After reading about a Purcell fire grate on this forum I looked into buying one from Don the owner. After searching the interweb high and low I was right back at his site and bought one.

No regrets. This grate is the bomb for anyone looking for an ultra-light fire grate. Since I paddle solo in Quetico, this grill is what I should have purchased years ag. I used to store my old grill grate in a Walmart bag. How dumb is that? You don’t know it’s dumb until you get a Purcell grate with the fabric bag.
It set me back $100 delivered.

Good buy. It is a great piece of gear.

It is an excellently made piece of gear. Edges rounded off so there are no sharp corners, solid welds, and doesn't warp with heat.

Poster Maverick talked me into it almost 20 years ago...I scoffed at the price, but like you when I got it and used it... I have no regrets.

Some Quetico Ribeyes, Maverick grilled for me :)

As all have said, it is well worth the price!

have to say I can't imagine that it is worth 3 times the price of the fire grates you can get at Walmart or Cabelas. We have used the Walmart ones for years and never had an issue. For the price difference, we could bring some of those steaks for the entire group!

I was looking for a specific size of grate. I wanted it to be long enough to fit over the rocks and not too wide.
I bought a similar fire grate from Home Depot. It was close in size. When it arrived it was waaay more than I needed and weighed several pounds.
I have no problem paying good money for great stuff. I have 20 good years left and want to spend all my money on booze, women and camping gear. I’ll waste the rest.

Now, if you could show me a fire grate from Cabelas or Walmart that a guy would take camping I would be happy to see one.

Tom

I like mine, but the brats have rolled thru — wish the grate members were a bit closer.

ockycamper: "have to say I can't imagine that it is worth 3 times the price of the fire grates you can get at Walmart or Cabelas. We have used the Walmart ones for years and never had an issue. For the price difference, we could bring some of those steaks for the entire group!"

Tumblehome trips in the Quetico- no grates at campsites so a sturdy well made grate is necessary- he's not using it on top of a wrought iron Forest Service fire grate. Take it from someone with loads of Quetico experience, Walmart grates won't make the cut.

Banksiana: "

ockycamper: "have to say I can't imagine that it is worth 3 times the price of the fire grates you can get at Walmart or Cabelas. We have used the Walmart ones for years and never had an issue. For the price difference, we could bring some of those steaks for the entire group!"

Tumblehome trips in the Quetico- no grates at campsites so a sturdy well made grate is necessary- he's not using it on top of a wrought iron Forest Service fire grate. Take it from someone with loads of Quetico experience, Walmart grates won't make the cut."

I've used a Weber grate on loads of Q trips. I'm with ocky on this one and will invest my grate savings on better steaks. I can appreciate sturdy metal, smooth edges, and good welds but they don't make things taste better.

I'm happy you are pleased with your grate, Tom.

+1 ....this is the right tool for Quetico, WCPP, Wab, etc.

It's the great grate debate!

I'd go with Purcell.

Lawson Equipment used to make and sell a relatively lightweight stainless steel alternative. I purchased a couple ten years ago and they are still going strong. Sadly, it looks like they have discontinued their grills.

Another alternative would be to pack a couple hollow square iron bars. You can place them across the rocks of your fire ring and rest your pot on top or even grill a steak or two. Packs down better than a grate, but requires a bit more care setting up to ensure stability.

I must admit, I am envious of the titanium grills, but I too, personally can't justify the cost. Perhaps if I only cooked over the fire, it would be worth it, but I mainly use my stove for cooking. My grill is mainly for backup, first night brats or grilling a lake trout over the fire now and then.

tumblehome: " I have 20 good years left and want to spend all my money on booze, women and camping gear. I’ll waste the rest.

Tom"

I like your priorities.

bobbernumber3: "

Banksiana: "

ockycamper: "have to say I can't imagine that it is worth 3 times the price of the fire grates you can get at Walmart or Cabelas. We have used the Walmart ones for years and never had an issue. For the price difference, we could bring some of those steaks for the entire group!"

