Unboxing the Bushbuddy Trekker Ultra 004 Wood Stove

A few weeks ago (4 to be exact), I broke down and placed an order with the Nomadic Stove Company for the lightest Bushbuddy stove available, the Trekker Ultra 004. Without crossing hairs, I have used the Solo Stove for a while now, and found that I was really happy with the way the stove performed, as well as how clean and easy it was to use, however, I wasn’t too happy with the weight. So, I gave in and dropped $110 on the original, hand-made design, that weighs almost half of what the Solo Stove clocks in at!

When the stove finally came in today, I was like a kid at Christmas! I began to tear into the box, but I stopped myself… I figured that I should take a moment and record the unboxing, then I could share it with everyone… (And now, if anyone else orders one, now they will know what to expect when it shows up!)

So, when I pulled the stove out of the box, I found it to be as beautiful as I had imagined it would be. There is just something to say about an item that is completely hand-made, in the state of Alaska, USA, of all places! I love that I can see each little weld spot. Each piece of this stove is cut and pieced together… and I must say, the fit and finish is simply amazing! Oh… and I have no doubt that it will perform just as beautifully as it looks…

Some time back, I picked up a Snow Peak Trek 900 titanium cook pot and a matching titanium lid from 4 Dog Stove. The Bushbuddy will nest perfectly inside this cook pot, which is the reason I bought the cook pot. I have also picked up a cuben stuff sack for the cook pot from ZPacks, and made a DIY reflectix cozy to fit around the cook pot. This all fits neatly inside the stuff sack, and everything comes in at 10.4 oz. Not the lightest cook kit I have, but keep in mind, this is for a 900 ml size cook pot, and does not require me to carry any fuel (we all know the benefits of using wood as our fuel).

Of course, the Snow Peak cook pot is quite durable, as is the lid from 4 Dog Stove, however, I will admit, the Bushbuddy Ultra 004 is not quite as durable. There are a few Bushbuddy stoves available, with the Trekker 004 being the lightest, and naturally, least durable version. The “004” refers to the thickness of the outer wall, which surprisingly is made of the “highest grade USA stainless steel” as opposed to titanium (which I at one time assumed it to be). Due to this feature, it is recommended “to store the stove wrapped inside a piece of linen and stowed inside a pot,” which is also the reason I chose the Snow Peak Trek 900 cook pot.

So, it’s obvious, I haven’t even set a piece of wood in the stove as of yet, but I have plans to! I am looking forward to firing it up ASAP! Maybe as night-time falls… (I’ll be sure to add a photo of it burning if I do…)

Here is a photo of the stove burning out… a video is uploading right now!

And here is the initial break in video:

And here is a top down burn in the stove:

Anyway, for what it’s worth, after unboxing the stove, I am very happy with it. It looks clean, appears to be well assembled. There are no loose pieces anywhere, and it is light! According to the site, these are listed at 5.1 oz, however, mine comes in at a smooth 5 oz, even! So, as time goes on, and I use the stove more, I will be sure to include it in more videos, and share more of my thoughts on it… Until then, thanks for stopping by!

~Stick~

Disclaimer: I paid the full price for this stove with my own money. I am not obligated to write about this stove, nor am I being paid, or compensated for it in any way. The statements in this post is of my own opinion, which I formed after personally handling the stove (for a brief period of time).