Yukon fire pit fans the flames for clean-burning fun

We know that where there's smoke, there's fire, but there's a new breed of camping stove that is pretty good at hiding the telltale signs. The Solo Stove Yukon is a clean-burning fire pit that uses a clever air flow system to keep smoke to a minimum, making for flames that can be enjoyed from all angles.

Based in Texas, the team at Solo Stove began with a small and lightweight backpacking stove in 2011 and has since built out a range of campstoves in various sizes. The newly announced Yukon is its biggest yet, boasting a stainless steel chamber measuring 30 inches (76 cm) across and 16 in (41 cm) tall, with a total weight of 45 lb (20 kg).

There are some strong parallels between Solo Stove's offerings and those of fellow outdoor company BioLite. Both rely only on firewood to generate heat and both promise to greatly reduce smoke with carefully thought out air flow systems. But where Biolite's backyard FirePit, for instance, uses a rechargeable power pack to drive air jets at strategic places around the fire, the Solo Stove series fights smoke all on its lonesome.

Air is drawn into the bottom of the Yukon through a ring of circular vents around the bottom. