Solo Stove Ranger

[SageRpod]

Linda and I love campfires but as we have gotten older, we don't care so much for the smoke anymore and having to haul seasoned firewood around. Additionally, firewood has the potential of introducing non-native pests to other locations. But honestly, we are lazy and looking for the easiest way to enjoy the things we like about camping, one of which is a campfire.

Enter the Solo Stove Ranger with the pellet insert. We purchased ours when Solo had a beginning of season 50% off sale in May. We sprung for a stove (which comes with a heavy duty carry bag), base, top cover and pellet insert, which is the real game changer for us. With the pellet insert, the fire pit is truly smokeless and puts our abundant heat and flame. The only issue is you only get about 2-2 1/2 hours of burn time when full of pellets and it is difficult to maintain a fire by adding pellets. Using the stove with pellets, however, could not be easier or faster. Easy enough to have a nice, quick fire for early morning coffee and one in the evening without the investment of a typical campfire and not having to fret about sparks starting big fires when you are out for the day or going to bed. Just pop the cover on it and you are golden.

Pellets are readily available just about anywhere and easy to transport. They don't transport insects and they burn cleanly leaving very little ash to dispose of. We would highly recommend this setup for anyone that wants an easy, campfire in the safety of a completely contained, stainless steel fire pit.

[WillyB]

We bought one of these during Covid and my chemo treatments so I could have a little fire back in my bedroom while I recovered. We loved it so much that our daughter bought us a second one.

They burn for about 45 minutes and we use the new one while the first cools down. With a 32 oz bottle of 91 rubbing alcohol we can have a fire for over 6 hours.

While camping we use them when we sit it our screen tent in the evenings. We love it because the fire flickers nicely and it burns very clean. We use it indoors when at home and I've used it working from home in the camper in our side yard during the winter.

https://flikrfire.com/products/round-personal-fireplace

[Mike G]

It's great when one can have a fire that produces little or no smoke, that can easily be put out at any time.

[iamunique127]

Open fires were prohibited in most of the areas we travelled this summer due to the extreme forest fire danger but it seemed the gas fired appliances were OK, so some ppl were still able to enjoy the ambiance of a fire even when campfires were verboten. There were rangers or Hosts patrolling so I guess fire rings were OK.

I have no experience with anything but firewood fires so it made me wonder where the line is: at firewood fires? pellet fires? propane fires? alcohol fires?

I didn't ever see specifics, just signs saying Campfires Prohibited.

It would have been nice to have a flickering fire.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by iamunique127

I have no experience with anything but firewood fires so it made me wonder where the line is: at firewood fires? pellet fires? propane fires? alcohol fires?

I didn't ever see specifics, just signs saying Campfires Prohibited.

It would have been nice to have a flickering fire.

That's a great question. I can tell you that we did speak with two rangers this summer at separate times. They both indicated that no campfires of any kind (wood, pellet, gas, etc) are allowed during Stage Two fire restrictions. During Stage One fire restrictions, campfires are allowed in engineered fire pits either as part of the campsite or in the form of a portable fire pit such as the Solo, however fire in hand built fire rings is prohibited.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by iamunique127

I have no experience with anything but firewood fires so it made me wonder where the line is: at firewood fires? pellet fires? propane fires? alcohol fires?

I didn't ever see specifics, just signs saying Campfires Prohibited.

It would have been nice to have a flickering fire.

Probably a lot of variation jurisdiction to jurisdiction but in my experience it's definitely wood campfires that are first to go. Often propane fire pits are OK.

I find that those darn falling twigs make my propane fire flicker nicely.

Ron

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I find that those darn falling twigs make my propane fire flicker nicely.

Ron

Very sneaky! (The twigs, that is. Assuredly not you. )

[Carmel Clown]

I think it is partly because some people don’t extinguish a campfire completely. A propane or something like a Solo goes with the camper when leaving.