The Solo Stove & The Bushbuddy
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- A closer look at two top wood gasifiers on the internet. How well do they work. Is the Solo Stove a knockoff of the Bushbuddy? Does that matter in your choice?
Hope you can get something important out of this video.
Nice review but I would like to mention a couple of things. First I agree, the foil is slowing your burn times. I also have a BB and have done up to a 600 mile trip on the AT with mine. Get yourself a lightweight sack to carry the stove and don't worry about soot. Soot comes with the territory....embrace it. :) Second....do a top down burn. (google it) Completely fill most of your burn chamber with larger pieces of wood. At the top start a small fire with small twigs and shavings. The embers will fall down a light your larger pieces. This will result in at least doubling your burn time and creates far less smoke and soot. .Some people refer to this as an upside down fire.
Last...if you are using an alky or ebit tab as a backup, don't place them inside the BB. It much easier to set the BB pot support directly on the ground and place your alky stove inside it. Place a windscreen around it directly on the ground. It works great. Thanks again for your review.
Thanks for the complement & great tips. I'll try them. If I go hiking and camping a lot this year it does make more sense to loose the foil and get that sack you mentioned.
Have a great 2014.
Really good advice...as a Bushbuddy fanboy with 4 Zebra pots I agree. I was luck enough to acquire 2 Bushbuddys made by Fritz himself before he retired
the bushbuddy was made by the inventor, see the background on the bushbuddy website. I bought my first one in 2006. the solo stove and other imitations are a ripoff of his good work. I encourage people to get the bushbuddy, the craftsmanship is worth it, and you''re doing the right thing that way.
+Andrew You are 100% correct that the Solo Stoves are almost direct copies of the Bushbuddy. The reason Solo and possibly other stove makers can do this is the Bushbuddy's inventor did not patent & protect his invention/product and so it was free to be copied.
I disagree that the Solo Stoves are not worth buying as they are *great value stoves* from an excellent design.
Remember: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".
patent and protect new invention idea
sweetcostarica QQ
Fritz isn't making the BB anymore, the manufacture is being done by a friend in Alaska. He really can't compete with the mass produced Chinese stuff as it was just him and a friend in Alaska making the stoves. That's part of the reason why they were so expensive. Frtiz also made a .004, .006 and .008 thickness versions. The .004 was a bit delicate to handle. I have the .006 version. I think Fritz started making these as far back as 1999 but evolved into today's model. These gasifier wood stoves came to the forefront several years ago when Fritz sold one to Ryan Jordan the guy who founded Backpacking Light (2006). Ever since they have grown in popularity.
I've a Solo Stove Titan and a Bushbuddy UL. They're both great, but in all honesty I picked up the Bushbuddy simply to kick some money back to Fritz because I liked the Solo so much and wanted a lighter one and chose to do taht rather than buy the smaller Solo stove. I will say, cook-pots are more stable on the BB's 4-prong stand and the BB is really sturdy for its weight. I take it solo, which is funny because I use the "Solo" for multiperson cooks.
@@Roarmeister2 I just ordered mine a few days ago from the friend in Alaska and a day after, saw from their website that they were sold out until they catch up on their 2 months-worth of orders so I'm happy to hear they're doing well enough!
i'm like 10 years later but my friends and i call each other bush buddy in a funny voice and hearing you say it so casually is even more funny haha.
The Solo Stove has 20 welds in it and thicker metal making it stronger , the Bushbuddy has 200 welds and thinner metal saving some weight.
. Plus the Solo Stove leaves some extra cash in your pocket. That's a good thing.
By the way a Little Trangia fits in where the wood goes and makes a good secondary heat source for cooking if the woods are wet. I DO NOT chop on trees but break off twigs for use in the stove.
Hi chewyandjasper. I noticed no one had a side X side of these 2 stoves so I put one out. They are basically the same. Canadian Bushbuddy is of course the original and since it was not copyrighted/patented it was copied. Nothing wrong here.
