand for your alcohol stove that in a pinch works as an excellent little wood burner. I love your channel, and love learning about other stoves and different options.
Ernie, a superior review. We tend to favour wood gasifier stoves that allow us to reconfigure the parts for multi-fuel use. The same gear we have fun with and practice using in the great outdoors is also what we will depend on for disaster preparedness at our home base in the Philippines. All but the youngest of our troops must be able to easily set up and use the products we choose. The fact that we can place a Trangia-style spirit burner inside a piece from the stainless steel gasifier and use it as a combination windshield and pot stand is an example of our mix & match approach. It gives us a sense of security knowing that we can cook where an open fire may be inadvisable. We can just as easily scrounge fuel for free if need be.
I bought the biolite and regret the decision. It’s FAR TOO HEAVY and it’s not as versatile as you might think. Works great I just don’t have a justification for the use of it except for an odd occasion.
With Mr Freeman on this one. I carry the firebox SS G2 when ever I am out and about, usually with the kids. Burn many different things over the many years I have had it but love wood pellets, trangia and of course wood. Solid piece of kit, never let me down.
Those are all awesome stoves. I've been eyeing the Fire Box Nano but I'm also interested in the modular Firebox. Any Fire Box product seems well made and will last a very long time.
Good overview. I also enjoy playing with a variety of stove types. Three points you missed of vital importance me are (1) the ability for the stove to simmer with a small fire for stewing, toasting papadums, grilling fish and other slow cooking tasks; (2) the ability of the stove to leave no trace of scorch mark on the ground; and (3) the amount of soot or creosote deposited on your pots. Soot and creosote are difficult to clean on the trail (you transfer it to your hands!) and the weight of a bag to protect your other gear from filth needs adding to the weight of the stove for comparison with clean burning alternative stoves. Anyone walking long distances wants the lightest stove, so despite the fun factor of heavier stoves, most stoves are limited to car, boat and motorbike camping in my opinion. I play with a “Firbox gen 2” or generic gassifier and carry a stainless base plate and additional windshield in those situations. This protects my camp table or more importantly decreases the possibility of igniting my boat! For hiking I carry a thin sheet of aluminium pie dish to put under my titanium UK made “Honey Stove” in order to leave no trace of ashes, coals or scorching. Simmering is more difficult and not relevant to those who boil water for reconstituting instant food substitutes, but slow cooking real food is important to many of us. To simmer, either you wait for a bed of coals to form or you maintain a very small fire. A small stable fire is difficult to achieve and is liable to smoke - which taints food and coats pots with messy soot and creosote. Gassifier stoves in particular tend to work within narrow parameters, belching smoke if not hot enough for secondary combustion. A possible solution for stable small fires is air injection at the point of primary combustion. I have experimented successfully with a 15gram usb fan blowing through a stainless steel straw which enables a clean burn low heat for simmering. The difference a gentle continuous airflow makes is amazing! 15 grams sounds good, the power use is negligible and I already cary a mini power bank but time will tell if the fan is robust enough for dirt, rain or human feet on multi day hikes.
Great points/fun story. But what real food ya stash for a multi day hike? "smiles" I had to look up papadums. ~ Carrying stew meat or fish a couple days makes me shudder. yeah, everything is a commodity isn't it? extra water for sooty hands?..no way, vs Trangia fuel I'd have to flip a coin. I've never gone dayS, and always near water. Overnight on our 200 acres/river, so most in reality two/three miles, not ten/fifteen. ~ soot on pots/pans; I wonder if the waterless hand cleaner would do pots and hands at same time, if didn't get sick of the scent? ~ Ziplock freezer baggie for a sooty folding stove/gloves for handling? ...three pair of the purple nitrile lab gloves...hmm, what can I do with these after use? (-: ~~ I don't know jack of overland weeks long hikes vs weight. Right now it's heavy as kinda storage/some doubles with what's in my canteen kit, but.. One item in the backpack is a 14cm Zebra Billy pot. SS 'n a bit heavy, but nested inside is an Alu. butterfly folding steamer @ 5 inch closed, which opens enough inside for use for steaming. It comes with a SS pan/bowl nested at top. My FB 5" using Trangia it steamed the veggies just fine. ~ Can country river water be used to steam fish too? Billy Pot can stew. ~~ Toasted kills me. I don't think I'd hike where I can't have a small fire in a hole. What next, no locking pocket knives?! scorch grass? y'all should line such up with the other hunerts 'n go barefoot as well at camps/stops.
Brian, non meat options like some of Asian food (eg. papadam :) such as rice, grams, beans etc can last too long. You could hunt meat along the way - fish, squirrel or rabbit comes to mind. I think the fan idea is awesome. I see the original post had a stove with a fan fitted, perhaps be better than carrying a fan along.
Thanks Ernie! I'll go with two the Ohuhu, and the Firebox 5. Maximum versatility! I'm off to check your white gas stove reviews. Thanks again, it always pays to listen to the Doc!
