Biolite Camping and Hiking Stove $199 at Rays in Store (Was $269)

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Rays

• 

  aidhan on 19/02/2018 - 11:22

  -1

  You could just throw your phone on a fire and it'd charge it to the point of explosion.

• 

  annarchon on 19/02/2018 - 11:23

  +1

  On-Board BatteryNew: Integrated 2600 mAh battery charges devices with or without a live fire

  hhhhmmmmmm lithium batteries….. live fire……..

• 

  mskeggs on 19/02/2018 - 11:34

  +4

  I am deeply skeptical about this device, as the peltier effect generator used to produce electricity are low current and low performance.
  I think it is a complete gimmick.

  Consider the use case.
  The only reason carrying one of these is desirable, is if it removes the need to carry something else.
  It has a built in battery, so must weigh more than a stove with no battery. The battery holds 2600mah, so about the charge in 3 AAs or a normal phone battery.
  It doesn't look like a particularly good stove, neither particularly light nor durable.

  So when would you use it? If you were car camping, there are much better solutions. If you are back packing there are much better solutions. If you are living off grid for an extended period there are much better solutions.
  This is expensive junk.

  • 

    mskeggs on 19/02/2018 - 11:36

    +2

    Scathing review:
    https://sectionhiker.com/biolite-campstove-the-substance-bey…

    "This product is a gimmick that will be shelved in your basement after a single outing."

  • 

    memphisraynz on 19/02/2018 - 11:46

    You can find anything on the internet to support your preconceptions.
    No idea what generations this is but with close to 400 reviews on Amazon with 4.5 stars it doesn't seem to bad.
    https://www.amazon.com/BioLite-Wood-Burning-Lightweight-Elec…

    • 

      aidhan on 19/02/2018 - 11:52

      +1

      As far as I can see it's only real use is charging up USB devices where it would be far cheaper and more convieninent to just get a powerbank, even small ones have more capacity than this.

    • 

      mskeggs on 19/02/2018 - 12:07

      -1

      How much wood, and how long did it take to charge a phone?

  • 

    cornbeef on 19/02/2018 - 11:49

    I've used one hiking and it's fine. In fact it's lighter to carry than the shellite for the MSR.

    I see no reason for your neg vote but each to their own.

    The main drawback we found, and redesign we worked on around the little campfire, had to do with the fact that we had to lift the pan/pot to add more fuel. Mind you this thing cooks on very few sticks. So if you get some height above the flame you can still add fuel, as per their design on the biolite kettle and grill, for those with cash to burn.

  • 

    chossenger on 19/02/2018 - 11:50

    +1

    To the contrary, the battery is just a side effect of another feature - the self-driving fan. Once you have something of a fire started, it starts up, driving the fire much harder than you would normally be able to get with an open fire, so you get a much more efficient burn. IDK about you, but I've never managed to boil a bottle of water off a handful of small sticks before.

    • 

      mskeggs on 19/02/2018 - 12:02

      Well, yes I have because I have used other rocket stoves.
      The gimmick here is the charging via USB that requires hours of dry firewood for a very modest charge rate.

      • 

        Levelgrinder on 19/02/2018 - 12:26

        They also have a model without the USB recharging option, the rechargable battery just drives the fan for the fire.
        https://row.bioliteenergy.com/products/cookstove?variant=247…

      • 

        ATangk on 19/02/2018 - 15:12

        @Levelgrinder:
        The battery never charges the device in the first place, according to one of the reviews. It’s purely there for the fan and then the generator charges the phone. After hearing this I’m sceptical of it being able to produce a steady DC current to charge a phone.

      • 

        cornbeef on 19/02/2018 - 16:24

        +1

        @ATangk: I've charged a phone off it no problem.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 12:12

      If you need a powered fan to keep a fire going, you don't deserve to light fires in Australia.

    • 

      inasero on 19/02/2018 - 12:39

      +2

      Yeah u need a faggot for that

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 20:18

      +1

      Different products but there are plenty of these types of kettles around. Base isn't necessary. They work a treat.
      http://www.kellykettle.com.au/

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 12:11

    It's just kickstarter junk. There's a lot of kickstarter junk out there and the prices are so amazingly stupid.

    • 

      Rifraf on 19/02/2018 - 13:41

      These have been around for a few years now I think so could it be considered "Kickstarter"?

      Considering its useless if the weather has been wet I've not looked seriously at it.

      I've been using a Trangia for a few years now but am more and more using a propane stove.

      Think about how little space a gas canister takes up and a good propane stove simmers really well and
      you'd not be bothered with this idea.

      Consider how long it takes to charge a phone via usb and you'll see this for the gimmick it is.

      Look at the packability of stoves like the Kovea spider which fit inside a cooking pot with the canister.

      I'm not down voting this but its a big no from me.

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 13:43

        I am pretty sure this was born from kickstarter or equivalency.

        These things are made to feel "modern" and "all-in-one" but really they don't do anything well.

      • 

        Rifraf on 19/02/2018 - 13:48

        @StoneSin:
        The soot would be another bummer to have to deal with.

        The reason I'm leaning now more towards propane is how clean burning it is.

        With Metho changing recipes a while back, even my Trangia gets sooted up quickly despite me adding 10 to 15% water to help mitigate it.

        I really like the simmering ability of the propane too.

        I also have a Primus Omnilite multi fuel stove too but its rarely used due to its noise which detracts from the ambiance and potential mess from spilt fuel.

        It also takes a lot of preheating and I can boil a cuppa in my trangia for similar amount of metho.

        As for its propane ability, there are smaller lighter stoves like the Spider.

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 13:57

        @Rifraf: I agree. Cooking with gas is a great experience.

  • 

    litoria on 19/02/2018 - 13:03

    +1

    Plus quite a few popular Australian multi-day walking areas require use of a fuel stoves - not that this would have anything like the impact of camp fire.

• 

  Dealayed on 19/02/2018 - 11:50

  +1

  If all you want to burn is twigs, you can make a rocket stove from a can.