I like the nomad 7 solar charger a lot. It charges the iPhone very quickly and can even charge an iPad. For me however the 7 was a bit too big and heavy. The smaller nomad is less powerful but it fits nicely into my ultra lite pack.
I also love the iPhone for taking hd video on the trail.
My ten essentials for backpacking include an iPhone lol.
I have the bioLite. There are several advantages and a couple drawbacks.
I can fly with the bioLite. Can't with fuel.
I have to pack in and out the fuel.
I usually run out of fuel faster than I run out of sticks
There is a battery built into the bioLite that it charges. The power coming out is clean
The little fan really does make a decent little fire.
The downside is that a normal camp stove is lighter and easier to deal with if you're just hiking for the weekend.
I guess you can also be somewhere where there is no usable fuel for the bioLite.
I really like their big model that they only intend for the third world. I'd buy one.
In the mountain west of the U.S. there are also open flame fire bans to deal with and in a number of places, total wood fire bans above a specified elevation due to environmental impact concerns (the concern being the alpine environment being depleted of nutrients through downed wood being burned up).
As a person who has been backpacking since I was 14, and who has done it before all these technologies to help people, I can tell you do not need any of these things while in the woods. Is it nice to have, yes no doubt about it. Is it needed, absolutely not. I have spend anywhere form 3 to 10 days in the back woods only carrying what is necessary, more food than anything else since you can only carry so much weight. Most recently I been packing with my son and the boy scouts and they try and practice leave no track or very low impact camping. The kids love their electronics that is for sure and I have seen they all use various technologies to ensure they can use them. They will give up clothing and food to ensure they having their electronics with them. However, over time they learn it not worth bring them.
Why, because they break, they get wet, the solar chargers do not work well especially when it is raining, overcast, in the woods. the extra weight on long trips adds up. They also learn that having foul proof solutions are the best, do not rely on electronic to tell you where you are, do not rely on having access to natural materials to heat and cook your food and the list goes on.
I personally like these technologies ideas, I like this one, ideally it allows you to create electricity while doing another essential task like cooking. When you can accomplish more than one thing from a single activity that is great, you have to have a pot with you and you have to cook so if you can create power at the same time that is a good idea. However, as I pointed out, if you are doing all the right things while camping and cooking, it is not worth trying to charge your electronics in the 5 minutes while cooking.
Case and point, spent 10 days on the trail with 12 boys and adults, and we cooked every dinner for all 12 people using less than one liter of white gas to run the stove and the stove was not operated more than 15 minutes each time. That is very efficient, and we did not get lost and use a map and compass to make sure we knew where we were at all times. By the end of the trip all kids cell phones were dead, a couple which fell in streams, and one that got step on and broke and they had 2 solar chargers and a spare 7000mAH backup battery.
In the mountain west of the U.S. there are also open flame fire bans to deal with and in a number of places, total wood fire bans above a specified elevation due to environmental impact concerns (the concern being the alpine environment being depleted of nutrients through downed wood being burned up).
So just carry your MSR or whatever for that. It's lighter, easier to use, will work in more weather conditions (the biolite doesn't like wet wood) and is allowed during bans and buy the pot if you want. As far as wood stoves go it burns pretty clean and hot because of the fan. There are cheaper ones out there but you gotta provide a battery.
Case and point, spent 10 days on the trail with 12 boys and adults, and we cooked ever dinner for all 12 people using less than one liter of white gas to run the stove and the stove was not operated more than 15 minutes each time. That is very efficient, and we did not get lost and use a map and compass to make sure we knew where we were at all times. By the end of the trip all kids cell phones were dead, a couple which fell in streams, and one that got step on and broke and they had 2 solar changers and a spare 7000mAH backup battery.
Lol…none of these things will keep even one kid phone charged up for 10 days. But at the end of the week you can use one to charge up a phone to 5% for a call or maybe your steripen or a couple eneloops via USB.
So just carry your MSR or whatever for that. It's lighter, easier to use, will work in more weather conditions (the biolite doesn't like wet wood) and is allowed during bans and buy the pot if you want. As far as wood stoves go it burns pretty clean and hot because of the fan. There are cheaper ones out there but you gotta provide a battery.
I know this is a nit with things like this, but it is a person item with me. These kinds of stoves which use wood deposit lots of carbon soot on your cooking gear which gets all over everything that comes in contact with your equipment. I know your out in the woods and things just get dirty, but have black soot over things is just a pain. Dirt easily cleans off things but soot does not.
I use to cook over a came fire all the time, and use to soap up the bottom of my cooking gear so the soot would come off easily, but this does require you to then clean you gear in the outdoors so you putting soap and such into streams or the ground and that is not low impact.
So just carry your MSR or whatever for that. It's lighter, easier to use, will work in more weather conditions (the biolite doesn't like wet wood) and is allowed during bans and buy the pot if you want. As far as wood stoves go it burns pretty clean and hot because of the fan. There are cheaper ones out there but you gotta provide a battery.