Great video. 👍🏼👍🏼 I don’t have a Firebox Stove yet, but may get one. I like the design and versatility of it. My favorite is the Emberlit FireAnt stove. I have one in all our bags. It’s simple to assemble, sturdy, and packs up small. No moving parts. I can use wood, solid fuel tablets, or an alcohol stove with it. Some of my kits combine a Trangia stove with the FireAnt for versatility.
Great video Dr. Ernie; I like the titanium 5 inch Firebox too, but find it too expensive for my budget. I picked up a Picco Grill for $28.00. It is not titanium, but thin stainless steel and weighs less than the Firebox. Thanks for the video.
Firebox Gen2 Ti and Nano Ti #1, Bush Buddy Mini and Solo Light #2. I have the new Firebox Freestyle Ti full kit which is super versatile and I haven’t even learned all the ways to utilize it. But it’s size is between the Gen 2 and the Nano. Great video Ernie.
Well done. My brother-in-law has the biolite and loves it. I’ve got a solo stove and have been impressed. You provided a lot of food for thought on what wood stove should be next. Thanks for sharing.
I agree with you. I have pretty much all of those stoves. Just not the bio lite. They perform really well. I take them hiking, camping, snd even use at home. In the summer I don’t want to fire up my big BBQ but I dont want to heat up the house. Or I just want BBQ. The firebox is plenty to handle anything. And I can use twigs and scraps of wood so I feel it’s more eco friendly snd costs me nothing to go to a local park snd pick up twigs. Or save twigs from pruning in the yard.
I have used the BioLite for many years, and it's really in a different category. The wattage is much greater due to the fan, especially in turbo mode, and, for the same reason, it will eat up pretty much any fuel once it gets going. You can easily cook a 3 liter pot of stew for a big group, with nothing more than pine cones lying around. The downside is that it takes two people --- one to lift up the pot and another to stoke the fire. It consumes fuel fast!
👍👍👍 .. a good selection. There are many variations of this theme out there .. each with it's own fan base. For many of us, our favourite stoves are those that we have, because it's what we have. Also, supporting local as in your case Ernie, maybe a more expensive option, but an admirable one 👍. Nothing wrong with being a specific product 'fanboy' and if what we have does the job to one's satisfaction, as in my case, then no reason to change. Another major consideration is that they are paid for. That said, even though I have no intention (at the moment 😏) of buying another wood burner, seeing what others have and their use thereof is, in itself, highly satisfying. Thanks for sharing .. take care ..
Good video Doc! I've looked at the Biolite for many years, but I think the watt is too low to make it usable for charging a modern phone. If you need to bring a battery pack to store the output and then charge your phone from the battery pack it will get even more heavy and bulkier. My chosen one, is the Firebox nano (I got the X-case and stainless steel version). It will fit in my hip pocket with a lighter and some fireplugs inside the X-case.
With 3 Watt you get 650 mA of charging. It would be dead slow to charge, especially where I live, with cold weather 8 months a year (expecting freezing temperatures next week)
I have 3 of those 5, so I pretty much agree with you. (And I even have a slightly different version of the budget model, so that's 4ish out of 5...) Edit: I actually own 2 Firebox Nanos.
Ive used all these and several others and found the SS kelly kettle w/ hobo stove to be the ultimate.. Boils water in any conditions fast and coals are ready for grilling/cooking immediately..collected a plethora of backpack/bushcraft/ultralight gear since the 80's..since buying the kettle...im done buying stoves..
Didn't know you were back, good to see you recharged. UA-cam unsubscribed me for some darn reason. You showed up in my home feed. I've re-subscribed and look forward to more videos.
Good selection, thanks! Love your top five series, so please keep on going with it! ;-) The Bushbuddy Mini is still on my list, maybe I will order it one day. I have something similar to your Ohuhu gasifier, also made in China (forgot the brand name), works fine but some parts of the bottom broke already out, seems the steel quality isn't such great ... Among commercial folding/collapsible stoves I like the most those of the Bushbox series from Bushcraft Essentials, a German company. I don't need big ones so the standard Bushbox (Titanium version) is my favourite model among conventional square shaped stoves. Their bushbox ultralight is a triangled model and works very fine as stand for an alcohol stove yet falls behind the four walled models when it comes to burning wood IMHO. Their fancy EDCBox stove is fine for Esbit (and small cups). Yet, my favourite overall wood stoves are simple "IKEA hobos" or, in my case, simple cutlery stands from the next supermarket. They cost here in India, depending on brand and size, usually something between 2 and 5 USD per piece and work absolutely fine for me.
I have a slightly different version of Ohuhu stove- mine's by Canway. The biggest difference seems to be the shape of the bottom air intake holes lol. Pretty sure any of those in that style from Chinese vendors is going to be pretty similar. It works surprisingly well I thought, once you figure out how to get the wood to burn right. I use mine for bikecamping so the way it collapses down is certainly a nice feature.
