Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Bushcraft Perfect and Ultralight - 180 Flame Wood Stove - Review



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Today Luke is reviewing the 180 Flame Wood Stove.



Link : http://www.180tack.com/shop/180-flame

Price : $37.95

Weight : 6.2oz on my scale

Material: 304 Stainless Steel

Tough 5 mil plastic pouch can carry water in emergencies

Made in the U.S.A.

Size In Use: 5" L x 4" W x 3 1/4" H
Size Stowed: 5" L x 3 1/4" W x 0.6" H

The design of the 180 Flame incorporates 3 sides for wind screening and heat focusing with an open end allowing ample room for feeding natural fuels into the fire box. When needed, the sturdy sides support heavier cookware than other backpacking stoves. We engineered the 5 pieces of the 180 Flame to interlock together creating a very stable unit with no moving parts which often fail in the field. We've designed a sustainable & durable product that will last you for years. The 180 Flame disassembles quickly stacking into its own clean, compact case with any dirty surfaces on the inside keeping your pack clean.

•          Tip : Start fire and then move the stove to it.  I’ve seen people mentioned that it was hard to start in the stove…..don’t do it that way.

•          Tip : Since you are burning wood, there will be soot; you may want to bring a small towel with you for clean up purposes.

I haven’t seen anyone else mention this but in situations where your fire is dying out and your embers are losing their heat, you can lower the pot supports a few inches which can make warming your coffee or food possible without having to use additional resources and time to get a large flame going again.

…………

Pros :

Price – there are a number of small wood burning stove out on the market like this one and some can be very expensive.  In my opinion the price is right for this stove as it is versatile and easy to use.  It’s not a cheap Chinese stove; made in the use so that higher cost is somewhat justified.  Do know that there are cheaper wood stoves out on the market though.

Lightweight
Strong

I’m a fan of the smaller size as it allows those who like to go light and quick a stove which fits their adventure.

Very stable

Fun to use

Smart design.

Folds down small

Made in the USA!

Great for backpacking, hiking, emergency use and so on.

Good wind block; not perfect but good for an average breeze.
.........
Cons :

Slower than a canister stove and that is something to keep in mind.  What type of adventure are you going on; who much time to cook and to boil will you have.

Since this is a wood burning stove, you may not be able to use this in all parks and backcountry locations.  Make sure to check local regs or you might be sorry when you have to pay a large fine.

With my testing, I have noticed some warping of the steel with prolonged use; the good news is that you can easily form the metal back into place.  This doesn’t have any impact on the performance of the stove and it turns out is to be expected.  The company mentions this on their web site and states that this is completely normal.


1 comment:

  1. Hi Luke! This is a great little stove and I agree the price is rather high. I opted to buy the similarly made Lixada version on Amazon for $13.99. I bought two Lixada's, the 180-like model and the "V" model, also $13.99. Both came with black nylon/Velcro closure bags. Weight on each is just above 7oz. I set them up AFTER :) building my fire with one on each side or end of the fire. I place the small grill you reviewed in the middle using each stove as support. I boil water on one for coffee/tea and use the other for a small frying pan for stir fry mix, i.e. mushrooms, onions, green peppers, garlic. On the grill is usually a steak, pork chops or whatever's on sale. Before striking my camp site I clean my cook kit with a couple of wet wipes. When I overnight or even do two nighters my intent is to improve my culinary skills as well as wood processing, carving, furniture construction. All three pieces, being flat when disassembled, fit very easily in my pack and weigh barely over a pound; and both stoves and the grill will fit neatly into the grill's bag. Bannock is fun to do on the 180-like model using my fry pan as an oven covered with aluminum foil. These wood burners allow one's creativity to expand. Luke, I love watching your reviews and I learn something new each time and oftentimes your suggestions prompt my improvising skills.

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