Solo Range Lite Assessment: We Examined the Smokeless Camp Range

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Wooden-burning and biofuel camp stoves—just like the Solo Range Lite—have lengthy intrigued me. I’ve seen them as a doubtlessly extra sustainable various to extra conventional propane stoves and a approach to reduce down on carrying gasoline whereas backpacking. After testing the BioLite CampStove 2+ for a number of months, it was time to check out the Solo Range camp range to see the way it compares and whether or not or not it’s price all of the hype.

I used the Solo Range Lite for a number of weeks on varied tenting journeys within the Jap Washington Cascade Mountains. From the time I’ve spent cooking with this range, I can confidently say that it’s a stellar backpacking companion for anybody who likes cooking with hearth.

Under is my sincere assessment of the Solo Range Lite and the way I feel it’s best used for camp cooking.

What Is the Solo Range Lite?

Solo Range Lite

Product Specs

Weight: 9 oz
Top: 5.7 in
Diameter: 4.25 in
Materials: 304 chrome steel
Gasoline Varieties: Wooden or alcohol
Common Boil Time: 8-10 minutes

The Solo Range Lite is a transportable camp range with a double wall design and ample airflow to assist smoke be consumed by the hearth, slicing down on smoke and channeling warmth for cooking. It makes use of the identical distinctive engineering as the favored Solo Range hearth pits and the opposite Solo Range camp stoves, the Titan and the Campfire. What units the Lite aside is its dimension and portability. The Lite is appropriate for 1-2 individuals whereas the Titan is meant for 2-4 individuals and the Campfire is for teams of greater than 4 individuals.

Constructed from 304 chrome steel supplies, the Solo Range Lite is designed to be a range that lasts for years (if not a lifetime). It’s extremely sturdy, straightforward to wash, and constituted of supplies that may be recycled. The ultralight design makes it one of many lightest wood-burning camp range. Whereas this mild weight makes it a terrific backpacking range, it really works for every type of tenting as a result of it packs down small and requires minimal maintenance.

you to cook dinner meals or boil water utilizing the biofuel you discover round camp, like small sticks, twigs, leaves, and different types of kindling. In response to Solo Range, you possibly can boil water in as little as 10 minutes.

Solo Range additionally makes a small alcohol burner that’s appropriate with the Solo Range Lite and offers a extra constant flame and temperature. With this attachment, you should use the range through the alcohol burner as a substitute of relying solely on what’s accessible round your campsite.

Find out how to Use a Solo Range Lite

Camping photo — *Getting the Solo Range Lite setup and a fireplace began earlier than boiling water – Meg Carney*

The Solo Range Lite—like all of the Solo Range camp stoves—is easy to arrange and use. A small cutout on the highest of the cooking ring means that you can refuel as wanted all through the cooking course of, and most camp pots and cooking tools are appropriate with the range. Solo Range additionally sells a number of chrome steel cooking pots and cook dinner units do you have to wish to persist with the model.

Find out how to use a Solo Range camp range:

Discover stage floor or arrange on a camp desk.
Take away any particles from the cooking space to stop the hearth from spreading exterior the range.
Take away the cooking ring that’s nested contained in the camp range.
Collect dry sticks and tinder.
Fill the range with the collected biofuel.
Mild the hearth contained in the range.
Substitute the cooking ring.
Start cooking.

Notice: I encourage you to overview the elements and directions to make sure correct utilization earlier than trying to cook dinner.

What I Like In regards to the Solo Range Lite

When you’re searching for a easy and easy-to-use wood-burning range that’s light-weight sufficient to convey backpacking, there’s a lot to love concerning the Solo Range Lite. Total, I loved my expertise utilizing the Solo Range and equipment. Organising the range and beginning the hearth is straightforward, as long as you orient the cooking ring within the appropriate place to permit airflow to the hearth.

I like how properly all of the items—together with the Solo Range pot—nest collectively, making packing a breeze. Not like different biofuel stoves, this one doesn’t have too many items. All you want is the range physique and the cooking ring to get began, and the burner is appropriate with most tenting pots.

Having a big opening on the highest to place sticks into and get the hearth began is a helpful characteristic, and the cooking ring is well-designed, so I didn’t have to take away the pot to refuel whereas cooking. I used to be in a position to simply and rapidly begin the hearth and hold it going with dry gasoline. I opted to make use of a fire-starting dice to make the method simpler a number of occasions, and this helped get a gentle flame a lot sooner when boiling water.

Total, I loved cooking with the Solo Range Lite and will see myself utilizing this for extra informal backpacking ventures in areas that permit fires. It packs down small and is straightforward to take care of a fireplace, and the cooldown time is just a few minutes as soon as the hearth goes out.