The algorithm was on time w/ this! Got this and the grill rack henge are is solid now. Can't wait to try my NATO meal kits on this...Plan to go to construction site for scrap boards to put under..Super vid
These all seem like awesome stoves thanks man!!!! Great video as always!!!! I've been using and loving 2 stoves as well.... one by solo stove there lite model....which works awesome...and more than anything else... my bushcraft essentials xl titanium....awesome stoves.
Top five videos are great. I watch many of all your videos. Would like to see what different fuels can be used in Trangia burner. You may already have a video on that. Also would like to see a top five on ferro rods. There are so many on market, how do you choose?
All I want is a titanium version of the Solo Stove Titan / Bushbuddy, meaning WITH a solid bottom, one piece. I get too scared around windy conditions (embers), which we have a lot here, plus I'd rather not leave a burn mark. Appreciate the video! Glad to see you back. :)
@@BeginnerOutdoorsI had seen that before- thank you! However, it has holes along the bottom, it's not solid like the Solo Stove. Which is why I guess I never ordered it :\
@@VandrefalkTV have you checked out the four dogs bushcooker lt it’s a solid build but coned and the pot holder doesn’t come off, also instead of a great they use a fan design so you can use multiple fuels
@@BeginnerOutdoors Now THAT I haven't seen before! Very interesting! Though it does seem like there are holes where the 'fan structure' is, that goes through both walls? Again I find it interesting that Solo Stove is the only one that has a solid inner wall, apart from the holes at the top. 🤔 I am currently using both the Titan, but also a Xfire 19 (from the guy who makes Xboil), with additional things like the cross, solid plate and grill grate. Though this is just a lightweight, hole-filled, but highly functional and versatile portable fire. Which I quite like, for weather without and noticeable winds.
@@VandrefalkTV the xfire looks great How is the titan I only have the lite but I want to get the mesa and add a pot holder top or the titan idk what’s better
I have been following several “camp stoves for quite a while, and yes I also agree with the firebox selection of being the best of show so to speak. Now my question is as a father in a family of five, camping without brining a large camp grill, is there a stove that would work for cooking with out being classified as a fire pit, or having to go to the extreme of multiple stoves for this purpose keeping in mind that I only use wood, so liquid and gasses are out! Opinion please, have fun!
Solo camping Stove... Awesome! But nothing can touch my Ikea hobo stove. The Ikea utensil holder hobo stove is bombproof, but not really a hiking stove. lol.
I bought the Firebox G2 in titanium with the extra sticks and grills…all together it was a bit over $200 but I had a gift card so it was basically free cuz I would NEVER pay that much for something like that! 😂. I do love it. The go-to for years though has been the Biolite. I love that thing. I bought the original model with the complete kit for $112 at Lowes of all places. I bought the new model, complete kit for $100 with a half off coupon. Would I pay full price for it? No, I’m cheap. But I LOVE that stove, so much hate for it from some. My friend bought one of the very first models, he’s had it for years with no problems, I have both models, both work great. We have set up a tarp shelter that covered two hammocks, sat in our Helinox chairs in cold winter rain with the Biolite cranked up and heated the shelter very nicely. As we’re heating and cooking simply plug in the phone or headlamp and charge away. I look at it as a maintenance charger, not to restore a dead phone. It’s free electricity from something you’re doing anyway, cooking! I like alcohol stoves because they are absolutely silent. Great channel, glad you’re back.
I have the Ohuhu and will be trying it for the first time this weekend. Plan on using it as a primary unless there is a burn ban, but then again you can also use a little solid fuel tablet if needed. Super flexible.
This is my favorite! It is versatile, small and light. Burns well with twigs, solid fuel or a Trangia. I replaced the pot stand with two stainless steel rods, cut a notch in each rod to fit the rods into an X that fits the top of the stove. Plenty of airflow, very stable, and it creates enough room for me to store the Trangia or solid fuel tablets inside.
You can get a adapter for your BioLite stove and it will support small cups like the Stanley adventure series Thanks for all you do Garry, Raleigh N.C.
Tried dropping a Trangia burner in the burn chamber of the biolite? I have! Worked great. Solid fuel like hexamine tablets seems to work nice too. Not that biolite would suggest this of course. 🙂👍
could you do a review for stoves at a bike tour.. like warming a tea, coffee or jut a qiuck ramen or so. Maybe stoves the size of esbit and extreme Light cups
I bought a wood gasification stove about 7 years ago, but where I live there is no hard wood and I live at an elevation of about 6200 feet. I did it the jets to work for a bit, but didn't last long. So for me, its a no go.I have since purchased the Redcamp twig stove. Its okay.
Doc, I've heard you say you're a sleep medicine doc. Have you ever thought about doing a video on camping with a CPAP? Battery options, how to minimize the power usage, etc. I want to camp more, but I really don't like trying to sleep without my CPAP. What's your advice?
