>> Phew!

>> I thought it was just me... I have five in total, and I can see that rising! (o:

@ Callahan

My Mother's name was Callahan...maybe it's in our blood?
;)

Edited by michaellyons@pcisys.net on 10/01/2012 21:41:26 MDT.

My boiled arrived yesterday and I gotta say I can't wait to use it.

The millwork on the boiler looks great. There are no rough edges on the spout or in the firebox cutout. I like that the bottom lip of the boiler is now seamless. I read somewhere that that is a change for the original version.

The neoprene wrap fits securely enough but is still easy to remove if needed. And I thought that the included coffee and tea packets were a nice touch packed in with the instruction manual.

The stopper fits very snugly. A little tougher than someone would prefer to make it easy to close but then also a strong enough seal that you don't have to be concerned with it popping out while on the trail.

I'd prefer that the opening for the carry pouch be a slightly larger diameter at the top to make the boiler fit inside easier.

Overall this looks like a great product. Thanks Devin!

I ordered Backcountry boiler 20 days ago and got the delivery in just 5 working days. Thanks to xxx shippers who didn't let me to wait for one more week. The boiler is working absolutely well. No issue.

A shade too commercial re the shipper for a first post. But good to hear you are happy.

Cheers
Roger Caffin
Online Community Monitor
Backpacking Light

Edited by rcaffin on 10/10/2012 15:47:58 MDT.

This close up photo of my Kelly Kettle shows there is no taper like the BCB. The KK was engineered to have as much stability as possible. The diameter of the fire bowl is slightly smaller than the base of the pot.

I purchased a used BCB here on BPL to compare it to a KK. I did some test burns and found the BCB to be a little too tippy for my likings. It's necessary to feed twigs into it in order to get 2 cups to boiling. You have to be really careful when feeding twigs so you don't tip it over. Because of the taper on the fire bowl it's hard to get the twigs stacked vertical for a top lighting load. If the fire goes out and the kettle needs to be lifted, the twigs lean over edge causing the kettle to be difficult to replace onto the bowl. Fire making skills really come into play when firing up a BCB. If you din't practice a lot befor going out on an extended journey you will get frustrated and wind up using your kettle with alcohol only.(not good)

These are photobucket photos. The close up can be cliked on to enlarge:

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Edited by zelph on 10/10/2012 12:07:18 MDT.

Hi Dan - the Backcountry Boiler was also engineered for as much stability as possible while allowing the base to fit inside the chimney (disclosure for the forum, I make the Boiler). I've never used a Kelly Kettle, but since you have both it would be interesting to see the base diameter to height ratio. I would be quite surprised if it were higher on the Kelly than the Boiler.

In practice, I haven't gotten many reports of instability on the Boiler. If you can find a 3" circle of flat surface, you should be good to go. If you have any stability problems while feeding in sticks, they may be too large. But if it's still a problem, I recommend holding the Boiler by the insulating sleeve while feeding.

If you break up your fuel well enough, it is possible for a single-batch boil, but I do prefer to add them while the fire is going. I also tend to recommend not taking the Boiler off the base while it's going, unless it has already boiled. I'm not really sure why this would need to be done. The fire will burn best with the Boiler all together.

I hope this helps! If you have any other questions on how to get the most out of your Boiler, I'm happy to answer them and will follow this thread.

Best - Devin

edit: I now seem to capitalize every iteration of the word "boil" :)

Edited by dsmontgomery on 10/10/2012 15:25:17 MDT.

I Love The Backcountry Boiler,

I was part of the Kickstarter group and while it was frustrating having things stretch out, it was defiantly worth the wait. I love the new design and the fact they are now made in the USA. I used my boiler all summer in the Pacific Northwest with no stability issues and yes it will burn wet wood. I have a couple other wood burning stoves that i use from time to time and even brought with me camping to test against the Backcountry Boiler in the field. In my opinion the Backcountry Boiler beats any bio powered pot/stove setup. Granted i cant do a lot of gourmet cooking with it but you just cant beat the simplicity, weight savings and cleanliness of this system. this is my go to system and I have plans to pickup a couple more of these in the future.

Keep up the good work Devin!

Peter,

The Backcountry Boiler has always been made in the US... Er', except when it was made in Canada!

Sorry for my geo-blunder!


Edit: Post corrected.

Edited by AeroNautiCal on 10/12/2012 19:08:48 MDT.

I thought Peter was referring to the fact that the BCB is the first volcano kettle made in the US. :)

Anyway, I also tried out the potstand last night, just for the sake of trying it out. I have a potstand for my Kelly Kettle, which when assembled is basically an aluminum cross with a taper that sits in the chimney. It's stable, and bigger than the BCB's potstand. It was nice, for a while... but even using an alcohol stove in the Kelly Kettle when I tried it out, the stand actually melted.

The one that Devin came up with for the BCB is a three-piece dealie that when assembled forms a platform with 3 points of contact. When it has nothing on top of it, I have to say it does feel pretty filmsy, but when I put a 750ml Sierra cup with water and rice noodles on top, it felt solid and stable. It allowed me to boil water in the BCB while also bringing the water in the Sierra Cup to a light boil. Since it doesn't have a piece stuck down in the chimney, I don't think that it will share the Kelly Kettle's potstand melting problem.

Naturally, Murphy's Law prevailed this summer regarding my using the BCB, so I haven't had a chance to try it in the field. :-/

Peter - thanks so much for the kind words! The Boiler was made with a precise goal: boil water for hiking meals with indigenous fuels and be the best at it. I think it does that, and I'm so glad that you've found the same.

Callahan - The second batch of Boilers was made in Canada. I went there in search of capability, as I approached nearly every shop in the US and all told me they weren't interested in the job, or that it was simply "unmanufacturable." Things didn't really work out with them, but I wouldn't hesitate to have something made in Canada in the future. The most important things to me in a manufacturer are, first and foremost, capability and reliability, but also responsible labor and environmental practices. Things that the US, Canada and other developed countries have to their advantage are reliable regulatory systems that, all things considered, do an amazing job of holding companies accountable for their actions. While these conditions can be found elsewhere, insuring that they are the case is a task beyond the capability of my small company. Rule of law FTW. :)

Rakesh - I'm glad the pot stand is working well for you. Why anyone would but it down through the chimney is a puzzle to me. Either it melts or requires exotic materials, and either way it obstructs air flow and the addition of more fuel.

Devin,

I'm with you. The pot stand for the Kelly Kettle seemed like a bit of an afterthought to me, particularly since it didn't even pack all that well. It didn't collapse small enough to fit into the chimney like yours does, partly because it was made for the largest kettle they make. It was stable... Until it melted. I suspect that it would have melted even more quickly had I been using wood rather than alcohol.

Anyone receive their anodized boiler yet? I think they were supposed to ship mid October but I haven't heard anything...

Can't wait to try it out!

Hi Mike - they're shipping as we speak! I tend to live update on Twitter and Facebook - both @boilerwerks.

Just received the shipping email...super excited about this, thanks Devin!