TWIG STOVES: Practical or Novelty?

[@aaizner847]

I don't have a spare 25 mins to wait for an answer I already have. Twig stoves are completely practical. I've been using them for about 5 years now, and love them. A bunch of my friends, having seen me use them on rafting, camping, and hunting trips, have also bought them. Not only are they great for cooking food in pots and on pans, but if you can find or make a little grill to slap on top of them, you can grill thin slices of meat like carne asada. Unless you're going to the desert or some other place where you can't gather twigs, definitely get one (or two); you won't be sorry.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Agreed. I'm loving mine for canoeing and sea kayaking trips.

[@wdvest8333]

Thank you

[@davfree9732]

I made a rocket stove out of tins and was pleasantly surprised by how good they are. I generate quite a bit of wood from falling twigs and branches, so a way to turn them into a useful fuel to cook would be great. Also the ashes will do my gardens beds some good.

[@LivingroomTV-me9oz]

“Unless you’re going to the desert…”. Well, I’d say you need it MORE in the desert: with wood being harder to come by, the twig stove makes more efficient use of what little wood you DO find, versus just burning the odd twig in an open camp fire.

[@aaizner847]

@@LivingroomTV-me9oz you don't have one, do you..?

[@sitdwnandhngon]

These stoves work much better with a pretty tight initial load and a top down ignition. Doing it that way you should have enough fuel to boil two cups without having to constantly feed it.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Thanks for the tip.

[@OoavastoO]

They also work much better if you're not continually removing the pot and/or lid lol

[@stanlindert6332]

I’m with you. I always put a few thin dry sticks on the top ,and I drip candle wax on a bit of paper for a wick under that. The bottom is a couple of hands of pellets. Middle is chopped up mill ends.. these things are not for my survival or anything.. it’s for my enjoyment.

[@AchileDeji]

You can cook a small meal for two campers.

[@leonschmidt7]

I agree, look up stratified downdraft gasifier. The holes in the bottom of the burn chamber aren’t to let primary air up to the fire. They are to let partially combusted gases to get sucked down and then mix with secondary are going up the sides.

[@TheDlauber1]

these will always be used. I am 78 years old and I used stoves made from cans when I was cub scout and still make my own

[@pedroclaro7822]

Ah an experienced fella! Any thing better than the IKEA utensil drainer stove?

[@Fred-zc8lt]

Thank you to Powell and every Akela that gave their time and experience to little eight year old boys in the cub scouts. I too learned to make a coffee can stove as A child and grew my bush craft knowledge from those years

[@MrMann703]

I always tell my son to think about the “what if’s”, that’s where this stove has another advantage, if on a trip and something happens that keeps you in the bush longer than expected you won’t run out of fuel

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Yep. This stove could keep you going pretty much indefinitely.

[@grahambyrne8714]

matchies or lighter mmmmmmmmm

[@MrMann703]

@@grahambyrne8714 flint and steel, Ferro rod or bow drill hmmmm

[@OoavastoO]

I'm personally not a fan of the JetBoil system or any other stove that requires the 1 use, disposable fuel canisters for a number of reasons. 1. Extra weight and pack space needed to carry canisters, (you'll need multiple for extended hikes/camps); 2. After depleting the fuel, you now have to pack the empty canisters back out again and dispose of them properly, (which again, takes up space in your pack, albeit you CAN crush them down to take up less room but that runs the risk of a puncture, potentially causing a spill of residual fuel), and; 3. IMO, they just create unnecessary waste. As far as I know they can't be refilled or recycled, (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), which I think most of us would agree, is just not a desirable outcome. They are, no doubt, extremely convenient but like most things made for convenience, that doesn't necessarily mean it's better. Again, just my opinion.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Hi BigRed BikeRider. I agree that the canisters are not ideal from re-usability point-of-view. But they are recyclable. I use the Jetboil Crunchit tool (bit.ly/309vMOh) to puncture visible holes in my empty canisters and then put them into my mixed-materials recycling bin for bi-weekly curb-side pickup. It is important that the holes be visible or the recycling center may worry whether the canister is empty or not. Visible holes make it clear that there is no safety hazard for them to process the canister. I make lots of holes around all sides of the canister so that they are easily noticed from any angle. Still, using white gas in re-usable fuel bottles would be even better from material usage point-of-view.

[@MrDanAng1]

You can buy valves to refill the canisters, but this is only so you can re-use a small canister. If you buy a 100 g canister, you can refill it 5 times from a 450 g canister, thus saving several small containers in favour for one big. Although, of course, this only work for shorter trips, for prolonged trips you still have to carry the big canisters! There is a special tool you can screw on the top of empty canisters to punch a series of holes around the top side of the canister, then you can recycle it as metal. But as mentioned, the holes must be visible so there is no doubt they can't be pressurized. And when puncturing them, there is always some left over gas, so don't do it indoors!

[@OoavastoO]

@@MrDanAng1 Thanks Daniel. I didn't realize you can refill the smaller ones or that they were recyclable. I learned something new today! 😁👍

[@MrDanAng1]

@@OoavastoO Just type "gas canister refill valve" on Amazon, Ebay, AliExpress or similar sites and you'll find them. There is some with a handle so you can stop the gas flow between the canisters before removing the valve again, I recommend those, those without will always spill some gas, best case scenario, worst case scenario, you can lose all gas in one of the canisters!

[@assistantscoutmastercole9903]

Always a good idea to carry solid fuel tablets to mitigate situations where wood is too wet or if there is a fire ban

[@standunitedorfall1863]

There are some videos using wood pellets, and they work very well. A cotton ball with vaseline is an easy starter.

[@crazysquirrel9425]

Fire straws

[@MrRocque]

wood is never 'too wet' if you know a few things: wood is rarely wet on the inside if split (don't need to use twigs all the time), don't use floor litter or even horz. branches, vertical doesn't allow water to 'sit' and soak in, collect branches from under cover. Better yet, cut down standing dead wood and split it into small enough pieces (and use the stove properly by stacking wood vertically and fill the entire chamber, light from the top and you don't have to keep adding 'wet' fuel)

[@crazysquirrel9425]

@@MrRocque I have found many times that wood can be too wet to use. Ran a wood burning heater for years. What I thought was dry seasoned wood started sizzling out the cut ends when the wood was heated. All my wood came from the local yard waste. Stack the wood vertically like to form a Swedish Candle of sorts?

[@MrRocque]

@@crazysquirrel9425 kind of, yes. The intent of on end stoking is to allow as much fuel as possible. If you've seen the wood pellet vids with these stoves, there's no need for huge air flow up through the fuel. So cramming it with fuel is just more burn time. But it's important not to cover the jets. Can easily have a burn last for half an hour with a decent fuel load, no maintenance. More with hard woods.