Always enjoy your videos and have three of the five. Have to be honest and say I am FIREBOX heavy in my collection. I have watched most all of your videos but interested on your take on Coffey Spits Rotisserie thingys if you have used. Want to learn more about use. Guess I should have looked before posting this ;)
I totally agree! Firebox is the way to go. I see it more as an investment than an expense 😊 it’s such a great tool to have for cooking and as a heat source. They are very tough ! I love my Nano as well! I mainly use it for backpacking and traveling. I also own a Biolite which is a very good stove (amazing battery) I unfortunately don’t use it that much anymore because of the noisy fan and weight. Thank you! 👍
Can you pls let me know what are those fire staring long cotton-looking cones you pull apart and use tp start the fire in all these stoves? looks very convenient!
How about a budget ultralight list of you haven't already done one, will be checking in a minute. Options other than the brs would be great (absolutely everyone's done a video on it). Please include a high performance/output stove.
Hey Ernie, I thought your categories were on point and your top pick was spot on as well. Though I love the Bush buddy, or dare I say the Solo stove copycat, It's a bulky item that battles with the backpack for real estate. Having a stove that folds flat is the way to go. Great video!
We can't use these for summer backpacking in California. The best I can do is put my Trangia in my small Tomshoe Titanium. Winter is just around the corner. Then we'll be cooking with twigs.
Does the Buddy Mini burn cleaner than the others. I am assuming so as it has the air heating aspect to provide a secondary burn, but curious if that was the case.
Love my Firebox Nano, Ohuhu gasifier wood stove, and my Firebox Gen2 Stainless Steel stove. When I plan my cooking for a trip I then need to pick the appropriate stove. Being able to simmer plays into this and is a key to good cooking. I often turn to my Redcamp alcohol stove for simmering. You have cost me $$ but I get the best product because of your reviews, thank you so much, this is really fun!
Firebox SSG2, stays in every kit I carry. Does everything from coffee to grilling. I pair it with a trangia, if I’m in a hurry on a trail. I use it at my home as my primary charcoal grill when I feel like grilling. At camp, it’s an efficient campfire in a box (I mean really, how big a darn fire do you need?) Yep, it pushes my base weight up a good 25 ounces over ultralight alternatives, but the versatility is unmatched (can’t convince myself to buy the Ti version )
Agree 100%. I went with the SS version over the Ti as well. I couldn't justify the extra $30 to save basically just 3-5 ounces.
Me too. And got a Nano X box to play with the Trangia.
~ While there I got the nylon Nano case. A D ringed dandy to keep my fishing license clipped handy 'n dry, even if still in a baggie. ~ Kinda silly, but ice fishing one has a gazzilion pockets. (-:
I think the TI version is worth the extra money just for the fact that it won’t rust, but I do use my ss one more 🤷♂️
Good to see you back! I agree 100% with your top choice. I have the firebox G2, but stainless. Also sprung for the trangia isobutane burner, and since they arrived 2 years ago I've not used any other stove!
Dollar fo dollar you can't beat the versatility of the Firebox products.
I use a Swedish torch in the firebox for long-burning. Works great.
Same here....I love my biolite wood stove....on my camp trip , we had a hiker family come over and charge their phones and they cooked us , authentic shrimp noodle soup.. ...it works well.
I love your enthusiasm and energy to do all these tests, thankyou. I'm interested in the twist type tinder/firestarter you use, can you tell me what it is?
Great review. Hard to disagree with your top choice. The Firebox G2 can be fueled with twigs or pellets as well as the Trangia type stoves, light weight, easy to pack as it folds flat. Add a 10" skillet, a fresh caught trout, and life is GOOD! Pricey - yes, but if ya want the best, ya got to pay up.
I own every Firebox stove model ever made. They work very well.
Firebox all the way
I'm more a generalist...love Sterno stove versatility...but each person must discover what is the "solution " that works for themself. Thank you for your videos...glad you are back
👍👍👍
The Ti G2 is the crown jewel of wood stoves. Just a nice piece of equipment.
Firebox all the way!!!
Have to agree with your reasoning Ernie. Good categorising and reasoning behind your choices. Great series mate thanks. Bushybpy Oz.
My top ultralight wood burning stove would be either the PicoGrill 85 or the Goshawk EDDY-205 Pioneer Pro.
My top backpacking wood burning stove would be the Brennerle Hobo Stove. Half the weight of the Firebox 5” Ti, and a bigger burn chamber.
I don’t think you’ve reviewed the Brennerle yet. It’s an AWESOME stove for performance and a lot of fun overall.
i was looking at a biolite. If it had a larger capacity and output speed, i would already have one. i went with the goshawk multi-fuel. It's super light, fits in my pot, multi fuel; it checks all the boxes. It's basically a windscreen and a pot stand for your alcohol stove that in a pinch works as an excellent little wood burner. I love your channel, and love learning about other stoves and different options.
It melts eventually and your phone charging cable will melt . Total waste of money
Ernie, a superior review. We tend to favour wood gasifier stoves that allow us to reconfigure the parts for multi-fuel use. The same gear we have fun with and practice using in the great outdoors is also what we will depend on for disaster preparedness at our home base in the Philippines. All but the youngest of our troops must be able to easily set up and use the products we choose. The fact that we can place a Trangia-style spirit burner inside a piece from the stainless steel gasifier and use it as a combination windshield and pot stand is an example of our mix & match approach. It gives us a sense of security knowing that we can cook where an open fire may be inadvisable. We can just as easily scrounge fuel for free if need be.
