Biolite Campstove 2+ Review: The Best Wood Burning Backpacking Stove

[@xanthinezantheen4052]

Great review! I've been using mine for solo winter backpacking trips for ten years and I love it. Never have to worry about fuel, have an easy way to get coals ready to stoke a fire, gives me something to do, easier on environment (look up what happens to most fuel canisters), supports a good cause, don't have to carry battery packs that lose power with cold, noise is less annoying to me than most white gas stoves. I've also cooked huge meals for many people with this stove. In the right situation, it makes a ton of sense for backpacking. (ie: no resupply long trips, especially winter)

[@TheKirkneal]

Without question…The most informative, real-world instructive review of the Biolite stove. Watch it. Outstanding review.

[@jessejames7074]

really!? I thought it was one of the worst. From the begining using grill lighter, overloading with thick wood, then putting starter on top. In the middle he has then fan going to much and couldnt even get a boil time because his fuel ran out. To the end where doesnt even go over the main feature of the device!. Its the charging cababilities. He glanced over it and showed the world he cant start a proper fire. Would like to know charge times, voltage, and capacity. A absolute mess of a review?

[@entox.]

@@jessejames7074 That was not overloaded at all lmao.

[@williamk1452]

​@@jessejames7074 the thing is a pain in the a$$!! I cook on this daily,20 mins to boil water, if you can keep it going!!

[@aaronfuentes5919]

​@@williamk1452 i stack short thick branches or cut split blocks packed vertically, somewhat tight, & light a fire on top for a top down burn. last about a half hour. empty the coals, repack & put the coals back on top about every twenty mins or so. I get about a three minute boil time.

[@jessejames7074]

@@williamk1452 well maybe I'm wrong then

[@CandC_Farms]

I got the complete kit with the grill and took it out for winter camping. Took me about 6 minutes to boil 6 cups with one refueling (lodgepole pine). My fan is quieter than this unit. The kettle allows you to nest the stove inside it. Comes with a small plastic bowl and a strainer. Great hand warmer while it is burning. I ended up cooking on the tent stove inside since it was snowing and the wind picked up (Wyoming, about 7500’ elevation) but it’s nice to have the option and looks sturdy enough. A little heavy for backpacking, but for shorter distances or tent camping out of the vehicle it gets an A+.

[@utubemouse]

Helpful note. Thx

[@zinknot]

Yes unfortunately it's a bit too much for backpacking. I'm tempted to take it anyway for the PCT because it will be nice to easily keep my phone and batteries charged. Plus not needing gas canisters is a big plus.

[@Archie-td6ox]

I bought the Biolite 1 in 2015 and took it on my walk from Konstanc GE to Nice FR for 2 months. I thought it was a really great stove. Heavy, yes, but fuel is everywhere, and when you get the hang of the unit, it doesn't take long to cook a pot of rice or boil up a cup of coffee. This year I may try out this newer version

[@Tommyboy0670]

Great review! As a bike packer, I actually bought 2 of these, one for myself and one for my daughter and son-in-law based on your review. Thank you for a stellar review! Well done brother!

[@valeriemartin6936]

be good for when there's no gas or power blackouts

[@Susan-L193]

I was given one that I will take on a road trip as backup. Great review, thanks. I suspect the smokeyness is because you are burning pine not hardwood but we use what we have as long as it's dry and not green. Can't wait to test mine out.thanks again

[@nathanmciver6496]

I think you just made my evening!!!! I have seen a few video with pellet burning stove made out of paint pails showing you don't need a fan to power the fire! I was very dissapointed as the peletes made an aweful smell and really didn't burn! So now I can buy this stove, attach a fan to salvage the other project or accomplish both! Makes sence that might work well with pellets because of the fan speed and small space and tornado affect with the jets

[@michaelfurman170]

I bought the stoove when it came out so I guess that version 1.0. That's why i can to watch your video. I appreciate you making it and it would be much easier to watch if the camera were held steady.

