Low impact camping - Fire pan

[wildmanh]

If you practice low impact/leave no trace camping and still want to have a fire, consider a fire pan. You can use a stainless steel pie tin or baking pan to make one.

What you do is place the pan on some dead logs (green is best) or rocks then make the fire in the pan. When you are done with the fire, you take the ashes and bury them in a cat hole along with your excrement. Keeps the smell down and no camper is the wiser that you had a fire.

When I was in my teens and did some backpacking I took an old aluminum 9" pie tin on a backpacking trip along the Escelanti river. We could have fires along the river but were required to use a fire pan if we had them. One of the leaders on the trip brought a nice 12"+ stainless steel pan. It rained on the trip and we got kind of wet. Sitting under a rock over hang with 2 small fires going was really nice. After we were done we buried the ashes and went on our way.

There a lot of different Fire Pans on the market that you can buy. Or just use a heavy duty baking pan. Don't steal your wifes pan for the trip, head to the second hand store for one or get a new one at your favorite baking/kitchen supply place. I'm not sure how the coatings would react to the open flames and coals so get a uncoated one. If a heavy duty one is to heavy to carry, get a lighter one. You can put a little sand or soil in the bottom of the pan before you lay the fire to keep the steel/aluminim from burning. Fire pans (especially the small ones) work great with the metel wind shields for stoves.

So who else uses a fire pan and how often do you use one?

 

[PayetteRucker]

We use em for whitewater trips, though I wouldn't suggest packing an 80 pound deal with you if you have to travel any ammount of distance on foot. Oh yeah, sweating a Single Barrel bottle on a firepan and forgetting about it is a bad idea-the glass will melt straight through the pan (don't ask me how I know that one ) alot of people just use small tin garbage can covers.

 

[Jeff H]

Hmmm,.... I was just eyeballing an old shallow steel dog dish (12" diameter) in the garage and decided not to toss it in the steel scrap. Sounds like and idea. A windscreen of some kind would be a very good idea though because the wind has been howling for a few days now and it would lift that pan, fir and all, and scatter the works all over the place. The wind is a boon to get wet logs going when you can channel it, but it would roll that dog dish in a heartbeat. I am going to mess with that idea a bit.

 

[wildmanh]

We use em for whitewater trips, though I wouldn't suggest packing an 80 pound deal with you if you have to travel any ammount of distance on foot. Oh yeah, sweating a Single Barrel bottle on a firepan and forgetting about it is a bad idea-the glass will melt straight through the pan (don't ask me how I know that one ) alot of people just use small tin garbage can covers.

The ones used for River rafting sure are heavy, but really nice. An old Pie Tin or backping pan is plenty for 1 to 2 people and doesn't weigh near that much. A trash can lid would work too. I've seen it done a time of two. I've heared that the Galvenized ones are bad, but a standard aluminum or steel one would work well.

Hmmm,.... I was just eyeballing an old shallow steel dog dish (12" diameter) in the garage and decided not to toss it in the steel scrap. Sounds like and idea. A windscreen of some kind would be a very good idea though because the wind has been howling for a few days now and it would lift that pan, fir and all, and scatter the works all over the place. The wind is a boon to get wet logs going when you can channel it, but it would roll that dog dish in a heartbeat. I am going to mess with that idea a bit.

That dog dish sounds ideal for a fire pan. Please let us know how it works out for you. You've reminded me that I could look for a container at the local feed store. I bet they have the same dish or one like it.

2 weekends ago when I was up Nebo with a friend, it was to windy to have a fire. But if I had a fire pan and my wind screen we could have had a small one. After that trip, I've desided to start carry my folding wind screen with me on trips.

 

[PayetteRucker]

The rafting pans are heavy because people melt Single Barrel soldiers through them

 

[inkynate]

I haven't every used a fire pan, but it sounds like a great way to enjoy a small campfire in a leave no trace environment. For me, I think the extra weight would be an issue on a back-country trip though. For backpacking, the DIY alcohol penny stoves and tin can wood burning stoves are awesome. Good blog that got me started is here: http://www.jureystudio.com/pennystove/pennywood.html

 

[Warriorsociologist]

I use one when winter camping (on snow). I use a new ~ 12" aluminum ash-pan for a standard weber grill. A solid hub cap works too.

 

[PayetteRucker]

I've done two cross country road trips where I wound up using a large soup or pineapple can with twigs and sticks to boil water for coffee or cook hot dogs. Finally I just made a stove out of it... wire hanger ring handle for the door to feed it, wire hanger grill up top, holes poked up the bottom two inches for oxygen intake. Drop a petrol jelly cotton ball in there with some busted up sticks, and you have yourself a little truck stop stove.

 

[Jeff H]

I've done two cross country road trips where I wound up using a large soup or pineapple can with twigs and sticks to boil water for coffee or cook hot dogs. Finally I just made a stove out of it... wire hanger ring handle for the door to feed it, wire hanger grill up top, holes poked up the bottom two inches for oxygen intake. Drop a petrol jelly cotton ball in there with some busted up sticks, and you have yourself a little truck stop stove.