Tumblehome trips in the Quetico- no grates at campsites so a sturdy well made grate is necessary- he's not using it on top of a wrought iron Forest Service fire grate. Take it from someone with loads of Quetico experience, Walmart grates won't make the cut."

I've used a Weber grate on loads of Q trips. I'm with ocky on this one and will invest my grate savings on better steaks. I can appreciate sturdy metal, smooth edges, and good welds but they don't make things taste better.

I'm happy you are pleased with your grate, Tom."

I pay for great gear as well. Fire grates don't fall into that category. Every fire great cooks as well as any other one, as they sit on the same fire. The only difference is weight, size, and if they will hold up. $70 for a fire grate vs $15-$20 doesn't seem to be in the "investment" category.

ockycamper: "
I pay for great gear as well. Fire grates don't fall into that category. Every fire great [sic] cooks as well as any other one, as they sit on the same fire. The only difference is weight, size, and if they will hold up. $70 for a fire grate vs $15-$20 doesn't seem to be in the "investment" category.
"

Easy to say when you trip only on camp sites that come with permanent grates. If you tend to cook over a fire sturdy well designed grate that is easy to set up and easy to pack up and does not dump your pots in the fire (a round weber grated does not qualify) becomes vital.

We would use grates with fold down legs if we were in spots without fire pits/grates. That eliminates the whole rock issue.

ockycamper: "We would use grates with fold down legs if we were in spots without fire pits/grates. That eliminates the whole rock issue."

I probably didn’t give you the correct info on my purchase.
This fire grate is not for most people.

I am a solo camper in Quetico and other far off places where there are no fire grates. I use a #3 Granite gear pack which is not very big. This means I carry everything myself. Therefore, this grate is indeed gear, and as important as anything else I carry. It is the perfect size for me and the other qualities of it were incidental. The cost and the material was not a deciding factor.

I looked at every Google image conceivable of small fire grates and none matched my needs. I would definitely buy this grate again and my only regret is that I used a crappy piece of heavy mesh for all these years prior.

Probably only 10% of the people on these forums would even need something like this.
Tom

ockycamper: "We would use grates with fold down legs if we were in spots without fire pits/grates. That eliminates the whole rock issue."

Not a practical solution in Quetico.

ockycamper: "We would use grates with fold down legs if we were in spots without fire pits/grates. That eliminates the whole rock issue."

Then you are also introducing a potential failure point as well, and the added weight of the legs, along with possibly taking up more pack space depending on how the legs are stored.

I love my Purcell Streamside Voyageurs grill in Quetico for it's strength and light weight. They're not inexpensive, so they're not for everyone, but it's all I will ever use. This is at the 5 star island site on Saganagons.

ockycamper: "We would use grates with fold down legs if we were in spots without fire pits/grates. That eliminates the whole rock issue."

They aren't for everyone. I used to think the same as you, so I can see where you are coming from...then I got talked into getting one...granted I paid way less than they are now. But I'd buy another in a heart beat if I lost or damaged my current one. More than likely though this will get used for generations in our family. It will be around longer than me.

T

unshavenman: "I love my Purcell streamside travelers grill in Quetico for it's strength and light weight. They're not inexpensive, so they're not for everyone, but it's all I will ever use. This is at the 5 star island site on Saganagons.

"

Love that!

RunningFox: "I like mine, but the brats have rolled thru — wish the grate members were a bit closer."

Well...try placing the brats perpendicular to the grates;-) Could not resist.

They also have models that come with a mesh top.

Frenchy19: "

RunningFox: "I like mine, but the brats have rolled thru — wish the grate members were a bit closer."

Well...try placing the brats perpendicular to the grates;-) Could not resist.


They also have models that come with a mesh top."

Yep, that's why I bought the streamside version!

Frenchy19: "

RunningFox: "I like mine, but the brats have rolled thru — wish the grate members were a bit closer."

Well...try placing the brats perpendicular to the grates;-) Could not resist.


They also have models that come with a mesh top."

The reason we don't do that is that the roll off

A nice alternative to grates are fire irons. Two irons are very versatile for use with pots and pans and weight next to nothing if made from titanium (if you can find them).

