A thread about campfires.

[shenrie]

part a: log cabin or teepee?

part b: deep pit or no pit?

part c: tall ring of rocks, low ring, or no ring period?

part d: other methods, fake fires, restrictions, etc. I know not all places allow open fires, especially come fire season. what do you in lue of such a circumstance?

part e: are you the fire master of your clan? if not, who commands control of the pokin stick?

part f: do you travel with a poker or do find one at each site? if the later, do you craft one or use as is?

part g: ever use fake wood?

part h: old school methods for starting like flint & striker, or gas and lighter?

part I: what won't you burn garbagewise?

will answer my own questions when I get to a kb. just forgot to ask these questions earlier and didn't wanna forget again

[rallypanam]

part a: I like to be flexible.
part b: no pit
part c: depends, never no ring
part d: https://www.amazon.com/Camco-58031-C...e+red+campfire
part e: yes
part f: find one, no crafting
part g: not yet
part h: paper, or gas
part I: plastic

[SteveInLA]

a) In a fire pit, log cabin. In my portable fireplace, sort of a teepee.
b) Whatever pit is available or, if nothing existing, my portable fireplace.
c) Again, whatever is there, but I prefer a low ring and will rebuild an existing one if necessary. Sometimes will build up a wind breaker.
d) Snow Peak Medium Pack & Carry Fireplace. Reviewed here. I use a different charcoal chimney these days that folds flatter but it's discontinued.
e) I am the fire man.
f) Again, the tongs I have are discontinued, but these are close. Highly recommended. Also, I use these gloves for picking up hot things.
g) No.
h) Chop bundled firewood into tiny pieces plus crumpled newspaper for kindling. I usually grill with charcoal first, then use coals to start fire in portable fireplace.
i) Plastic. Batteries. I don't really burn garbage.

EDIT:
Not exactly the folding charcoal chimney I have, but very close: http://a.co/bVn5kx6
Also, the one in my review is still available: http://a.co/bVn5kx6

[gcvt]

A. I like log cabin for lower initial maintenance. Teepee cuts into beer drinking time.
B. No pit. Digging a pit cuts in to beer drinking time.
C. Low ring. High ring cuts in to beer drinking time.
D. Propane fire if required. Allows for more beer drinking time.
E. I wish someone else would do it. Would allow for more beer drinking time.
F. Any stick will do. Crafting one would cut in to beer drinking time.
G. Never. Not willing to sacrifice on that for beer drinking time.
H. Accelerants - better living through chemistry. Allows for more beer drinking time.
I. HandiWipes! Would rather drink beer with dirty hands than smell those things burn. But, if it's Earth Day weekend...then it's time for a tire fire.

[Wowbagger]

I'll add this: an inflator for an air mattress makes a dandy bellows to speed up starting a fire - just don't get it too close.

[EmMay]

I put on a warm coat these days. Never make a fire anymore, used to, was a fire starter of the clan with log cabin tendencies; used a manganese sparker sometimes, matches and duff the rest.
We just migrated away from the fire, the smoke the worry of sparks igniting southern california or the eastern sierras.
I don't miss it either, thought I would, but I don't... cheers to the thread, and I mean it. Generations of us share a fond memory of the fire being an integral part of the trip.

[shenrie]

^^^ makes sense, especially when everywhere around you is dry, brittle and ready to ignite. id be weary as well.

when its fire season here and theres restrictions we just plain do without. we love having a fire, but I don't dwell on not having one. some of our friends wont even go camping where theres restrictions. I find that silly, but whatever. it wont stop our trips.

there is something primal about a fire though... if we go too long without one, ill find myself last to bed to poke at the thing and reflect. being last up working them logs into coals and feeling the heat from smoldering coals with no flame is something that I really do enjoy. cant explain it, but its something I love.

Originally Posted by Wowbagger

I'll add this: an inflator for an air mattress makes a dandy bellows to speed up starting a fire - just don't get it too close.