[@harrypierce1298]

Also as an almost free fire starter, I use dryer lint or cotton balls saturated with Vaseline. Waterproof if saturated, lights instantly, and a cotton ball lasts about 3 min.

[@JJthename55]

Me too

[@ralphneelands3990]

@@JJthename55me,too, and also those circular make-up remover pads, soaked with Vaseline.

[@stephenanderson2318]

It really comes down to most a personal desire, so that being said, You never know what kind of emergency situation may come up when you least expect it. Not a favorite thing to think about, but any good hiker or backpacker would always prepare for the worst, but aim for the best is my way of thinking. Once fuel runs out you will still have to survive by eating what ever you can find. This is where there becomes no doubt that the twig stove would be the best way to go. Even If you stored some twigs in a freezer bag to keep them dry in an emergency situation you are packing in and out a much lighter load. I like to think out of the box to be safe.

[@GreyRock100]

From the ashes of civilization rises the mighty twig stove.

[@vreese3350]

I'm not a camper, I wanted it for just as you said to be available in emergency situation. I'm not able to store fuel thought you can find twigs just about anywhere. Looking forward to learning to properly use it. Thanks for the video

[@ensignj3242]

That’s why I want a twig stove-severe emergency. I live in AZ desert and can always find twigs. I’m not worried about burn bans in SHTF situations. And besides, someone already mentioned burn bans dont usually include contained fire. But I’m torn between a gasified twig stove and a Kelly kettle. Will a gasified hold up as well in a storm as a K Kettle?

[@WIZ-IN-PA]

Most burn bans refer to open fires (campfires). Twig stove use is a contained fire which is usually permitted during burn bans, at least here in Pennsylvania. Twig stoves do not scar up the landscape like campfires. Most people do not "leave no trace" when it comes to campfires. And most importantly, Twig stove are supposed to be packed tight with twigs vertically, (below the air vent holes) and then lit from the top with a piece of tinder (birch bark, fatwood, etc.). You will find it is most efficient when burned this way.

[@jeschinstad]

Here in Norway, the law is very simple. Between April 15th and September 15th, there are no accidents with fire in the woods, so you can light all the fires you want as long as it's obviously safe, but if you somehow lose control, it's arson. That's fifteen years and full economic responsibility.

[@jeffhodge7333]

You first load the stove with twigs and bark in the upright position, Once the stove is fully loaded, you light it from the top.

[@davidboskett5581]

Best results are obtained if the twigs are laid horizontally Most people dont seem to understand -it is not the actual wood that burns but the gas given off when the wood is heated

[@BosisofSweden]

@@davidboskett5581 That was my thought too. Is it a good idea to cut the sticks into 1/2-1 inch pieces, fill the burn chamber and then light the fire?

[@Funkteon]

This is an absolute wives tale that continues to be told on these wood gasifier stove videos - You ALWAYS light fires from below the fuel source unless it's alcohol. I have this stove and the large Toaks wood stove, and I always light the sticks from below using a BBQ fire lighting cube...

[@Mrandy8895]

Once you learn how to use it correctly it will be far better. Load it. Light it from the top. And DON'T have the fuel above the top holes as you did. This way it will gasify almost immediately. As so produce twice the burn heat.

[@davidvaughn7752]

Exactly!

[@thebarkingmouse]

I just don't use the bottom cup & pack the whole thing from top to bottom & have enough set aside to fill it a second time & start it from the bottom. Then I put my pot full of water on top & set up the tent, prepare the rest of my food. Within 20 minutes I have a liter of water at a rolling boil & a good bed of coals to throw more fuel on if I wish.

[@xenaguy01]

1) 19:22 Gee, so I guess my Boy Scout training was correct. Clear a three foot circle around your camp fire before building it. Fire causes forest fires. 2) Too bad you didn't do a bit of research on how to use the gasifier stove. This is not a hobo stove, it should not be loaded and lit like a hobo stove. You load the burn chamber vertically, packed fairly full, nothing higher than a half inch below the gasification jets. Then you put your tinder on top, and top-light it, so it burns from the top down. Properly loaded and fired, you should not need to tend the fire, as with a hobo stove. And properly loaded and lighted, the gasification takes place sooner, giving a completely smokeless fire after about the first two minutes.

[@xenaguy01]

@ The burning twigs heat up the inner wall, which heats the air between the inner and outer walls. This hot air rises, and exits through the jet holes in the top of the burn chamber. This hot air mixes with the smoke and other gases at the top of the burn chamber. This makes for a nearly smokeless fire. As the heated air rises in the column between the inner and outer walls, fresh cool air enters through the large vent holes in the bottom. Thus, there is a constant stream of fresh air rising as it heats, to mix at the top of the burn chamber. If the vent holes in the bottom of the burn chamber are sized correctly (small), the wood will burn slowly, while giving a lot of smokeless heat because of the secondary burn at the top.

[@xenaguy01]

@ The burning wood gives off smoke and other gasses. They rise with the heat of the fire to the top of the burn chamber. Fresh air comes in through the large holes in the bottom of the outer wall, and rises to exit the double wall at the top. This fresh air mixes with the unburned smoke and makes the fire smokeless.

[@pedroclaro7822]

You can use this with an alcohol stove. Here's what I do: If there's no wood then use the alcohol stove. If wood is wet then prefil the stove and dry it off by placing the alcohol stove on the bottom with just a little fuel. Then just light it from the top with a some kindling as usual. If it's just damp, not wet (light rain) i can usually light it as usual by lighting it from the top with smaller twigs, or split sticks. I've gotten 40 minutes burn out of these nifty little stoves. It packs down nicely ad if you choose your pots well it can nestle inside. While it's cooling down I place some kindling and smaller twigs inside so it gets extremely dry and easy to light next time round.

[@melissahoffman4687]

Yes, you can use an alcohol burner. The wood gas stove will make a great wind screen.

[@tonyperone3242]

I use a hand sanitizer to light the wood. I dab some on a twig light it off and place it in the middle just bellow the top of the twig bundle. Works and no scorched fingers. Wood stoves tend to be seasonal and what is ironic is that the time when they would work best is usually when the fire bans start popping up. It may be a good idea to bring an alcohol stove or ans Esbit in case a fire ban pops up unexpectedly or wet weather happens. Enjoyed.

[@pedroclaro7822]

You can be perfectly safe with these even during fire bans provided you take the right precautions. Camp well off sight and use only dry wood which still some the least. Clear out the area around the stove and have sons disposable water at the ready, or predig some dirt to cover up the fire. This is far safer than most alcohol stoves which aren’t even banned in some cases.

