I'm interested in getting a lightweight wood burning stove, primarily for Boundary Waters trips and for yak dung burning on the Tibetan plateau.

Reviews for the Bushbuddy are excellent, but I'm scared off a bit by the price. The Littlbug is much cheaper and I can pick one up here in Minnesota.

I understand that the stoves are quite different, with the Bushbuddy being a more sophisticated 'downdraft gasifier' and the Littlbug being a simple 'hobo stove'.

Is there a significant performance advantage for the Bushbuddy? Enough to justify the $70+ price difference?

Josh, the Bushbuddy is pricey and would normally drive me off as well. However close to the time it was introduced I had just started using alcohol stoves and after a 100% price jump in my area for canister fuel and my own failed attempt to use a hobo stove effectively I decided to spring for one.

Even though use is significantly restricted in the areas where I hike, I am still not sorry I purchased the Bushbuddy Ultra. It burns fuel efficiently and is easy to use. Considering your travel to overseas areas with dubious climate conditions combined with limited fuel resources, it would seem that possession of the most efficient burner available would make the price of the Bushbuddy somewhat modest.

Has anyone tried the J Falk compact woodburning stove yet?
It is a tad heavier than the Bushbuddy, but so much cheaper.
He has several on his site.

http://www.trailgear.org/

John, thanks for your perspective. Yes, it makes sense to go with the more efficient stove - just balking at the price.

Donna, I'd forgotten about the J. Falk stove. Claims to function as Bushbuddy at 1/4 the price. Hopefully someone here can comment on their experience with it.

That stove looks most impressive.

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN30_tG7S3A

The Bushbuddy Ultra Wood Stove weighs 5.1 oz and costs 132.99 for members

The J Falk Compact Wood Stove weighs 6.5 ounces and costs 26.95

The problem with his stove is that I have yet to find a pot that it will nest inside (completely), and the stove itself is 2 pieces + the pot stand.

He used to sell the plans for that stove; I have them somewhere) which brings the price down to $5.

That said, I still use the BB Ultra. It fits perfectly inside the Trek 900, and is only 1 piece + pot stand, not 2 pieces + pot stand.

I have been considering this stove only to see if I like cooking on a woodstove. I haven't sunk a lot of $$ if I am not happy with it. The pot I use is the Snowpeak Ti 3 piece cookset ( I only use part of it)which are more of a rounded-bowl with handles. I use the lid sometimes for toasting my morning bagels. : )
So for me, nestling it into my cookware wouldn't matter.

The fact that you can use a windscreen around his stoves is a handy thing as well. Can you do that with BB?

I think someone made one similar in the MYOG section.

BTW...I am referring to his newer stove, the Bushwacker. It looks like BB. He has a video on it as well. It can fit inside the Snowpeak 900 set.

There's also a second video showing just using the outer portion of the stove for severe weather. If you go into the website, and watch the first demo, click on the youtube link imbedded in the video, which will bring you to youtube and you'll see the second demo to the right.

Edited by leadfoot on 10/10/2008 05:21:48 MDT.

Yes, you can use a windscreen with the BB. In fact, if there is anything over a slight breeze, one ought to use one.

Greetings everyone.

My name is Jim Falk inventor or the Bushwhacker and Compact Wood Stoves. Here's the difference ...

The Compact Wood Stove is traditional vertical draft (hobo type) stove. It's a small two piece nested design (wieghs 6.5 oz) and will store perfectly in a Snow Peak 900 cook set. It lights easy and it burns most types of wood with ease. You have to baby sit the fire by adding small pieces of wood every so often during the cooking process.

The Bushwhacker is a wood gas stove, it's foot print is also small (weighs 6.7 oz) and stores in a Snow Peak 900 cook set. With this stove you load only once with wood, light then walk away. No need to baby sit the fire by adding wood while cooking. It does require a little practice to get the hang of it's functionality and wood selection is important. It has adjustable air intake ports for variable cooking times and several setup configurations for different weather conditions. I've boiled 6 cups of coffee in a percolator pot and cooked scrambled eggs with one load of wood.

Both stoves are low cost solutions for wood burning backpacking stoves and they work great! DIY instructions are also available.

More information can be found on my web site at ... http://www.TrailGear.org

Edited by trailgear on 10/11/2008 18:54:00 MDT.

Now, don't laugh, but here's a really cheap (but really heavy at 2 lbs!) wood-burning stove.

I once went on a fly 'n camp trip to Oregon and the KOA campground where I stayed the first night did not sell the small fuel canisters to go with my MSR rocket stove, just the 1 lb Coleman-type.

I couldn't heat anything. I had to drive into Portland looking for a specialty camping store to buy fuel.

One of these, would have helped:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=288270

sandy in miami

Thanks for the side-by-side info on your stoves.

On the Bushwhacker, you mentioned that that stove requires some care in selecting fuel. For my use it will be most convenient to use sticks/twigs or dried yak dung. Are these appropriate fuels for this stove?

Thanks.

Edited by Stumphges on 10/16/2008 16:12:50 MDT.

Well the Bushwhacker works best with small twigs broken into 1/2" to 3" pieces not to exceed the diameter of your fingers. It's best to use fast burning woods like Pine. Slow burning woods (oak hard woods) have a problem gasifying.

As far as dung goes, I've never tried that fuel in any of my stoves. I don't have a supply of Yak dung in south Florida, just a little humor.

If your fire building skills are average or better you should not have a problem with the Bushwhacker.

However the Compact Wood Stove is easier to start and use for those who are not the average woodsman. It does burn most types of woods with ease.

Hope this helps.

Thanks again

Anyone actually use the littlbug?