Folding or Wood gas stoves? Preference??

[andywragg]

Hi there,

I already have a number of (canister) gas and alcohol stoves in my kit bag so to speak. I also have a small folding wood stove (the Lidaxa measuring 80*90mm ish) in my solo day carry brew/cooking/hydration kit that I can also use in conjunction with a meths burner or solid fuel/hexy.

I'm wanting to get a somewhat larger stove as an alternative to my gas burners for when I'm static camping in wooded areas or out with my son where I need to cook in larger quantities.

For me there seems to be 2 ways to go here, either a larger folding wood stove or a wood gas burner. I realise you get a more efficient burn from a wood gas burner but I don't fancy the faff of taking off the pot to add fuel, they are also bulkier than a fold flat system.

So what are your experiences of both systems? If you have both which do you prefer.

 

[KenThis]

I have both but have only used my solo stove and wild woodgas mkii in anger so to speak.

I really like the woodgas stoves because of their efficiency, they leave very little trace and when used right, hardly any soot at all.
I've found you have to spend more time preparing the woodgas stove by initially making sure the biomass is as small as possible etc. and relearn how to build the fire. (fill it with pieces of tiny twigs and then light the top). Once it's going I don't find it a faff keeping it going in fact I find if I prepared the fuel properly first it doesn't often need topping off so to speak. Once it is going adding larger stuff is fine as it gassifies it almost as soon as you add it. Also once it is going it is a nice constant flame to cook on.

I have played with my folding firebox in the garden and like it a lot, it is much closer to having a little real fire. it is much easier to prepare fuel and light and I can see it would be easier to keep loading. but I think for cooking on, it would be messier sootwise and a not as constant flame (could be a bonus depending on what you cook). Also although my firebox folds down flat which is great it feels a lot heavier than say the solo stove (much bulkier) though they are comparable sizewise.

There are pros and cons to both systems and no obvious right answer, it will also depend on foods likely to be cooked, but I don't think you would be dissapointed with either option.

BTW for static family camping where I'm mostly rehydrating stuff or using a lot of boiling water I really like my Kelly Kettle, it's a bit of a faff to get to camp (I wouldn't attempt to take it backpacking) but once at camp it is a brilliant bit of kit for boiling water and reheating/rehydrating food. Nothing better for boiling water in my opinion so washing cleaning etc is a doddle (even used to soak my feet). there's also a little hobo stove attachment so you can still cook on it once the kettle has boiled.

hope this helps

 

[Paulm]

Similar thoughts to both you guys really, I have a wood gas stove and more recently a folding firebox. I keep the wood gas stove and use it occasionally just for fun and to justify keeping it, but it's fussy and not entirely practical in use. The firebox is the one I generally take out with me, or play with in the garden ! It's way too heavy, but it's simple, robust and entirely practical in use, if only it was half the weight and half the price !

 

[woodstock]

The Bush Buddy is probably one of the better ones but they come at a price, I believe there are many clones available now so they may be cheaper. this is the one I had for many years http://bushbuddy.ca/indexs.html

 

[Herbalist1]

For static camping in a wooded area, how about a rocket stove. Very efficient, big enough to do whatever cooking you require - will even take a Dutch oven with ease, easy to light. I've got a G3300, not sure if you can still get them now but envirofit do different models. Love mine!

 

[woof]

Not used a wood gas stove, but have made a fair few folding wood burners, as well as buying a couple of them. My thoughts are that most folding one's for carrying with you, not car camping, are too small, i have found that you need a 6" square fire box, to allow proper cooking/boiling of water etc without having to constantly feed the fire.
The last one i made is to me probably the ultimate stove, but i have been able to use & steal the idea's from my previous stoves & commercial one's to get it to that point.
Sadly it only remains as a prototype, as i currently lack workshop facilities so can't make any more.

Rob

 

[andywragg]

Thanks for the answers guys. Procurement is now on hold as I've run out of funds I can spend on any more gear, having kitted myself out with the sleep system earlier this month.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

I still love my honey stove. Yeah can be fiddly to assemble but works well with both wood fuel and meth burner. I also have one of the wilderness edge fire boxes, heavy yes but easy to feed and can hold six bbq briquettes which generate some serious heat.

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[MaddogMatt]

Andy, do not be tempted to get a cheapo Chinese fire box, I got one for a tenner off fleabay, delivered sealed but without the front panel (with the hole to feed/oxygenate the fire), I complained about it and they couldn't send me the part. I got a full refund so got modding. I used some stainless steel wire to tie the panels together but when hot it distorts causing the Base to drop out! Plan B...

I also have a small fire box of the same design, works well but not big enough so needs constant fuelling for boiling water. Inherently less stable but should work for a mug/crusader/small pan.

I can't add a photo but they are the laser cut type that slot together and use tent pegs as pot supports.

I also bought a cheapo Chinese wood gas stove from fleabay... and it's superb! A tenner delivered, I used it in the garden when seasoning an old wok that had got a bit rusty to keep the house smoke free, then refuelled it to cook some chicken thighs. I would guess it keeps going for about 15 mins which is perfect. It does take a bit to light but it burns much cleaner, and very little smoke. My only criticism is that the pot supports are slightly too wide for a pathfinder mug to be stable. It is an absolute perfect fit inside a 14cm zebra so that is my kit for larger meals.