[@joelabella750]

Stoves like this are quite handy portable less than a pound to lug around in your backpack and you virtually have an unlimited supply of fuel as far as your eyes can when you look around. I'm a huge fan of stoves like this preferably the ones that's convertible to multi-fuel use like the Firebox series of woodstoves that also doubles as a alcohol and canister gas fuelled stove.

[@enzowarren9832]

I’ve got a lixada twig stove. It’s not expensive, but it works for me. With my Stanley cook pot I can make noodles, bake bannock, and make hot chocolate. With a tiny grill grate that straps to my haversack I can lay it on top of the stove and grill small steaks and some veggies. I don’t think it’s really “practical” since I only take it out when I’m specifically hiking out to have a nice breakfast or lunch in the woods. On overnighters and multi-day trips I don’t take any stoves, just cold foods that don’t need cooking. That is what seems “practical” to me. I think having a stove while in the woods is almost always a novelty moreso than a practicality.

[@dimitrifortounis4787]

I'm a huge fan of my lixada folding stove too. Really pleasant to use and pretty easy to use well. Think it all boils down to preference or choice though a definite boost getting a nice hot meal after a long day on the trail.

[@enzowarren9832]

dimitri fortounis I agree. Nothing better than comforting food when you’re exhausted and away from home.

[@wanderingcalamity360]

Stoves are good for when fires are not viable for whatever reason. Is hot food really necessary? No. You could subsist entirely on trail mix, but God, would that suck.

[@fbuffy28]

Have used this stove in extreme conditions aka snow storm with mixed results. The foil on the bottom allows the stove to produce more heat and keeps incoming air slightly drier that can drastically effect overall stove performance. Also required is a windscreen as these type of stoves don’t produce the higher heat of the gas or propane stoves making boiling difficult or impossible under cold snowing and windy conditions without one. As mentioned in your video under snow storm conditions it is difficult to obtain dry fuel which also can effect performance. There is little control of how much heat either on or off with little ability to simmer. Lastly these stove no matter how clean the burn will dirty the bottom of your pot and the stove itsellf which makes a mess in your pack when hiking to next place. Like the ability to boil unlimited amounts of water as long as fuel is available but might be inclined to just make a small campfire instead if under cold conditions for heat and morale purposes. Fun to use but with its limitations. Good video.

[@davidvaughn7752]

So, Wipe off your pots and pans before stowing in your pack... sounds rather basic to me. My Boundless Voyage titanium pot and frying pan set comes with a mesh carrying sack which the stove happens to fit in and isolates the soot from the packs contents, but then I always wash my cooking utensils before stowing. So far, I haven't been 'limited' by this great tool and does not prevent the use of a traditional fire.

[@MeetMeOutside]

@@davidvaughn7752 I agree, there really isn’t any limitations with these stoves. There only limited by the lazy or unskilled user.👍

[@TomTapping]

I always carry a Trangia alcohol burner packed inside my Tomshoo wood gas stove and a bottle of meths/alcohol. Then, if dry wood is hard/impossibe to find, the Trangia burner works exceptionally well inside the wood gas stove's burn chamber with the wood fuel basket inverted to raise the height of the Trangia inside the stove. I have a 40 year old Primus backpacking gas burner which is efficient and fairly controllable, but to be honest I prefer the wood stove these days. Teamed with a Trangia burner for use when wood is very wet and hard to light makes my ideal stoves combination. (you can also burn solid fuel tabs in the Tomshoo and just about every other portable wood gas stove.)

[@robertshirley1672]

I agree that if primarily relying on a bio fuel stove, that carrying an alcohol stove and meths should be mandatory. Too many times when fuel may be poor quality/wet, or it may start raining just when you are due to start the burn. Maybe some morning you have to break camp early and don’t have the time to enjoy your biofuel cooking experience. With an alcohol stove setup cooking can be under a tarp or in a tent’s vestibule. Also there is nothing to clean before packing .

[@tombrandt8137]

Once you get used to using this gasifier stove, loaded with some hardwood sticks, and started from the top as designed, it will be way more efficient. Plus, choosing a small wood fire over a gas one is the better choice for out door camping. It doesn't start fires on the ground, just set it on a rock or foil. Great stove; love it.

[@larryblevins3031]

The one thing that is never addressed in these comparison tests is waste, The propane stove canisters are either as trash on the way or end up in a landfill. I will admit that they are far more efficient and convenient. A wood stove leaves nothing but ash,which do you think is the more eco-friendly?

[@byatesperla]

Thank you for your unbiased review. Not to nitpick, but a small correction. You are actually using Common Witch's Hair Lichen (Alectoria sarmentosa) and not a Moss as a fire starter. I also live in the PNW and have been a Forester for the past 50 years, and have used local natural products in the bush for many campfires. Mosses have a higher water content than Lichens, and the Common Witch's Hair Lichen also known as Old Man's Beard dries out as it hangs from mostly conifer trees. Good review overall.

[@asdfjkhasdf]

I have one similar to this. In rainy weather I use it as alcohol stove with a small bowl inside to hold the alcohol. I also sometimes use the alcohol to light it by propping it up on rocks and putting alcohol bowl under it.

[@Sergei_Ivanovich_Mosin]

Don't forget you can get a folding twig stove that pretty much packed down to the side of a birthday card, so there's a lot of space saving there.

[@robertjones6880]

boiled in 7 minutes, good thing it wan't 8 because that would ruin my 3 day camping trip.

[@garywheeler2055]

robert jones 🤣

[@vinnystx]

robert jones 3 day trip then I’m bringing my 27series Trangia

[@doyrayburn2668]

And removing it from the fire 35 times lol.

[@TravisOG64]

😄 Everyone’s in a damn hurry.

[@Fender1031]

Ive used both and often use both. Late Spring - Summer - Fall I usually just bring canister propane pocket rocket knock off that Ive had for years. Late Fall - Winter - Early Spring- I usually bring a fold down steel stove and a small canister propane with the pocket rocket knock off thing. Nothing beats the warmth you can get out of those dinky little wood burning stoves right outside your tent or in your floorless tent or tarp shelter... Its more or less a comfort item at that point but well worth the weight imo.

[@contention100]

Very Practical. Compact, easy to use, and Fuel is everywhere.. I bought one as a survival tool for the Back country. I never thought it may actually come in Handy for an Economic depression.

[@zoltanvonsomogyi7272]

You have no idea how to use a wood gassifier stove. Pack it with wood first, don't cover the gas holes with fuel, put tinder on top and then light it. Also, no soot if you wait for gasses to start burning before cooking. No smoke will be your clue that it's working right. Poorly done comparison, friend.

[@Sagittarius-A-Star]

Thanks.Saved me 24 minutes and 47 seconds of my lifetime.