Yesss.... Best stove system, and best video in UA-cam about that topic...👍👍👍👍👍
I also use the biolite stove. Granted it's on the heavy side but it's got the multi purpose use for it. I love it.
I bought the biolite and regret the decision. It’s FAR TOO HEAVY and it’s not as versatile as you might think. Works great I just don’t have a justification for the use of it except for an odd occasion.
Thanks for this video! Your commentaries are always appreciated. I agree, the Firebox is my go - to stove. Thanks so much. ATB
I'm still on my bio light 1 she been great. Love putting wood pellets in it and put a pan over it to smoke it
With Mr Freeman on this one. I carry the firebox SS G2 when ever I am out and about, usually with the kids. Burn many different things over the many years I have had it but love wood pellets, trangia and of course wood. Solid piece of kit, never let me down.
this the top channel that I like to watch snice I like to camp all the time!
Those are all awesome stoves. I've been eyeing the Fire Box Nano but I'm also interested in the modular Firebox. Any Fire Box product seems well made and will last a very long time.
i have all the fire box stoves in stainless. they are great. the freestyle(modular) is very versatile the 8 Panel Everything Kit is worth it
Good overview. I also enjoy playing with a variety of stove types. Three points you missed of vital importance me are (1) the ability for the stove to simmer with a small fire for stewing, toasting papadums, grilling fish and other slow cooking tasks; (2) the ability of the stove to leave no trace of scorch mark on the ground; and (3) the amount of soot or creosote deposited on your pots. Soot and creosote are difficult to clean on the trail (you transfer it to your hands!) and the weight of a bag to protect your other gear from filth needs adding to the weight of the stove for comparison with clean burning alternative stoves.
Anyone walking long distances wants the lightest stove, so despite the fun factor of heavier stoves, most stoves are limited to car, boat and motorbike camping in my opinion. I play with a “Firbox gen 2” or generic gassifier and carry a stainless base plate and additional windshield in those situations. This protects my camp table or more importantly decreases the possibility of igniting my boat! For hiking I carry a thin sheet of aluminium pie dish to put under my titanium UK made “Honey Stove” in order to leave no trace of ashes, coals or scorching. Simmering is more difficult and not relevant to those who boil water for reconstituting instant food substitutes, but slow cooking real food is important to many of us.
To simmer, either you wait for a bed of coals to form or you maintain a very small fire. A small stable fire is difficult to achieve and is liable to smoke - which taints food and coats pots with messy soot and creosote. Gassifier stoves in particular tend to work within narrow parameters, belching smoke if not hot enough for secondary combustion. A possible solution for stable small fires is air injection at the point of primary combustion. I have experimented successfully with a 15gram usb fan blowing through a stainless steel straw which enables a clean burn low heat for simmering. The difference a gentle continuous airflow makes is amazing! 15 grams sounds good, the power use is negligible and I already cary a mini power bank but time will tell if the fan is robust enough for dirt, rain or human feet on multi day hikes.
Great points/fun story. But what real food ya stash for a multi day hike?
"smiles" I had to look up papadums. ~ Carrying stew meat or fish a couple days makes me shudder.
yeah, everything is a commodity isn't it? extra water for sooty hands?..no way, vs Trangia fuel I'd have to flip a coin. I've never gone dayS, and always near water. Overnight on our 200 acres/river, so most in reality two/three miles, not ten/fifteen.
~ soot on pots/pans; I wonder if the waterless hand cleaner would do pots and hands at same time, if didn't get sick of the scent? ~ Ziplock freezer baggie for a sooty folding stove/gloves for handling? ...three pair of the purple nitrile lab gloves...hmm, what can I do with these after use? (-:
~~ I don't know jack of overland weeks long hikes vs weight. Right now it's heavy as kinda storage/some doubles with what's in my canteen kit, but..
One item in the backpack is a 14cm Zebra Billy pot.
SS 'n a bit heavy, but nested inside is an Alu. butterfly folding steamer @ 5 inch closed, which opens enough inside for use for steaming. It comes with a SS pan/bowl nested at top.
My FB 5" using Trangia it steamed the veggies just fine. ~ Can country river water be used to steam fish too? Billy Pot can stew. ~~ Toasted kills me. I don't think I'd hike where I can't have a small fire in a hole. What next, no locking pocket knives?!
scorch grass? y'all should line such up with the other hunerts 'n go barefoot as well at camps/stops.
Brian, non meat options like some of Asian food (eg. papadam :) such as rice, grams, beans etc can last too long. You could hunt meat along the way - fish, squirrel or rabbit comes to mind.
I think the fan idea is awesome. I see the original post had a stove with a fan fitted, perhaps be better than carrying a fan along.
I have the Firebox G1 and the Nano both in stainless.. Love them both.. will probably pick up the Ohuhu as well. Love them with pellets..