Interesting that people argue against using a piece of gear they have never owned nor plan on purchasing due to price. Not much weight behind that argument.

Akin to my stating I would never own a carbon fiber canoe because they are too expensive and my Alumacraft serves me just fine, thank you very much.

This grill has been on my radar for 5 years or so. I just don’t cook over a fire enough to justify it. I usually bring the top skinny grate that’s on a Weber grill. It does the job just a bit heavier. One of these years when hundred dollar bills are burning holes in my pockets I’ll get one.

What features of this fire grate justify its cost??

bobbernumber3: "What features of this fire grate justify its cost??"

It's lightweight, simple, won't corrode, really well made, won't catch on things, comes with a nice storage sleeve, packs away nicely, and it's made by a cottage manufacturer.

The only flaw is it's transparent to polarized brats.

bobbernumber3: "What features of this fire grate justify its cost??"

It sounds like there is nothing we could say to justify the cost to you. You seem to have a system you like already. It might not be worth it to you. No big deal…it is just a grate :)

For me it was weight. It weighed half the weight of any other grate similar. By counting oz. My wife and I could put in on black robe at 10am and be eating ribeyes on on Conmee by 7 or 8 pm that same day. I didn’t even know the thing existed. A fellow poster and I were having beers talking about lightening packs when he brought it up…it was half the price it is now and we got Purcell to give us a discount on shipping and cost by buying together.with that said I’d replace it in a second at the current price. It was a product I didn’t know I needed until I had it.

It’s tough, lightweight, easy to set up on rocks, packs easily, and I know what it is made out of (made in the USA)…you are putting food on it, directly over a flame…I know I am not ingesting cancer causing materials…some of the stuff people use for fire grates concerns me despite being marketed as a fire grate. A lot of that cheap Chinese junk if you look at the pics never show food on them…just a pot or kettle, why is that? Because they aren’t safe/meant for direct grilling. A little extra money for piece of mind and convenience no big deal to me.

T

timatkn: "

bobbernumber3: "What features of this fire grate justify its cost??"

It sounds like there is nothing we could say to justify the cost to you....

T"

As an engineer, my career was about evaluating vendors and materials and justifying costs. Old habits.

When it comes to canoe gear, well... it's pretty hard to justify most of the nice stuff!

If you look at some of the old videos of Bill Mason and the fire grate he uses it almost makes one embarrassed to consider spending this much on such a simple piece of gear, but I digress...

I don't trip in quetico but I've done my share of solo cooking on rivers and in other non-bwca settings and have generally found a fire grate to be unnecessary and either just cook right on the fire/coals or use a stove if there's a fire hazard. I guess I don't grill steaks or brats that often either though.

Seems like a well made product. If my tripping style were different I'm still young enough I'd probably consider it a good lifetime investment as well. I love my titanium pots for sure, it's a great material for cooking with fire.

keth0601: "

I don't trip in quetico but I've done my share of solo cooking on rivers and in other non-bwca settings and have generally found a fire grate to be unnecessary and either just cook right on the fire/coals or use a stove if there's a fire hazard.

"

Okay that's funny. For some reason I feel like you made that up. If you have the option to throw a piece of chicken in bare coals or a pan of bacon right in the fire, I don't want to camp with you LOL.

And then next thread we start can be about $4,000 canoes or $300 paddles.
Good stuff costs money. And I must have a lot since I spent $100 on a grill.
Tom

Okay that's funny. For some reason I feel like you made that up. If you have the option to throw a piece of chicken in bare coals or a pan of bacon right in the fire, I don't want to camp with you LOL.
Tom"

Def not made up. This happens all the time by highly experienced outdoorsmen. Some that come to mind are the fine folks at Lost Lakes or Joe Robinet.

boy scouts have been cooking on just coals for years if not generations

tumblehome: "

keth0601: "


I don't trip in quetico but I've done my share of solo cooking on rivers and in other non-bwca settings and have generally found a fire grate to be unnecessary and either just cook right on the fire/coals or use a stove if there's a fire hazard.


