Comments on: Three Essential Campfires: Snack Fire, Cooking Fire, and Comfort Fire

By: Alexander Connell

Alexander Connell — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:31:06 +0000

Good point in the last paragraph about using a natural reflector when possible. That greatly increases the efficiency. It’s also a good idea to sit ‘between’ the fire and the reflector so you’re kept toasty front and back.

By: Reccanello

Reccanello — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 01:39:42 +0000

I have found this tipe of Swedish Fire Torch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfRovJ1KcCg) and it’s worked to cook!!!

By: Piph

Piph — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:58:24 +0000

gentlemen, methinks you miss the point in your corrective missives. these manly articles are general guidelines and introductions to various subjects for the reasonably intelligent. if your personal bend will not allow for generalities and basics, perhaps you’ll be good enough to expound on such in great detail on your own site and leave a link for those of us that want the absolute authority’s take.

By: Nik

Nik — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:48:29 +0000

@Ryan

1. While it is nice that you are an Eagle Scout, it does not make you a subject matter expert on building efficient fires. Becoming an Eagle Scout in no way requires practical expertise in building fires.
2. It seems you looked at the picture rather than at the description of the cooking fire. The method described does not involve the spit; it involves logs on which you can rest your cooking pots and is clearly meant for a camp more on the Hemingway-long-term-fishing-camp model than a site at which you will be spending only one night.
3. Once again, the key point of the comfort fire is that it directs all of the heat in the direction you want it. If you know it is going to be a very cold night, you might want to take the time to make a fire designed to maximize heating in your direction.

By: Ryan Fischer

Ryan Fischer — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:50:21 +0000

As an Eagle Scout, I completely disagree with your insinuation that inefficient fires are bad fires for cooking. Quite the opposite, by burning sticks over 1/4in. in diameter, but under 1in. you quickly create excellent coals which will fuel a dutch oven. The archaic method of constructing a spit with which to hand a pot over a fire is complete nonsense. Sure, you can do it if you want to, but there is really no point in doing it, as a coal based heat source is superior for camping or hiking. There are lightweight alternatives to a dutch oven.

Anything you can cook in a pot, you can cook in a dutch oven. If anything, cooking fires are an obsolete tool, much like rope harnesses for climbing. There are better alternatives out there.

As for a “comfort” fire: A fire is a fire. Get it started, and make sure it won’t spread. Also, never make one in a cave…

A “snack” fire is also an equally laughable concept. Throw some wood together, get your tinder and kindling in any place, and watch the fire spread (as fires will tend to do). Tepee abominations are good for show, but they take way too long to construct for practical purposes.

But hey, I’m more of a hiker than a camper: I like things to be quick to prepare, and quick to take down.

By: Steve-O

Steve-O — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:07:04 +0000

@ Brian P,

Thanks for posting that link!! Amazing…

I really like the Dakota Fire Hole method the best, and hopefully This article will be amended one day to accommodate it.

By: Brian P

Brian P — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:39:00 +0000

You left out the best cooking camp fire of all, the dakota fire hole. Granted most parks may frown on you digging holes but saving the sod and soil off to the side allows the hole to be filled when you leave. Check out this link for the best overview of them I have found: http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/the-dakota-fire-hole/

By: Nik

Nik — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:53:45 +0000

I certainly enjoyed the article, but I’m not sure how to approach the building of the two fires (the more functional two) that require “green logs.” I don’t think it’s a good idea to chop down trees for your fire purposes unless you’re on your own land . . . so what is one to do? Where do you scavenge up green logs? Or do you make sure to only cut aspen because it’s already a worthless pest tree?

By: Playstead

Playstead — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:10:25 +0000

Great tips, and knowing how to build a fire really comes in handy once you have kids. Nothing is more impressive to them than seeing their dad build one hell of a fire.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:21:21 +0000

I have just got one of these stoves http://www.occuk.co.uk/outdoor
and I am very impressed it’s a great potboiler, I have the small one,
also it’s give me some thing to sit around it at night.Bushmans TV short of thing