I am making good use of a Gia Russa chicken broth can (just enough room for a SS cup, 32 oz water bottel or Zebra 10 cm pot) with the bottom still in it, but the bottom gets very hot and errant sparks or coals come out. I have ised it a lot just out back under the pine trees where the dead needles make a nice blanket that I don't particulary want to set afire (especially with me sitting in it), so this pan idea is going to get tested in conjunction with that stove as well as with a plain ol' "twig fire. The sides of the pan will help keep the initial fire lay in position and subsequent fuel added as well.

 

[1066vik]

I use an old, rusty wok.

 

[kozak6]

I'm not sure how the coatings would react to the open flames and coals so get a uncoated one.

Good call. Teflon coated pans release dangerous fumes when heated to high temperatures.

Enamel would probably be fine, though.

 

[HornyToad]

I bought a 10" round cake pan from the grocery store. Has about a 1.5" lip around it. I use it to practice fire skills at home as well as for small fires on the trail.

 

[dullblades]

last year when i began my firestarting practice, i used a heavy square cake pan. its about 8x8 inches, and it worked great on top of my multi use galvanised steel rolling table.

the 8x8 is a large enuff size for cooking and small enough to pack. it weighs less than 1 pound.

 

[baldtaco-II]

I saw a folding fire bowl and thought someone was taking the piss. £15 GBP for

This is a veg steamer that I'd expect to cost £1 in a £1 shop.

I bet stuff burns better on those too 'cos of the air holes. It never ceases to amaze me what you can sell to ignorant people. Love it.

 

[storl]

I've been using the Vargo Hexagon stove myself for a little while and like it a lot. It's definitely a lot more pricey than a pie tin since it is titanium, but it folds up nice and compact and has sides to keep everything contained.

 

[JCavSD]

I've been using the Vargo Hexagon stove myself for a little while and like it a lot. It's definitely a lot more pricey than a pie tin since it is titanium, but it folds up nice and compact and has sides to keep everything contained.

Picked up one of these recently and have to agree. Light, compact, and easy to use. Nice little stove.

 

[gadgetgeek]

if you get galvenized steel hot enough the zinc in the coating will burn off, and it is quite toxic to you. but bare steel or nickle plate should be ok as far as I know.

 

[wildmanh]

Good call. Teflon coated pans release dangerous fumes when heated to high temperatures.

Enamel would probably be fine, though.

Thanks for the reminder, thought I had heared that, but wasn't sure.

I bought a 10" round cake pan from the grocery store. Has about a 1.5" lip around it. I use it to practice fire skills at home as well as for small fires on the trail.

last year when i began my firestarting practice, i used a heavy square cake pan. its about 8x8 inches, and it worked great on top of my multi use galvanised steel rolling table.

the 8x8 is a large enuff size for cooking and small enough to pack. it weighs less than 1 pound.

Both those pans are great and exactly what I was talking about. Glad they are working out for you both. I've been eyeing my mom's square 9x9 pan. Might have to check out a thrift store when we are in Provo this afternoon.

I saw a folding fire bowl and thought someone was taking the piss. £15 GBP for

This is a veg steamer that I'd expect to cost £1 in a £1 shop.

I bet stuff burns better on those too 'cos of the air holes. It never ceases to amaze me what you can sell to ignorant people. Love it.

That fire pan is a neat idea. Wonder what it's made out of. The veggie steamer might work. I'd be concerned about the ashes falling through the holes, because if the ashes do fall through and rain water washes them into a stream it could have a negative impact on the wildlife. I'll try to find one at the Thrift store this afternoon and do some experiments. If I find one cheap to play with, I'll let every one know.

I've been using the Vargo Hexagon stove myself for a little while and like it a lot. It's definitely a lot more pricey than a pie tin since it is titanium, but it folds up nice and compact and has sides to keep everything contained.

Saw the Titanium stove on your website the other day. It being only 4oz is compelling, but the $60 price tag has me intimidated. Got any pictures of you using it?

 

[baldtaco-II]

wildmanh, hey

That bowl is made from stainless so pretty much identical save for the holes. Personally, I think unless you were burning a shitload of snails in it [or the ilk] ash wouldn't really be a problem. It's made by UCO, the same people that brought out the Grilliput.

Things get even more interesting when you wind one of those into the mix too. I believe mtwarden made something almost identical to that from tent pegs and old cycle spokes. The combined price for both units here would be £45. I suspect that is 10* the combined price of the pressure cooker steamer add-on and what mtwarden knocked up, perhaps even more.

 

[storl]

Saw the Titanium stove on your website the other day. It being only 4oz is compelling, but the $60 price tag has me intimidated. Got any pictures of you using it?

I've been meaning to make a video, so I'll try to work on that this week. I already have about 30 that I need to encode/upload, so what's one more?