Solo Stove Lite, Twigs powered Motorcycle Camping Stove

Ditch those heavy camping fire tools! The Solo Stove Lite is a powerful and efficient wood stove. It allows cooking to boil water in just a few minutes without smoke or a big flame – perfect for motorcycle camping.

I have tried a lot of stoves in many years of camping, and I found this one very interesting and quite compelling.

There is something primal about making a fire from wood, and I’m always prouder to brew a coffee for my girlfriend directly from this stove.

If you are all about efficiency and speed, this is not the best option for you. You will be better served by a jetboil stove.

If you want to read more on moto camping, I invite you to look on this page for a listing of article on the subject: The Freewheeling Camper’s Guide: Mastering the Art of Motocamping

Review of the Solo Stove camping stove for motorcycle camping

The Solo Stove camping stove manufactured by Solo Stove is the epitome of what a portable camping stove should be. It is lightweight, compact, and burns twigs and sticks as fuel, meaning you will never have to bring fuel to prepare meals on the trail.

When I found it on the internet searching for the best portable stove, I didn’t know it existed. I have ordered one and was amazed by its performance. It requires more attention than a conventional stove and takes more time to boil water. But if you are riding in places where wood is always available, it’s a very good option.

This can save up to 1 pound of weight in your pack daily, which can change your life if you’re trying to minimize pack weight to be as light as possible! If the stove interests you, I highly recommend purchasing it with the Solo Pot (See link below). Both modules fit perfectly together to create a complete kit that takes up very little space.

How it Works

The Solo Stove is an ideal wood stove for motorcycle camping. It works by burning wood in a chamber with holes in the bottom. This creates secondary combustion, meaning the stove is highly efficient and burns hot.

While efficient, it’s not magic. It can take between 3 to 9 minutes to bring 1 liter of water to the boiling point. You don’t need that many twigs, but it’s still more work than screwing a bottle of fuel into your gas stove.

If you are not used to the outdoors, it can be challenging to find woods to burn when it’s raining or on the road. I have found a way to circumvent that, and I always bring a ziplock bag of twigs in my motorcycle bags just in case. With the equivalent of a ziplock freezing bag, you will have more than enough to boil one liter of water. But if you are used to the outdoors, don’t even bother, just pick up the wood directly when needed.

Because this type of stove is a bit more complex, I recommend using it at home or when doing just a one-day ride. Try to make tea or coffee with it after dinner for your friend. You will quickly get the hang of it and build confidence to use it for longer rides.

In my opinion, it is a lightweight and portable camping stove that allows for cooking with minimal smoke and is powerful enough to boil water in a matter of minutes.

Advantages

The Solo Stove is an excellent option for a compact and lightweight stove. It is also straightforward to set up and use. Additionally, the Solo Stove is highly efficient, using less fuel than a traditional fire. It also produces very little smoke, making it ideal for use in areas where there is a fire ban in place.

If you are riding a lot off-road like me…You will drop your bike a lot. Meaning that you can break what’s inside your saddlebags. Don’t worry, the solo stove is very well made and will not break or bend if it’s in your saddlebags and you fall.

Is the Solo Stove, a camping stove using twigs instead of propane or butane canisters, truly eco-friendly? It’s a complex question. On one hand, this stove avoids the need for fossil fuel extraction, processing, and the manufacturing and transportation of canisters. Post-use, these canisters require recycling, which involves further transportation and processing.

In contrast, the Solo Stove uses readily available twigs, which seems more sustainable. However, there are concerns about wood burning, such as the production of creosote, which can impact air quality. Personally, I believe the Solo Stove is a more efficient and environmentally friendly option, though I’m not an expert in this field.

Finally, the Solo Stove is affordable, making it an excellent option for budget-conscious campers partly because they will never have to buy fuel again.

Disadvantages

Although the Solo Stove is a great camping stove, it has some drawbacks. First, it is slightly more expensive than other camping stoves when purchased. But with the fuel cost you will save, I guess this point doesn’t matter much.

Second, it is not as light as other options, making it more difficult for long trips. But again, if you calculate the fuel you will need for the other stove, I’m sure it’s lighter.

Third, it can be challenging to light if you don’t have suitable materials or the weather is not good. I recommend bringing fire starter with you at all times. They are small and will make the start of your stove a breeze if you are in an emergency. But remember, you will have to allow more time to boil your water than with a fuel stove.

Fourth, it can be challenging to control the heat intensity, making it harder to cook food. Well, welcome to the realm of camping stoves. Even other options are not good at controlling heat. Its primary purpose is to boil water, not cook a soufflé for dessert.

Conclusion

Overall, the Solo Stove is an excellent camping stove for motorcycle camping. It is easy to set up and use, and it doesn’t take up much space. Additionally, it is lightweight and portable, so you can take it anywhere you go. The only downside is that it is a bit harder to use, but it is worth the investment if you are serious about motorcycle camping.