It's okay. Don't expect to do anything else while using it (i.e. set up a tent), as the fire needs constant attention. Also, you need to take your pot off to feed the chamber. As you build your fuel size the gap allowed doesn't allow for side feeding. Good for car camping, but not a backpacking stove in the least
I was able to get it for $65, and for that price i think it is worth it. The fan is quite loud and will not shut off until it has cooled down almost completely. Even with lots of experience in fire making i found it to be tricky to get going the first few times, i would suggest making an inch or two of small, loose, dry twigs on the bottom. Then put a lit fire starter, after that use twigs about pencil thickness to get it going. I would not suggest using anything bigger than your thumb. Not worth full price.
So far it works great, charges phones and lights, is compact and efficient
I took this stove with us while camping in Namibia, Africa and it was a game changer. We did not have to worry about fuel canisters. I made nestle gold instant coffee every morning in the kettle. Caution: the coffee aroma did attract attention. I also used it to make green eggs one morning then a Mexican egg scramble the next in a cast iron pan. So we just loved breakfast. I agree with other reviewers that cleaning the kettle can be a pain as it can hold flavors. So I tried to use the kettle mostly for boiling water and not to cook. I also used the kettle for pasta boiling. I took bio pellets with me and some tinder and so had no problem lighting it. I knew I was going to an extreme desert environment kind of like mars so twigs were not available.
What’s good I had the old one which much cheaper and I guess they don’t sell anymore at REI basically the same with out phone charger (which is really stupid anyway though if I’m an emergency I suppose...)
Anyway
I ran out of fuel and this was able to keep my trip alive. It takes a learning curve though.
1. You have to have dry and I mean really dry sticks for this to work well!
2. You got to get it cranking and feed small stick about every 30sec.
3.there is no heat regulation either; not working, hot or very hot. Are your only options.
4you need pots and pans that have handles usable with one hand so you can remove, to put in more sticks.
5. This is a back up, this is not a thing you want to use at a base campe for four people. Maybe backpacking if your positive it’s dry. This is good for maybe 2 people at the most.
I bought this recently while attending a Knott tying class at REI. I tried it out in blizzard conditions and this little baby cooks. The wood pellets work awesome but you can do just as well with some tinder and hardwood sticks and twigs. It boiled a quart of water like nothing in -9F temps while snowing and charged my iPhone while doing it. Amazing product. Highly recommend. This bad boy is on fire!!!!
The CampStove 2 does everything it promises and then some. It builds impressively on the legacy of the original, with much more power, onboard storage, better fan control, and a much improved interface. Plus it got a little make-over for a more modern appearance. This thing is fantastic!
Purchased this as an alternative to gas stoves for my 3 days hiking trip. The ability to charge my phone was an added bonus to investing it. It is a nice stove and I did not have to carry fuel tanks with me, making more room for other items in my pack. However, although it didn't require fuel tanks, it still was no lighter than a standard cook stove with fuel tanks. I definitely suggest getting a cache of sticks ready before lighting it, which can be a chore, but the younger scouts gladly obliged breaking pieces up for me if it meant they could be around it. Adding fuel to it can be tricky, do be prepared for the tops of your fingers to get pretty hot, too.
Bought this for a week long trip into backcountry and wanted my phone charged for camera. It was a very slow charge and I was not happy with the slow results and have since returned it.
This is a SUPER cool concept and very wonderful technology. I’d been eyeing it for at least a year then took the plunge. But there were some things I didn’t consider until I used it on my recent camping trip. I feel kind of stupid for not realizing this kind of stuff beforehand, but I think I was blinded by how cool the tech is!
Great purchase! Heavy but considering you don't have tonalso pack fuel it's great
Used this one for the 3rd time and it’s super easy to use and very fun :}
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