"

Okay that's funny. For some reason I feel like you made that up. If you have the option to throw a piece of chicken in bare coals or a pan of bacon right in the fire, I don't want to camp with you LOL."

Well I generally wouldn't just throw a piece of chicken right on the coals, though I suppose you could in a really dire situation. Usually there'd be a pan involved. :)

bobbernumber3: "

timatkn: "

bobbernumber3: "What features of this fire grate justify its cost??"

It sounds like there is nothing we could say to justify the cost to you....


T"

As an engineer, my career was about evaluating vendors and materials and justifying costs. Old habits.


When it comes to canoe gear, well... it's pretty hard to justify most of the nice stuff!"

For the last statement, my only answer is it's fun or adds to the fun. There is no legitimate monetary justification :) Don't even get me started on my Hunting and fishing gear. When my wife comments on how we save money eating Pheasants and walleye...I pretend like I don't hear her...if she started to add up the REAL cost per pound of Walleye and Pheasant...it might be too embarrassing for me to endure :)

T

It's true, there are so many less expensive options to grill over the fire. To each their own, and everyone has a budget. I choose to spend my money on really well made lightweight canoe camping gear, and I buy from cottage vendors whenever possible. Even though it does cost more money I really enjoy high quality gear, and as I get older it allows me to travel deeper and further. I can justify it to myself because I choose not to own a bass boat or an ATV or a snowmobile or a classic car. Others can go into the the BWCA or Q as cheaply as they like and have a great time as well. Heck, I've seen people portaging their gear in 5 gallon buckets and wearing sidearms, and I'm sure they had a blast.

I honestly do not know how I would even attempt to bake a laker on a stove but I have one of those grills with the legs that i've not used in years if anyone wants to pay shipping.

uqme2: "I honestly do not know how I would even attempt to bake a laker on a stove but I have one of those grills with the legs that i've not used in years if anyone wants to pay shipping."

Two years ago we gutted the cavity on a Pike, rinsed, coated in butter and set it on the coals, turning once. When cooked through, we used a fork to eat the meat out of the cavity area. Really tasted great and no filleting. . .no pan. .no grease.

We have also done the same thing by hanging the gutted/rinsed pike off of a metal stringer from a tripod over the fire. Cooked through, then ate.

You don't need a grill or a stove!

ockycamper: "You don't need a grill or a stove!"

Agreed.

Congratulations on your purchase, Tumblehome. I’ve really enjoyed mine and appreciate the toughness, extreme light weight, and importantly the lack of any edges that that might snag on anything. Mine is great for extended solo travel.

I found a second, unexpected use for mine. Anyone who has one and winter camps in a hot tent may consider bringing their PTG along. I’d sometimes find when heating a pot of stew or chili on my stove that it would get too hot and could scorch the food. I know bring my grill along (it’s supper light weight and fits in my stove bag) and set it on top of my stove to create some space between the hot stove and the food. I also move boiled water to it to prevent continued boiling. It’s like a way to get medium heat from your stove instead of just high or low.

Tell you one thing, you will never find a Purcell left behind at a site in Quetico like the many cheap heaps of trash-which they are-that I have hauled out over the years. That alone seals the deal.

uqme2: "

ockycamper: "You don't need a grill or a stove!"

Agreed. "

Hey that was the exact same grate I had before Purcell…what a coincidence. One mans junk is another mans treasure I guess :)

I don’t say this to be offensive, but I wouldn’t let my dog eat food cooked directly on that grate. It’s fine for putting a pot on but I wouldn’t directly grill on that…who knows what chemicals are getting infused into your meat you are consuming. If you don’t grill directly on the grate no big deal.

Plus it weighed twice that of the purcell grill.

T

timatkn: "
... I wouldn’t let my dog eat food cooked directly on that grate....


T"

Several comments raise concern about contamination to food from unknown metals in the grate. Seems the risk of grilled food would be more likely.