Thanks Ernie! I'll go with two the Ohuhu, and the Firebox 5. Maximum versatility! I'm off to check your white gas stove reviews. Thanks again, it always pays to listen to the Doc!
Thanks for this and It is great to have you back. It is finally cooling off enough to get out my firebox and hit the woods.
Firebox Titanium G2 stove is my favorite!
Great video. 👍🏼👍🏼
I don’t have a Firebox Stove yet, but may get one. I like the design and versatility of it.
My favorite is the Emberlit FireAnt stove. I have one in all our bags. It’s simple to assemble, sturdy, and packs up small. No moving parts. I can use wood, solid fuel tablets, or an alcohol stove with it.
Some of my kits combine a Trangia stove with the FireAnt for versatility.
Great video Dr. Ernie; I like the titanium 5 inch Firebox too, but find it too expensive for my budget. I picked up a Picco Grill for $28.00. It is not titanium, but thin stainless steel and weighs less than the Firebox. Thanks for the video.
I was inordinately excited to see that you’d posted a stove video!
Firebox Gen2 Ti and Nano Ti #1, Bush Buddy Mini and Solo Light #2. I have the new Firebox Freestyle Ti full kit which is super versatile and I haven’t even learned all the ways to utilize it. But it’s size is between the Gen 2 and the Nano. Great video Ernie.
Well done. My brother-in-law has the biolite and loves it. I’ve got a solo stove and have been impressed. You provided a lot of food for thought on what wood stove should be next. Thanks for sharing.
I'm very happy with my Firebox Ti Freestyle. It's the perfect size between the Nano and the original G2 (which I have both in SS).
Nice video. Fire box rules ! 🤠👍
I agree with you. I have pretty much all of those stoves. Just not the bio lite. They perform really well. I take them hiking, camping, snd even use at home. In the summer I don’t want to fire up my big BBQ but I dont want to heat up the house. Or I just want BBQ. The firebox is plenty to handle anything. And I can use twigs and scraps of wood so I feel it’s more eco friendly snd costs me nothing to go to a local park snd pick up twigs. Or save twigs from pruning in the yard.
Both fireboxes are my favorites. Multi fuel, well made. Plus....the goats. lol.
I have used the BioLite for many years, and it's really in a different category. The wattage is much greater due to the fan, especially in turbo mode, and, for the same reason, it will eat up pretty much any fuel once it gets going. You can easily cook a 3 liter pot of stew for a big group, with nothing more than pine cones lying around. The downside is that it takes two people --- one to lift up the pot and another to stoke the fire. It consumes fuel fast!
I've put kilbasa in my BioLife when push came to shove..oh boy did it burn ..I love my Biolite.its saved my ass a few times,cheers
👍👍👍 .. a good selection.
There are many variations of this theme out there .. each with it's own fan base.
For many of us, our favourite stoves are those that we have, because it's what we have.
Also, supporting local as in your case Ernie, maybe a more expensive option, but an admirable one 👍.
Nothing wrong with being a specific product 'fanboy' and if what we have does the job to one's satisfaction, as in my case, then no reason to change. Another major consideration is that they are paid for.
That said, even though I have no intention (at the moment 😏) of buying another wood burner, seeing what others have and their use thereof is, in itself, highly satisfying.
Thanks for sharing .. take care ..
Good video Doc! I've looked at the Biolite for many years, but I think the watt is too low to make it usable for charging a modern phone. If you need to bring a battery pack to store the output and then charge your phone from the battery pack it will get even more heavy and bulkier. My chosen one, is the Firebox nano (I got the X-case and stainless steel version). It will fit in my hip pocket with a lighter and some fireplugs inside the X-case.
I can charge my 12 pro max with it no problem. Just keep throwing wood at it.
With 3 Watt you get 650 mA of charging. It would be dead slow to charge, especially where I live, with cold weather 8 months a year (expecting freezing temperatures next week)
@@staalefo p
Vargo Hexagon titanium is my #1 wood stove, in some cases I use it as a wind screen for Lixada Titanium alcohol stove.
I have 3 of those 5, so I pretty much agree with you. (And I even have a slightly different version of the budget model, so that's 4ish out of 5...) Edit: I actually own 2 Firebox Nanos.
Ive used all these and several others and found the SS kelly kettle w/ hobo stove to be the ultimate.. Boils water in any conditions fast and coals are ready for grilling/cooking immediately..collected a plethora of backpack/bushcraft/ultralight gear since the 80's..since buying the kettle...im done buying stoves..
You have such an awesome collection. Thanks for sharing!
I use the Toaks large gasifier, the large Emberlit steel, and the Emberlit small titanium
Totally agree with your lineup. MUST have redundancy in this area as well, in prepping. I like a slightly larger unit, and my Kelly Kettle.
Awesome video, Ernie! Welcome back. 😊
Didn't know you were back, good to see you recharged. UA-cam unsubscribed me for some darn reason. You showed up in my home feed. I've re-subscribed and look forward to more videos.
Love the Firebox!
I’ve got the large version of the Toaks wood stove. 8 ozs and works great 👍🏼
A very information selection of your stoves. Thanks
Great video. Thank you for sharing.