[@CJ-tx5hg]

Wait- I have this stove and struggle to keep it burning (unless I use bone-dry store bought shims!) So you're saying put the "bigger" twigs on the bottom and the lighter "tinder"/moss etc on TOP of the twigs??? And by 'gas holes" do you mean the holes along the top rim that shoot out the secondary-burn flames?

[@Sagittarius-A-Star]

@@CJ-tx5hg He is right. In this way the smoke is also burnt - like in a rocket stove.

[@zoltanvonsomogyi7272]

@@CJ-tx5hg yes! Don't start the fire from the bottom up. These light from the top down! And yes, don't cover those holes along the top. You will see jets of flame coming out of those holes when it's well lit. Try it!

[@Chaotic_Enigma]

I got my stove a few years ago (and learned the proper way) so coming back to YT tonight I'm surprised some are still using them incorrectly. Oh well lol

[@peetsnort]

I think a copper sleeve that fits over your cooking pot would eliminate the soot problem. An identical pot made of pure copper would also bring the heat up the sides of the cooking container. Then when cooked you just slide out the clean pot and use it as your clean eating plate /pot /pan

[@davidvaughn7752]

They are designed to burn from the top down. You will get better results by vertically stacking thicker wood up to the point of the secondary holes working from the outside of the combustion chamber to the middle. Leave enough room to make a nest of kindling in the middle and you will have great results. My stove - is almost exactly the same as yours - and It takes care of all my cooking needs when in the field since it fits in my pack with little trouble, it is efficient, light (under a pound), and extremely convenient. I mostly heat water but also have a two-piece titanium pot and frying pan set that are just the right size to put the stove in along with a few spices when I strike camp. Fire safety is the same as traditional fire. Yes there are holes in the ash box, yes there are cinders that can fall through... that is a reality if one chooses to use these types of fireboxes. If you don't want to burn your deck down, dont build a fire on it.

[@KLRCoop]

i am not sure about that particular configuration but others similar allow you to nest a small Alcohol stove in the body so you have a dual fuel stove. Some of them also come with a alcohol cup so you dont even need a penny stove.

[@Skully317]

Folding twig stoves make for an excellent back up to your gas stoves, and they're light weight too!

[@ButchCassidyAndSundanceKid]

When you did the weight-in of all 3 types of stoves, you were comparing apple and orange, the Jetboil already has a container you can cook and boil food in whereas with the alcohol and twig stoves, you've to bring other paraphernalia such as frying or sauce pans. By the way, I paid my twig gasifier stove for $11 and I've been using it for over 3 years, never regretted it. For me, it's the best cooking stove in the wild.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Good point. Makes the twig stove solution even heavier. Still, I enjoy the quiet operation of the twig stove for canoeing, kayaking and car camping, where weight isn't an issue.

[@friarrodneyburnap4336]

There is a learning curve with these but once. you put in the time they're wonderful....

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Thanks for commenting.

[@gary7vn]

I can see these being useful on longer trips as a secondary/backup stove. When I wake up I want a coffee. Fast. Nothing will do that better than propane or white gas.

[@gary7vn]

I should add that using one of these makes your pots/pans truly filthy. Gas does not do that.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

It is hard to beat something like a Jetboil for speed. But I do prefer to ALSO bring a twig stove on canoeing and sea kayaking trips. I think a twig stove would also be great for lowland forest backpacking, but most of my backpacking is in alpine or subalpine mountains, where I prefer to leave the twigs right where they are (and fires are often banned in these areas). Happy camping!

[@lapicker1010]

As you seemed to be discovering towards the end, it works a better if you keep your twigs shorter.

[@elgrandefleau7359]

I have to agree that gas stoves are more practical, but twig stoves have ONE advantage that gas can't rival with, extreme cold. Most gas canisters can't function at -10 celsius, and even the best and most expensive ones that are meant to work in the cold can't handle more than -30 at the absolute best, while twigs will burn at any temeprature so long that it's dry enough that you can find decent wood, even wind is not really and issue since they're usually closed so the fire isn't blown out (well unless you're in the middle of a storm but if you're actually trying to light anything in the middle of a tornado instead of seeking shelkter then I think it's a you issue rather than the stove's fault).

[@cuttnhorse2013]

But you would have never ending fuel, compared to fuel burners which would have to be refueled after a few days.

[@wallytaggart2612]

For cook kit fanboys or peeps looking for options I have a similar cheap gasifier stove nests perfectly in a tomshoo 1600ml (@1300ml w/o frypan just lid) and you can fit a fancy feast stove and 2-3 oz of alcohol as a back up in it. An absolute complete cook set for less than the jetboil or the msr and could be four season like the msr...fits better than my solo.

[@Justintheinsane]

I love cooking with my twig stove. I always keep a small baggie of twigs and some lighter gel or fluid.

[@gerryleddy5412]

likes to hear himself talk and hasn't a clue about the principle of the top lit stove , but he sure loves the sound of his own voice. hope no one pays too much attention to this video

[@donmoroz5502]

One idea is to cut a round shape from a dollar store frying pan spatter shield to fit inside the twig stove fire pot. Keeps ashes and embers in the pot and allows air in for combustion. Might weigh 10 grams or less. .

[@geraldpeasley5834]

What about solid fuel or alcohol fuel as a backup?

[@ahorseman4ever1]

I enjoy your video, infact enough with this video to earn a subscription. Something to look at is the Kelly kettles especially if canoeing or kayaking. Boils water incredibly fast. I have built my own wood gasifier stoves and the most important thing I've learned is fuel management. Smaller chunks of wood is optimal. In wet conditions I baton sticks with my knife and only use the center of the stick eliminating all the wet wood. Good video. Can't wait to watch your other videos.

[@judyofthewoods]

Yes, the Kelly or Storm kettle combined with a wood gas twig stove is a great combination for speedy boiling. The kettle's own burner is useless IMO. The small kettle is a perfect fit on top of the commercial twig stove.

[@russelllieser4226]

Most states on fire bans include your other stoves.

[@danielkutcher5704]

A TOTAL ban on stoves? Never heard of such a thing. Open fires, yes, wood stoves, yes, alcohol stoves, yes, but ALL stoves, not yet!

[@tornadokat]

Not true. Fire bans are common during the summer especially in western states but they rarely, although they will in extreme conditions, include liquid or gas stoves. The issue is embers from wood fires catching nearby vegetation on fire. They are also banned in some areas where the wood supply is limited due to limited natural growth or over harvesting by campers over decades.

[@harrypierce1298]

You can pack a zip lock bag of wood pellets for wet conditions. I'm uncertain if you could use pellets in a open fire ban area as it is similar to a bbq grill but I'd confirm with the park service. There aren't any embers to float away, but embers will fall thru the ash pan. Regardless I always put some heavy duty foil underneath it, or as shown in video, I have made a small stainless steel disc that fits inside the bottom and sits 3/8" off the ground held up by 2 tiny aluminum rods made from an old gun cleaning rod that slips in thru the vent holes at the bottom.