What I Don’t Like In regards to the Solo Range Lite

So far as wood-burning camp stoves go, there wasn’t a lot I didn’t like concerning the Solo Range Lite. It’s light-weight and straightforward to make use of, however like every product, it isn’t excellent. The principle downfall I noticed with this range is the inconsistent boil occasions. Whereas Solo Range claims that the common boil time is round 8-10 minutes, I used to be hard-pressed to get 1.5 liters of water to boil in beneath 20 minutes. Different elements like wind, gasoline sort, and the water’s beginning temperature might have influenced this. Nonetheless, if I had been getting off the path from backpacking and wanted to cook dinner rapidly, I might see these inconsistencies being irritating.

Past that, I used to be glad I had a pair of leather-based gloves with me to maneuver the range as wanted whereas cooking. Though the chrome steel could be very sturdy, it will get sizzling whereas the hearth is burning, and you would simply burn your self should you’re not cautious. Since this range will get sizzling and produces an open flame, it’s a good suggestion to maintain youngsters and pets away from the cooking space to stop accidents.

The very last thing is the cool-down time. With any biofuel range, there’s a wait time for the hearth to burn out and for the range to chill down sufficient to stow it away. Whereas it solely takes about 5-10 minutes for the range to be prepared to wash out, it’s an additional step within the cooking course of. I take pleasure in cooking with and round fires, so cleansing out and disposing of ash or coals was not an excessive amount of bother, however it takes extra time, and there may be extra room for error.

FAQs

Q: Do Solo Stoves rust out?

Sure, Solo Range camp stoves and hearth pits can rust out over time and with extended publicity to moisture. Combining excessive temperatures inside the hearth pit with moisture might enhance the probabilities of staining or rust forming. With all metal hearth pits, that is potential and fairly regular. Solo Range states that if their merchandise rust, it doesn’t have an effect on efficiency, however rusting isn’t coated beneath their product guarantee.

Q: Are you able to pour water on a Solo Range?

Solo Range doesn’t advise utilizing water to place fires out of their merchandise. As a substitute, permit the hearth to burn down by itself, they usually’ll produce ash. All the time hold a fireplace attended whereas ready for it to burn down. When you don’t wish to watch for the hearth to burn out, use the Solo Range lid and canopy to suffocate the flames.

Q: Does the Solo Range should be cleaned out?

You need to recurrently clear out the ash out of your Solo Range to realize correct airflow. Whereas the stoves and campfire merchandise will nonetheless operate with a build-up of ash, they might not work as properly, and the smokeless properties received’t have the ability to carry out because of the lack of airflow.

Q: What are you able to not burn in a Solo Range?

You shouldn’t burn handled wooden in a Solo Range. This contains any wooden you’d possible discover at a building web site or lumber yard, together with pallets, driftwood, chemically handled wooden, painted wooden, or stained wooden. The discharge of chemical substances in handled wooden creates poisonous fumes, and this act ought to be averted.

Q: Is the Solo Range Lite airplane pleasant?

Sure. You’ll be able to put the Solo Range Lite in checked baggage or carry-on baggage as a result of it doesn’t include any gasoline or sharp elements.

Q: What are the very best varieties of wooden to make use of in a Solo Range?

Hardwoods are the very best for warmer, longer burning fires at any campfire, however they’re extremely efficient to be used within the Solo Range. Hardwoods work greatest as a result of they’re naturally tougher, and the inner floor space duties longer to burn by means of. Some examples of hardwoods embrace oak, hickory, maple, ash, and compressed wooden.

Remaining Ideas on the Solo Range Lite

The Solo Range Lite is a superb biofuel range choice for people or {couples} who take pleasure in automobile tenting and backpacking. Due to its small compact dimension, it’s straightforward to convey alongside on varied backpacking ventures and it’s practical sufficient to make use of in different camp settings. Whereas it might by no means evaluate to the velocity and comfort of one thing just like the Jetboil, it has its place within the open air. The chrome steel supplies are sturdy and straightforward to take care of, and the modern design makes the range fairly enjoyable and environment friendly to make use of.

Whereas I want the boil occasions for water may very well be extra constant, the design is definitely worth the funding should you take pleasure in cooking with a fireplace. The alcohol burner is a giant promoting level for me as a result of it offers customers with extra choices than comparable merchandise. Finally, I’d suggest the Solo Range Lite to customers who don’t thoughts the additional time and a focus it takes to make use of a wood-burning camp range.

When you choose fast and straightforward camp cooking, persist with one thing just like the MSR Pocket Rocket.

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