Isn't it interesting that the Condor Bushlore is basically a copy of the RM Woodlore. That maybe why I misspoke in the video.
They're all good (IMO) but I do prefer to use the cheaper tools in the bush because can mistreat, loose, or break without regret.
No need to worry about how strong it is The Bush Buddy fits rite in the SnowPeak 900 which it was originally designed for. I've had the ultra which is only 5 oz. for years and no issues at all. Great stove. The solo seems fine too although a copy! I'm just more partial to the Bush Buddy because it's the original, has sold world wide and is made in northern B.C. Canada not far from me :o)
Fritz was a real craftsman
From my experience, the cleanest fire is made from beech then oak while pine wood will make a lot of smoke. The same if the wood wasn't so dry.
I ordered both. I definitely admire the original inventor and the American craftsmanship. However, I must give credit to Solo Stove to improve the design and make it affordable so that more people can enjoy a nice wood burning stove.
+Min Wong Well said, well said. Thanks for a wise comment.
In what respect was the design improved by Solo Stove? The only difference is the pot stand. That is not an improvement.
Yes, I think you're right; the foil and the stainless steel pot slowed things down. There was a lot of soot that was unexpected from this type of stove. Maybe the wood was of the "smokey" type?
Are the dimensions of those two stoves exactly the same? I am wondering whether the solo stove will fit into the snowpeak 900 pan as well ...
Very nicely made video! Thanks so much.
All great points. To me the only advantage the Bushbuddy has over the Solo Stove is in weight savings. To an ultra light hiker/camper the Bushbuddy would appeal highly.
To everyone else the Solo Stove wins hands down. Thanks Chuck!
Very nice wind screen you should have mentioned it in the start
These stoves are efficient but they still produce grime and some wood is dirtier than others. You saw all that soot from incomplete burning.
The foil is a tip from my boyscout days. Your right it made clean up easier.
Great video sweet! I really like those stoves. The foil keeps the can pretty clean but it is slowing the boiling process a lot. It would be interesting a side by side comparison one with the foil and one without! Thanks for the lovely video once again. Chris
I like how u wrapped the zebra pot with foil I think that's a great way of keeping it clean
There are two differences between these stoves: the gauge of the stainless steel (that you mentioned) AND the burn ring configuration. On the Bushbuddy there are 4 prongs as opposed to 3 on the Solo Stove. I think you'll find that three prongs will always give you a firm surface for your pot, whereas 4 prongs tend to cause the pot to "rock" if placed on an uneven surface.
Well, that's the "claim" that Solo put out to justify their copy. Fritz was the one who spent years figuring out the design and tinkering to get the best results. They had to make some kind of variation on the BB so they went to the 3 supports so it wasn't identical. I found it doesn't make a twit of difference with the pots I use.
You right but I hate cleaning. If I am in an emergency I'll boil w/o the foil.
In any case these are great stove & I just got the Solo Titan. The Titan will speed things up I think.
thumbs up for the stock thunder effect. Laughed out loud.
GREAT, GREAT, GREAT comment section for both stoves and both preferences! Thank you for ALL of your comments!!!
Sorry to hear the bad news about your Ash trees. Thank you for the tip on soft/hard wood burning characteristics. I'll try to use hard woods for my stoves as much as possible now.
Have a happy Halloween.
And Solo Stove has "The Solo TiTan. New for 2013. We are able to cook now on a larger stove.
This did surprise me a little. The wood may have been of the "smokey" type. Also, the Solo Stove took longer to boil water this could be the wood too. Some woods burn hotter than others.
Came here for the stove, left a comment about the knife. Nice knife mate.
I think the Bushbuddy and Solo Store both could be considered over priced to some. But remember it is all about perspective.
To a person making 1 million USD a year they are cheap and bought w/o a whim.
To the person making minimum wage both stoves could be too costly.
Since both stoves makes a profit and both appeal to different outdoors folk, it doe not really matter if I agree with you are not.
But the comment (and perspective) welcomed.