[@bushcraftbasics2036]

I like these for winter use and melting snow for water, which can be very heavy on fuel consumption.

[@davidlaw233]

I have a few wood stoves of different types of and I've found them very good out in the field and use them as often as I can

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Right on. I enjoy my little stove on sea kayaking, canoeing and car camping trips.

[@davebloggs]

well the first thing to note is you did not load the stick stove correctly. try standing all the sticks up on end and make sure they dont cover the top holes then light it from the top you will be amazed how well it burns and how quick it boils water, these burn from the top down not bottom up. I run mine on wood pellets they are amazing. as for worrying about the forest floor you can either pre wet the soil or find a none combustable surface. they dont run out of fuel like white gas stoves they dont make tons of empty gas cans that can not be refilled etc, I have the ohuhu version and its always in my pack fits nicely inside my cooking pots like a glove and weighs next to nothing. The oxygen for the fire comes from the top, the holes along the bottom allow air in and up the sides for the gasification process . used correctly these things are amazing . There is a time and place for each kind of stove but hyou would be hard pressed to get me to switch from the Ohuhu. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3bMc3-Fo6x5lZo

[@johngoodin3445]

One thing I love about the wood gas stoves is it really doesn’t matter if it’s wood burning or not. Any combustible material that can burn can be easily used. That includes wood pellets and some brands of dry dog food. The nice thing about using wood pellets and dry dog food is that they can also be packed away fairly easily so they don’t get wet that easily. Put some small quantities into a small dry bag or other container that can be used to store stuff away in a dry environment. I mean a 50 pound bag of dry dog food will go a long way in a wood gas type of stove.

[@thebarkingmouse]

I to cold weather camping all the time. I carry a few esbit tablets and fatwood pieces. Then wet wood is no issue. Fill the stove with small twigs on the bottom up to inch diameter at the top, put the esbit tablet or fatwood under the stove & light it. It will dry out the twigs plenty quick & the rest will go. You can find plenty of fatwood in any pihe forest. Or after cooking, you can dry more twigs for your next camp, and pack the dry tinder with you.

[@brentlloyd7908]

Before reviewing a stove at least learn to use it. These stoves are meant for a top-down burn, if done correctly you can boil a liter of water in 5-7 minutes from ignition (about 3-4 minutes from the time you put the pot on). Soot is only an issue if the fire isn't gasifying correctly. That said, the ash from this model is an issue, but easily corrected or prevented by several means.

[@madmarshman]

I'm a fan of twig stoves, but to be fair to the jetboils weight, is that it includes a large pot/cup to cook/boil in. 👍

[@tammiebroggins]

I just got one of the foldup ones . It's amazing

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Fold up would be so much more compact. But does it have hollow walls with the gasifier effect?

[@tammiebroggins]

@@BradMitchellPhoto I don't know what that is. But it's cold out and it kept me warm lol

[@thebarkingmouse]

I always carry a lightweight cammed bypass pruner with me. Fiskars powegear 2. Makes cutting the tinder much easier.

[@thebarkingmouse]

Been using the heck out if mine. I don't care that it takes a bit longer to boil water. By the time I'm doing that I'm either done for the day or packing up for the morning.

[@dimitrifortounis4787]

I'm a huge fan of my lixada folding stove too. I've also got a trangia that fits the lixada and is an exceptional backup combo. The trangia is also great for when you want to be quick and avoid drawing attention (no smoke). Think as a light weight and compact stove set up on a solo hike/trek they do actually work very well. Add in my lixada titanium cup/pot and its a solid light set up that works well for me. Cooking for more than 1 at a time though is a bit ambitious for obvious reasons. It should however definitely be more efficient than cooking with an open fire (depending on skill level). As far as a gimmick is concerned, on the fence with that one as it is an effective stove. I'd say it is a choice to bring one and decide to cook on the trail at all . Provided you are mindful of its purpose and limitations it will serve you well.

[@stanlindert6332]

What I love about my wood gas stove is it’s small and with a few bricks I can set up a safe fireplace and it’s tea, s’mores , enjoyment, whenever.... as long as there’s no strong winds,and use dry wood. It’s good thing to have in the kit.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Agreed. Easy to set up, and much quieter and more enjoyable than white gas stove. I stick with white gas or propane for mountain backpacking, but am enjoying my gasifier twig stove for kayak and canoe camping.

[@samjenkins9771]

I am trying my best to get my stove to burn properly. I'm rarely getting the gasification effect. Does a moderate to high wind make this harder as I e only been able to try it in windier conditions.

[@CJ-tx5hg]

I have the same issue but I dont have wind issues. Just cant keep lit and no significant gasification. BUT I didnt know to light from the top, so I will keep trying :)

[@samjenkins9771]

@@CJ-tx5hg I've tried everything from sawdust to pellets, windfall twigs to dry stuff off trees. I think you need lots of small stuff that is very dry, but not too small. The pellets and sawdust are both to small to allow airflow from below. I've always lit from the top and had a couple of good burns, but on other occasions I've spent plenty of time blowing into it to get the heat up. When it works well, it's a pleasure to cook on.

[@gregparrott]

@@samjenkins9771 My understanding is that for gasification to occur, three things are needed. 1) The walls of the stove have be kept extra hot (e.g. partially insulated, such as with double wall stoves). This ensures that the gasses emitted by the combustible material remain so hot that any extra oxygen will result in spontaneous ignition. 2) Additional air is introduced near the top of the burn stack. 3) The added air is also preheated so it too is hot enough that the air/gas mix will STILL be above the spontaneous ignition temperature. The spontaneous ignition temperature is dependent upon what is being burnt. But for wood, the temperature typically varies between 450 to 500 F. www.fireengineering.com/1949/11/01/284756/ignition-temperature-of-wood/#gref However, the gasses emitted from the wood might have a lower spontaneous combustion temperature.

[@samjenkins9771]

@@gregparrott I'm guessing the little stove I have is only up to the job on a warmer non windy day. I've since had it working properly but it's possible without a wind shield the stove cools too much to allow the heat you're talking about. Thanks for your input ;)

[@lindawebb3155]

Oh... RE: Below We used more aluminum foil to connect the two sides at the top. Also used hardware cloth across the top, bent down at the edges to fit. That made a grill surface. Now that coffees are being packaged in foil sacks, it's hard to do a lot of the camp food recipes we used to use. (Remember rolling sets of two coffee cans back and forth to make ice cream in the heat of august?

[@КанатКочкорский]

Which is better solo stove campfire or this one?

