Preview: Upcoming Biolite CampStove 2?

So I’m really into wood camping stoves, like the Solo Stove, EmberLit, Biolite and the like. I think the idea of being able to find your own fuel, or at the very least not have to pay for it (it’s always great to save money!), is intriguing and reassuring.

Then there’s the fact that you’re cooking with fire and I find that very appealing. It’s a lot of fun to have your pile of sticks and sit back and just feed the fire, one stick at a time, enjoying its warmth and primal elegance.

Anyways, back to the Biolite CampStove 2. It appears it hasn’t officially been announced, based on the fact that it’s not listed on Biolite’s official site. However, a recent online search brought me to REI’s website a few days ago, and this is what I found:

Note that as of the writing of this blog post, the CampStove 2 is no longer listed on REI’s website.

These are screen shots I took the other day. I posted them on a reddit thread to see if anyone had any information about this upcoming product, but nothing of note so far.

Based on the product detail, it looks like the battery has about 4 times the capacity, the fan has 4 settings instead of 2 and the USB charging ability is now at least “50%” improved.

About this last point, what does it mean exactly? Does it mean you can charge your electronics at 600mah? If so, is that sustained current? Or just peak? I’m assuming it’s the sustained charging current. So along with a bigger onboard battery, perhaps the CampStove 2 will have the ability to realistically charge your electronics. And with such a large onboard battery, the CampStove 2 might be able to serve as a power bank, so you don’t have to constantly feed your fire every few minutes.

Another great feature I like about the CampStove 2 is the 4 fan speeds. In theory, it will allow greater control of your cooking. Anyone out there have the CookStove and the original CampStove and can compare how much “better” having 4 fan speeds instead of 2 is?

I debated getting the CookStove, but I hate the idea of having limited fan run time. That means I’d potentially have to carry some external power source, like a battery pack, power bank or solar cell set up, which theoretically defeated the purpose of having a Biolite stove (in my opinion, of course).

Much of the criticism of the original CampStove was that its charging ability was very slow and required constant fire feeding. I believe a Biolite executive is quoted as saying how this charging ability was never intended to be the primary feature of the CampStove. This makes sense, given the small battery on board the original CampStove (I think it’s around 650mah). I’m betting the battery was to serve as a buffer between the thermoelectric generator (TEG) and the fan motor.

The original CampStove ‘s marketing “strategy” was a double edged sword. It’s charging ability got it a lot of attention, yet also created unrealistic expectations of its users. Perhaps the CampStove 2 will provide the charging ability its users demand. We can only wait and see.

What are your thoughts? Feel free to comment.

EDIT: As of 7:30pm (EST) on 1/21/2017 the CampStove 2 is listed on Best Buy (Canada) Cabela's websites.