Ep6 – Do You Need a Portable Firepit?

Listen to the full episode here:

Considering whether a firepit will benefit your camping setup?

In this episode of the Snowys Camping Show – Ben and Lauren dig into your options and lay out all the pros and cons to make your decision a no-brainer.

They cover the strengths and weaknesses of portable firepits and campfires, pot belly stoves, electronic models and how they all fit into different styles of camping, plus more – so check it out for all the details.

Shortcuts:

00:00 – Intro

01:15 – Pros of using a portable firepit

03:34 – Pros of having a campfire

06:38 – Use in your backyard at home

07:12 – Weight considerations and efficiency

07:38 – Cooking with firepits vs campfires

09:27 – Ozpigs and potbelly stoves

11:30 – Social aspects of a campfire

12:00 – Electronic Firepits

15:24 – Portable firepit models and options

16:05 – Figuring out whether a firepit will suit your setup

Mentioned in this Episode:

Products:

Ozpig range

Supapeg Frontier Fire Pit

Darche Stainless Steel BBQ 450 Firepit

BioLite FirePit+ Wood & Charcoal Burning Firepit

Campfires

There’s something so simple and primal about a campfire, and they are a staple at most campsites during campfire season. They enhance the atmosphere, provide you with warmth, and allow you to cook delicious meals.

The downsides are that there are safety risks if not put out properly, they can leave a trace by charring the ground, and produce smoke that impacts the environment. Campfires are always going to be a favourite for many campers, but they need to be enjoyed responsibly with restrictions observed.

Portable Firepits

Portable firepits come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from dish style models and flat-packed designs to stainless steel folding options. These are more in line with ‘leave no trace’ principles, easier to extinguish, and can still be used for cooking.

With all of us staying at home, these have become super popular amongst our customers. Most of whom are keen to recreate the warmth and atmosphere of a campfire during periods of lockdown, and/or develop their outdoor cooking skills in their own backyards. Firepits are awesome for both home and camping, and are actually more LNT friendly. But, if campfire cooking is central to your camping experience, you might not have the need for one.

Portable firepits are not going to fit in with everyone’s lifestyles. Image: Ozpig.

Pot Belly Stoves – Ozpig

Pot belly stoves, such as the Ozpig, are similar to a traditional firepit but allow greater versatility and cooking techniques using the various accessories. The trade-off however, is that they are less portable for camping, especially if weight is a consideration, and they can be expensive. 

Pot belly stoves become a feature in the backyard and are fantastic for cooking up a storm and entertaining friends and family. 

Electronic Firepits

Electronic firepits are probably not for the purists, but they are very cool and are safe to use on the deck too. They’re pretty nifty with integrated Bluetooth technology controlling the size of the flame, plus they are smokeless and the grill can be used for cooking.

The cons are that there are more moving parts, so could potentially require some maintenance, and the advanced features can be pricey. Techy options are a bit of fun, but are more of a luxury and might not suit everyone’s style of camping. Nor will they provide quite the same atmosphere as a traditional campfire.

Thanks for listening, tune in again for next week’s episode!

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of the Snowys Podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pocket Casts, or Stitcher so you never miss an upload.

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Catch you out there!