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Twig Stoves: Experiences, Opinions and Pictures

Glenn MacGrady

Glenn MacGrady

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I've been exclusively a Jet Boil type of stove guy in the 21st century, but in 2020 during Covid I decided I would get both a twig stove and an alcohol stove backup for trips I was planning. So, I got a stainless steel Firebox Nano + X-case Kit with an optional Nano Fuel Plate and Nano Flame Guard.



I also got a Toaks Siphon Alcohol Stove, which fits nicely inside the Firebox Nano for wind shielding purposes.

Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic went on for far longer with more complications than I ever expected, my fitness deteriorated also faster than I expected, and as a frustrating result I haven't overnight tripped since Covid. I have no real world camping experience with, or informed opinions about, my twig stove. What's yours?
 
Mine is a cheapy off Amazon, but unless it is a “reburner” like a bush buddy or solo stove, they are all very similar.

I like mine and I use it often. Especially when I am traveling light or conserving fuel/wood. I have spent many rainy nights under a tarp feeding it sticks and making tea.

Bob
 
I have a solo stove lite that I quite like. efficient and easy to use, I can take a quart of cold creek water to boiling for 1 minute with a small pile of twigs and about 10 minutes of minimal effort.

the smokeless claim is marketing hokum (or only attainable with ideal conditions and fuel), it requires steady feeding, and your pot will get sooty as heck, but those are the only real cons, none of which bother me at all. it also would not be my choice for proper cooking, but for boiling water it's pretty great.

one thing to note is that they still count as an open fire, so are not appropriate when there are burn bans or other restrictions in place. but when that isn't the case, it's my go to for backpacking and canoe tripping.
 
I'm a huge fan of them. I don't remember the name of the stove I use right now. It's a super popular brand though so I'm sure someone can straighten me out. I use the smaller version. I've used it a lot and other than an alcohol stove as backup with only 8 ounces of fuel the twig stove was the only stove I took on my 30 and 42 day solo trips.

It takes a little getting used to but once you have the hang of it it's super fast and simple. It takes no time to gather fuel, start a fire and cook a meal. By the time I'm done eating there's only a pile of cool ashes left in the stove. The one I use has a great chimney effect which makes starting a fire super easy.

Mine nests inside my cooking pot.

Bothwell Voyager was also kind enough to gift me the small version of his twig stove (Nomad). It's also a nice stove but, even though I've had it for years, I've only used it a few times. It coincided with my shift away from canoe tripping.

They're also a nice way to start a 'real' fire. If I want a big fire I'll usually cook over my twig stove first and then use that fire to start the larger pieces of wood.

20160811_163 by Alan, on Flickr

20150821_023 by Alan, on Flickr

20160827_352 by Alan, on Flickr

20150905_003 by Alan, on Flickr

This is the Nomad from Bothwell:

20170325_005 by Alan, on Flickr

20170325_003 by Alan, on Flickr

Alan
 
Alan, great post! The first pics are of a littlbug, maybe a littlbug Jr.? It is a tremendous stove, I have used both a lot. Robin here trips with one and has many pictures of it in use.

Glenn, I use a solo stove now. I use this stove now because it does not scorch the ground beneath it and burns so clean I can cook or make coffee in my lean one shelter without smoking my self out. On cold damp mornings, it chases the cold away as well in my tent. On a trip, there seems to be an endless supply of balsam or black spruce twigs available, dead, dry and just waiting to be cut off a tree for trig stove use, at least in the boreal.

The littlbug packs much better and is WAY lighter, but the solo stove is of gasifier design, so burns so clean and hotter … without having to place on a rock so and not scorch the ground under it. I will post pics of mine when I am back at my home puter.
 
Bob B. said:
Glenn, I use a solo stove now. I use this stove now because it does not scorch the ground beneath it
Click to expand...

That's good. The Firebox Nano metal carrying case opens up to be a fire pan underneath the stove, and the kit also comes with a piece of carbon felt, which you can use as an insulating pad under the case/pan or as a wind screen. I assume you can use it on the bare ground this way when necessary.

Firebox Nano Kit.jpg
 
We use the Kelly Kettle except when a fire ban has been issued. With some birch bark we usually don't have problems lighting it. We load the stove with birch bark and sticks and leave it under the tarp for the morning coffee. I think ours is the Scout size. We chose the stainless steel over the aluminum version over concerns that the aluminum might get squished in the pack causing the seams to leak.

