The BushCooker is the Rolls Royce of light, portable wood burning camp stoves. Using a science that was extensively exploited in WWII - wood gasification. The principle is simple, as you heat wood, it releases a gas. Combine this gas with pre-heated air and it re-ignites to burn with an almost blue flame. This indicates that the maximum energy is being extracted from the wood being heated and any additional gases are also being burned off. Less smoke and more pure flame, leaving almost no ash.

Measuring 110mm in diametre x 100mm high and weighing only 190 g., this very neat and tidy little package will sit nicely inside most well known and established cooking pots, such as the Primus Trek Kettle.

The neck / collar of the stove is inverted for storage and the central 'pocket' will allow safe keeping of a flint and steel, some tinder, a few Esbit Tablets or tube of burning gel to be tucked out of the way until required.

As the fire basket is supported within the dual skin, less heat escapes downwards and reduces the chances of scorching the ground.

As with any cooker, it is best placed out of the wind when lighting and this ensuries you have the maximum heat to cook wit,h when lit.

So what is it like to use?
Once you get over the thrill of the simplicity of it all, the clever neat design and lack of weight, the desire to get outside and have brew is almost overwhelming! Firstly it requires very little fuel to work effectively. Two fist fulls of nice dry twigs, no thicker than a pencil will be enough to boil 1 litre in around 8 minutes.

Never use 'green wood', wood pulled from a living tree or hedge. There's no point, it will just smoke and not burn, so there is very little benefit from all the effort of gathering it. If you are stuck, there are always twigs blown onto the ground in virtually any camping area, however these will also absorb moisture, and thus may take a while to ignite. The best twigs are those found ‘air-dried’, caught up in trees suspended above the ground. No matter the weather they are usually dry and ready to burn.

Using a wood stove inevitably means that the pot you use will become sooty and there's a risk of this contaminating your best bib and tucker inside the rucksack. From experience, if you make a pot cosy for your chosen pot, it not only allows you to 'simmer' your food without using any fuel, but also means you can store the sooty pot inside I,t before slipping it into your rucksack. Simple!

People who have travelled in whatever style in mainland Europe and beyond will know the fears and frustrations of taking a gas cooker. Firstly getting past airport security, who have been known to refuse the actual gas burner head itself, and then the heartbreak of not having the correct thread to fit the only gas available, after having walked through several villages to find some!

Fire Safety
All fuels give off noxious fumes and wood based stoves are no different. Never use the cooker inside a tent. We would always advise you to light any fire in a well-ventilated area, with a good throughput of air, such as under a tarp. Remember artificial fabrics ignite very easily, another reason to never light the stove inside a tent.

Leave No Trace
The burning stove will leave no marks on the ground. The firebox within the stove will gather the fine ash left after the contents have burned for appropriate ‘leave no trace’ disposal. Please always consider your environment and dispose of the fine ash with appropriate and responsible care.

Warning
In use this stove will get very hot. No matter the type of fuel or cooker you use in combination. Do not attempt to pick it up, move it or take it apart when fuel is burning. You will burn your hands! Please allow enough ventilation around the stove and ensure the parts are cool before packing down the stove. Use of petrol, or any other petroleum products in this stove may result in severe burns and / or death.

Emmissions
Burning wood is almost Carbon Neutral. The efficient use of wood fuel is much more eco-friendly than the more convenient fuels like petroleum based fuels and natural gas (LPG). LPG emits 15 times more CO2 (carbon dioxide) per kg than wood, and petrol based fuels nearly 10 times as much. CO2 is the main source of global warming. (Source – Journey To Forever).

Weight
Cooker 190 g.
Trek Kettle 210 g. (as part of the BushCraft Cook Kit).

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