Like the Japaneses hatchet, where did you find it? Good video..
On Amazon.com for about $60 USD.
But the Silky Nata is much better (Silky Saw NATA 555).
There are other bigger & smaller Silky Natas too.
I think they are worth their prices just by the quality and usefulness.
Even their sheaths being easy in/out make the knife/hatchets safer
& useable for all day work.
I dunno,i carry mine in the factory sack,and it goes on the outside of my pack.....but even if it went inside the pack there is no soot.....not sure what kinda packs u folks r using but I have a lot of flexibility mounting on the outside of my pack....carry a few traps and a variety of things for long packs,weeks.....
The Solo is 30% heavier.
Side by side views, video of both products, identical dimensions, the only thing besides the prongs (3 Solo Stove, 4 Bushbuddy) that's different is gauge of steel (the Solo has thicker steel).
So I don't see how this couldn't be call a comparison video. RallohE could you explain what I didn't compare? I'm at a lost.
Note: Only one stove was used to boil water because of identical dimensions the boil times would be almost the same (as mentioned in video).
Why is alot of people start the fire from the bottom of these stoves? They are top burn down .
RallohE you can see they're identical. You yourself called the Solo Stove a "rip off" of the Bushbuddy, that's totally correct so why waste time & effort in proving this: yes they burn wood at nearly the same rate. I bet if you tried the side X side burn test again & again you would get both stoves winning at different times.
And I weighed both stoves on a scale that I trust. The 261 gram Solo Stove is 30% heavier > the 173 gram Bushbuddy period.
Never trust a products website for true figures.
RallohE I see what you are saying about the light weightiness of the Bushbuddy especially for ultralight hikers & campers. So for you its the Bushbuddy.
For other people who car camp, people who are not concerned about weight for some reason, or folks who simply are on a budget in this bad economy the Solo stove is better.
And yes, the Solo is a legal, high quality rip off of the Bushbuddy. Somebody is obviously learning from the Japanese and Chinese.
Beautiful video!
Both stoves look great!
How is the build quality of the solo stove compared to the bushbuddy? Has the bushbuddy held up well over the years you had it? I like the bushbuddy better because it lighter,.. also solo stove kinda ripped off bushbuddy,.. so have a little loyalty to them. Have been looking at both stoves, going to get one. Thanks you
Same here. Solo more than KINDA ripped off the Bushbuddy. Bushbuddy is better for light packing, especially the newer, lighter version. Plus pots are more stable on the four-prong design. All that said, I do own a Solo Stove Titan that I take on shorter trips with a couple people for the simple reason that it burns bigger.
I am a practical person with loyalty to no one per say (talking about manufacturers). So I'll buy a "rip off" of anything if it is *cheaper & works as well or better.* When top officials of the US car industry were asked in the early 1970's:
"Why don't you make smaller cars to save gas like the Japanese?"
They said: "The American People won't buy Japanese cars over US cars." in other words loyalty over practical use.
Same with almost every product at Walmart. Many, many Chinese copies of US products that poor & middle class Americans buy on mass. Even upper class folks shop at Walmart. Practical use and cost always trump loyalty.
The Bushbuddy's inventor left his design unpatented as he was more concerned with getting a practical tool to all people and less concerned with making money. Enter Solo Stove like Bill Gates - the Solo Stove is an inexpensive legal & almost direct copy of the Canadian Bushbuddy stove.
My Bushbuddy & Solo stoves are almost equal in build quality and cooking ability. The main differences are:
- The Bushbuddy is more expensive
*- The Solo Stove is cheaper*
- The Bushbuddy is lighter
*- The Solo Stove is heavier*
- The Bushbuddy is tough
*- The Solo Stove is the toughest*
- The Bushbuddy has only a small model
*- The Solo Stove has many models* (small to large)
Yes, I agree. Either one works. Whatever suits the budget I guess. People have to realize that Canadian wages on average are higher than the US. So it's not a heavy price to pay for the Bushbuddy for us. We like buying online out of the US It's cheap for us even though it may not seem cheap for Americans. It's the way it goes I guess :o) On the other side it's hard for Canadians to have small cottage industries. We have to make so much money and can't compete with American prices as a seller.