Im looking into this wood stove thing. This video gave me some ideas for sure. Big thanks!
Great overview. Thanks!
Good selection, thanks! Love your top five series, so please keep on going with it! ;-)
The Bushbuddy Mini is still on my list, maybe I will order it one day. I have something similar to your Ohuhu gasifier, also made in China (forgot the brand name), works fine but some parts of the bottom broke already out, seems the steel quality isn't such great ...
Among commercial folding/collapsible stoves I like the most those of the Bushbox series from Bushcraft Essentials, a German company. I don't need big ones so the standard Bushbox (Titanium version) is my favourite model among conventional square shaped stoves. Their bushbox ultralight is a triangled model and works very fine as stand for an alcohol stove yet falls behind the four walled models when it comes to burning wood IMHO. Their fancy EDCBox stove is fine for Esbit (and small cups).
Yet, my favourite overall wood stoves are simple "IKEA hobos" or, in my case, simple cutlery stands from the next supermarket. They cost here in India, depending on brand and size, usually something between 2 and 5 USD per piece and work absolutely fine for me.
Thanks Doc!
I have a slightly different version of Ohuhu stove- mine's by Canway. The biggest difference seems to be the shape of the bottom air intake holes lol. Pretty sure any of those in that style from Chinese vendors is going to be pretty similar. It works surprisingly well I thought, once you figure out how to get the wood to burn right. I use mine for bikecamping so the way it collapses down is certainly a nice feature.
The algorithm was on time w/ this! Got this and the grill rack henge are is solid now. Can't wait to try my NATO meal kits on this...Plan to go to construction site for scrap boards to put under..Super vid
These all seem like awesome stoves thanks man!!!! Great video as always!!!! I've been using and loving 2 stoves as well.... one by solo stove there lite model....which works awesome...and more than anything else... my bushcraft essentials xl titanium....awesome stoves.
Those are all good choices Doc..I go low tech with the Firebox G2 SS..
Top five videos are great. I watch many of all your videos. Would like to see what different fuels can be used in Trangia burner. You may already have a video on that. Also would like to see a top five on ferro rods. There are so many on market, how do you choose?
All I want is a titanium version of the Solo Stove Titan / Bushbuddy, meaning WITH a solid bottom, one piece. I get too scared around windy conditions (embers), which we have a lot here, plus I'd rather not leave a burn mark. Appreciate the video! Glad to see you back. :)
Una stove by suluk 46
@@BeginnerOutdoorsI had seen that before- thank you! However, it has holes along the bottom, it's not solid like the Solo Stove. Which is why I guess I never ordered it :\
@@VandrefalkTV have you checked out the four dogs bushcooker lt it’s a solid build but coned and the pot holder doesn’t come off, also instead of a great they use a fan design so you can use multiple fuels
@@BeginnerOutdoors Now THAT I haven't seen before! Very interesting! Though it does seem like there are holes where the 'fan structure' is, that goes through both walls? Again I find it interesting that Solo Stove is the only one that has a solid inner wall, apart from the holes at the top. 🤔 I am currently using both the Titan, but also a Xfire 19 (from the guy who makes Xboil), with additional things like the cross, solid plate and grill grate. Though this is just a lightweight, hole-filled, but highly functional and versatile portable fire. Which I quite like, for weather without and noticeable winds.
@@VandrefalkTV the xfire looks great
How is the titan I only have the lite but I want to get the mesa and add a pot holder top or the titan idk what’s better
I have been following several “camp stoves for quite a while, and yes I also agree with the firebox selection of being the best of show so to speak. Now my question is as a father in a family of five, camping without brining a large camp grill, is there a stove that would work for cooking with out being classified as a fire pit, or having to go to the extreme of multiple stoves for this purpose keeping in mind that I only use wood, so liquid and gasses are out! Opinion please, have fun!
Great video
I have the nano and love it wanting to get the free style
Solo camping Stove... Awesome! But nothing can touch my Ikea hobo stove. The Ikea utensil holder hobo stove is bombproof, but not really a hiking stove. lol.
I bought the Firebox G2 in titanium with the extra sticks and grills…all together it was a bit over $200 but I had a gift card so it was basically free cuz I would NEVER pay that much for something like that! 😂. I do love it. The go-to for years though has been the Biolite. I love that thing. I bought the original model with the complete kit for $112 at Lowes of all places. I bought the new model, complete kit for $100 with a half off coupon. Would I pay full price for it? No, I’m cheap. But I LOVE that stove, so much hate for it from some. My friend bought one of the very first models, he’s had it for years with no problems, I have both models, both work great. We have set up a tarp shelter that covered two hammocks, sat in our Helinox chairs in cold winter rain with the Biolite cranked up and heated the shelter very nicely. As we’re heating and cooking simply plug in the phone or headlamp and charge away. I look at it as a maintenance charger, not to restore a dead phone. It’s free electricity from something you’re doing anyway, cooking! I like alcohol stoves because they are absolutely silent. Great channel, glad you’re back.