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[MaddogMatt]

It seems I can post photos, sideways... and the top pic is the zebra atop the wood gas stove. The fire box at the bottom is the small 80mm inside.

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[TarHeelBrit]

Folding or wood gas, hmm hard one. I've got both and use both. The wood gas can be a royal pain until you get the hang of it but once you do I like it because of little to no smoke and it burns everything down to nothing. The Folding Firebox is more forgiving to get going and in my opinion is a better stove, built like a tank and has a range of optional accessories. The wood gas is my wife's favourite for cool autumn nights on the patio, chucks out a bucket load of heat and no smoke. She calls it her S'mores making machine. The Firebox on the left with the optional extended grill with burgers for lunch and the wood gas after unboxing

 

[andywragg]

OK folks - I went with one of the larger Lixada folding stoves as follows;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B012NHG1CS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Actually I got 2 as mini-me needed one for this weekend as well. Had a test burn on the patio 2 nights ago. Easy to light and very good heat using some birch I had in the garage.

 

[pixelseventy2]

OK folks - I went with one of the larger Lixada folding stoves as follows;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B012NHG1CS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Actually I got 2 as mini-me needed one for this weekend as well. Had a test burn on the patio 2 nights ago. Easy to light and very good heat using some birch I had in the garage.

I've got one of those too. Only thing I don't like are the pieces to make the pot stand; makes it much harder to add fuel. For my small billy that won't sit on top I tend to just suspend it, the same as for an open fire.

 

[Tonyuk]

I really like my cheap woodgas stove from amazon, it was less than £15 with next day delivery. I fuel it with wooden cat litter pellets which gives it a long burn time. It puts out a lot of heat which makes it perfect for having a full fry up on a proper pan and a brew in the morning, or cooking rice etc.. I've had 30 mins from one load of the wood pellets, and bags of 15KG or them can be had from the likes of B&M for very cheap. It can also burn twigs if you dont want to carry the fuel with you.

Edit,

Another quick tip for these stoves; The cheaper ones come with a small circular bit of steel for burning solid fuel etc.. They're a bit rubbish for that but they're the perfect size for a lid for the tatonka folding handle mugs.

Tonyuk

 

[satosato]

I had the Honey Stove until I got the Folding Furebox. The Firebox is so versatile and the ease of use out weighted the weights. Even my better half can start a fire by herself using the Firebox. I have not tried the Wood gas.

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

The beauty of the folding stoves is that they take up very little room, so I usually bring one even if I've no specific plans to use it. In the side pocket of my Sabre 45 I have a hive and a folding windscreen. If I don't use them, they're not in the way or taking up much room. And they weight's not much.

Woodgas is nice to use because it burns so clean. You don't end up with all your clothes smelling smokey. It's not terrifically bulky, but still, I never bring it on spec. And I have to know that there's the right kind of fuel where I'm going.

The firebox is great, but it has a big weight disadvantage.

 

[Actaeon]

Morning all, I recentley got one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DZT5E9Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

as a first bushcraft cooking set up - I got the one with the optional grill as it's the same price either way - and I've paired it with this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000FBSZGK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It all nests really well together and the stove bag protects the inside of the pot.

II've had 30 mins from one load of the wood pellets,

Tonyuk

This sounds like a great idea Tonyuk I'll have to give it a go.

 

[Andy BB]

Concur with the pellets in a wood-gas stove, and its a doddle to light (either a bit of meths on the top, or some birch bark etc). I have both the genuine and clone, and both work fine for about a 40 minute burn. Watching the flame pattern on the secondary burn is almost hypnotic! I also love my Emberlit stoves (both SS and Titanium versions). Incredibly small pack size, yet both capable of supporting a cast iron dutch oven. Large side opening means you can feed in long lengths of wood during cooking, and temperature can be easily controlled by size and amount of wood fed in this way (something that is much less easy to do with the gasifiers).

I've had a couple of comments about the Emberlits, saying you have to clip the sides together, and the hinged stoves are therefore much better. True, if the extra 10 seconds it takes to construct are a deal-breaker!

Of course, there is an alternative - with the Swiss Army Trangia (SAT) kit, you can use the windshield as a wood-stove. Think of the two pots, alcohol bottle and Army trangia burner as free accessories

 

[KenThis]

Another +1 for cat litter pellets. Just make sure they are 100% wood pellets with no nasty glue etc. They are basically the same as wood pellets used in gravity fed boilers.
Or for the horsey types the wood pellets used as bedding...

As said a wood gasifier stove full will give you a really good 40-50 mins of cook time and they weigh next to nothing.
They're really handy when you don't want to spend the time processing down twigs etc.
I've even tried them in my firebox and they work really well, though I much prefer using the firebox as a small self contained campfire, and feed it with small sticks.

 

[satosato]

I had the Emberlit SS just and sold it to fund the Folding Firebox, never had the chance to use it. Now i am thinking of getting another one and see how it compares to Firebox, I can see the advantage of just slipping it in your cargo pocket and have it with you all the time. I too don't mind bringing the Firebox every time, I can put my Trangia gas and meth burner in there if I can find other material to burn, or bring my own barbecue briquet.