Well in this case you really hit the nail on the head. It was Fritz by himself making them in 24 unit batches in his cabin in the Yukon. Can't get more "cottage industry" than that!
I find it interesting that these stoves seem to give of as much smoke and soot as any other wood stove that I have used. I thought that the point of a gasifier stove was that they burned more efficiently and cleaner?
This is the first video I've seen on these two stoves that had that much smoke coming out. All the other videos I've seen, hardly have any smoke.
Halfsquatch Hi guys, these stoves do burn smokeless and very hot.
BUT they produce just as much soot from carbon as any other stove using wood.
So when the makers say "these are efficient stoves" what they are saying is:
- the Solo Stove uses the wood efficiently (you need less wood),
- you get a hotter concentrated fire than average campfire,
- and when gasification occurs you are smokeless.
For me I just wanted a stove I could get going fast and cheaply. One I could use everywhere even in National Parks (the Solo Stove is approved in most). The Solo Stove is the answer to my dreams.
Hope that helps.
Nice video. I have a stove just like these, but a differant brand. It works wonderful. I love the fact that I do not have to carry fuel, cause there is fuel every where you go. Except maybe salt flats. Thanks for the video, makes me feel even better about my choice
Great video! Fantastic tools. I admire someone that takes care of their equipment and it looks like you do. Did you modify the blade on the condor knife or rather extend the edge to be closer to the handle?
Hi 2010chingon, that Condor Bushlore is very rare. I bought 2 of them two years ago and they are 1st generation thick spined Bushlores with 2nd generation edge grinds that go all the way to the handle. I did not modify or change a thing.
Thanks for the comment.
Thats great!
I will have to check it out!
Thank you!
use a condor "bushlore" myself....very handy knife :) i own some moras and they are great... thanks for the upload =) always like to compare what i do here in kansas to other places :)
I read an article on the inventor of the Bushbuddy and this guy is amazing. He keep experimenting until he had a great stove that was very efficient at producing heat in a small size.
His hard work was not patented (I guess) so savvy businessmen took his idea and are making their versions of the Bushbuddy.
I think everyone wins here though.
what do you call that metal plate surrounding the stove at 4:30?
Foldable Outdoor Camping Cooker Stove Wind Shield Screen - about $10 USD on Amazon.
2:10 are you talking about this kanenori-japan.com/hatchet-2/ which one exactly?
Great vid. Just wondering the reasoning behind the tin foil? To keep soot off the pot?
Yes, the foil was for easy cleaning but I really was just being lazy.
I do not use the foil on the bottom of my pots any more.
Hey, I was wanting to buy a bush buddy, but I want a pot that the stove can fit inside of. Will the bush buddy fit inside of the zebra 12cm with the secondary dish inside of it as well? Or will the 14cm be better for this stove?
Question: "Will the bush buddy fit inside of the zebra 12cm with the secondary dish inside of it as well?"
Answer: Yes and No.
Yes - The Bush Buddy will fit perfectly in the Zebra 12cm. The 14cm is too big.
No - The small Zebra dish can not fit together with the Bush Buddy in the pot.
Where did you get that Japanese hatchet from please? It looks awesome. I must have one. Thanks in advance for any info. Cheers.
Got it off eBay. I recommend the modern Japanese Natas made by Silky. They are much tougher and are all weather tools. A lot of Westerners choose the biggest Nata (the 240cm version). I think the 180cm or 210cm versions are much better in weight savings and the type of work done in the woods.
sweetcostarica 240cm? 180cm or 210cm? These measurements are all over 6 feet in length. If you don't mind too much, could you please respond with the proper measurements so I know what to look for.
Thanks for the info on the brand name & style. I'll check them out. Cheers.
