Thinking of getting a fire pit like a biolite, solo stove, snow peak takibi etc. but many campground regulations say to only use the designated fire ring / pit at each site.
Wondering what other people’s experience are, and whether campground hosts have had issues with them, before I buy something I can’t actually use.
I plan on using a fireproof ground sheet also
I’m in BC btw if that matters, thanks!
by BaconThief94
9 Comments
I’ve got the Biolite Campstove and it’s fantastic wherever it’s used : )
It’s less to pack and clean if you just use what’s provided at the campsite.
If you’re going to buy a firepit just for camping, I suggest you buy a propane one instead. That way, you can still use it when the fire ban is in effect. Park rangers do come around and check if the fire pit is wood burning or propane during fire bans, and you won’t be able to use anything wood burning.
Or you could still buy a propane pit in addition to your picks.
I’m interested in knowing the answer to this, too.
I’m in the country south of yours, and haven’t had an issue with the campground authorities when placing my firepits inside the assigned fire rings in 3 different states (MD, VA,WV), but that *obviously* doesn’t necessarily apply elsewhere!
I have a solo stove and take it camping. Got a 12″ cast iron that fits on it for cooking.
Wood burning outside of the designated fire ring / pit is prohibited, as you mentioned.
Will it be enforced? It’s up to the camp host. I suspect most don’t care, but some may. I’ve seen people use them in the BC area and don’t recall hearing of any issues.
If there is another big fire (there will be), people tend to start enforcing these kinds of rules more.
I concur with other comments that a gas stove is better so that you can still use it during fire restrictions. It’s safer in the current climate. Each their own though of course.
If you’re talking about front-country car camping then virtually all provincial and national parks will require you to use the provided fire pit. Even backcountry sites and virtually all private campgrounds are likely to have the same rule too. Unless you’re setting up on crown land the likelihood of being allowed to use your own firepit is quite low, and honestly, why would you? Those things are going to get filthy between uses, I see no upside in bringing your own whatsoever.
Can’t speak to the campground rules, but I would go with biolite if I had to buy again. I have a solo stove and you have to have a roaring fire to see any flames if you’re sitting down.
Why would you need your own fire pit if one is already installed 🧐
I have a Turbro Fireside branded smokeless fire pit. You can get them on Amazon for like a hundred bucks I think and they fold down into themselves. They also come with a carrying bag. I’ve seen some of the smokeless pits that fold down completely flat. Pretty much all of them are going to be way cheaper than a solo stove.
Some things to consider about smokeless pits.
All of the heat pretty much goes directly up so if you’re wanting it for warmth you’re going to have to get a heat diffuser to put on the top.
Because they’re enclosed you don’t quite get the same visual effects that you would get with an open fire pit. There are some smokeless fire pits that have see-through sides that might address both the above issues but I’ve never tried them.
There are a LOT of accessories and you can cook on them in a magnitude of different ways but it can be a little tricky to get the heat right sometimes.
If the wood is not completely dried or wet from rain you might still get some smoke. If you have wood pieces sticking above the top or the secondary burn holes it will not be smokeless.
A lot of them are smaller than normal fire pits so you have to have a certain size wood to fit. So if you buy wood you might need to cut it smaller for it to fit.