Yes…only grilled food directly on the grate. If you don’t grill on the grate I would have no concerns with any other grate.

I will admit I am probably more paranoid than the average person.

T

uqme2: "

ockycamper: "You don't need a grill or a stove!"

Agreed. "

Good luck using one of these on uneven rocky fire pit with pots filled with liquid. Something to try once on one trip. If you cook over a fire in the Q and try a Purcell Grill (instead of firmly declaring your judgement without having used, seen or even had a need for...) you will never go back and it will become a favorite bit of kit.

The thing that always cracks me up about these debates is people have no idea about the tripping habits of other people. Some people think a 5 day trip traveling 20-30 miles total in the BW , avoiding tough portages and double or triple portaging is normal. The next person might think a 14+ day trip traveling 15+ miles per day and purposely choosing difficult routes and single portaging in order to travel where few do is normal. Then, you add in that some people are in their 20's and extremely fit and some are in their 70's and starting to struggle, some have very limited budgets or have other costly hobbies, and some have huge budgets and this is their main hobby and there is absolutely no way we could ever see eye to eye on this type of thing. It is just like fishing, you can use a cane pole bobber and worm and catch fish, or you can use a 100,000.00 bass boat with chart plotters, forward facing sonar, down imaging/side imaging, using 6-8 400.00+ rods, 400.00+ reels, and many thousands of dollars in tackle traveling all over the country to catch fish. Which person is "right"? I will say that I am thankful I have been able to afford more high end gear as I've gotten older, all the ounces I have been able cut out have removed over 30 pounds (NOT including canoe), and make those nasty Quetico portages much easier on my body. There are a lot of people that could probably keep going longer if they would spend several thousands on lighter gear, the question is whether that is worth it to YOU.

mgraber: "The thing that always cracks me up about these debates is people have no idea about the tripping habits of other people. Some people think a 5 day trip traveling 20-30 miles total in the BW, avoiding tough portages and double or triple portaging is normal.

The next person might think a 14+ day trip traveling 15+ miles per day and purposely choosing difficult routes and single portaging in order to travel where few do is normal.

Then, you add in that some people are in their 20s and extremely fit and some are in their 70s and starting to struggle, some have very limited budgets or have other costly hobbies, and some have huge budgets and this is their main hobby and there is absolutely no way we could ever see eye to eye on this type of thing.

It is just like fishing, you can use a cane pole bobber and worm and catch fish, or you can use a $100,000 bass boat with chart plotters, f$orward facing sonar, down imaging/side imaging, using $400+ rods, $400+ reels, and many thousands of dollars in tackle traveling all over the country to catch fish. Which person is "right"?

I will say that I am thankful I have been able to afford more high end gear as I've gotten older, all the ounces I have been able cut out have removed over 30 pounds (NOT including canoe), and make those nasty Quetico portages much easier on my body.

There are a lot of people who could probably keep going longer if they would spend several thousands on lighter gear. The question is whether that is worth it to YOU."

EXACTLY!

TZ

love it

Banksiana: "

uqme2: "

ockycamper: "You don't need a grill or a stove!"

Agreed. "

Good luck using one of these on uneven rocky fire pit with pots filled with liquid. Something to try once on one trip. If you cook over a fire in the Q and try a Purcell Grill (instead of firmly declaring your judgement without having used, seen or even had a need for...) you will never go back and it will become a favorite bit of kit."

I purchased this PT grill way in back in the 20th century. I cannot stress enough what a quality piece of gear I thought it to be then and still do.

It's a little hard to set up (balance) and I'll usually nail it down with an extra rock on top of one or both end 'cause that's how light it is.

It's perfect for one or two people but it's not like you can fit 5 steaks and a chicken breast or bake a laker and a veggie pack on it at the same time like the grill with the legs I posted a picture of a few days ago.

I remember it being super expensive but I couldn't justify bringing the big grill for one or two so I pulled the trigger on what I thought would work the best for my/our style.

The PT grill, including the stitching and velcro on the sheath have more than stood the test of time. Yet, if I ever do a big group trip again, guess which grill I'd offer to the group to use and portage.