That is funny friend. Hope you didn't actually go looking for those giant tools. Obviously it is a typographical/spoken error. So if that ever happens again, relax as no such huge tool exists.
Just change centimeters (CM) to millimeters (MM). Easy peasy.
EDIT: In America we still haven't gotten use to the metric system.
Stay frosty.
I suspected as much but wasn't entirely sure if you meant mm or inches. Cheers.
i watch in order to see the Bushbuddy. You only show the solo stove which has tons of videos on youtube. If the Buddy is lighter, handmade and not made in China, it is a better choice. They are close in price.
Should show the Bushbuddy's performance.
The Bushbuddy started it all but it is the Solo Stove that has much more progress in the design i.e. Solo Stove has a larger stoves and outdoor fire 🔥pits with pots and pans. So sorry not to have the original Canadian Bushbuddy 😢 to test it was sold a long while ago.
Nice vid, what was the folding saw brand and wind screen?
The saw was a Shark's brand Japanese pull-saw.The blades are made of high-carbon Japanese Spring Steel. The wind screen weighs about 253g and is a Vktech product.
You can buy these on Amazon as of today:
Shark 10-2337 Folding CutsAll Saw - *$22.49 USD*
Vktech 10 Plates Folding Camping Picnic Cooker Stove Wind Screen - *$8.50 USD*
sweetcostarica Thank you for the quick reply with details as well. Very nice, thank you. I subbed and liked. Will try and watch more.
can you do a review of your first gen condor bushlore.tnx.
Sorry, I sold it a couple of years back.
I used to build these out of coffee cans in Boy Scouts
I loved the Boy Scouts when I was young. You were ahead of your time if you built this type of stove.
EDIT: Merry Christmas!
It's hard to say how they got a way with that one...haha! But I'm sure the maker of the Bush Buddy isn't a big CZcams user so he may not even know about it. He's probably too busy ;o)
it burns really black? sot all over.. cool though
Great video! Thanks for sharing! :)
Thank you too Mike for your comment, I am now using the Bush Buddy Titan on longer colder trips into the Alaskan woods. The bigger version is better for very cold weather. But the normal Solo & Bushbuddy are perfect for Spring, Summer, & fall.
Enjoy your day!
You mean PerFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFect!
Thank you Blaze Vantov but it really was nothing.
bushbuddy is tiny compared to my Tomshoo foldable wood gas stove :)
100 percent correct 👌. This is why Solo Stove (a close copy of the Bushbuddy) has many, many larger sizes of stores. Check that maker out.
God bless 🙌
👍🏻
I am beginning to think you just don't like the Solo Stove. I don't know the reason but if you can not see the benefits of a $66 USD Bushbuddy legal copy in looks and performance (My real Canadian BushBuddy was $120+ USD). Then you would recommend an inferior DIY option. I think that dislike has turned into a disadvantage to you and a sad situation since you miss out on something really good.
The maker of the Solo Stove has kids to feed and the Standard of practice for ethics is to feed your family first.Bushbuddy is a fine stove which in returns feeds his family since doing it all himself, and Solo feeds many, even overseas folks are humans with wants and needs..
+Jerry Adams JEFF JAN, owner of the SOLO STOVE is married?
Please update me on this Jerry.
you should have featured the original first- not the ripoff.
cool video... stove should be lit from the top...
Thanks. Yes, you are right about that and I do not use the foil on the bottom of my pots any more.
Since 2013 I have used these Solos, the newer bigger ones too. I like them today more than every.
Key points:
- Extremely simple to use
- Easy to start
- Easy to find fuel
- Fuel is free - natural wood
- Very efficient burning
The negative to the Solos is they take up more space than some other stoves (like the foldable type) and weigh a little more too. This is a compromise.
Sad . L watched to see the comparison but it did not happen. Hmmmm
Hi, sorry about that but they are about the same in overall performance anyway, the Solo is just a lot cheaper.
Took so long to boil that water because of the aluminum foil the pot was in. Try it without the foil (yes, you will have a dirty pot) and your boil time will go down drastically, like 6-7 minutes.
