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Twig stoves

Yeah I can see from the legality aspect it making sense. I guess I would use one only a few times a year, and then it would probably be left behind as a non-necessity, so one more thing just to rot away in my basement. I'm an accumulator at heart, this is a new mindset for me I'm still working on lol.
 
Kelly kettles are bulky, but super easy to use, and boil water quickly. Largely windproof, and handle damp soils well.

https://www.kellykettleusa.com/kelly-kettle-kits/stainless-steel

My only frustration is because the twigs are so small, you never really get a bed of coals, so every time you lift the kettle off to fill a mug and top-off the kettle, I need to kindle a new fire. Which is easily done, but still a bit of a pain. If you're with a partner who has one you can trade off so one is always burning.
 
elk yinzer said:
I'm struggling to see the need for a stove to start a small cooking fire as opposed to just doing it somewhere on the ground?
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They're (largely) windproof, and have built-in potstands. Don't think of it as a small campfire, think of it as a Jetboil that will heat water for tea or dehydrated meals, that you don't need to carry gas for. I agree, for a campfire or to warm up/dry out to prevent hypothermia, build a real fire on the ground. To boil a pint of water for a mug of tea or instant soup, a twig stove makes perfect sense.
 
gcr0003 said:
I think the benefit of the boxes is it shields from wind as well as provides a service to cook on. Campfire grates are cheaper but may not pack down as well or protect from wind. They serve the purpose of a containing a fire for cooking only. If you were going to make a campfire anyway it wouldn’t make as much sense to me. Someone correct me if I’m really off.
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There are ultra light grates, I have one and it is nice if you happen to crack a grouse while elk hunting (or pack in a couple backstrap chunks) but really you could cook on a stick as well.

The concentrated heat does make boiling water a much quicker ordeal, although a jetboil type stove is the best for that.
 
elk yinzer said:
I'm struggling to see the need for a stove to start a small cooking fire as opposed to just doing it somewhere on the ground?
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So there is actually a huge difference. I"m been through probably 8 different twig stoves. Some like a firebox, the several by emberlit, etc. have simple small advantages: 1) they keep the fire off the ground, so there is airflow from the bottom and sides burning a more efficient and hot flame 2) they are designed to hold the coals and keep them "stacked" as opposed to them just falling flat on the ground and developing a spread out "hot spot". In the stoves the hot spot is contained and directed at the pot 3) no burn spot on the ground 4) if you need to carry a pot stand or fabricate one in the woods, they are so small you may as well carry them.

Now for the serious "twig" stoves: wood gasifiers. They are quite amazing.
-they have primary and secondary combustion.
2) I can boil 2 cups of water in 7 ish minutes on a handfull of random twiggs or pinecones.
3)They dont leave giant black soot on your pot.
3)they are extremely efficient.
4) they are light and fuel is always plentiful

I couple mine with a small companion alcohol burner which allows for quick hot tea or when your tired and lazy.

I carry an original bushbuddy stove(first real gasifier), which nests in a snowpeak titanium pot, custom fourdogs lid, and a Zelph Companion burner alcohol(no spill) stove.

buddy1.jpgbuddy2.jpgbuddy3.jpgbuddy4.jpgbuddy5.jpgbuddy6.jpg
 
That is pretty sweet. My inlaws have one of the patio stove things with secondary combustion, while less smoke is nice, it's also pretty good at nuking through firewood like you really really enjoy cutting and splitting lol. I can see how a twig version would be handy but most of my camping these days is car camping and the big propane stove is usually along. It's been a minute since I did any backpacking.
 
elk yinzer said:
That is pretty sweet. My inlaws have one of the patio stove things with secondary combustion, while less smoke is nice, it's also pretty good at nuking through firewood like you really really enjoy cutting and splitting lol. I can see how a twig version would be handy but most of my camping these days is car camping and the big propane stove is usually along. It's been a minute since I did any backpacking.
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Yup...the good ole coleman white gas goes with me on family trips...this is my solo stove when its just me and a buddy...
 
elk yinzer said:
That is pretty sweet. My inlaws have one of the patio stove things with secondary combustion, while less smoke is nice, it's also pretty good at nuking through firewood like you really really enjoy cutting and splitting lol. I can see how a twig version would be handy but most of my camping these days is car camping and the big propane stove is usually along. It's been a minute since I did any backpacking.
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I bring my Kelly kettle on car camping trips. An evening day hike will yield enough birch bark and pinecones and twigs for a mug of pourover coffee and breakfast oatmeal if I get up earlier than everyone else. No splitting required. I've never timed it but it's really quick and convenient. And it cools down pretty quickly; I can dunk it in a stream to rinse off any soot and I can pack it right back up. When I pack it up I can stuff the cavity with enough tinder and twigs for my next mug so all I have to do is fill the reservoir and drop a match down the chimney.
 
firebox is great. they will take more than twigs if you have a saw/ knife to make and split rounds. it is my primary firepit when camping and can easily keep it going until I go to sleep. if car camping I take a bucket of wood chunks or compressed sawdust logs which work great in it and take up very little space
 
colin.704 said:
firebox is great. they will take more than twigs if you have a saw/ knife to make and split rounds. it is my primary firepit when camping and can easily keep it going until I go to sleep. if car camping I take a bucket of wood chunks or compressed sawdust logs which work great in it and take up very little space
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I'm just a car camper these days but I could see that firebox being a nice addition. In my backpacking days, I didn't like making fires that much because I didn't want to leave fire rings behind so only cooked on gas stoves. Having a little self contained fire pit so to speak would be nice.
 
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