• Welcome to The Bushcraft Forum

    You are currently viewing the site as a guest and some content may not be available to you.

    Registration is quick and easy and will give you full access to the site and allow you to ask questions or make comments and join in on the conversation. If you would like to join then please Register

stoves or open fires???

Matt

Matt

Site Owner
Staff member
Site Donor
Messages
14,958
Points
2,250
what do you use ???? i prefer an open fire when i can get away with it .......but whats your preference guys?
 
this is a toughie.... hmmm but a good question, now i shall explain why i use both!!!

If i am camping in a tent and am allowed to use an open fire (such as at the meet in feb) i shall use the open fire and a camping stove. If i am in the wilderness without a tent i will use the open fire only.

The reason to use the open fire method is that its main duty is to provide warmth and security and also saves on gas or solid fuel to cook the food. The gas cooker will be used for frying foods as it won't use much gas and if used safely can be used to heat up my tent for a few minutes before getting some sleep. If i am out for an afternoon i will use a hexi stove to make a brew etc as it is lightweight and easily carried in a pocket.

If any questions just ask ;)
 
Open fire every time mate, with a stove the fuel only lasts so long, in a forest etc................unlimited fuel, packed night and tightly for any survival situation................and FREE!.......

But I would say that as Im more into survival than luxury etc, I get luxury at home so bushy for me is about using what I cant have at home!!!!!!! back to basics!!!!!!
 
I'm a little bit both ways on this one. I like the fires but always make sure that I have a stove with me to be on the safe side. I also prefer to have a coffee before I do anything else in the morning, including re lighting last nights fire.
I have a few stoves too, sort of one for every occasion depending on what I think the conditions and activities are going to be like.
More on that later.
 
In other words you dont know which side you bat for??????.......................sorry mate couldnt resist!
 
I have a few stoves too, sort of one for every occasion depending on what I think the conditions
 
It all depends on the situation and circumstances that you are in. We were very lucky at the Feb winter bushy where we were allowed to cook over an open fire, but this may not always be the case, so we have to look at alternative solutions, one being the hobo stove which will be demonstrated at the summer bushy in August. There are numerous other options out there.
 
As is probably known by most of you, I'm in the process of building a couple of collapsible wood burning stoves so which side does that leave me on:confused:

Its a stove but it is also a fire. I'm not sure how effective they are but its gotta be worth a try.
 
Bumping this as it was being read by a guest.
Ever since I first did my DofE I have loved Trangia UL windproof stoves (either gas or spirt) but recently I acquired a Kelly Trekker with a solid fuel hobo stove. I also have a bio lite which is excellent if you can find a heat proof stable surface. My next acquisition is hopefully going to be a lightweight gasification stove. You can probably guess that I’m on the stove side of the argument.
Having been involved in forestry and conservation for most of my life I don’t like to light an open fire unless I’m absolutely sure it’s ok with the landowner. Most land owners, campsites and country parks tend to be against open fires, especially after a dry spell. The current backlash against disposable BBQ’s is only part of the story, over recent years I have repeatedly heard tales of historic trees, plantations or moorland being destroyed by inexperienced or careless (putting it nicely) wild campers.. I would do everything possible to dissuade campers from using open fires without using extreme caution. I’m going to quote a saying used by old style bush crafters. “The bigger the fire, the bigger the fool”
 
Last edited:
Ystranc said:
Bumping this as it was being read by a guest.
Ever since I first did my DofE I have loved Trangia UL windproof stoves (either gas or spirt) but recently I acquired a Kelly Trekker with a solid fuel hobo stove. I have a bio lite which is excellent if you can find a heat proof stable surface. My next acquisition is hopefully going to be a lightweight gasification stove. You can probably guess that I’m on the stove side of the argument.
Having been involved in forestry and conservation for most of my life I don’t like to light an open fire unless I’m absolutely sure it’s ok with the landowner. Most land owners, campsites and country parks tend to be against open fires, especially after a dry spell. The current backlash against disposable BBQ’s is only part of the story, over recent years I have repeatedly heard tales of historic trees, plantations or moorland being destroyed by inexperienced or careless (putting it nicely) wild campers.. I would do everything possible to dissuade campers from using open fires without using extreme caution. I’m going to quote a saying used by old style bush crafters. “The bigger the fire, the bigger the fool”
Click to expand...
Totally with you on all points. I would only light a fire on land I have permission to be on, light fires, and only when it's safe to do so. I'm with you on the Kelly too but they are rather bulky. Two systems I use are a small titanium gas burner which, with a stand, small gas cylinder and wind shield, all fit into a small titanium mug and weighs about 6oz. Ideal as a brew-kit but, with a small pan, could be used to cook breakfast. The other is a super-lite titanium hexi stove with wind shield. This is really only suitable for making a brew, possibly some soup - but it is super lite.
There are two important consideration in all this: What you are doing (and why) and where you are doing it. If you are lite backpacking then weight is the all-important factor. Freeze dried meals just need boiling water to turn them into something close to edible food. There is certainly no need for an open fire for this, I'm with you on this point too. Warming a can of beans, stew, whatever still does not need an open fire.
The only reason that I can see for needing to cook over an open fire, is to cook, communally or not, a complicated/sophisticated camp meal. And for that you would need to be somewhere you are permitted to be.
 
Last edited:
Ystranc said:
Bumping this as it was being read by a guest.
Ever since I first did my DofE I have loved Trangia UL windproof stoves (either gas or spirt) but recently I acquired a Kelly Trekker with a solid fuel hobo stove. I have a bio lite which is excellent if you can find a heat proof stable surface. My next acquisition is hopefully going to be a lightweight gasification stove. You can probably guess that I’m on the stove side of the argument.
Having been involved in forestry and conservation for most of my life I don’t like to light an open fire unless I’m absolutely sure it’s ok with the landowner. Most land owners, campsites and country parks tend to be against open fires, especially after a dry spell. The current backlash against disposable BBQ’s is only part of the story, over recent years I have repeatedly heard tales of historic trees, plantations or moorland being destroyed by inexperienced or careless (putting it nicely) wild campers.. I would do everything possible to dissuade campers from using open fires without using extreme caution. I’m going to quote a saying used by old style bush crafters. “The bigger the fire, the bigger the fool”
Click to expand...
My little LIXADA gasification stove gives me an average of a 20 minute burn using cat litter made from wood pellets which is ample time to cook a small meal and the burn leaves very little in the way of residue
 
Big fan of the "Firebox" twig/log burner.....can be used with meths burner......fuel tabs or gel......charcoal..... and charcoal wood pellet mix.
Flat pack/with case takes up no room in the pack..... and easy assembly and clean.
Provides an adequate contained campfire that can be used beneath a tarp shelter when the weather is cack.
Invested in the Titanium model......still not the lightest on the block but for what it offers and returns to the user it's worth the weight.

Gas stove is an "MSR Reactor"........ a quick fuel efficient water boiler....ideal for boil in the bag meals and dehydrated offerings......soups/brews and the likes.
Works well in a small space..........no naked flame nor fuel spillage to worry about.
 
Open fire, love the smokey flavour it gives to the food, the glow in the nights, and just the warmth.
That said I do carry a trangia stove and fuel as backup, and if I'm off for an explore, I'll use that vs open fire.
 
Woodlander said:
Open fire, love the smokey flavour it gives to the food, the glow in the nights, and just the warmth.
Click to expand...
Absolutely nothing like it Woodlander. 👍
6FA2F5AF-D775-447E-8E43-90D267B27277.jpeg
619D4960-9E5E-4E5C-ACFB-1FD236E25450.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top