It would have boiled in 5 minutes or less if you didn't put that stupid aluminum foil around the pot. My titan I've had for many years boils 2 cups in 4 minutes flat at 32 degrees and higher and only a minute or two longer below freezing.
Yes, I feel it took longer than normal. Who knows what happened. But these stoves just work well & are very easy to use.
God bless
It's called a knock off because someone bought the original design, copied it from an American designer, and then mass produced it overseas.
Keep sending jobs and money overseas everyone. Good work.
This is true the Solo Stove (original) is Canadian designed (Bushbuddy) then an American company copied it and expanded that model to larger designs (Titan & Campfire).
The Solo Stoves are made in China for solo stove.com.
The problem of sending jobs, as in the manufacture of a legion of products that Americans used to make is too big a one for me to answer. But I can say everyone (from the greedy businessmen to that lazy American high school student) is to blame on that one and life as we knew it has irrevocably changed.
But Michael Lydick have a great Christmas & Happy New Year!
Today is the only day we can live for. Stay safe.
I just purchased 2 Trekker stoves (004) from Nomadic stoves. I met the man who made my gear. I paid more for it, and I waited weeks for it to be made by hand. It's an heirloom that my kids kids will use. This industry is known for its cottage businesses. We have a choice to support innovation, or send the copies overseas. Please, everyone, consider your choices when purchasing.
Michael Lydick You said: "I met the man who made my gear. I paid more for it, and I waited weeks for it to be made by hand."
Mike Lydick, that is a nice thing you are doing. Here's the problem in our present bad economy most people can not afford cottage industry gear because it cost much more than that Chinese made inferior product that does the same thing.
Also, what really is a made in the USA Product?
My friend drives a Toyota that was made in Ohio. I loved the new modern Chevy NOVA which had a Japanese engine in it. My sister’s Levi Jeans are made in China. So maybe some product sells stickers should say “Made in the World”.
I remember the 70’s when General Motors refused to spend the money to re-tool and make smaller more economical cars to compete with the well built, gas saving small Japanese & European cars. Those US car industry officials gave their reason why they kept making large gas guzzlers:
“The American people will not buy a foreign car over an American one. That won’t happen.”
Boy they were wrong. Just saying.
Michael. How strong is the trekker in .004? I was looking at the regular and the ultra inn.004. I would like the lighter stove, but the few extra oz are not a big deal if it really adds to it strength over the years of service, I"m a backpacker, but not an ultralighter guys. Thanks
Strong enough for day to day backpacking. It nests right in the pot though, so if you broke it, you were standing on it.
5:20 Hard to beat? I beg to differ. These stoves look like they take up too much room in a pack.
Hard to beat for a stove that requires no expense on the fuel. Even when bikepacking this stove would be hard to beat. Going away for a month or 2 in remote places, wanting to rely on a stove, but gas canisters run out in 2-3 days depending on usage! Thus, the solo stove is a wiser choice if one of your main aims is to live cheaply
don't have to be married to have mouth's to feed
+Jerry Adams I was just curious on what you said about Jeff Jan.
Anyway, I agree with you main point about business. There is plenty of room for everyone in international and local business. It is good for everyone (the companies & the consumers) if there is *competition.* May the best product win, whoever they are i.e. American, English, Turkish, Canadian, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, etc.
Stay safe.
$70 dollars more for 4-5 ounces of weight??? no thanks, ILL TAKE THE SOLO STOVE
You mean $30 more? Just bought my BB for $100 USD. Solo is 70. I prefer to spend a bit extra to support my country's economy and small businesses (a small business that is working its ass off to produce medical supplies to help supply hospitals during this pandemic).
that stove is way over rated for that price, thanks for sharing the vid
The Bushbuddy is hand made. I have 2 from 2011 when Fritz Handl made then and they are like works of art. I am glad I have bought them, even the little wooden case they came in is a little work of art. The burn pattern is amazing...worth every penny.