Simplicity and efficiency in a wood-boring stove
We often take for granted the abundant access to fuel and compact camping gear. The fact is that not everyone has it. In fact, the majority doesn’t. That’s exactly why the EcoZoom dura rocket stove exists; giving everyone the opportunity to cook with reliable efficiency and in a healthy manner. No fuel required!
Having never used a dura zoom stove I was admittedly nervous to take it out to the desert for my annual trip. I often find the gear that works for me and stick with it for years. With dimensions of 10.25 x 9.5 and a weight of 10.25 pounds this wood burner is optimal for community campsites or extended car camping trips.
It’s not lightweight by any means nor is it compact compared to traditional camping stoves but let’s not forget what this stove does do: provide ten’s of thousands of humans with a healthy cooking tool that runs on easily accessible resources at very little cost. And it does a good job at just this.
What is a wood burning stove?
If you’ve ever started a campfire, this stove is no different in concept. Once we got this thing going I was pretty surprised at how much heat it put out. I found this stove more efficient than using cast iron over a fire pit; a welcomed discovery as it’s also much cleaner and easier to deal with at a campsite. It was a little tricky at first, to get a constant temperature, but once we figured out how quick our fuel burned we were able to keep an even heat to cook our meals.
Overall I was impressed by the heat output, size, and ease of transportation when packed in our truck. The bio stove used a fraction of the wood we would normally use in a camp fire, and what I liked the most is the outside of the stove never got too hot to move. These two features are highly valuable, especially for the millions of humans across the globe that can add years onto their lives through a simple cooking tool. But even as a simple group of adventure seekers, this stove has it’s place in our quiver.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a die hard gas stove user, and when it comes to cooking for a group, I wouldn’t replace its efficiency and dependability; overall cooking power is hard to beat as well. Bio fuel stoves are by no means new, and many can be made with a few items from the hardware store and some DIY knowledge. For the majority, that either don’t have the time or don’t care for DIY projects, there are a few companies that make solid compact bio stoves. Ecozoom, who graciously sent us their new “Zoom Dura” bio stove, is one of the most well regarded and durable options available. Ecozoom designed this stove to be portable for car camping although it’s also a great unit for neighborhoods and communities that don’t have fuel options. Spending money on fuel simply isn’t an option for many people across the globe.
So the big question, am I going to be replacing my propane stove for a bio stove? Not anytime soon. However, I do believe that bio-stoves have a unique position when it comes to creating a camp kitchen. This would be better suited for the outdoor communities, off-the-grid campers, or as an emergency/ back-up stove — provided you have enough materials readily available to use this stove.
Review By: Corey Tull