Biolite, are they worth it?

[almac]

I have little use for electronics in the field so I would rarely use it.
IMO if you carry electronics, just take spare batteries with you. I take 1 extra set for my GPS, camera, and Flashlight.
if you use a tablet or something, I'd just invest in a battery bank. if its' that important.
my BB playbook lasts 10 hours on a full charge, but I never take it to the bush.

my 2c.

 

[BigMonster]

@tenderfoot:
Just like all those solar charges, you are really supporting your device from internal battery charged at home. Solar panel that actually work have impracticall size.
That is why I carry external battery for my phone.
The idea of biolite is very good and I support any innovation in a new direction. I simply don't think it's good enough yet to be practicall. Although I would love this thing on a deserted island.

 

[ozzy1977]

Personally I wouldn't have one, but I reckon if you crossed a frontier stove with the magic bits off a biolite you would be on to a winner

 

[Wetneck]

I have, ever since I saw these come out, being trying to find the Indian alternative.

In India I have seen many times small fires powering phone chargers and other electronics at the side of the road, usually with a little black box inbetween but have never been able to source one of the little beggars.
I figure it's got to be cheaper than the biolite. But if I can't I'll eventually cave in and get one no doubt.

 

[ozzy1977]

Biolite also make one for third world countries, where they ned to charge their iPhones, I don't think that they are available in the UK.

 

[General Strike]

I got a Biolite for Christmas after lusting after one for some time. As we had more to cook on Christmas Day than possible on the hob, I took the opportunity to try my new toy out. I was impressed by the speed with which I got a boil using sticks and birch bark.

I was also impressed by the rate of charge that my phone managed which was similar to that possible through a socket (perhaps USB being the limiting factor in the latter case).

I found that as the burn chamber is quite small, the dryness of the wood is quite critical - above a certain moisture content the water vapour prevents the secondary ignition (wood gasification?) at the top of the chamber which seems to be what provides a lot of the heat and the smoke reduction. However as the outside of the burn chamber gets quite hot, I think good wood drying discipline would be a beneficial habit and neatly solve this problem - that is, collecting a couple of short sticks for tomorrow, today. I also reckon that getting used to setting a fire within the confines of the chamber will also help. It's a bit weird if you're used to open fires or using a brazier.

All of the individual elements of the Biolite are not particularly innovative - the thermopile is used for fans for wood-burning stoves to circulate heat, the use of a fan to get a hotter burn isn't unprecedented, rocket stove construction for efficiency and emissions reduction has been explored a great deal. However, the cleverness of the Biolite is in combining these elements to get good heat production, low smoke and reduced fuel consumption without needing an additional power source. The ability to charge devices a bit is a plus - not ultra-compelling but certainly with applications - for instance, I don't think it would be that useful for maintaining a smartphone that was on constantly, or a gps unit, Garmin etc, but to keep a phone charged in case of emergencies, topping up head-torches, keeping radios or mp3 players going, it'd be great. It also occurs to me that I can store a much bigger encyclopaedia offline on my smartphone than I can carry on a backwoods trek - so for keeping useful information to hand, it could be very useful!

 

[OffshoreUK]

I got a Biolite for Christmas after lusting after one for some time. As we had more to cook on Christmas Day than possible on the hob, I took the opportunity to try my new toy out. I was impressed by the speed with which I got a boil using sticks and birch bark.

I was also impressed by the rate of charge that my phone managed which was similar to that possible through a socket (perhaps USB being the limiting factor in the latter case).

I found that as the burn chamber is quite small, the dryness of the wood is quite critical - above a certain moisture content the water vapour prevents the secondary ignition (wood gasification?) at the top of the chamber which seems to be what provides a lot of the heat and the smoke reduction. However as the outside of the burn chamber gets quite hot, I think good wood drying discipline would be a beneficial habit and neatly solve this problem - that is, collecting a couple of short sticks for tomorrow, today. I also reckon that getting used to setting a fire within the confines of the chamber will also help. It's a bit weird if you're used to open fires or using a brazier.

All of the individual elements of the Biolite are not particularly innovative - the thermopile is used for fans for wood-burning stoves to circulate heat, the use of a fan to get a hotter burn isn't unprecedented, rocket stove construction for efficiency and emissions reduction has been explored a great deal. However, the cleverness of the Biolite is in combining these elements to get good heat production, low smoke and reduced fuel consumption without needing an additional power source. The ability to charge devices a bit is a plus - not ultra-compelling but certainly with applications - for instance, I don't think it would be that useful for maintaining a smartphone that was on constantly, or a gps unit, Garmin etc, but to keep a phone charged in case of emergencies, topping up head-torches, keeping radios or mp3 players going, it'd be great. It also occurs to me that I can store a much bigger encyclopaedia offline on my smartphone than I can carry on a backwoods trek - so for keeping useful information to hand, it could be very useful!

Do have a go on the cat litter! Works a treat....

 

[General Strike]

Do have a go on the cat litter! Works a treat....

LOL, I'll have to try that - although the phrase 'Do have a go on the cat litter' is slightly offputting!

I imagine getting a good hot bed of them would also aid in drying scavenged fuel - although if a mug lasts an hour, I guess that additional fuel probably isn't necessary! Now I just need to find a source of wild cat litter!

 

[OffshoreUK]

LOL, I'll have to try that - although the phrase 'Do have a go on the cat litter' is slightly offputting!

I imagine getting a good hot bed of them would also aid in drying scavenged fuel - although if a mug lasts an hour, I guess that additional fuel probably isn't necessary! Now I just need to find a source of wild cat litter!

LOL re-read that http://www.gjwtitmuss.co.uk/canac-fussy-puss-cat-litter/pid20640/cid2016/canac-fussy-puss-cat-litter-30-litre.asp?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=pricecomp&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=CIyc0bKs4LsCFTHLtAodikoAzw Is the stuff I've used...