Wintertrekker, you have a good life. More power to you and thank you for the videos. I escape to the wilderness when I watch your videos and let me tell you; it feels good. Keep them coming.
I bought one and I like it allot as well. First meal was flank steak, seasoning, peppers and onion. It did not use very much wood. Very controllable as well.
No worries on longevity. This thing is a beast. 18 gauge stainless steel! Its heavy a tad more than 2 pounds. Of course with the heat of the burn steel does change colour, but so far mine has no rust. I have not used it much, so I am not saying it cannot rust, but I am aware of no gear reviews that mention any rust. It does not warp, due to the steel thickness, plus the perforation pattern designed to allow the hotter areas to expand and contract. The hinges on mine are as good as new.
Thankfully those nasty storms seem to have passed, it was an exciting July. Will be sure and demonstrate the Emberlit, ordered the titanium which I think tops out at 5.5 ounces and can handle over 50 lbs of weight on it!? Ordered with the fire sticks so can handle smaller vessels. Love the side feed as you don't have to process the wood as much. I'm probably going to spring for the Firebox too, love the versatility and often have a son or two with me during hunting season. Appreciate the demo.
Beauty stove Hoop and I like the bush coffee lesson at the same time. Must not bruise the coffee and make sure and tap before serving ;) Yes, I was thinking canoe camping or on my trusty tracked ATV for the winter in the bush. Wouldn't want to carry it on my back. Have an Emberlit on order for the back pack though! Summer is almost brother and we can come out again and play!
I'm shopping for my first "stick stove". This is one of the best reviews on YT. Thanks for a practical demo. Your fire starting skill is amazing, I just knew you were going to scatter all those shavings with your tools. WOW --2 slow pulls and -wa-la- FIRE. Job well done sir, Thanks from Texas
Thanks peaveybam! The Firebox folding stove is a great stick stove. It has many more accessories that I have since purchased after this vid was made. Ya on the ferro rod strike, its a Swedish LMF, so it can be scraped slower than a softer mischmetal rod.
Hi Conrad! These are great stoves! The combustion chamber is big enough to create really big heat. They are heavy stainless steel, but they don't warp, don't rust, and I expect the stove will outlast me and be passed down to descendents. If you make the purchase, I recommend getting a 2nd set of the fire sticks, which come in handy for a Trangia plus pot supports (4 sticks). The other accessories are good too. They have many videos on their site to show stuff.
Thanks BT! Stick stoves are dangerously addictive! I have the sickness too! The Firebox is one heavy duty stove and it weighs just over 2 pounds, so it aint no UL backpacking stove. But it has its place in the stick stove niches. I would be paddling deep in the bush right now, but circumstances beyond my control are keeping me prisoner in the city. I hope to escape soon!
Thanks man! Good to see you have not been washed away in those storms! Yep the Firebox is a heavy stove but its got a niche I think when an extra pound is acceptable load. Packs thin, and its a tough piece of gear, and its a big combustion chamber that holds lots of bigger wood pieces. Show us the Emberlit in action when you get it. I just got a steel one in a trade and will be trying it soon. Stick stoves are fun.
Oh I hope they come out with a Titanium model! That would be awesome. I suspect it would be pricey though based on typical Ti prices these days - this stick stove is big capacity, ruggedly designed with some high tolerances (e.g the bomber hinges), that I suspect would be interesting for Ti manufacture and keeping the price down. It would last a 1000 years though.
Thanks! Its just cooling off here now and I would love to be out on a long canoe trip now, but I am stuck here for several reasons at the moment. That's gotta change soon!
I can't recall how variable it is, since there are two nubs on each side to contain it. But I think you could do it partially. You could also use it in the open bottom position and insert another piece of thin sheet metal (maybe made from an old can, cut out and pounded flat) if you wanted a bottom air slider/damper. But with the sticks its possible to regulate by fuel loading too. One thing I have not tried yet is wet wood to dampen the burn for slow cooking.
The firebox is raised on feet and is relatively cool underneath. It does not need a raised bottom in the upright position with fire pan in place. It has not scorched the wood block I have been burning it on. As for forest fires, coals can trickle out of any stick stove, and so any camp fire or stick stove fire needs to be tended and monitored. This is a contained fire, as safe as it gets for stick stoves IMO.
Ya, we'll see if a Ti version comes out. The company is the first one to say this is not a UL backpacking stove. Instead it has another niche, where UL is not the first priority.
Thanks for those kind words! I like to promote gear that really works and is built tough to last (hard to find these days), and especially gear that is made close to home and by small business.
That's the older version of the Light My Fire "Army" model. Their new version of the Army is a tad shorter with a different handle and scraper, but still has the same shower of hot sparks. But I like the old scraper better. On my new LMF Army models I switched the new scraper it comes with to the sharp carbide scraper made by firesteel (with a dot) com, which peels a wicked glob of molten metal from a LMF ferro rod.
Ya the size of the opening is large and a little steak or chop can fit in there. It has a huge flame surface area and will work well with bigger fry pans.
