Bushbuddy buying advice please

After looking at the limited selection of gassifier stoves I chose the Caldera Cone Sidewinder with the Inferno woodburning insert.

I like the CC Inferno's B/C:
1. it takes thicker sticks of wood and therefore can be left alone for 5 minutes without needing constant feeding like the Bushbuddy
2. rolls up smaller than the Bushbuddy diameter
3. it's lighter, being made mostly of ti
4. it's a multi fuel stove (wood, alcohol or ESBIT)
5. It's more efficient due to the pot being down IN the stove, not just on top

So far it has worked very well even with pine and spruce deadwood. Mesquite deadwood (I live in the Mojave Desert) works even better and is a bit hotter and smells the best.
I will not try creosote B/C I think even dead creosote may leave too much residue on my pot.

I looked at the CC a bit. It definitely has some benefits to it. I kind of shied away from it though for a couple reasons. Proprietary pot design and non-attached raised floor being a couple. But I also found it confusing to figure out the weight of the system, especially when different pots make for different weights, albeit rather negligible.

What is the total weight of the cone, insert, and other doodads like screens required to make it work? I suppose I'd have to factor in the 12/10 stove too. Knowing the total weight would help the decision. The website just flusters me.

Even with a gasifier, I still bring an ounce or 2 of fuel and a stove as backup. I have a MYOG that works by flipping the base of the Solostove over and using just the top as a potstand/semi-windscreen. Six grams and slides over a film canister, so storage is a nonissue, but I doubt it would work effectively with a CC, at least that's the claims for the 12/10. Alc stoves are so finicky when it comes to windscreens that I tend to believe them.

I have the original bush buddy. It is very durable. I use it family camping and will put a large cast iron pan on it and make fajitas or cook other large meals. I use it for baking too with an outback oven. My guess is the lighter versions are also pretty durable too, there was a big price difference back when I bought mine. Basically it is a nested tin can, and is not something that can really get harmed very much, so the lighter versions would likely pick up some dents over time. So I am not much help on selecting them best weight for your needs, and whether the ounce or so is worth the worry. The bushbuddy is a bit small, so my main issue is that it can take some work to keep it going and the fire can be finicky, and it is very wind sensitive. So you need to plan on the weight of a wind screen too, or at least bring foil.

I do think you could use the bushbuddy biking, I really can't see how that could possibly hurt it, unless you crashed and crushed it. I bring esbit as a backup, since that can work with the top piece and can be used to start the fire. I bought the gas canister firemaple 118 stove last year, and will likely bring both for canoe camping and making group meals.

Edit: I don't want to suggest I carry a heavy cast iron pan hiking or biking or canoeing. That is strictly for car or family camping. The point was that I have loaded a lot of weight on the bushbuddy when cooking. I primarily wanted it so the kids could help prep the meal, by gathering the sticks and breaking them and stoking the fire. And as long as I am cooking something good, like pizza or cinnamon rolls, they have been happy to help.

Lightweight Wood-Burning Camp Stoves – State of the Market Report 2011

Hey,

I know you are asking specifically about the bush buddy, but I thought it'd throw my recommendation into the mix anyways. I have the littlbug jr. and I've found it to be perfect for my needs. It's easy to feed sticks into it, it can cook for a solo trekker or up to 4-5 people and it's only 5.1oz. The biggest benefit in my mind is the packability. Because of how it packs down, I can put it in my pot along with my cup, spork, AND my ditty bag w/ first aid, repair and survival kit.

It's a thing of beauty and it's held up very well to over two years of regular use now. It's not as adaptable to alcohol as some other wood burning stoves, but it wouldn't take much to adapt it as needed.

Whichever way you decide to go, you can't go wrong with a woodburning stove.

Cheers,
Travis

The State of the Market report was an interesting read. Thank you for the link. Since it was an older article though, it seemed like there was only one model of Bushbuddy available to test. I'm assuming it was the original. Michael posted above that the original was pretty sturdy, but the auther of the article suggested it was quite flimsy and thin. Hmmm…

What gauge was the original Bushbuddy? From what's left of the website, it would appear that the .008, 6.5 oz model was the original. Anyone….?

I liked the littlebug for its simplicity and ease of storage. I think a floorplate, like the TiTri has, would really enhance it though. Maybe a piece of Ti foil from TitaniumGoat or something. Both are great designs, but they both lack containment. There are times when I would prefer one of these designs, but there would also be times that they would be prohibitive.

Just hoping someone here has more than the single experience I have with which to make some comparitive comments between the Bushbuddy gauges vs the Solostove.

Old thread I started, but I've completed this purchase, so I thought I'd follow up with some results. I went ahead and got a Trekker seconds from Nomadic stoves, and I think it went pretty well.

February 20, I emailed Jeff, asking:
I'd like to get in line for the lightest option available please. For the $75 imperfection or burn tested seconds deal.

5 hours later, He responded:
I have added you to the wait list for one of the second stoves.

A week later, on the 27th, he emailed me, saying:
It looks like your spot on the wait list is coming up soon. If you are still interested, I will send you an invoice for payment. It will be about 2 months from now which includes the current construction time for new regular stoves, that is already 3 weeks. Let me know, thank you.

2 hours later I said:
Yes, please. That would be perfect.

The $75 PayPal bill came the next day, and I paid it.

Then on May 5th, I received confirmation and a tracking number that it had shipped (actually, it was processed, but not shipped just yet), and it was on my doorstep today, May, 15th.

Not saying all seconds purchases from the waiting list would go this way. Just relaying my encounter for reference in case anyone becomes curious about the matter.

Now back to my original questions. Since I went ahead and got the lightest option available, the outer wall is very thin. I could crush it easily with a one-handed squeeze. The firebox itself is pretty sturdy though, it seems durable and should last a long time. The pot stand seems to be the same as the firebox, so I get a good feel of the thickness of the steel. It's not at all like the Solo stove, and is much thinner, but not "fragile", unless you're really hard on your gear I guess. When it says that it needs to be kept in a pot to protect it, they aren't kidding. I'd compare the outer layer to slightly more than a beer can, only stainless instead of aluminum. So while simply picking it up, you can "pop" a dent in and out like a can, it feels more robust than aluminum feels. It is especially weak feeling around the row of lower inlet holes, due to all the holes of course.

The racetrack, or "lip" on the base where the pot support sits, seems a bit malformed. It's uneven, and this throws the level of the pot off, but I only measure it as a 2mm maximum deviance. The ground is usually more uneven than that. I can only assume that this was what qualified it as a "seconds", although I can't say for certain. The weight actually came in 1/10 oz less than cited, at 5 ozs flat. A pleasant surprise! All in all, I'm pleased with the whole thing. Jeff was great to deal with, and the Ultralight Trekker model seems a good blend of lightness with functionality.

I was hoping it would have come a day earlier, since I was just out last night with my Solo stove, but the season is only just beginning!