Firebox G2 Stove

Item: Firebox G2 Stove (Deluxe Combo kit)

Place of purchase: www.fireboxstove.com

Length of ownership: 5 yrs

Rating out of 10: 7 out of 10

Pros:

Cons:

Purchase Options:

While this is not an ultralight piece of kit if is one of the most well designed and considered wood stoves available. It’s very clever configuration allows it to unfold very easily without the usual 3D jigsaw assembly required of other alternatives.

This stove does not replace a traditional open fire, but there are times when I want to be even more mindful of my surroundings and I do not want to set an open fire. The base of the stove still gets hot enough to burn but it does contain the fire and burn fuel very efficiently. Your fuel material might require a little more processing, but it is worth the effort for a more efficient burn.

They do have a smaller lighter alternative (Titanium Firebox Nano) but it is not as versatile. They also have a Titanium version of the G2 in the pipeline.

I would recommend the 5” G 2 base model is purchased with 2 additional Firesticks (it comes with 2 included), the Extended Grill Plate (don’t bother with the standard grill plate) and the 5” Boil Plate does improve boil times with most 750ml containers. The “D Ring Carry Case” is also well worth getting.

There are also several other items of gear that it will work with if you already have them. It will work with a Trangia alcohol stove, Gel Burner, fuel tabs, Trangia gas canister adapter as well as a Zebra Pot (with a couple of extra DIY mods) as an oven.

With Trangia alcohol stove

Trangia gas burner configuration supported using the firesticks

Performance:

Each side wall of the stove has a variety of perforations which allow the firesticks to be inserted in several ways. This allows the stove to support a variety of pots, pans, and fuel types. The ash pan at the bottom can also be repositioned to allow the burning of fuel tabs or pellets if you are that way inclined. While this is interesting to be able to do, I find that this is more of a gimmick feature that would not be used too often.

The firesticks can be used to adjust the stove and its various grill plates. The almost limitless choice of positions for the fire sticks make this an especially useful and adaptable feature of the stove and it is why I would recommend having 4 firesticks.

It’s worth noting that this stove is very efficient in how it burns fuel. The sidewalls also have a number of larger holes in them that will allow you to feed fuel in that is too long to top load. There is also an adjustable damper on one side that will allow you to feed fuel or adjust the airflow to the fire. The grill plate and boil plate are sided so pay attention to the “T” marking otherwise the pieces will not fit together properly.

Versatility:

As well as the configurations illustrated earlier you can also set the stove up to work as an oven with a number of mods to a Zebra pot (metal handle clips, stones to act as a heat sync, raised “shopping basket” grilling rack) This can be a fun feature to play with and it works surprisingly well.

Zebra Pot Mod to top-load pot for oven use

Zebra pot oven set up

Firebox Firesticks configured to support a pot on its side.

Extended Grill Plate is about the size of 2 burgers

The fuel was processed down to pieces the size of the width of your palm.

Care & Maintenance:

Let the stove cool naturally. Do not quench it with cold water as you will damage the metal. It is also a good idea to rub down the stove after each trip with oil to clean and seal it.

Be mindful of the fact that the ash plate at the bottom will not stop the stove from scorching the ground underneath.

Conclusions:

This is not the stove for you if you are counting grams. It is however exceptionally well designed and very well built. It is a very versatile stove if you do not mind carrying it. Be selective about the accessories you choose for your specific needs. 

It is very, very robust and will last for years. If the weight of it is an issue, they are apparently working on a titanium version which will be a lot lighter but more expensive.