[@carls2622]

I'm thinking of a large SHTF situation where you may have extended stay in the woods. There won't be butane or propane canisters to buy anywhere and those empty canisters thrown away makes no sense to me. Plus those butane stoves with small mechanisms can break. Maybe you can take both.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

I agree 100% that a twig stove would be the way to go in a SHTF scenario. A great thing to take along with a gas stove, when backpack weight is not important (car camping, canoe / sea kayak / packraft tripping, horse packing, low elevation backpacking). But when backpack weight is important, only one stove makes more sense as carrying too much weight could lead to a SHTF situation.

[@lindawebb3155]

Reminds me of "fireplaces" we used to make in scouting when pre-made products like this were not so available. 5 lb can was the outside, with beer-can opener holes in the bottom. Then went inside an upside-down pie plate just above the bottom (lifted up with tightly compacted balls of aluminum foil). Once the sizing and lift on the pie plate were confirmed, the inner wall of the fireplace were accomplished either with a 2-lb coffee can or with multi-layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil with holes at the top. Firestarter dropped in the bottom (dryer lint or hair from my hairbrush were favorites) with twigs stacked around. The most fun was dropping in the match and clamping on the lid' Once thins got going, we could start using the cooking pots or our leaders' coffee cups. AAAHHH youth!!!

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

We like to make fire starters by filling each cavity of a paper egg carton with dryer lint, and then drizzle some melting candle wax into it to stick it all together.

[@johnkozaczok3713]

My problem is that after 5min. Or so, And everything seems to be going well, I add more twigs and the fire goes out and it just starts smoking like crazy and very difficult to get the flame up an running. I'm thinking if I create my own " fat wood" which is finger sized wood pieces soaked in melted wax, I will always have a flame. This will ensure that my new added twigs will have a chance to light, the gas will always be lit, no smoke, less carbon on my pans, as well as a more consistent heat for cooking. I'm even going to try to start with 1 piece of charcoal on the top and get that to light along with the twigs to keep the combustion temp high. I'm determined to get this down to estimate what to do for a pot of water or cook a pot of soup.

[@kuzinit2374]

They are practical, and also good to put a alcohol stove in or use charcoal instead of twigs

[@jeschinstad]

You can use these in wet weather, but you probably won't use twigs from the ground. Instead, you'll find a dry branch or tree dead standing and split it lenght wise, then saw off short pieces to get something similar to pellets. Also these kinds of stoves work best when fired top-down, because that gets the chimney effect going faster. Of course, since this burns wood gas, it's not as important that the wood is entirely dry to begin with since incomplete burn will be completed with the oxygen injection at the top.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Thanks Jo-Erlend. So maybe start with the driest wood you have available to get things going, then the wetter wood after that?

[@KnutFan]

Thank you for this review. I have tried both the biolite and the Ohuhu brands woodstove. I am not a heavily experienced camper but I much prefer the wood-burning stoves. Partly because they satisfy my inner pyromaniac. I also love not having to deal with the fuel. But your points here about being careful about fire hazards and camping in wetter climates are good ones.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Betsy, is biolite the wood burning stove that also generates electricity for recharging devices? Was that electrical generation practically useful for you? I'm still preferring my cheapo twig stove on sea kayak and canoeing trips for quiet cooking and nice ambiance. But I generally use MSR "whisper"lite on about 3+ day backpack trips or JetBoil for 1 to 2 night backpack trips or even longer solo trips. Actually, a twig stove and JetBoil are nice combination for kayak/canoe/packraft camping where weight and volume are less critical.

[@KnutFan]

@@BradMitchellPhoto Yes, the biolite does recharge devices. I did find it a LITTLE useful but it wasn't worth buying one (i was borrowing it) IMHO. I do not go out for long enough to need a recharge that often. Plus, the vehicle I was driving on my trip could also recharge. For my purposes, it it is a bit of overkill. I do imagine that for some people it could really come in handy. Plus, the biolite has an attachabie light that uses the the charge, so that is nice. It is pretty heavy, so not great for serious backpackers.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

@Betsy d Thank you Betsy. I couldn't see having such a stove fired up for a few hours every day to do any significant recharging of phone and camera batteries. I'll stick with solar charging for long wilderness trips bradmitchellphoto.com/blog/2020/04/29/solar-charge-your-photo-expedition-part-1

[@KnutFan]

@@BradMitchellPhoto ah, thanks for the link to the solar charger. I'll check it out. I prefer that too. It took me 7 days w/ 2 meals per day to charge the biolite charger, then it was quite slow to charge my ipad. solar makes more sense to me

[@KnutFan]

@@BradMitchellPhoto oops, that link doesn't work...

[@joshnagenmurugiah4531]

I would suggest campers bring both twig and gas stoves.

[@mannihh5274]

One of the best stove designs ever - no need to carry any fuel. The secondary burn does not only give a cleaner burn, it saves a lot of fuel too. In my experience you just need around half the amount of wood. To my knowledge, a fire-ban prohibits the use of all stoves, that provide an open flame, so no advantage with white spirit or propane burners either. Most of your twigs are way too big for this stove - to work properly, the top air vents have to be above the fuel. The proper way to operate these stoves is to fill them tightly to the top air vents and fire them up from above - should have read the manual first or watched some of the hundreds of YT-videos that are out there. If everything is wet, a spoonful of wood pellets put on top before igniting would help - that's the smart thing about upside-down fires, the actual flame dries out the next top layer of wood by its radiant heat, but doesn't produce enough steam to effect the burn. You can always cut some bigger dead limbs and split them in quarts, the dry inside will readily catch, just need a bit more kindling than usual (not, if you're using fatwood for kindling). Why do you bother with the boil time, what do you achieve in those 3-5 minutes you can save with one of the other stoves? And why do you bother about cooling time? If you are in such a hurry, toss it in a creek or pond to cool instantly (try that with one of the other stoves and see what happens). Notice: if a wood gasifier stove produces gray or black smoke after 30 seconds in, you didn't operate it the way it should be ! IMHO not a fair comparison.

[@JamesChristineMazzone]

Rocket stoves really work

[@rwatson2609]

Great video, you could use a better mic. One forgotten point is that the wood stove is actually more eco-friendly due to the fuel not needing to be trucked in or having any canister waste. The wood stove can also be a continuous heat source when it's cold outside and you just want to huddle around it. Though there will be suet on all of your cooking pots. That's not a lot of ash.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Good points. Thanks! I am enjoying the atmosphere of the twig stove over any of the gas stoves. And I just got myself a new mic.

[@rwatson2609]

@@BradMitchellPhoto Thanks for the reply and I look forward to your next video.