[@Pozrfb]

thanks for the review. very helpful. but i'm missing one thing: how long it would take to charge an iphone.

[@staceymarie7461]

Shouldn't take too long. The battery lasts a long time on the bio lite.

[@AB-sr3yv]

I did buy the nr 1 and i can tell you it was the worst buy. It is Heavy and charging takes 1h to get 5% in iphone 4. I soild my to a poor guy lol

[@AB-sr3yv]

But you can start a fire very fast bc of the fan snd the look is great like space shuttle

[@danielsaffady]

Depends on what iPhone you've got 😁Another review charged using the previous model 2 and it supplied about 1 ampere of current, that's 5 watts even though the advertisement on the box only promises 3 watts. Many modern phones have about 4000mAh of battery, and in theory that's 4 hours to charge it.

[@EckieOutdoor]

Good review, I tested the Biolite myself today an my final judgement is: It is still too heavy to take along on a long hiking trip, especially with the additional grill setup. I need little weight, this is just too much.

[@UrDoinItWrong]

Very good, accurate video. I have one and agree with your review! Lots of videos of this stove show it not being used properly (starting the fire without filling chamber for example) .

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

Thanks for the nice words. We work really hard to make these reviews the best they can be.

[@tomsullivan9]

I camped in the BWCA this summer - it was crappy wet weather most of the trip which made it really tough to have an actual fire in the designated fire grate. Thankfully we had a Biolite with us and we were able to have a small fire in the biolite under our tarp we tied up. This thing is super clutch. I recommend the canister to boil water as well.

[@505fastlife6]

You must be the ceo at biolite.

[@tomsullivan9]

@@505fastlife6 ligma

[@Aethelhadas]

@@tomsullivan9 lol i didnt know the ligma thing expands more than just zoomer territory too

[@baznhel]

best review i've seen so far, well done for putting some time and effort into this. How loud is that fan though !!!

[@davidlaw233]

Well I've used the stove and I'm satisfied with the way it works but the three-legged stand is a bit dodgy and can be tipped over. It needs a more stable stand

[@robcordes4162]

Good review. You mention you are at 8,00 feet. Have you tried it closer to sea level and if so was there a significant difference in how fast the fire became smokeless?

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

Good point. We haven't, but we'll keep this in mind when we review other stoves at sea level to see what happens.

[@H2O-Sea-Kayaking]

Could be great for sea kayaking or canoeing expeditions where a bit of extra weight isn't a problem.

[@InVinoVeritas.]

Good review. Any concern for flames possibly melting top of battery?

[@eyeintheskyakagod]

Biolite give a warning to keep battery module upwind when using

[@InVinoVeritas.]

@@eyeintheskyakagod 🥺

[@zinknot]

My experience was that it generates plenty of electricity. Not sure why some people are saying it barely charges their phone.

[@stitch-xx2oo]

Can you use pellets as fuel for the fire? Thanks!

[@dvijkovii]

Hello Friend. Does this oven have a type-c or micro usb charging port?

[@flipletape9706]

No, USB-A. It's basically useless though.

[@Bykrgirlpink]

I want one BUT the fan noise will drive me nuts

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

Yep, that's one of the downsides unfortunately

[@tomsullivan9]

Honestly, you get used to the fan. It sucks at first but at the end of the day its not too bad. Just my opinion.

[@mamabear1260]

I'm curious as to how the stove powers the battery pack?

[@mindyourownbastardbu]

A thermocouple

[@johnmoore5293]

Good for canoe/ boat camping also.

[@88WhiteRhino]

How long does it take to charge via burn?

[@xanthinezantheen4052]

I've been using mine (have the first one and the newest) for about ten years, and the newest one takes at least 4 hrs of constant burning to fully charge if using found, damp softwood sticks. But after initial charge, I have never had to charge it by cord again.