Its bomber! 18 ga stainless steel - it would stop a bullet! They don't seem to warp either due to the cooling and expansion holes. It will outlive me easily. But it aint no lightweight for carrying solo at just over 2 pounds. I think its a good option for groups since it can hold big pots and pans, canoe tripping, base camps, truck/car/motorcycle/motorboat camping, home emergency and vehicle kit, as well as just plain fun.
My only question is Longevity? It Looks like an awsome stick stove and is perfect for what im looking for but how long will it last if used on a regular bases?? see I use stick stoves primarely in snow time but im also into the not being seen/bugout camping so this would be perfect to stay hidden so if used atleast 4x a week how many years could I get?? Im asking do too the thinness of the metal
I ordered one from the USA, and the flap at the top would not stand up, it always fell down. They said this is normal, and that it tightens after the fire affects it. I think they said they learned this was the best way to make them. Did your firebox flap keep dropping down before you gave it some use too? And the fire affected the hinge at the top flap???
Thanks MWIII! Its a great stove to play with and have fun! Good for urban environments too to have a small fire and cook on safely with it being contained. Fuel for it is easy to store for power outage emergencies, (sticks, split wood, bags of wood pellets, etc). And its definitely in the truck with me if I have to bug out.
great product, but I did notice that on a windy the ambers in the box tend to fly around even with a shield. sometimes it creates a tiny tornado with ambers flying around. so need to be careful as loose ambers can start a problem in dry areas. I tend to favor butane stove for that reason. but I do love a good wood cookout. cheers.
Thanks Nate! I will show that in my next vid, where I will get the tape measure out and give you some dimensions, and show several pot sizes on the stove, including really small ones. The stove will accommodate small pots with close settings of the firesticks in some of the hole combos. And they make an attachment plate with a cut out specifically for steel cups and bottles - see their video series on the cup/bottle plate since I don't have this part.
Thanks Mike. I know a certain YT channel that is really a food and cooking channel cleverly camouflaged as a bushcraft channel! ;-) ....I think maybe a bushcraft meat fest stick stove cooking show might be in order soon :-)
Mollyjak4 Hi Mollyjak4! You will enjoy that stove! That pot in the vid is made by Olicamp, its stainless steel. These are really, really good pots. Note how the handle locks when I pour the coffee. I cannot recall the exact volume, but its either 1.5 quart or 2 quarts. They make a set of 4 nesting pots in the series, starting at less than 1 quart, all the way to 4 or 5 quarts or so. All identical in shape with the deep dish lids. Unfortunately I am not sure of they still make them. You could try and contact Olicamp to see if they still make them.
Great video. Cowboy coffee is the best. i make it everyday. is this still your favorite stick stove? i noticed that you use a Little Bug Jr. stove also. This Firebox stove looks good to me.
+Wyomin' Po Boy Thanks WPB! At home in the kitchen I use a filter drip coffee maker machine, more for the convenience. But in the bush its always "bush" coffee, no filters. The Little Bug Jr is very light, but I have to bring an extra steel bottom piece because I like to use it under the tarp on moss and organics when its raining. So the extra steel piece makes it heavier, but its necessary to prevent it setting the forest on fire. But its still lighter than the Folding Firebox, although it packs bulkier. I like the Folding Firebox much better for its versatility and stability, ruggedness, folding flatness for packing, and especially for its bottom ash pan. I can burn the FF on moss and not set the forest on fire! But with its weight, for me the FF is more for home or the truck, because at just over 2 pounds its too heavy for me to pack on my back, and I travel solo, so every ounce counts. For two people spreading weight between 2 packs its ideal. I like the FF for home emergency power outage preparation. I have a well stocked wood shed, and a big container of wood pellets, and bags of charcoal. I could boil water for months with my Folding Firebox! And cook any meal without power, indefinitely. I buy the FF and give it as presents to family for their home emergency preparation.
Ya it could be worse eh! I am lucky that I have a wood pile, and a postage stamp yard to play. I can make fire when I need a bushcraft fix! I should be practicing bow drill and hand drill, but I have been too lazy. Time to change that.....
Boiling coffee beans makes for a bitter coffee. Why? Because at boiling temp the beans release a type of acid which tastes bitter. How bitter your coffee is depends on the quality of beans. Sorry but the scientist in me comes out from time to time and I dislike bitter coffee especially when you make the effort to make a pot. Love the review and enjoy the video.
TorchwoodLuthiers Thanks T-L! I do not boil it for long, only bring it to a rolling boil, and the frothing process helps to make the grounds sink. I like my coffee strong and bitter. I drink it black, no sugar!
I don't know if anyone commented on it, but the audio quality on your camera ruins the video. I'd burn the camera. Also that fire lit really quick, your skill is amazing.
Man my firebox is 20+ pounds but also stays on claim LOL! That firebox looks like a heavy ground fire risk and not something one can make themselves with a raised bottom. Seen plenty of cool camping tourist forest fires.
Thanks for the comment Jack. Yes your method does work well. I use that method sometimes. But I like my way for more precise placement of the sparks. But to each his own. As long as we get the fire going, its all good.
