Why I prefer Wood (as fuel)

I like autonomy. It's the essence of going outdoors: for a moment, you no longer rely on civilization. Just for a moment.

Sometimes, that moment is extended. Might be a few weeks, or even more.

I've tried a few methods over the years. It's not about one being better or worse than the other: it's about what you need, when you need it... "what are the parameters of your needs", to sound super romantic.

But it's true.

If you're doing an extended hike and the bulk of your time is going to be spent hiking... you need efficiency.

If weight is less of a problem (like on a canoe or kayak trip, for example) and you're all about extended autonomy and self-reliance, then it's entirely different.

In my case, I've been in both scenarios.

Sometimes, I was traveling on a bicycle over thousands of kilometers. Weight and reliability were of utmost importance.

And sometimes, I was going to "live in the woods" for a time. So bringing items that would eventually become trash was less appealing to me.

I love propane burners, man. Don't get me wrong. They work NOW. You need a flame? You have a flame. A hot, reliable one (stay focused please!).

But then you're stuck with that extra weight when the canister is empty. And you have to carry an extra one if you plan on being far from civilization. And so you consider the other option: a liquid-fuel camping stove. Those are super convenient, awesome for expeditions.

But you're still carrying a fuel bottle, and when it's empty, it's empty.

If you're so far up north that there's simply no other source of fuel around, that's perfect.

But in my case, I'm no polar explorer. So from the start, I've always been looking for alternatives.

Enter the portable wood stove.

Or, more precisely, the wood burning camping stove.

The very first model I ever bought... was so bad. It was rather bulky, really heavy (like, 2 pounds or something), and I had to bring freaking 2 AA batteries to run the fan.

That particular model used a fan at the bottom to push air up, making the fire burn hotter.

I ended up giving it away to a friend.

Eventually, I stumbled upon this better, more modern model.

Really compact, really light, and on top of it, instead of requiring energy to run... it was GIVING energy. Some of the heat was being converted into electricity, and there was a USB output. So you could burn little wood sticks and charge your phone or other electronics with it.

Absolute genius.

But then... how effective was it at actually cooking food?

Personally, I love it.

Water boils in a couple of minutes. If you want "low heat", you just put in fewer wood sticks. If you want "high heat", you put in more sticks and increase the fan speed (there are 2 speeds on my model).

But the fact that you're using wood as fuel... which is all around you most of the time (and you don't need much! You gather a few twigs, a couple of dry branches, and you're good to go!), opens all kinds of possibilities in terms of meal preparation.

When using a propane tank or other liquid-fuel camping stove, you're often very selective about what food you bring. Most of the time, you want to heat or boil a little water, add this water to a freeze-dried meal, let it sit for a while, and then it's ready. Perfect for efficiency: you walked, biked, or paddled all day, and all you want is food in your belly now so you can start again tomorrow.

But let's say you have a little more time, a little more patience perhaps. And after your day of canoeing or kayaking, you set up camp at a nice spot, grab your collapsible fishing rod, and catch yourself a couple of trout for dinner. And you have some rice or quinoa with you. And you think, "Man, I could add some salt, pepper, onion powder, and make myself a crazy good soup right now."

And while the soup is heating up, you take some flour you brought, mix in a little water and salt... you knead the dough to make some simple chapatis. Soup is done, and while it's cooling down a bit, you cook those chapatis in a pan where you've added a little bit of oil.

And what's for dinner now, instead of a freeze-dried meal?

Trout soup with 2 crusty and comforting chapatis.

And you guessed it: that meal happened many times for me.

(Unfortunately, I was a purist at the time, taking no pictures during my expeditions... so here's a picture of a different meal from another one.)

Nothing to refuel the body like some freshly dug up clams (42) and some quinoa for dinner (when looking for caloric / nutrient density, quinoa is a no brainer)

Really compact, really light, and on top of it, instead of requiring energy to run... it was GIVING energy. Some of the heat was being converted into electricity, and there was a USB output. So you could burn little wood sticks and charge your phone or other electronics with it.

Absolute genius.

But then... how effective was it at actually cooking food?

Personally, I love it.