I have the Ohuhu and will be trying it for the first time this weekend. Plan on using it as a primary unless there is a burn ban, but then again you can also use a little solid fuel tablet if needed. Super flexible.
This is my favorite! It is versatile, small and light. Burns well with twigs, solid fuel or a Trangia. I replaced the pot stand with two stainless steel rods, cut a notch in each rod to fit the rods into an X that fits the top of the stove. Plenty of airflow, very stable, and it creates enough room for me to store the Trangia or solid fuel tablets inside.
@@Sirrehpotsirchit also works very well with charcoal and wood pellets.
Welcome back!
The firebox gen 2 is the best wood stove in the world 🌍!!!
I’d like to see a top 5 cook pot and a top 5 coffee prep methods.
You can get a adapter for your BioLite stove and it will support small cups like the Stanley adventure series
Thanks for all you do
Garry, Raleigh N.C.
32 week lead time for the bush buddy. Sheeesh!
Which one cooks faster, with less fuel and less smoke?
I have titanium nano it's just a little to small for me. Saving up to get 5" firebox stove
Tried dropping a Trangia burner in the burn chamber of the biolite? I have! Worked great. Solid fuel like hexamine tablets seems to work nice too. Not that biolite would suggest this of course. 🙂👍
I'm curious if you've tried the new titanium LoFi stove? If so, would love to know your thoughts!
Great vid doc. I think you should do a diy wood burning stove. I know you’ve done diy spirit burners in the past. That’d be fun to see a wood one.
Enjoyed your top 5 video. I wish the BioLite camp stove accepted a Trangia spirit burner in it.
I cut a piece of wood to sit in the bottom of my Biolite for the proper height and then dropped my Trangia into it…fit really well.
could you do a review for stoves at a bike tour.. like warming a tea, coffee or jut a qiuck ramen or so.
Maybe stoves the size of esbit and extreme Light cups
So glad you are back, otherwise all I had to do was make fun of the crypto bots on youtube:)
Ohuhu stove is great for you’re Bowling for Soup.
I paid $19.85 for mine.
A wood gasifier is the best option imo cause is more energy efficient and produces less smoke
I bought a wood gasification stove about 7 years ago, but where I live there is no hard wood and I live at an elevation of about 6200 feet. I did it the jets to work for a bit, but didn't last long. So for me, its a no go.I have since purchased the Redcamp twig stove. Its okay.
Doc, I've heard you say you're a sleep medicine doc. Have you ever thought about doing a video on camping with a CPAP? Battery options, how to minimize the power usage, etc. I want to camp more, but I really don't like trying to sleep without my CPAP. What's your advice?
Have you ever seen or done a review for the Swiss made picogrill? I'd love to see your review of them. They sound ultralight and easy setup.
thanks for this video. Did you try the Picogrill 85 and 239. For me the 239 is really fantastic
What is the fire starting medium you use? Fun flicks!
Always enjoy your videos and have three of the five. Have to be honest and say I am FIREBOX heavy in my collection. I have watched most all of your videos but interested on your take on Coffey Spits Rotisserie thingys if you have used. Want to learn more about use. Guess I should have looked before posting this ;)
ADMONISH me all. Just found. Accept all comments as penance. LOL
would like some video on how to keep my electric stuff charge while backpacking tx.
Anyone looking into BioLite stoves needs to also look into Wawhiker’s channel! He’s turned his into a capable pellet-burning tent unit with stovepipe!
I don’t know about any of these wood stoves, but as a beginner, I would beeline toward the Ohuhu budget stove first. Do you have any DIY wood stoves?
I have the 1st two stoves you showcased. Until you showed using pellets in the clapping stove I was unhappy that there was no to feed more fuel.
I totally agree! Firebox is the way to go. I see it more as an investment than an expense 😊 it’s such a great tool to have for cooking and as a heat source. They are very tough ! I love my Nano as well! I mainly use it for backpacking and traveling. I also own a Biolite which is a very good stove (amazing battery) I unfortunately don’t use it that much anymore because of the noisy fan and weight. Thank you! 👍
Can you pls let me know what are those fire staring long cotton-looking cones you pull apart and use tp start the fire in all these stoves? looks very convenient!
How about a budget ultralight list of you haven't already done one, will be checking in a minute. Options other than the brs would be great (absolutely everyone's done a video on it). Please include a high performance/output stove.
Hey Ernie, I thought your categories were on point and your top pick was spot on as well. Though I love the Bush buddy, or dare I say the Solo stove copycat, It's a bulky item that battles with the backpack for real estate. Having a stove that folds flat is the way to go. Great video!
Solo Stove is a copy of the Bush Buddy…I may have misinterpreted your comment?
@@tracyprouty4491 that's what I already said in my original comment.
We can't use these for summer backpacking in California. The best I can do is put my Trangia in my small Tomshoe Titanium. Winter is just around the corner. Then we'll be cooking with twigs.
Does the Buddy Mini burn cleaner than the others.
I am assuming so as it has the air heating aspect to provide a secondary burn, but curious if that was the case.