I can weigh them both if you to do the math, T.

This one.

I sure like mine.

At the time, mid to late 90's, I remember thinking the purchase price was an outrageous sum for a grill. Some things have a value beyond money so I bit the bullet on that particular purchase.

This morning I guessed at what an outrageous price to me might have been at the time and looked for receipts some 25 years later. I figured $60 - $70 bucks.

All things considered, that particular purchase was a darn good decision in my case. No regrets.

YMMV.

First world problems.

Sparkeh: "First world problems. "

Hold true for virtually any topic/comment on this forum.

Where are these available? I get an error message when I try to visit his site.

http://www.purcelltrench.com/grills.htm

ISRO: "http://www.purcelltrench.com/grills.htm"

buy cheap and cry forever, or buy expensive and cry once...may fit this discussion.

ISRO: "http://www.purcelltrench.com/grills.htm"

Apparently won't play nice with mobile browsers. Works from my work desktop. Thanks!

Sparkeh: "First world problems. "

You mean like logging into a message board to try to guess what lake is in a picture?

Frenchy19: "

Sparkeh: "First world problems. "

You mean like logging into a message board to try to guess what lake is in a picture?"

Not just one lake, or two lakes, or ten... but hundreds.

uqme2: "At the time, mid to late 90's, I remember thinking the purchase price was an outrageous sum for a grill. Some things have a value beyond money so I bit the bullet on that particular purchase.

This morning I guessed at what an outrageous price to me might have been at the time and looked for receipts some 25 years later. I figured $60 - $70 bucks.

All things considered, that particular purchase was a darn good decision in my case. No regrets.

YMMV.



"

Keep in mind Tumblehome bought a different model that is bigger and more expensive. The Traveller model like you showed, and like I have, is still $64 + shipping on their website. Not that different for 25 years.

Luxury item, very nice gear.

I'm debating on buying one of these grills. The question is which one. The Voyageurs Grill has six rods (counting the frame) and measures 18 x 7. The Travelers Grill has four rods (counting the frame) and measures 17 x 5. Cost is around $30 difference ($64 vs. $91). We'd probably cook steaks or brats for our group of four and use it to keep some hot water at the ready.

Thoughts on which one to buy?

Jackfish: "I'm debating on buying one of these grills. The question is which one. The Voyageurs Grill has six rods (counting the frame) and measures 18 x 7. The Travelers Grill has four rods (counting the frame) and measures 17 x 5. Cost is around $30 difference ($64 vs. $91). We'd probably cook steaks or brats for our group of four and use it to keep some hot water at the ready.


Thoughts on which one to buy? "

Depends on what you are thinking of putting on there. I sometimes grill steaks, hotdogs, potatoes, onions, zucchini, trout on mine so I got the Streamside Packers Grill, making sure I got it with the mesh screen. Haven't lost a dog yet, and a fish fillet doesn't fall through either.

I cook with lightweight pots and usually by myself, so the size is just right for my one liter pot and 1/2 liter pot on there at the same time.

Yep, I also recommend the expanded metal option found on the streamside traveler or the streamside voyageurs grill.

Keep in mind Tumblehome bought a different model that is bigger and more expensive. The Traveller model like you showed, and like I have, is still $64 + shipping on their website. Not that different for 25 years.

Math is cool!

does anyone have pictures of the purcell titanium packers2 grill with the modern small titanium pots. like the snowpeak 700 or msr titan .85liter . i hasve just been curious how those small pots fit on the 2 or possibly3 pipes. does it sit well or does it want to teater?

blackdawg9: "does anyone have pictures of the purcell titanium packers2 grill with the modern small titanium pots. like the snowpeak 700 or msr titan .85liter . i hasve just been curious how those small pots fit on the 2 or possibly3 pipes. does it sit well or does it want to teater?"

Here are two pictures with my Snowpeak 1400 pot and my Trangia pot on the Streamside Packers Grill. I don't find the pots wobbly at all, as long as I have a good rock base I am setting the grill on.