BWCA Let's Talk Stoves Boundary Waters Winter Camping and Activities
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pastorjsackett
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10/02/2023 06:44AM  
I just bought a tent with a stove pipe slot, so I'm thinking about stoves.

I've used Four Dogs and I like them but the price for titanium is pretty high. That said, the weight of the regular stoves might not be too fun for tripping.

What alternatives are people using?

Thanks.
 
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Gadfly
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10/02/2023 08:42AM  
Look up Lite Outdoors titanium stoves. They are reasonably priced for being titanium. Keep in mind the walls are thinner and I would recommend only removing the legs and stove pipe after each use as the stove becomes more difficult to assemble after numerous uses. I used this stove for a handful of years before upgrading the a four dog.
doorbluff84
senior member (55)senior membersenior member
  
10/03/2023 06:34AM  
I like my kni-co junior Alaska a ton. I have the false bottom and the shelf for storing drinks, etc on. - it can fit a good bit of wood in it if you need it to crank out some heat.
pastorjsackett
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10/03/2023 03:03PM  
Looked at a lot....probably do the heavier, cheaper Four Dog for now.

10/03/2023 05:04PM  
I use and like the Kni Co Trekker to heat my Snowtrekker tent. I think it's a good compromise between price and weight. Of course what model you get depends on tent size and stove jack opening.
pastorjsackett
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10/03/2023 05:14PM  
Thanks. I should have added: I ordered the Peax Solitude 4 Tipi. I've been wanting a winter tent for a long time.
pastorjsackett
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10/03/2023 05:47PM  
That Kni-Co does look pretty nice at 14 pounds.....
10/08/2023 09:01PM  
I bought a titanium folding stove and a kni-co packer. In any situation where I'm not carrying the stove on my back, that kni-co stove is fantastic. Great heat retention, capacity, and durability.
10/18/2023 09:15AM  
A Metal Werks is a new stove company here in Minnesota. George has been working with Don from Four Dog and makes great stoves.

I am very lucky to have a few Muskrat Metal Works stoves and my newest is Titanium. I bet it is going to be very tough to go back to heavy carbon steel stoves after this one gets some use this winter.

It really all depends on how often and how far you are pulling the stove weight, and maybe how old you are :) The older I get, the less weight I want to pull.
bwcamjh
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10/24/2023 09:00AM  


My choices are my Four Dogs Ti stove or my fold up Ti Pomoly (T1 Fastfold--a few years old now--I think they have made adjustments to it) . Depending up on which tent, how many people, how far to go, how I'm getting there.
JohnGalt
distinguished member (392)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
11/13/2023 02:17AM  
Airframes Alaska (manufacturer of the Artic Oven tent, which I love) makes a couple of stoves. I had no weight concern for my stove as I’m not moving camp so I went with the Wilderness 5 from walltentshop, though I’ll likely get a stove from AA if I am on the market for a portable option.
AlexanderSupertramp
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11/20/2023 11:00AM  
Are there any unspoken rules for stove size and tent size? If I'm using an 8x10 tent, would something like the Kni Co Packer produce enough heat? I travel alone with the dog, and with a shelf I feel like it would have enough space for cookware and coffee cup. Is there anything else I really should consider aside from the fact that I may need smaller fuel?

I am planning on using a cot with a Thermarest pad on top, and I have a very nice 20 degree down bag. Dog likes to sleep cold so I dont need the tent to be blistering.
Gadfly
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11/20/2023 11:48AM  
AlexanderSupertramp: "Are there any unspoken rules for stove size and tent size? If I'm using an 8x10 tent, would something like the Kni Co Packer produce enough heat? I travel alone with the dog, and with a shelf I feel like it would have enough space for cookware and coffee cup. Is there anything else I really should consider aside from the fact that I may need smaller fuel?

I am planning on using a cot with a Thermarest pad on top, and I have a very nice 20 degree down bag. Dog likes to sleep cold so I dont need the tent to be blistering."

