Bushbuddy

[James Pitts]

My SUL-1100 arrived today and I couldn't be happier. The lid fits perfectly so the problem with the earlier FireLite pots lid not fitting seems to have been resolved. There are smudges and fingerprints on the lid but that's just like the photo so these are to spec as far as I am concerned. All things considered it's pretty much what I was hoping for and I can't wait to start using it in the field.

[Denis Hazlewood]

The mailman just delivered my Firelite 1100 Titanium Pot. The lid fits perfectly on this pot. There is a fair amount of friction in the wire handle attachment so it should stand upright during use for some time. The only "defect" I can see is that the material used to fabricate the lid does not have the same finish as the pot. The pot body has the soft matte titanium finish we all know and love, while the finish on the lid is glossy and a lighter "silvery" color. We're lucky, here in Marin County, that the Fashion Police are more concerned that your hiking socks don't clash with your ascot (bandana).

My Bushbuddy Ultra hasn't arrived yet but I look forward to putting the two together and running some boil tests. Now, where in northern California may one use a wood stove without a spark arrester?

The mesh bag that came with the pot is almost big enough to hold the MSR 2 liter pot. I'll probably be using a plastic bag to keep the soot off my gear.

You've got a hit here Dr. J.

[Paulo Pereira]

hmmmm

http://www.woodgas-stove.com/

someone please tell me i don't need anymore stoves ;)

[Denis Hazlewood]

Easy there Paulo. We'll talk you down. Just relax and think calming thoughts. Now, repeat after me: "I've got all the gear I need." "What I need is to get out and hike." Take slow deep breaths and let your heart beat slowly and evenly. Remember: I'm OK and You're OK. It's those other guys that are Gearheads.

[Jason Shaffer]

Just chiming in to echo Denis and James. My 1100 pot is great – lid fits, handle stands upright, nests w/ BB perfectly. Good job guys.

[George Matthews]

Wow! Ordered on Monday night and arrived today (Thursday).

The Bushbuddy Ultra is a manifestation of superb craftsmanship. Its design is simple yet elegant.

The Firelite 1100 pot looks just like the picture. The lid fits well.

The pot and stove together weighed a bit over 7 oz on my humble Salter Add & Weigh kitchen scale.

I'm glad that I bought the pot designed for the stove because the stove is too high to fit in my MSR Titan kettle.

Will test and review later.

[David Stenberg]

I too just got my Firelite 1100 pot in the mail. The pot is perfect for the Bushbuddy Ultra. I can't wait to go test them out! My pot did come with a very small scrape/dent in it and the lid had a couple little dings, but the lid fits great. I don't mind the cosmetic blemishes, no problem since it will get that way after use anyway. I also have the Snow Peak 900, but like the Firelite more. Thanks BPL for another great product!

[James Pitts]

Gear never really looks good until it's a little dinged up and dirty anyway… all these photos of pots not black with soot! Shame on us… time to hit the trail.

[Michael Schwartz]

David, How does the Snow Peak 900 fit with the Bushbuddy, which was designed to fit in the 900. Do you ever use the minute fry pan/lid? I wonder how much the 900 weighs without the handles on the main pot??

[David Stenberg]

Michael, I can't remember the weights off the top of my head. I will try and weigh in later today. I never used the Snow Peak 900 b/c I decided to wait and see the Firelite 1100 before I got it all sooted up. The bushbuddy fits perfectly in the snow peak. The video introducing the bushbuddy seems to be a Snow Peak 900 without handles or lid (not compeletly sure though). Also there is another thread about the snow peak 900 and bushbuddy with pictures.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/6885/index.html

[D G]

My SP 900 with an aluminum baking pan foil lid weighs 3.1 oz with the handles removed (This is with the spot welded piece still attached – I did not attempt to remove it).

The Bushbuddy fits perfectly in it.

Dan

[David Stenberg]

Daniel,
Thanks for posting

[Sam .]

.

[George Matthews]

<>

In search of soot, I tested in my driveway. Handful of dry sticks broken up into small pieces. A bit of denatured alcohol on top to start test burn.

Hot!

About ten minute boil time.

Got so excited that I could not spell BPL.

[edited to correct spelling after more testing]

Ashes.

The Bushbuddy Ultra not only functions well, but is much fun to use. It's brought back a legitimate reason for us to play with fire. I'm going to practice with damp wood next.

[Sam .]

Just looking at the finger painting.