Was far from suggesting otherwise, simply pointing out a limitation for open flame stoves in some locales, people coming from other parts of the country might not be aware of the elevation restrictions etc. western mountain areas have long implemented. I know people get surprised by the bear resistant food canister requirements routinely.
For myself, after my Optimus 8R I went with an MSR XG, then an XG/K and lately a Dragonfly. NIce, reliable line of stoves in my experience. Sooner or later I'll probably give a Whitebox a try, but haven't yet.
As a person who has been backpacking since I was 14, and who has done it before all these technologies to help people, I can tell you do not need any of these things while in the woods. Is it nice to have, yes no doubt about it. Is it needed, absolutely not. I have spend anywhere form 3 to 10 days in the back woods only carrying what is necessary, more food than anything else since you can only carry so much weight. Most recently I been packing with my son and the boy scouts and they try and practice leave no track or very low impact camping. The kids love their electronics that is for sure and I have seen they all use various technologies to ensure they can use them. They will give up clothing and food to ensure they having their electronics with them. However, over time they learn it not worth bring them.
Why, because they break, they get wet, the solar chargers do not work well especially when it is raining, overcast, in the woods. the extra weight on long trips adds up. They also learn that having foul proof solutions are the best, do not rely on electronic to tell you where you are, do not rely on having access to natural materials to heat and cook your food and the list goes on.
I personally like these technologies ideas, I like this one, ideally it allows you to create electricity while doing another essential task like cooking. When you can accomplish more than one thing from a single activity that is great, you have to have a pot with you and you have to cook so if you can create power at the same time that is a good idea. However, as I pointed out, if you are doing all the right things while camping and cooking, it is not worth trying to charge your electronics in the 5 minutes while cooking.
Case and point, spent 10 days on the trail with 12 boys and adults, and we cooked every dinner for all 12 people using less than one liter of white gas to run the stove and the stove was not operated more than 15 minutes each time. That is very efficient, and we did not get lost and use a map and compass to make sure we knew where we were at all times. By the end of the trip all kids cell phones were dead, a couple which fell in streams, and one that got step on and broke and they had 2 solar chargers and a spare 7000mAH backup battery.
Back when I went camping the tents and backpacks were made of canvas, sleeping bags were full of cotton wadding I.e. heavy as crap, you'd have to cut saplings to use as tent poles, pots were made from coffee tins with wire handles, we'd use kerosene or acetylene lamps, a map and a compass or even tell direction using a watch and the sun, we'd build a fire and sit around it telling stories and singing stupid songs (kum by yah) get tired and filthy and generally have a good time.
Back when I went camping the tents and backpacks were made of canvas, sleeping bags were full of cotton wadding I.e. heavy as crap, you'd have to cut saplings to use as tent poles, pots were made from coffee tins with wire handles, we'd use kerosene or acetylene lamps, a map and a compass or even tell direction using a watch and the sun, we'd build a fire and sit around it telling stories and singing stupid songs (kum by yah) get tired and filthy and generally have a good time.
I see you have been on a recent camping trip with the Boy Scout, they have not progress vary far in their camping techniques.
Comments
I also love the iPhone for taking hd video on the trail.
My ten essentials for backpacking include an iPhone lol.
Interesting posts, all. I'm taking notes!
I have the bioLite. There are several advantages and a couple drawbacks.
I can fly with the bioLite. Can't with fuel.
I have to pack in and out the fuel.
I usually run out of fuel faster than I run out of sticks
There is a battery built into the bioLite that it charges. The power coming out is clean
The little fan really does make a decent little fire.
The downside is that a normal camp stove is lighter and easier to deal with if you're just hiking for the weekend.
I guess you can also be somewhere where there is no usable fuel for the bioLite.
I really like their big model that they only intend for the third world. I'd buy one.
In the mountain west of the U.S. there are also open flame fire bans to deal with and in a number of places, total wood fire bans above a specified elevation due to environmental impact concerns (the concern being the alpine environment being depleted of nutrients through downed wood being burned up).
As a person who has been backpacking since I was 14, and who has done it before all these technologies to help people, I can tell you do not need any of these things while in the woods. Is it nice to have, yes no doubt about it. Is it needed, absolutely not. I have spend anywhere form 3 to 10 days in the back woods only carrying what is necessary, more food than anything else since you can only carry so much weight. Most recently I been packing with my son and the boy scouts and they try and practice leave no track or very low impact camping. The kids love their electronics that is for sure and I have seen they all use various technologies to ensure they can use them. They will give up clothing and food to ensure they having their electronics with them. However, over time they learn it not worth bring them.
Why, because they break, they get wet, the solar chargers do not work well especially when it is raining, overcast, in the woods. the extra weight on long trips adds up. They also learn that having foul proof solutions are the best, do not rely on electronic to tell you where you are, do not rely on having access to natural materials to heat and cook your food and the list goes on.
