Bushwalk Australia

Just when you thought that you already had enough stoves: BioLite have announced that they are releasing a new wood-burning bushwalker's stove next year and are now taking 'reservations'. The BioLite CampStove will be released in time for the 2012 northern hemisphere walking season. It's not suitable for 'fuel stove only' areas, but it does look interesting nonetheless, with its heat-generated fan to maximise combustion (and reduce the amount of fuel required) and a USB port for recharging mobiles and so on - a nice touch. It's a little heavy at 942g, but there is no fuel to carry, so the BioLite CampStove is not quite as heavy as it might otherwise sound.

Here is the URL for those interested to take a look: http://biolite.myshopify.com/

rucksack

Certainly different Not sure I would be that keen having my phone that close and I do wonder how long it would take to charge.

Interesting way to market a stove for sure.

Andrew

There is a bit more about the stove at Gizmag.

Andrew

The one in that review is of an earlier prototype, not the one that will come to the market next year.
This is a video of the new version :
http://www.biolitestove.com/CampStove_Video.html
It is heavier because of the USB charging function .
Note that the main aim of the project was to create a smokeless stove for 3rd world countries, the one we are discussing here was a by-product of that project.
Franco

Franco, you are indeed correct. I originally came across Biolite when I was following a thread on the stoves that they have been creating for 3rd world environments, (which struck me as a very sensible down-to-earth solution to a very considerable problem). Their website noted that they also were working on developing a bushwalking version and (I think) at the time they were looking for a development & manufacturing partner. I put my name down to receive further information and yesterday, I received an email from them alerting me to the 2012 release of the CampStove. I don't know that I need another stove, but for walking in many parts of Asia (which I do), it might be an interesting (and quite viable) option, especially given the stove's relatively small size (judging by the comparison in the photo to what looks like a Nalgene water bottle) and its capacity to charge through its integrated USB port. I know no more than the information contained on their site, so I have no idea of the charging rates and so on, but I will keep an eye out for the first reviews and may yet succumb to the temptation.

rucksack

Rucksack
Similar situation here.
I have also followed the progress and all of that.
When I visited Nepal a few years ago I was struck by the similarities of peasant life there and the one ,about 50 years ago, of the people in the village my parents came from .
Many there (in Italy) also used open fires and suffered from the effects of a life of smoke inhalation.
I still remember some rooms were both the thick wood beams and the stone walls were black with soot.
So I am also interested in the development of he bigger version.

Franco

I spotted the Biolite stove a couple of years ago. At the time they were talking about coming out in 2010. Looks like 2010 has become 2012, but maybe that's a good thing. The problem, or so I am told, with thermoelectric generators (TEG's) is that they're a bit frail. The question I've heard asked is "how will they hold up out in the bush?" Hopefully, with two years now of additional development, they've got the bugs out. It certainly is an interesting idea!

HJ