[George Matthews]

Blackened Light Pot

: )

[Sam .]

Your pot didn't come with one? Mine did.

The priority mail box arrived in absolute pristine condition. The pot was well packed in newspaper. The pot was not damaged, so I expected it to be as described.

The lid was jammed in and fit poorly. It left a considerable gap (still does) because the pot was way out of round. I draped a dishcloth over the edge of my kitchen sink and gently urged the pot back into a kinda, sorta round shape.

Step 1 completed, I examined the rest of the pot in detail. The bottom of the pot has a wrinkle that almost looks like a crack. There is a definite thinning of material in this area. The walls exhibit the same damage. They are deeply scored and damaged in the manufacturing process. The material was probably insufficiently lubricated before the pot was pressed.

Mine’s going back to BPL. I am sorely disappointed, to say the least.

I'll go back to my SP900. There wasn't a thing wrong with it anyway… just wanted a pot with a lid (not a skillet).

YMMV… and I hope it does.

[Roman Dial]

Perhaps few of you will be interested, but I used my single Bushbuddy to heat 3 quarts of water water in a one gallon aluminum cook pot. My null hypothesis was that the bushbuddy was no better than a campfire in this application.

The water was at the near-boiling temp (a few bubbles on the side) after 30 minutes. Too hot to dink other than by sipping. It took me less than five minutes to collect sufficient wood from spruce. The best sized sticks for burning were slightly wider than my thumb and abutthe same length.

Taking the wood collecting time + starting time + boiling time my feeling is that the bushbuddy was a bit faster, but no side by side comparison test done.

The main advantages over a campfire as I see them are:
1. no-fire scar
2. Less wood to heat up water (shorter finding time, smaller pieces)
3. Could be used inside of floorless shelter with peak vent (e.g. in rain, or for staying warm)
4. Coolness/novelty factor is high

Disadvantages over campfire
1. heavier than a campfire
2. not as cheery in a group situation
3. no heat for feeling warm (I get cold easily and like to warm up with fire)
4. Takes more attention — i.e. frequent feeding

[Erin McKittrick]

One thing that I might add to your list of advantages is that it's smaller than a campfire – therefore easier to find/make a platform for it in snow. I don't have a bushbuddy, but the inconvenience of campfires in the snow is the main reason Hig and I have been playing around with small wood stoves.

[Sam Haraldson]

> 4. Coolness/novelty factor is high

I just tested my Bushbuddy out for the first time this evening with my buddies while we were out in the backyard drinking beers in preparation for this evening's bachelor party. The ooh'ing and ahh'ing over my "extremely rad little stove" was extensive.

[Kenneth Lotts]

I got mine a few days ago. Have not had a chance to take it out yet but I did boil a few liters with it in my back yard. I can not imagine a single improvement in its design. The construction is top notch.

The best results (so far) have been with thicker sticks. Soot deposits on the pot were bad on one of my tests but I think it may have been because I was a bit hasty getting the pot over the flame before it was ready. When this thing finally burns out, the wood is completely consumed.. not a whole lot of ash either.

I am enclosing a few photos. Look at the second picture and you can easily see the secondary wood gasses being burned at each of the upper air injectors. (very impressive).

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Dennis

It isn't the Ti pot or the Liquid Paper (how do you use that on an LCD screen?) that I love. It's the venerable but utterly reliable HP calculator! I have (and use all the time) about 3 of this model.

Cheers

[David Smith]

I just received my BushBuddy Ultra. It took the whole three weeks to get from Canada to San Antonio, Texas, but it was worth the weight. It is truly a beautiful design.

I took the stove outside, lit it with no effort and had water boiling in about 5 minutes. After boiling the water, I put the pan on the ground and then carried the still burning stove in my ungloved hand to a nearby table where it continued to give off heat for another ten minutes.

After it cooled, I dumped the ash. Simple.

[George Matthews]

> My null hypothesis was that the bushbuddy was no better than a campfire in this application.

By campfire, do you mean the technique you used (pot on coals with flame fire on windward side or a traditional campfire?

http://www.ryanjordan.com/photos/arctic_1000/imgp1345800.html

[Michael Martin]

>> It's the venerable but utterly reliable HP calculator!

RPN Rocks! I've got a vintage HP 15C and an HP 48GX. I keep trying to indoctrinate my engineering students into the cult, but, sadly, they're all using TIs now….

Oh yeah, so as not to be accused of thread hijacking, I love my bushbuddy, too. ;)

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