Pros: No fuel to carry, smell of wood smoke rather than white gas, CO₂-neutral Cons: bulky, moderately heavier than the alternatives, soot.


Kelly Kettle..jpg
 
Bob B. said:
Alan, great post! The first pics are of a littlbug, maybe a littlbug Jr.?
Click to expand...

Yes, it is the littlbug Jr. Thanks for jogging my memory!

It also works perfectly with my pot and alcohol stove. I carry a couple pieces of wire and I run them through two of the rectangular holes about 2 inches down from the top of the stove so the wires are crossed. The wires then support my pot which fits just inside the littlbug.

Alan
 
Back in 2016 I posted about making a small twig stove:

Twig stove

Getting ready for a trip and have been intrigued with twig stoves for about a year. Here is what I built.. I didn't want a big stove and I had this 3" diameter piece of stainless steel pipe that is 4" long so I thought I'd try it. What the heck it's just some time and a small amount of material...
www.canoetripping.net

It worked just fine but then last year I made a Mason firebox that is far more versatile.
IMG_1741.jpeg
IMG_6187.jpeg
IMG_6257.png
Jim
 
Alan Gage said:
I'm a huge fan of them. I don't remember the name of the stove I use right now. It's a super popular brand though so I'm sure someone can straighten me out. I use the smaller version. I've used it a lot and other than an alcohol stove as backup with only 8 ounces of fuel the twig stove was the only stove I took on my 30 and 42 day solo trips.

It takes a little getting used to but once you have the hang of it it's super fast and simple. It takes no time to gather fuel, start a fire and cook a meal. By the time I'm done eating there's only a pile of cool ashes left in the stove. The one I use has a great chimney effect which makes starting a fire super easy.

Mine nests inside my cooking pot.

Bothwell Voyager was also kind enough to gift me the small version of his twig stove (Nomad). It's also a nice stove but, even though I've had it for years, I've only used it a few times. It coincided with my shift away from canoe tripping.

They're also a nice way to start a 'real' fire. If I want a big fire I'll usually cook over my twig stove first and then use that fire to start the larger pieces of wood.

20160811_163 by Alan, on Flickr

20150821_023 by Alan, on Flickr

20160827_352 by Alan, on Flickr

20150905_003 by Alan, on Flickr

This is the Nomad from Bothwell:

20170325_005 by Alan, on Flickr

20170325_003 by Alan, on Flickr

Alan
Click to expand...
Now available in titanium!
 
I use the Littlbug Senior, it weighs next to nothing and packs flat in my Duluth Pack. It’s almost like cold handle frying pans where made for twig stoves, fire gets too hot just pull the pan off without looking for a rag or glove.
Like Allan says above, they are great for keeping warm or starting a real campfire.
Or Slowly cooking some Chicken thighs,

1714748726876.jpeg

A quick shore lunch,

IMG_4316.jpegGOPR7050.jpegDSC01990_Original.jpegDSC01439_Original.jpeg
 
Twig stoves are a great idea. I have never used one, but cooked for years on backpacking trips with little twig fires. Now we have fire bans in the West so I mostly rely on propane stoves. I still like to cook in aluminum Dutch Oven on canoe trips when fires are legal.
 
Not really Glenn. The top of the stove that supports your pot, is removed, flipped upside down and nests inside the burner. Your alcohol stove will fit inside as well. I put the stove inside my cooking pot so that helps to reduce pack volume, but it does not really disassemble.

Bob.
 
Oops Glenn, in the picture post, I have not included a picture of the cook pot the stove nests in. I will see if I can find one.

Bob
 
For canoe tripping we use a Littlbug Senior twig stove for boiling water, frying, and having a small fire for ambience but for boiling smaller amounts of water and cooking, especially simmering, we use an alcohol stove. It's a MiniBull Bongo Pro (plus turbo ring) with a Big Gulp Remote reservoir system, which lets you run the stove for a long time depending on the volume of the reservoir bottle you use. It all fits inside a 1.5 liter pot. I like denatured alcohol because you can buy it just about anywhere, it can be transported in a plastic bottle, and if you spill some it doesn't smell and evaporates quickly.

For car camping we bring a single burner propane stove and the Littlbug for ambience fires.
 
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