BioLite Camp Stove

[rucksack]

I thought that other members might find this stove interesting ... I do!

http://biolitestove.com/CampStove.html

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[Drifting]

One of the rangers at Lakes NP in Victoria invented a full-sized twig-fired BBQ- it was awesome, and worked better than a full-sized wood one.

[Franco]

Yes, interesting.
Somewhat like the Sierra but without a battery.
The 15 oz version (compact model)would be more attractive for solo/two person use.
Of course I am only assuming here because there is no specific info on this one...
Franco

[rucksack]

Yes, I am thinking the lighter 15oz (425g) version too. I think that the heavier version is/was just a prototype. I watched the video a couple of times and it would certainly save fuel weight, especially for longer walks, but I suspect that it would also likely be regarded as a 'fire' for purposes of 'fuel stove only' restrictions in national parks. Pity. I have put my name down to receive more information about this stove, especially if it actually goes into production. I do like the fact that the fan runs off the heat of the stove and therefore the stove needs no battery. BTW Franco, I recently bought a Tarptent Moment and a colleague is bringing it up to Shanghai later this month for me. Should create a bit of interest amongst local walkers up here, as would the Biolite Camp Stove, I suspect. I hope that Biolite can actually get their Camp Stove into production.

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[Liamy77]

What an expensive aluminium can that is?!
It IS interesting but i can help but think that i could knock up something similar with a recycled can or two....

[rucksack]

You may well be right Liamy77; I look forward to seeing photographs of your prototype.

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[Franco]

I have made several alcohol stoves (well dozens...) and none of them are as good as the 10-20 from Trail design.
That is my stuff works but it either they use more fuel or they are much slower.
Have done the same with wood burning stoves..
Several types including the so called down draught versions (Bushbuddy and co) and simpler 1 wall types like the J Falk stove.
(I actually arrived to that same design by trial and error then discovered it already existed)
Attaching a fan or using a pump (Liam you would remember the Hansa blower brush ) it does achieve a cleaner more efficient burn, that is less smoke and ashes but of course you do relay on batteries or your own patience.
The bio stove is a combination of the Bushbuddy and the Sierra stove but not requiring batteries.
BTW, the typical food cans will rust after a few uses.
Franco
Rucksack
If you need any help with anything to do with TT (or tents...) let me know
franco@tarptent.com

The new TT web site is almost ready. There are a few new really nice pics in the Gallery section . Nice if you like tents that is...

[rucksack]

Thanks Franco, that's very kind of you. And thanks for all your intelligent posts too; they led me all the way to a Moment! I think that the 'no batteries' aspect of this projected BioLite Camp Stove is very attractive; that and the fact that some of the electrical energy generated can be 'siphoned off' to recharge small LED's and perhaps a mobile 'phone too. Very clever. If BioLite can keep the weight down to the numbers they quote on their web site, they might have a very interesting stove on their hands. Bushwalkers are not their primary 'target', of course, as is clear from reading their web site, but so many technologies developed for other purposes have found their way into 'our' bushwalking world. This may be a slightly lower tech one passing through the portal! I look forward to the photographs on the new TT web site. Tragic, isn't it?

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[Franco]

Yes that extra power bit is very interesting. Without having to take fuel and maybe extra batteries or solar panels , would make this stove a good option for unsupported ,over say 7-10 days ,walks.
It could also be of interest to the guys in the US and Canada that set up a base camp in the forest and stay there for a week or two, so they use wood burning stoves to keep themselves warm as well as dry stuff and cook.
I am about to get a TiGoat chimney assembly so I might put some thought into a way to adapt that to the Bio stove to use it inside a tipi..
(not a Tarptent kind of thing...)
Franco

[sailfish]

Obviously I am missing something here. What exactly is the advantage of burning twigs in this large heavy stove over burning them in a much cheaper, smaller and lighter windshield stand such as for a mini spirit stove or a simple can etc?

Regards,
Ken

[Franco]

Sailfish
The primary objectives of the Bio people were (and still are) to design a relatively smokeless burner that also uses less fuel .
That is for the many areas in the "third world' where fuel is scarce and people suffer (respiratory diseases) from a life time of breathing in smoke when cooking.
(BTW, where I grew up in the Italian Alps , that was still a problem in the 50's and early 60's so I am pretty familiar with the purpose)
The Camp stove is an offshot of that.
Not having seen one in reality but knowing the difference between what you are describing and a downdraught fan assisted burner, the difference is rather a lot.
Did you have a look at the video ?
Can you get that kind of flame that fast and clean in such a small place ?
But do keep in mind that it is really only useful for a small percentage of campers, so not that relevant to most here.
Franco

[rucksack]

Salifish .. ditto. Franco has said it. This stove, if it ever goes into production, is a spin-off from a larger BioLite project to try to reduce timber consumption in those parts of the word, (and they are considerable), which still use timber for heating & cooking. BioLoite are developing stoves which are efficient, create less pollution and use less fuel. All good things, I think. The BioLite Camp Stove, (if it goes into production), will likely only suit a small numbers of walkers as Franco says, but it has some very interesting festures, such as its non-battery driven fan, (the fan is necessary for the stove to work efficiently), and its capacity to generate 'surplus' electricity (surplus to the fan's needs), which can be used for other purposes, such as camp lighting and recharging batteries. It could be quite an elegant stove - elegant in the design & engineering sense. If you have a look at the BioLite website and the videos posted there, you can glean more.

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[sailfish]

Thanks fellas, good to know the design objectives. Looks like the team is doing a great job meeting them as welll.

Regards,
Ken

[Liamy77]

lenah valley / new town in hobart could do with a few of those stoves...

would be great for kayaking / base camping trips - didn't realise about the power production bit...
if i managed to build it I'm sure it won't be as pretty ... wonder how much they'll be? -hopefully cheap enough to not bother tryin to re-invent the wheel in the shed....