[@Dydeeo]

This video was helpful to me without being too anal. I've read through the comments, and realize some people thought somewhat the opposite. My thinking is it's fine to be right on top of how to use something and benefit from that understanding. But, there's also the truth that not everybody does this and you got it to work anyway. That to me makes the stove more useful because it shows at least with dry wood, it is not that finicky. Good job on the video and keep going. I may subscribe also.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Dydeeo: Thanks for watching and commenting. For me, the decision of twig stoves versus gas stoves really boils down to the style of camping I'm doing. I prefer twig when I'm going for a "Camping" trip (i.e. I'm hanging out in camp and prefer a quiet stove and the smell/sound of crackling wood fire). But I prefer gas when I'm going for a "Backpacking" or "Mountaineering" style trip, where weight and speed are critical (i.e. it is expected by the group that breakfasts will be quickly eaten so that we can quickly start banging out the day's miles or elevation gain). I was out sea kayaking last weekend (kzbin.info/www/bejne/Znyoo6agq8yApNU) and took both. I cooked a boil-rice-in-water type dinner and pan-fried bannock bread on the twig stove. Then I used a Jetboil gas stove for a quick instant-oatmeal breakfast because I needed an early start to time the tides and currents. Two stoves are no problem when carried by sea kayak.

[@AzNpowangeFTW]

Another point you made is having a wind block, as the flame is very "soft". It will keep the flame directed onto the pot/pan for a more centralizing heat

[@nothingtoseehere4684]

air does not flow up the center once it is primed. That is also why you should light from top

[@jeschinstad]

You should light from the top because it's less metal and air to heat, getting to the chimney effect sooner.

[@nothingtoseehere4684]

​@@jeschinstad Huh? My stove burns on the bottom once primed and no flame rises up the center. The flames all come out the jets

[@nothingtoseehere4684]

@@jeschinstad dont take my word for it. This guy seems to have done a god amount of research.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXi0omx5mNVsq6c

[@jeschinstad]

@@nothingtoseehere4684: I don't have to take a video for it either, because I know how it works. The reason why the flames shoot out of the oxygen holes, is that's where the oxygen is. It is always easier to lift a small amount than a large one, unless, you know.

[@nothingtoseehere4684]

@@jeschinstad you seem impervious to information. These guys at science direct could use a guy like you who just knows because he knows www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/updraft-gasifiers

[@davidyanceyjr]

Soot. That's my biggest gripe with these type stoves. I'm considering making my own charcoal and using it to see if it cuts down on the soot.

[@nowakezoneforever6021]

davidyanceyjr try waiting until the gasification effect is definitely occurring. It produces a far cleaner burn and very little if any soot.

[@mikelimks]

Just coat the pots external with dish detergent before putting on the stove. The pot will be cleaned when you wash it.

[@xenaguy01]

Properly loaded and started, the fire in this type of stove does not produce either smoke or soot.

[@therealchickentender]

As many have already piped up and said, I'm sorry to say there's a learning curve here - it isn't a steep one, but I use these all the time for my wife and I on many trips. They can work really great - I've several sizes - my fav is the original BushBuddy and a larger Solo Stove. But again, you've gotta get to know the stove.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Thanks for sharing!

[@TinyCamperCamping]

I have a cheap clone and i love it

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

It's hard to go wrong at these prices for a gasifier stove that does the job.

[@billlyell8322]

The stove is suppose to have a little multi use pan to help catch ash. But I bought a cheap metal ash tray to set the stove base over. It's light weight and just under the bottom edge of the lower holes.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

My cheapo stove didn't come with one. So I just use the aluminum sheet that came with my MSR stove. Heavy gauge aluminum foil wold work well, and can be wrapped around the stove and secured by a rubber band for easy transport.

[@rronmar]

Most all of these style stoves appear to me to have too much primary air(too many holes in the bottom of the burn chamber). They also burn better when you load some wood in first then start your fire on top of that…

[@gregscountrycabinoutdoors7359]

Great explanation of how the gasifier works, I have a Canway stove, I like it. 👍 I can't believe there are people out there that think that there is an inversion that takes place.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Thanks👍. I really enjoy using my stove on canoe and sea kayak camping trips.

[@sezmo420]

I love mine. Perfect for boiling up some water, heating a small meal, or for a little warmth. Top down burn, and they last a good while. Hard woods are best.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

I find them great too, for canoe and sea kayak trips. Not many hardwoods here in western Washington, unfortunately ... other than red alder in low to mid-elevations.

[@wildernessman2022]

Is use the dead limbs on the trees. As well as die standing wood it will work

[@HALEdigitalARTS]

From a sustainability standpoint, you will always have fuel available, even if you have to keep it from getting wet by setting some aside ahead of time. Guessing the unit should last for years. But man, it seams like every wood burner out there soots up your pots. Suppose if you keep 'em separated, it won't get your other things dirty.

[@xenaguy01]

Properly loaded and burned, this type of wood stove will not make smoke or soot.

[@glenparker234]

Also, smear dish soap on the bottom of the pan before cooking will take care of the soot problem if you start cooking before the fire settles down.

[@ramavijaya148]

We can explore wether this can be used in 3 rd world in house , with small modifications. What is this brand , where it is available

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

I have the Canaway brand, but there are similar stoves by other brands (and they can be made from steel cans). They all look like the same design and all have similar prices: amzn.to/2ZHkgiE amzn.to/3bqmfu3 amzn.to/2Y1ptBl These "gasifier" type stoves are efficient with the wood (twigs) and produce minimum smoke once started. How they work: energypedia.info/wiki/Gasifier_Stoves Note that many of these stoves have open bottoms, which allow hot cinders to fall onto the ground, which can be a fire hazard. I use mine on an aluminum sheet.

[@BePrepared1992]

They were using tools like these way back in the day so cant go wrong. As long as there is wood ul get a fire going just need to adapt depending in weather

[@billlyell8322]

First question, why doesn't anyone that does these home tests use a whistling tea kettle to boil water for comparison? It removes all subjectivity since it will always whistle at the same temperature for equal amount of water.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Great idea.

[@AndyChipling]

This looks very good, but if your twigs are wet, is it possible to make a fire at all? I would love to see if it has enough air flow to make it work. I have my doubts, yet want so much to be proved wrong. The one thing you would love if caught in a rain shower; is a nice hot drink.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Hi Andy. Yes, wet twigs could be a challenge to start a fire. However, dry twigs can be much easier to find than larger dry firewood logs. A forest has many areas protected from casual rainfall, such as directly underneath larger trees or on the down-wind side of large boulders or bottom of cliff faces. Also, some wood/cones contain pitch or resins that will burn even if damp. Once a small fire is started, you cold feed it a few damp twigs, or use heat from the fire to try out damp wood. But then again, traditional backpacking stoves will work in nearly all weathers, so this gives them some advantage in wet weather.

