For many of us, seeing and feeling the warmth of a campfire is how our brains officially believe ‘were camping.’ Hearing the snap, crackle, and pop of the flames burning the wood is soothing to the ears, and seeing the fire against the night sky creates an ambiance that is the perfect backdrop to set the mood, bring people together and get warm.
One of the downsides to many firepits is the amount of smoke that gets waffled into the air and inhaled by everyone and everything within a 100 ft radius. This is a big deal as the traditional campfire ring you find at most campsites is not designed to minimize smoke, and you may have memories of inhaling clouds of campfire smoke due to shifting winds when you previously sat around the campfire. Solo Stove has identified the problem and delivered multiple firepit models that release virtually no smoke.
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 was engineered with a unique ‘air flow’ system that pulls cold air from the bottom of the fire pit and circulates through the pit without any obstruction. This design essentially eliminates 95% of smoke that would otherwise be created, and the fire ring situated at the top of the pit basically filters out any remaining smoke, providing you use the recommended wood size/length.
If you use wood that is longer in length than the fire pit dimensions, or wood that has bark, is soaked with water, or any other flammable solvent, you will experience smoke. So it’s important to understand what should be placed in the pit in order to avoid smoke, as wet pine cones or certain types of mulch will create a little smoke during the initial fire-up.
Although Solo Stove offers multiple sizes, the Bonfire 2.0 was the optimal size for travel and enjoyment for a group of 4-6 people. The Ranger model is suitable for 2-3 people, and the Yukon model is ideal for groups of 6-8 people max. These fire pits are sold with fitted covers, and they travel with ease. Whether you buy the Ranger (left), Bonfire (middle), or Yukon (right), you’ll learn that these fire pits can easily fit in a regular car trunk and take are light enough to stack onto something else if your packing for camping.
Obviously, when it comes to a fire pit, you want to know that it performs beyond the ability to eliminate smoke. You want flames. Warmth. And ease of use. Solo Stove delivers on all of that. It heats up quickly and radiates heat to everyone sitting around it. That’s right, the Solo Stoves perform really well under normal weather conditions (ie; no heavy wind), and as long as the pieces of wood you place into the pit are of optimal size and dry, the performance of the Solo Stove is solid.
I recommend ensuring that your purchase comes with a cover and upgrade to include a handle, making it easier to transport wherever you go. After you’ve enjoyed your Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0, let the fire pit cool down before cleaning or handling. That said, clean-up is a breeze once you’re ready to pack up and depart. I’ve noticed that most of my fires have literally burnt down to grey ash. Unless you’re forced to throw water on the fire the night before, it’s very possible that your Solo Stove will burn all contents down to ashes.
I’ve packed my Solo Stove in the trunk of my car, in my pontoon boat, back of the SUV, and hauled in a trailer. It’s well-made, very sturdy, and easy to take anywhere. Whether you’re looking to cook, make smores, get warm, or chat around a campfire, the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 is a worthy pick you should consider.