I personally like these technologies ideas, I like this one, ideally it allows you to create electricity while doing another essential task like cooking. When you can accomplish more than one thing from a single activity that is great, you have to have a pot with you and you have to cook so if you can create power at the same time that is a good idea. However, as I pointed out, if you are doing all the right things while camping and cooking, it is not worth trying to charge your electronics in the 5 minutes while cooking.
Case and point, spent 10 days on the trail with 12 boys and adults, and we cooked every dinner for all 12 people using less than one liter of white gas to run the stove and the stove was not operated more than 15 minutes each time. That is very efficient, and we did not get lost and use a map and compass to make sure we knew where we were at all times. By the end of the trip all kids cell phones were dead, a couple which fell in streams, and one that got step on and broke and they had 2 solar chargers and a spare 7000mAH backup battery.
In the mountain west of the U.S. there are also open flame fire bans to deal with and in a number of places, total wood fire bans above a specified elevation due to environmental impact concerns (the concern being the alpine environment being depleted of nutrients through downed wood being burned up).
So just carry your MSR or whatever for that. It's lighter, easier to use, will work in more weather conditions (the biolite doesn't like wet wood) and is allowed during bans and buy the pot if you want. As far as wood stoves go it burns pretty clean and hot because of the fan. There are cheaper ones out there but you gotta provide a battery.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00161IV08/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00161IV08&linkCode=as2&tag=ultrarevie-20
/shrug
Case and point, spent 10 days on the trail with 12 boys and adults, and we cooked ever dinner for all 12 people using less than one liter of white gas to run the stove and the stove was not operated more than 15 minutes each time. That is very efficient, and we did not get lost and use a map and compass to make sure we knew where we were at all times. By the end of the trip all kids cell phones were dead, a couple which fell in streams, and one that got step on and broke and they had 2 solar changers and a spare 7000mAH backup battery.
Lol…none of these things will keep even one kid phone charged up for 10 days. But at the end of the week you can use one to charge up a phone to 5% for a call or maybe your steripen or a couple eneloops via USB.
Then again I'm a gadget weenie.
So just carry your MSR or whatever for that. It's lighter, easier to use, will work in more weather conditions (the biolite doesn't like wet wood) and is allowed during bans and buy the pot if you want. As far as wood stoves go it burns pretty clean and hot because of the fan. There are cheaper ones out there but you gotta provide a battery.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00161IV08/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00161IV08&linkCode=as2&tag=ultrarevie-20
/shrug
I know this is a nit with things like this, but it is a person item with me. These kinds of stoves which use wood deposit lots of carbon soot on your cooking gear which gets all over everything that comes in contact with your equipment. I know your out in the woods and things just get dirty, but have black soot over things is just a pain. Dirt easily cleans off things but soot does not.
I use to cook over a came fire all the time, and use to soap up the bottom of my cooking gear so the soot would come off easily, but this does require you to then clean you gear in the outdoors so you putting soap and such into streams or the ground and that is not low impact.
So just carry your MSR or whatever for that. It's lighter, easier to use, will work in more weather conditions (the biolite doesn't like wet wood) and is allowed during bans and buy the pot if you want. As far as wood stoves go it burns pretty clean and hot because of the fan. There are cheaper ones out there but you gotta provide a battery.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00161IV08/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00161IV08&linkCode=as2&tag=ultrarevie-20
/shrug
Was far from suggesting otherwise, simply pointing out a limitation for open flame stoves in some locales, people coming from other parts of the country might not be aware of the elevation restrictions etc. western mountain areas have long implemented. I know people get surprised by the bear resistant food canister requirements routinely.
For myself, after my Optimus 8R I went with an MSR XG, then an XG/K and lately a Dragonfly. NIce, reliable line of stoves in my experience. Sooner or later I'll probably give a Whitebox a try, but haven't yet.
Back when I went camping the tents and backpacks were made of canvas, sleeping bags were full of cotton wadding I.e. heavy as crap, you'd have to cut saplings to use as tent poles, pots were made from coffee tins with wire handles, we'd use kerosene or acetylene lamps, a map and a compass or even tell direction using a watch and the sun, we'd build a fire and sit around it telling stories and singing stupid songs (kum by yah) get tired and filthy and generally have a good time.
Back when I went camping the tents and backpacks were made of canvas, sleeping bags were full of cotton wadding I.e. heavy as crap, you'd have to cut saplings to use as tent poles, pots were made from coffee tins with wire handles, we'd use kerosene or acetylene lamps, a map and a compass or even tell direction using a watch and the sun, we'd build a fire and sit around it telling stories and singing stupid songs (kum by yah) get tired and filthy and generally have a good time.
I see you have been on a recent camping trip with the Boy Scout, they have not progress vary far in their camping techniques.