[@susanmcadam1700]

What brand name does the twig stove have? Where did you get it?

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Hi Susan. I use the Canway brand (amzn.to/3Ac5vDz), and really enjoy it on sea kayak, canoe and car camping trips. There are plenty of other brands available as well. Just be sure to look for something advertised as "gasifier" or having a "secondary combustion" feature. It's walls should be two layers with a hollow passage to bring heated air and uncombusted wood gas to the top of the combustion chamber. This is the feature that makes these types of stoves so much more efficient and minimize the generation of smoke. Be sure to use some kind of uncombustable metal sheet or a flat rock at the base to catch any hot ash or coals that may drop out the bottom.

[@tonyperone3242]

In most southern states you could use a wood stove year round. Winters are almost snowless and wood is not scarce. Unless there has been a sustained downpour most woodlands will have some dry wood around. Even then if rain could be a problem you could buy wood pellets as a back up or just pick up some dry stuff before you leave. As you have pointed out it would not be feasible for deep winter where snow is melted for water and of course the extreme conditions.

[@crazysquirrel9425]

When you run out of other fuels, you can burn twigs for fuel and twigs are generally free. If your stove is a decent size for using twigs, you can make small Swedish Candles to use and those last fairly long. You may need a fire starter but those are light weight. Cotton balls in Vaseline, nail polish on cosmetic discs, fire straws, or a commercial fire 'puck' of sorts.

[@WHATTHEBEEP1]

this design of stick stove is a little harder to use, the one i have is made by Outlaw and you can feed sticks in it while you have a pot on the stove. Folds up and goes to about a inch thick case and weighs about a pound, I cook on that thing regularly.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

This stove has a cutout in the side just under the pan for feeding twigs ... so the pan does not have to be removed. However, this cutout is a bit on the small side, and I do often end up removing the pan. It also does collapse down for transport, but not down anywhere close to 1 inch like yours. But this stove does have the double-wall construction for the gasifier effect (secondary directed air-stream for a clean secondary burn), which very efficient and keeps the flame concentrated and the smoke to a minimum. energypedia.info/wiki/Gasifier_Stoves

[@kenbrand2123]

Do you think the twig stove would fit in a trangia ?

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Hi Ken. I have the Solo alcohol stove, which is similar to the Trangia, and it works fine with the cheap Canway twig stove in my video. You simply assemble the twig basket up-side-down and the alcohol stove can then rest on top just under your pot. I like the Solo alcohol stove because it has a folding handle that you can use to quickly lift the burner lid off for making quick adjustments. Here's the Solo alcohol stove I use: www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&website_id=3540dffa-420f-4f1d-a281-13411abe7f17&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F126897%2Fsolo-stove-alcohol-burner-stove

[@allanphelps268]

I have the Wild Stove, the original of this type of Wood Stove (from the U.K.). It can be persnicity to get going at times. When not wanting to fiddle with fire, I place my Esbit alcohol stove within just the bottom section of the wood stove. After discovering this combo, I never bring my white gas or isobutane stoves again. BTW, Esbit stoves are immediately snuffable, one the requirements during a fire ban.

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Yes, my Canway stove is very similar to one of the Wild stoves. If I assemble the inner chamber up-side-down, it then supports an alcohol stove just under a pot. This provides the option to burn wood or alcohol, both of which are so much quieter compared to a noisy white gas jet.

[@antonius3233]

I use an alcohol stove and use a twig burners at the pot stand. Best of both worlds

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Yep. A Solo alcohol burner fits perfectly in my twig stove.

[@ferlinternofsky4472]

Try wood pellets they work 👍

[@MrRocque]

YET another 'misunderstanding' of what another KZbinr 'thinks' he knows. These are NOT 'twig stoves' like a hobo stove or 'fire box' is. These are SUPPOSED to be filled with fuel then lit from the TOP and burn DOWN. Twig stoves are lit on the bottom and fed twigs through out the entire burn. INCORRECT videos like this (there are SOOO many on YT like this one) have actually caused manufacturers to 'concede' to these reviews and change the way the 'pot stand' is designed JUST to keep these ppl 'happy' (giving them a means to feed fuel into the top without removing the pot). This actually UNDERMINES one of the functions of the pot stand's original design: to direct the secondary burn to the center, focusing the heat. Way to go 'reviewers', ignorance wins again.

[@billlyell8322]

So you said twig stove weighs 500 for u limited days, the bottle burner about 150% for 2 or 3 days, the jetboil weighs 120% for about 4 days. I think I like unlimited use at lower weight over conscience of not feeding fire. Lol

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Hi Bill. I've been taking both the twig stove and Jetboil on canoeing and sea kayaking trips when, I am expecting decent weather. I find myself using the Jetboil for breakfast, when I can just hit that ignition switch and start packing up my stuff while waiting for boil ... no fussing with the twig stove. But twig stove is great for dinner, when it's nice to cook over a flame.

[@pjo12]

Check out joe Robinet stranded KZbin playlist and then tell me if you could replace your gas stove option. When you run out of propane you’ll be extremely happy with the twig stove.

[@12dg]

Why did you take so long to start to heat water

[@nigellack2576]

Could you have put the water on earliier, so as not to waste the inirial burn, and you raelly did seem to be constantly taking the pot off of the stove, and unnecessarily tinkering. I have one and have achieved boil in 4 minutes. Maybe practicing first would lead to a better review?

[@tommyking8610]

Why not just use a freestanding fire? Seems to me this extra equipment is just like extra weight for no reason. Correct me if I'm wrong plz

[@BradMitchellPhoto]

Great question Tommy King. Here is what I think: Pros for cooking over a freestanding fire: - Light weight. Though the freestanding fire would not weigh anything, many people would likely carry a grill, unless you are in a campground that already has one over a fire pit (I was primarily considering cooking in remote places where there are not established fire pits). A relatively light-weight folding pack grill that I have weighs 380g, versus the twig stove that weighed 520g, but you could also just put your cooking pot directly onto the burning coals. HOWEVER, if you are going to have a free-standing fire, many people might also be tempted to carry a hatchet or axe, which definitely outweighs most stoves. That may be OK though if you already planned to carry a hatchet or axe anyway. - Best ambiance. Can't compete with a freestanding open fire! Pleasant visuals and sound! High romance factor if with your significant other. Cons for cooking over a freestanding fire: - Consumes more wood than twig stove. - Can be very heavy if it forces you to take a hatchet or axe you otherwise would not carry. - Likely requires more time collecting wood, chopping wood and waiting for coals to be ready for cooking. - Might be difficult to find dry wood in wet conditions. - May not be allowed during forest fire risk season. - No cost. So it sounds like a great option in the right conditions! What do you think?