I think there are a couple other things to consider. Do you plan on camping in open areas like on a lake or will be in areas protected by the wind? I think you would be ok with that stove in protected areas. I used to have a kni co that I think was something like 12x12x22 and when we camped in protected areas we many times got it way too hot in our 11x9 snow trekker. Once we started camping out on the ice we found that the wind would go through the snow trekker quite easily and sometimes struggled to keep it comfortable inside.
AlexanderSupertramp
distinguished member (354)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
11/20/2023 11:58AM  
Gadfly: "
AlexanderSupertramp: "Are there any unspoken rules for stove size and tent size? If I'm using an 8x10 tent, would something like the Kni Co Packer produce enough heat? I travel alone with the dog, and with a shelf I feel like it would have enough space for cookware and coffee cup. Is there anything else I really should consider aside from the fact that I may need smaller fuel?


I am planning on using a cot with a Thermarest pad on top, and I have a very nice 20 degree down bag. Dog likes to sleep cold so I dont need the tent to be blistering."

I think there are a couple other things to consider. Do you plan on camping in open areas like on a lake or will be in areas protected by the wind? I think you would be ok with that stove in protected areas. I used to have a kni co that I think was something like 12x12x22 and when we camped in protected areas we many times got it way too hot in our 11x9 snow trekker. Once we started camping out on the ice we found that the wind would go through the snow trekker quite easily and sometimes struggled to keep it comfortable inside. "


I probably wouldn't be setting up shop right in the middle of any lake, rather in lagoons or somewhere with a little bit of cover. But I would want to be equipped for all scenarios.

I'm not smart enough to know how firebox size relates to overall thermal energy production for the heated space. Probably more variables than just firebox size I am sure. But compared to something like the Lite Outdoors "large", it seems huge, but then it also seems pretty small compared to other "small" stoves. The Four Dog "Little Dog" stove is not too big for an 8x10 and not too small for a 10x12, according to their website, and that's the largest of the bunch that I have been looking at so far.

I'm trying to be all-in around $350 on stove/pipe setup (or less). The XL version of the Titanium Lite Outdoors at $377 with 10' pipe, arrestor, and baffle seems like a bargain. But Kni Co has factory second Packers (not including pipe) for $127 right now.

Little Dog - 2800 CI firebox
Kni Co Alaskan - 2720 CI firebox
Kni Co Alaskan Jr - 2132 CI firebox
SnowTrekker Small - 1710 CI firebox (made by Kni Co)
Kni Co Packer - 1695 CI firebox
Lite Outdoors "XL" - 1560 CI firebox
Lite Outdoors "Large" - 960 CI firebox

JohnGalt
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01/24/2024 03:20AM  
After having spent the last few months hot tenting with a stove, I'll share my limited take. If weight isn't a consideration, heavier is better because this is more metal to radiate heat, which is nice to have as it makes for a more even heat. A deep firebox is useful so that longer logs can be held, also, firebox volume will be the most direct contributor to how long the fire will burn as this is basically a function of how much wood can be packed in at once. A good door seal & air intake is important to be able to control the fire, same with the damper. An in-line spark arrester has been so handy to have as getting to & cleaning the spark arrester at the top of the pipe is a pita. As you'll be using the stove to cook, I'm assuming, having some height to the stove is useful to keep from being scrunched over all of the time.
I'm using the Wilderness 5 stove with the 12x18+vestibule Arctic Oven tent. The stove jack for the two did not mesh & I had a new stove jack installed at the factory - point being to consider the size of the stove pipe you are getting & the size of the stove jack in your tent. The stove+tent combo is more than adequate from a heat perspective & I probably could have the windows open at -35* if the stove was at full blast. Most of the time, it is kept low/nearly closed off completely & only fired up hot for an hour or so a day to burn off creosote build up.
Anyways, I've written enough haha. Happy to share from my experience if you have any follow-ups. Best of luck & curious to hear about your adventures!
 
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