If you did a lot of camping as a kid, like I did, then you probably are very familiar with the Esbit® solid fuel tablet (hexamine tablets) stove. Esbit stoves were cheap, simple to use, and did a fair job of heating a canteen cup of hot chocolate, or soup.
Esbit stoves are still around, but now you can take simplicity even further with a new crop of wood burning camp stoves. A wood burning camp stove offers some obvious advantages for backpackers, since they no longer have to pack fuel. All of these stoves can use just about any combustible material, from pinecones, to sticks, twigs, and branches.
The best part about all of these stoves is that they work! Some, like the Sierra and the Woodgas, use a battery-powered fan to help the fire burn hotter, but numerous reviews indicate that even the non-powered stoves will boil a quart of water in 5 or 6 minutes.
See also…
- A Camp Stove Smorgasbord
- Top 10 Foods for Family Camping
- Make Camping Meals at Home to Save Time and Trash
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Roy, these sound really cool. I may have to get me one.
I especially like that they’re good for backpackers.
John Soares’s last blog post..The 11 Crucial Factors That Determine Your College Textbook Supplements Writing Income
A question Roy. Can these still be used when summer fire restrictions prohibit fire use?
Are they considered the same as a gas-powered camp stove?
John Soares’s last blog post..The 11 Crucial Factors That Determine Your College Textbook Supplements Writing Income
Good question, John – I really don’t know. If I remember correctly, both CA and OR have a graduated fire hazard scale and the most severe condition prohibits all open flame.
I have just found this stove
http://www.occuk.co.uk/outdoor
Looks OK
PCT throughhikers make their own 1oz stoves from Pepsi cans. Not bad for the ultra light crowd. Me, I pack up the entire stove and fridge…
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I still like my hexamine blocks if i’m honest. I know they aren’t always the fastest thing to use but they work in all conditions and they don’t really take up that much room in your pack.