From the team behind Tepui tents comes hitch-mount gear startup HitchFire, and its all-new Forge 15 grill. A burlier, more adventuresome breed of hitch-mounted grill, the Forge 15 rides just behind the bumper, ready to fire up for everything from a couple of burgers at the trailhead to a full-blown tailgate or bonfire party. It's built to travel bumpy backways as seamlessly as smooth highways, ensuring wheel-based travelers are ready to sear and flip the minute they arrive.
We've seen the occasional hitch-mounted grill in the past, usually designed for parking lot tailgates or local picnics. HitchFire creators have designed their grill with something a little bolder in mind – grilling "where no one has grilled before." A sort of automotive-grade answer to go-anywhere grills like the Wolf and Grizzly Grill and Firekorf, the Forge 15 is built for everything from deep-backcountry camping and overlanding, to après ski/surf/bike grilling, to sport and concert tailgating.
HitchFire's idea is to move the bulk and mess of the grill out of the vehicle, clearing truck bed/load area space for other camping and adventure gear, while making it quicker and easier to start grilling. Those aren't bad goals given that a grill tends to be a char-covered mess after a single cookout and large, awkwardly shaped and not particularly conducive to packing neatly inside a vehicle with other gear. Plus, imagine how much easier it'll be to pull off a mountain road and grill up a scenic lunch with the Forge 15 as opposed to a grill buried below tents, sleeping bags and boxes of camping tools.
It seems the Tepui crew is looking to strike the same vehicle-based adventure goldmine that led them to starting one of the most recognized brands in roof-top tents before a near-eight-figure sale to global vehicular storage giant Thule. We're not sure a hitchable grill has that same broad appeal, but we didn't necessarily foresee the roof-top tent's meteoric rise in popularity, either.
Whatever its fate on the market, the HitchFire Forge 15 is built to hold up to the rigors of the field, capable of battling much more than just left-lane cruising on its way to base camp or tailgate. It features a powder-coated steel body built atop a tubular frame that attaches to standard 2-in receivers. The swing-away function makes for more comfortable grilling, setting up at both 90- and 180-degree angles.
Cooking-wise, the Forge packs 355 sq in (2,290 sq cm) of cooking surface over top dual 7,500-BTU propane burners. It's designed to serve up to 10 people and can fit 14 burgers at once, according to HitchFire. Eliminating the need to carry around a bulky propane tank, it runs on small 16-oz propane bottles.
Those that don't want to use the Forge 15 on the vehicle can easily remove it and use it on a table instead. The grill's two side worktops fold out to provide prep/storage space, folding away neatly under the lid during travel. And, of course, there's a built-in bottle opener, as well.
The US$449 Forge 15 is up for preorder this month, complete with a 20 percent discount code on offer until September 30. HitchFire plans to begin shipping in mid October.
Source: HitchFire