Water boils in a couple of minutes. If you want "low heat", you just put in fewer wood sticks. If you want "high heat", you put in more sticks and increase the fan speed (there are 2 speeds on my model).

But the fact that you're using wood as fuel... which is all around you most of the time (and you don't need much! You gather a few twigs, a couple of dry branches, and you're good to go!), opens all kinds of possibilities in terms of meal preparation.

When using a propane tank or other liquid-fuel camping stove, you're often very selective about what food you bring. Most of the time, you want to heat or boil a little water, add this water to a freeze-dried meal, let it sit for a while, and then it's ready. Perfect for efficiency: you walked, biked, or paddled all day, and all you want is food in your belly now so you can start again tomorrow.

But let's say you have a little more time, a little more patience perhaps. And after your day of canoeing or kayaking, you set up camp at a nice spot, grab your collapsible fishing rod, and catch yourself a couple of trout for dinner. And you have some rice or quinoa with you. And you think, "Man, I could add some salt, pepper, onion powder, and make myself a crazy good soup right now."

And while the soup is heating up, you take some flour you brought, mix in a little water and salt... you knead the dough to make some simple chapatis. Soup is done, and while it's cooling down a bit, you cook those chapatis in a pan where you've added a little bit of oil.

And what's for dinner now, instead of a freeze-dried meal?

Trout soup with 2 crusty and comforting chapatis.

And you guessed it: that meal happened many times for me.

(Unfortunately, I was a purist at the time, taking no pictures during my expeditions... so here's a picture of a different meal from another one.)

(photo)

Nothing to refuel the body like some freshly dug-up clams (42) and some quinoa for dinner (when looking for nutrient density, quinoa is a no-brainer).

So let me give you my personal pros and cons for the methods I've used the most (propane tanks, portable wood stoves, and just no stove at all, so a campfire).

Let's start with:

Small Portable Propane Tanks

(photo here)

Pros ✅	Cons ❌
Instant, reliable flame	Limited fuel supply
Excellent heat control	Must carry replacement canisters
Fast cooking and boiling	Empty canisters become dead weight
Very little maintenance	Fuel costs money
Generally clean combustion	Performance can suffer in cold weather
Works without gathering wood	Combustion fumes can be unpleasant

Small Portable Wood Stoves

Pros ✅	Cons ❌
Fuel can be gathered locally	Requires suitable dry wood
No need to carry fuel canisters	Takes time to start
Potentially unlimited fuel supply	Requires frequent feeding
Fuel is generally free	Less precise heat control
Concentrates heat beneath cookware	Produces smoke, soot, and ash
Some models can generate electricity	Some models need batteries
Good for extended autonomy	Restricted during certain fire bans
Can cook a greater variety of meals	The fan produces a continuous sound

Nothing (Traditional Campfire)

Pros ✅	Cons ❌
No stove to purchase or carry	Requires a safe, suitable fire site
Fuel can be gathered locally	Usually requires more wood
Can cook several things simultaneously	Harder to control cooking temperatures
Provides warmth and light	More smoke and soot
Can use coals for slow cooking	Can damage the ground and vegetation
Excellent for larger meals	Often prohibited during fire restrictions
Very versatile cooking methods	Requires good cooking skills

Now, as you may have noted, I haven't included my hot-tent stove in that list... because it's a totally different kind of need. 95% of people will never even consider packing a freaking 10-pound, super bulky stove!

In my case, the reason I'm using it for The Pack Adventures is simple: it's visually beautiful, it's a comforting sight. That's the main reason, really!

But it's also very convenient for cooking with the dogs: the enclosed fire makes it easier to keep them away from the flames, and the smoke is not in our faces, which is a major point.

Also, I can just put something on the stove to slow-cook, fill it with wood, and go play with the dogs or explore a little (while keeping an eye on it). And when we're back, the food is ready.

But as stated, it's very heavy in the context of outdoor equipment, very bulky... and once I'm done cooking the food, I still have to manage the coals and ashes, and I have to wait for it to cool down before being able to pack it and leave.

So... it's a hassle.

But I like complicating my life, so at this point, a little more, a little less...

Afex relaxing around the stove. Comforting for everyone!

All Photos by Fred