[@AB-sr3yv]

I hade nr 1 and its sucks. You get 5% in iphone 4 ih burning lol soild my to a poor guy

[@davidlaw233]

Woodpelletts work fine with

[@SumpitApi]

Did you have over heat issues? How to solves

[@valeriemartin6936]

I wonder what is the life of the battery pack?

[@davidlaw233]

In nz your looking at over $300 plus each

[@ButchCassidyAndSundanceKid]

How do you clean inside, the burn marks ?

[@tomsullivan9]

I just take a wet paper towel and wipe it down periodically. But it is and will always be a fire chamber so there's no need to get it perfectly clean.

[@AB-sr3yv]

You can not clean the black butning marks after use

[@davidlaw233]

I paid $300 in NZ as everything is expensive in NZ

[@davidlaw233]

Good enough for making coffee

[@sedchff123]

Sounds like a vacuum, exactly what you want when camping.

[@nancymorehouse5311]

I think a hardwood fuel would burn with less smoke than the pine you are using. Hardwood, because it burns hotter, produces less smoke. However, in a pinch, the pine did okay.

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

Uhmm good point. Will try hardwood fuel and see what happens. Thanks for the tip!

[@mattlawton4715]

Charcoal is good in these

[@tomaszkus3652]

Hi Any ideas if it can be used inside my nissan pathfinder at cold nights ? Is there anything alse that can be used to keep me worm at nights ?some kind of latarn with tea lights or other long life , not smoke candles. Cheers

[@pedroclaro7822]

You can use the water bladder technique, that's probably the most viable choice. Also there are these tent warmer heat exchangers that you can even use with a gas stove. It heats up to red hot and by that point you can put it inside a pot set and get it inside of your vehicle. Not much but it's something.

[@utubemouse]

Electric blanket on small power station that contains safety fuse? Any flame will use up your oxygen. Be careful!!

[@robertclark9]

For that kind of money, it better have my breakfast waiting when I wake up. 😂

[@davidlaw233]

I have noticed the fan wont start untill it heats up

[@CanoeInstruction-sx9lw]

Can you use this stove when there is a fire ban? We often have fire bans in Colorado.

[@roberttonner354]

I think most people watched this video to find out how well it can charge a phone, what is the MAH capacity of the battery pack, and just what electrical needs it can handle if you were cut off from electricity

[@AntonisChatzithomas]

What happens in case of rain? can it work to make food? Because camping and mountain = rain

[@imfromthegovandimheretohelp]

How would you cook in general in rain? Eat before it rains or you keep under a tarp with airflow

[@Язепс]

Word to the wise Taking aspen to burn to white ash and mixing said ash put the aspen which contains sodium hydroxide which is acidic enough to clean when mixed with 1 parts water to 3 parts ash to create a soap that will strip soot And use water to wash off burn container *Edit* up in Alaska the snow is creeping down the mountian and the winds in the Matanuska valley they are around 50 to 70 miles an hour No need for the fan We do have pine here hardly any hard woods if any in Alaska So fat wood. (Wood found at the base of the tree's trunk when a pine is known to hold much sap so chipingsmall chunks for the fire starting makes simple with only a few chunks no need to truely harm the trunk to have enough to ensure a fire will catch even in the extreme wind condition Yet black spruce (pine) is everywhere here This device is the best option for a small / incognito camp at Alaska keeping the garmin in reach and the starlink charged constantly is a must when out here in rual / remote area love this peice of kit

[@barrybell7764]

I think the big selling point is the charging capabilities.

[@RickMidds]

2lbs. Is heavy for a stove used for hiking. It would be fine if you are car camping. But to each, their own.

[@annabanna666]

yea buts its more like a stove and a battery bank and a charger for 2lbs

[@KayleBradley]

@@annabanna666 And you don't have to carry fuel.

[@pedroclaro7822]

I prefer a normal wood stove or even a wood gasifier. It's definitely not worth it, with the annoying fan noises. But I only bikepack so a dynamo is an option which isn't available for many others.

