Beyond the innovative Sunflower X radiant stove/heater we looked at a few weeks ago, Fire Maple makes a full lineup of gear essentials that rank among the market's most portable. Another of its clever 2025 releases, the Antarcti Gas Fire Pit is a fire bowl so collapsible you can carry it in a backpack. It runs on the same style of tiny gas canister as a backpacking stove, making it the lightest, most portable gas fire pit you're likely to encounter in or out of the wild.
We love a good wood campfire, and we know there are loads of portable wood fire pits of all sizes, packing right down to envelope size. Or you can save even more weight and build a fire ring with rocks gathered around camp, grabbing tinder and firewood along the way to create a fire without having to carry in anything (except maybe a match or lighter to save some time over primitive fire-making).
But wood fires have a big downside that extends far beyond smoke wafting up your nose during a wind gust. Living in the American Southwest, I've become very accustomed to fire restrictions spanning much of camping season. Often wood fires are banned anywhere but concrete fire pits in developed campgrounds, and sometimes they're banned in campgrounds, too.
The propane fire pit is a nice primary solution or a back-up plan in uncertain conditions. Even these can be banned under the severest restrictions, but often they're allowed in backcountry camping areas when wood fires are banned. They're not as warm, fragrant or hypnotizing as a good, old-fashioned wood burn, but they provide a safer, regulation-compliant alternative that still lets you enjoy a campfire without being preoccupied with the worry of burning down the forest via rogue ember.
The market has welcomed a raft of new portable propane fire pits, torches and radiators in recent years, but many of them weigh more than a tent on their own, then hook up to a home BBQ-style 20-lb propane tank. Even if they are collapsible, they're still too heavy and bulky for anything lighter than car camping or RVing. And even then, they can be a tough fit in a tight-packed car.
Fire Maple's new twist on the collapsible fire pit is different. Part of the company's greater Antarcti family of cookware, stoves and tools, the Antarcti Fire Pit is the slimmest, most portable gas fire pit we've ever seen. It's as compact as those envelope-sized wood fire burners/stoves but built to run on the style of small butane or butane/propane gas canister you'd use for a tiny backpacking stove or lantern. It's specifically designed for use with canisters that have an EN417 threaded valve.
Sizing down from a 20-lb (or even 5-lb LPG tank) to a 4- or 8-oz canister makes the Antarcti far more portable than other collapsible gas fire pits on its own, and Fire Maple takes it a step further. Similar to some larger collapsible fire pits, the Antarcti comprises three metal panels that interconnect to create the fire bowl. These panels pull apart easily and pack flat.
The Antarcti's burner is similar to a backpacking stove, albeit with a ring-style form. It pulls out from the fire pit panels to store in the same carry case. The 11-oz (300-g) handful of volcanic stones that help diffuse heat and flame inside the fire bowl also store in the bag for transport.
All in, the Antarcti weighs 24.9 oz (705 g) and measures 3.2 x 3.6 in (8.3 x 9.3 cm) when packed down. Fire Maple doesn't list how thick the packed system is, but we can't imagine it exceeding a couple inches if you spread the rocks out so they're not in a big pile at the bottom.
Long story short, you can forget the chunk of trunk that you need to carry other styles of portable fire pit and accompanying propane tanks. The entire Antarcti system, with a gas canister or two, can store away in a vehicle console or the corner of a camping cargo box.
The Antarcti appears as simple to use as it is easy to transport. The pieces slide and secure together in a matter of seconds, and the unit features a thin dial for adjusting output and flame height. You just need a match or lighter to ignite it since it does not include an integrated ignition.
The downsides we see to the Antarcti are that it probably won't provide much warmth and it will run through gas pretty quickly not doing so. Fire Maple lists consumption at 3.6 oz (102 g) per hour, so it'll eat up a 4-oz gas canister in just over an hour and an 8-oz canister in just over two.
Still, if it's your only option for safely enjoying a fire within the letter and spirit of local restrictions, a small, not-that-warm sit around the fire is certainly better than no fire at all. And this one is small enough to carry in via pure muscle power while enjoying activities like hiking to a viewpoint, backpacking, bikepacking, canoe camping or ski touring.
Fire Maple sells the Antarcti Gas Fire Pit for US$59.95, which is quite affordable compared to the three- and low four-figure prices larger gas fire pits often cost.
I'm seriously considering replacing the larger but still compact Ignik FireCan I use as my gas backup with the Antarcti since it's way smaller and won't require lugging along a big propane tank. I often pack a backpacking stove for making coffee, so carrying an extra canister or two is not eve an issue. All in all, it seems like a cool, useful little product for a fair price.
Source: Fire Maple
Note: New Atlas may earn commission from purchases made via links.
