Tentipi FireBox Mini; A
review
Specs
300x200x115 mm.
1200 g. Packed only 40x115x300 mm.
http://www.tentipi.com/default.asp?textnummer=2106
History
On outdoor trips I have always been a
fan of having a fire where it is appropriate. This goes back to being a young
boy on fishing trips and the like.
As I have got older, if not wiser, I
have tried to make sure that the impact of my fires has been minimal. This has
meant picking sites for the fire where it will not cause any damage. The
gathering of wood where it will have the least impact or even bringing my own
wood.
To aide this policy I have looked at various pieces of kit to help.
The obvious thing being a stove to replace the fire. I have a stove but there is
something about a fire that touches us in a primeval way and cannot be
replicated with a stove, however, where I cannot have a fire without causing
damage, I use a stove.
The next pieces of kit were a good bow saw and an
axe to make use of the large diameter pieces of wood frequently found charred
and half burnt in the remains of the fire pits of those less thoughtful fire
users. It also allows the use of larger diameter deadwood that may be
available.
And of course a firebox has always been an idea for using to
lessen the impact and increase the efficiency of the fire. I have over the years
tried a few different types of fire boxes but whilst they have all had their
good points, for one reason or another I have never found them of sufficient
benefit to include them in my kit list.
I received a Tentipi Mini Fire
Box as compensation for a problem with my Tentipi tent. A very minor problem I
have to say and a generous offer that I gratefully accepted. I had looked at
these fireboxes but had thought they looked expensive and nothing special so
looked forward to giving it a try but I expected it to end up in the unused pile
with all the rest I have tried.
The Workings
As you can
see from the specs above the firebox packs flat and is very light for a firebox.
This light weight implies a fragility that we will talk about later. I have made
a canvas bag to keep it in to prevent it getting my other kit dirty in
transit.
The
bars etc that help hold it erect slip inside when packed.
The
bars consist of two that hold the bottom of the box in position and a centre bar
that helps to hold the top open (the centre bar does not seem to be supplied in
the more recent models). I have changed the centre bar and added a tube to the
set up but this will also be discussed later.
As
you open the box up the sides hinge out.
Then the bottom hinges down.
Two
bars go through the bottom to hold it in position.
The
lastly the centre bar (when supplied) goes across the top to make the whole
structure more rigid.
In
use you raise the box off the ground by placing either rocks or green wood under
the ends of the bars on the bottom.
Improvements &
modifications
Over time I have made some modifications and additions
to the box. First the centre bar that was supplied was pretty flimsy. It buckled
a lot with the heat it was subjected too. I realised that this bar was not
actually required to keep the box in shape, which is why I presume it is no
longer supplied but it is useful to help rest pots on. So I asked Russell
(Warthog1981) to make me a stronger bar, which he did and I use this now. The
only time I do not use it is if I find a grill at a campsite, in which case I go
without the centre bar and use the grill to support pots instead.
Second
I have a short piece of pipe (actually a cut down arrow shaft) which is stored
inside the packed box and is used as a blow poker to bring a bit more life to
the fire when needed.
Most of my campsites allow me to site the box on
either a stone area or a beach, however, occasionally, there is nothing but
grassed areas. When using the box in these areas I lay the tinfoil from an
instant barbeque on the ground (you find these all over the place) and have the
firebox raised above it. This protects the grass from the heat of the box. I
have done this on a number of occasions and can assure you that after the site
is tidied you would not be able to tell where the fire has
been.
Suits you sir
By now you will probably have
realised the Tentipi firebox has not ended up unused in a pile of kit, far from
it. The firebox fits my type of fire use perfectly.
It
allows me to use fairly large diameter wood and I can split this down to suit if
required. If heating just one or two pots I will have these at one end and feed
the fire from the other so that there is a fairly constant temperature at the
business end of the box.
As you can see the box is big enough to take
quite a few pots, if required. In the picture above that is a 16cm billy, a 14cm
billy and a steel caffetiere all on the firebox. You could probably fit a
crusader mug on as well if you really wanted too.
The firebox does burn
wood far more efficiently. If left to burn out it will consume all the wood in
it and leave nothing but ash.
The weight and small pack size of the
firebox means that there is no reason not to take it. You can set it up quickly
with no fuss so that too is a plus point. I hinted earlier that the lightweight
nature of the firebox implied it would not last well. Certainly this was my
thought when I first got it. When I had used the firebox a couple of times I
liked it but became even surer it would not last. The intense heat in the box
does twist and bend the box BUT I have now been using the box for over two years
and despite seeing a lot of use, getting a bit misshaped and starting to rust,
the box still folds away, sets up and performs as well as when I first got
it.
In conclusion
Well the conclusion is simple and
direct. I am a huge fan of the Tentipi Mini Fire Box now. If I were to finally
wear out my current one I would immediately buy a replacement without any
hesitation. It is one of the few things I own where I would not use the
opportunity to upgrade as I feel it is the best solution for me.
Price
wise I originally thought that these were expensive for what they were. Now I do
not think this now. At the time of writing this, the mini firebox is £45 from
here
http://www.nordicoutdoor.co.uk/tentipi-accessories.html
Having
now used the firebox and seen how it performs and lasts I would gladly pay this
price again. Truth be told if I had to I would pay twice this but don’t tell
Casper at Nordic Outdoor that 
My girls like it too but that
might just be for the marshmallows 
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