[@nathanmciver6496]

I could emagine how nice a planned leight weight camping trip could be! From an engineering point of view, I could understand that if they went with less weight, it might have made the quality not as effective for longevity as it is a mini woodstove! This all makes sence this way or that!

[@nathanmciver6496]

Yeah, that is what I thought! A nice alternative back up with firewood eveywhere

[@stevenjohnson2714]

Too bad after the warranty if your battery dies you are out of luck and basically have to throw it away.

[@nowayout8773]

The fans are annoying and more annoying than the msr whisperlite. I sold my msr and use a trangia and love it. It's the alcohol burning model. Or I would buy a Varga (sp) . I like quiet 🤫.

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

Yep, it is noisy!

[@mafiiiyo6613]

So much review but none been talking about how many charge does it bring to the power bank or simple example is ur own camera..? In house or wood burning 🔥…

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

It 's hard to give you a concrete answer. It really depends on how much wood you're burning, if it's windy or not, etc. Wood burning stoves are a bit different than canister/liquid ones.

[@orpheusalexander_]

@@TheAdventureJunkies but on a full charge any ballpark on how many times you can charge your phone?

[@RichPianasOilPump]

@@orpheusalexander_ the battery is 3200mah. Depending on what phone you have it’s probably 1 full charge

[@AB-sr3yv]

I tell you why they dont talk about the charging bc its sucks. I hade nr 1 and it took 1h havey burning to get 5% on my iPhone 4. The only great things about it is that you can start fire fast and use wet sticks on top of omly one dry sticks. And its looks great like space shuttle

[@c99kfm]

"A really cool thing about this is that it actually puts off heat"...ok, two quibbles: 1. It's a stove. It'd bloody better be putting off heat. 2. It's not a cool thing, it's a hot thing.

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

Fair points :)

[@mulyadimustamin6377]

Great

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

Thank you!

[@genalipscomb3930]

Worst company return policy. Never open box if there is even 5% chance of returning otherwise if anything like paperwork and packing material is missing they refuse to refund u. Don't get me started how heavy the firepit is

[@RichardKristiansson9515]

when you want to boil water, you use a lid😅

[@Timamoun1]

I can't justify $314.95 with tax for a wood stove.

[@TheAdventureJunkies]

Yep, it's a bit pricey...

[@entox.]

It’s $159 CAD on Amazon right now.

[@pedroclaro7822]

@@entox. still insanely expensive. A cool gadget for a niche market. I feel like. No one could afford it outside of the US lol. Maybe Swiss folk, but they have better wood stoves anyway XD

[@pedroclaro7822]

It's actually at 99$ on REI, a much fairer price. But they're done for anyway. They botched the launch when people actually had interest with a very disappointing product, and i feel like no one even cares about it anymore to even look at the new specs. A wood gasifier makes for a smokeless fire as well, and some at 20$. Plus you can control temperature by closing some air inlets and restricting airflow with those.

[@entox.]

@@pedroclaro7822 Lol ‘done for’, no. Biofuel/Biolite is doing incredibly well in the actual intended countries which is where people do the majority of cooking over wood fires. The fact that the western world picked this item up as a camping/bushcraft gadget is purely by chance.

[@martinerhard8447]

The charging is very very bad. It barely produces mores than what it needs to run the fan. Forget about using it for phone charging

[@martinerhard8447]

This is NOT a backpacking stove at that weight

[@tartanpimpernel6358]

This thing is AWFUL. Wife got one, cuz it's "cute", and it's the bane of my life when we're out.... Hard to feed. Fan assist switches itself off and fire dies. Doesn't take larger pieces of fuel. A nightmare to start and maintain... DO NOT BUY (The biolite kettle is alright if massive)

[@TheAcidheat]

3200mah u cant charge any new phone fully so as power bank it is almost useless

[@BigFrench-thinpancake]

I was hoping you were gonna use pine