After my trip to Wyoming a few weeks ago I decided to sell my cylinder wood stove. It worked great but at 70lbs I decided it was time in my life to get a lighter one. It sold in one day on Cragislist for what I paid for it 13 years ago which would almost sound good if money were worth the same today....

Anyway, I'm leaning towards the Kni-co Alaskan or the Riley Colt but please let me know if I should consider any others.

I like the Riley for its galvanized metal, double walls, and simple design but I'm a little concerned that embers can fly out the air intake vent because it seems there's nothing in the way.

I like the Kni-co because it seems better sealed, appears to be more popular, and costs less but I don't like that it rusts and requires dirt in the bottom or a false bottom.

Both are in my weight range.

Thanks in advance for any advice you have to offer.

I have a Kni-Co trekker for my tipi. It’s been a great stove so far. I should have painted it with stove paint when I first bought it. You could easily make a false bottom if you want one. It got a good workout this season just drying out gear every day.

Our moose camp has three of the titanium box stoves out of Minnesota. One is twenty years old. Weighs about 10 pounds.

John Havard on this site, has one for sale.

I'd like a new stove myself. We use an 18x23 tent so I think it's time we upgraded to a bit bigger stove.

Four Dogs is hands down the best stove you can buy.
Four Dogs stoves

Thanks whackem!

Agreed as we tried various collapsible stoves and we couldn't cut wood fast enough to feed the stove.

Kni-cos are solid. the collapsible ones are great too, but they leak air. Still for 3 lbs and flat packing they are great.

Just got a 4 dog and will report back.

AH! Good, I'll need to pick your brain on that stove. Really looking into one for next year.

Hunting camp with a heated tent is mighty fine at the end of a long, chilly day.

Guy

Yeah buddy! That about the best once you get to camp!

I have the Alaskan standard package plus false bottom & side table, everything except the water-tank.
VERY nice stove.

Going to get the Trekker model with the same accessories.

I have not used a lot of different stoves but I used Sims Sportsman for over 30years.It heated tents from 12x15 to 16x 20. 17-18 pounds including nested stove pipe and in a canvas bag that fits into a pannier. Always put about an inch of dirt in the bottom before burning and after the season brush off and spray with vegetable oil.

If you have unlimited pack animals, one of the stoves with side oven,water tank, side shelf are nice,butt bulky.

I would be reluctant to use any stove with galvanized coating.

Just put in a month using our foldup sheep herder stove. Folds to about the size of two encyclopedias and it has about 30 seasons behind it. Being light weight, it's putting heat into the wall tent about 5 minutes after ignition. Even cook on it when horse packing.

Can you still buy Sims stoves? I can't seem to find them.

I can see your point about galvanized coating but nearly all stove pipes are galvanized and once you burn it the coating seems to become part of the metal.

Good to know! Did you paint it with high-temp paint after your first burn?

I'm going to - its been too cold, it in the heated/cooled mancave room.

Sounds like it's not as bad as some say but I definitely wouldn't weld galvanized metal.



I bought the Riley Colt. We'll see how it works and holds up but it's definitely a lot lighter than my old cylinder stove.

I have a Kni-Co but not a packable one

All my stove pipe was plain steel. It isn't the stove pipe, it would be the body of the stove with fire hot enough to melt the galvanized although I doubt that it would. Probably not too much of worry though. I know I had my Sims hit enough to be cherry red on a fe occasions. I breathed enough nasty stuff working underground and have bad lungs because of it so I am kind of a pussy in that regards.

I respect your caution. I don't think the stove will get hot enough, especially on the outside, to turn the zinc oxide into fumes but the risk probably isn't zero.

My dad made his own collapsible one, we always put dirt in the bottom before using.
Truly is nice to have a warm wall tent at the end of the day and during sleep.

Always thought it would have been nice to have one of those fans sitting on top that is powered by the heat coming off stove.