^^^ good idea!

a: grew up teepee, converted to log cabin.

b: no pit preferred. deep pits force heat upward and away from feet. warmest fire we ever had was in a spot that ended up being private property. my first question when we parked was how are there no fire rings here?!? I pushed pine needles and leaves into a pile and made a small ring of rocks and just used branches from a down tree right next to fire. learned a lot from that experience. changed the way we do fires altogether.

c: low ring preferred. only time with no ring would be if no rocks were available (rare). I will rework ring if extended stay or cold weather. I have no problems hucking rocks that others tediously gathered back into creek to lower wall around fire.

d: if no fires are allowed weve been known to drink earlier and crash out earlier, lol. will be interested in the fake fire options. appreciate the responses so far! some great alternatives.

e: the wife commands the fire stick most trips. occasionally I will take command if too much fidgeting occurs.

f: typically we gather a poker onsite. it gets crafted if we plan on being someplace for numerous days. friend of ours has one he crafted. it is handy. hes recently setup a foundry and ill likely take a stab at crafting one. I am really thinking about the fire tongs now...that's a good idea. might just grab the ones from the fireplace as we don't use them often at home.

g: used a fire starter log for first time last year. pretty impressed with it, but don't practice using them. we are going to get some for desert camping though. very handy, burn for hours, and put off intense heat with real wood combined. will cut down on amount of wood we need to travel with.

h: typically garbage found at site from previous lazy asses with lighter fluid and lighter.

i: typically wont burn anything recyclable. since our city started recycling we got into the habit. found out that we come home with more recyclables than garbage. we burn things that smell like food when in bear country though.

also started asking people we don't typically camp with what they are comfortable burning just so there isn't tension. some groups I camp with burn everything. aluminum cans, plastic, etc. I disagree and I wont follow suit, but don't preach to keep the peace. I had one random chick rag at me years ago for throwing a plastic spoon in the fire after watching her throw a cig butt into a creek earlier in the day. it was the last plastic I burned....I definitely gave her an earful about the cig butt.

greg, I take it you like to drink beer?

great responses so far, keep them coming!

[Sheriffdoug]

Hello.

Love having a fire.


Just bought a Stainless Steel Grover Rocket Stove,
starts easily with kindling, small piece of newspaper, small chopped/broken branches & a match.
Very portable. Place a Trivet on top, then there is no sparks. Fire completely contained & safe. Grover Firebox
Is double walled with Perlite Insulation lining.
Boils water, Cook & use as open air Heater.

[wadewaydo]

part a: log cabin or teepee? Teepee

part b: deep pit or no pit? Shallow pit

part c: tall ring of rocks, low ring, or no ring period? Ring o Rocks

part d: other methods, fake fires, restrictions, etc. I know not all places allow open fires, especially come fire season. what do you in lue of such a circumstance? Drink beer, go to bed early.

part e: are you the fire master of your clan? if not, who commands control of the pokin stick? My GF, yet I'm the hunter and gatherer, and chopper.

part f: do you travel with a poker or do find one at each site? if the later, do you craft one or use as is? Use any available stick.

part g: ever use fake wood? No

part h: old school methods for starting like flint & striker, or gas and lighter? Lighter and paper.

part I: what won't you burn garbagewise? Tin cans, aluminum cans, plastic bottles.

We've camped plenty of times without a fire, usually in the summer when it's hot and when we are on the move, or if we get to camp after dark. Some people can't camp without one, but we usually see it as utilitarian (e.g. cooking brats, smores, heat). We'd prefer an established fire ring, but have no issue building one if there are rocks. We usually cover it over and disperse the rocks in the morning to minimize impact. Fire rings are important to keep sparks and ash from blowing into the surrounding forest, and pits help when it's time to bury it.

[RandallDee]

On a recent cold and wet trip to the Oregon coast, I brought along my portable tent stove and we sat by it under the awning and killed off a growler of Fort George Overdub.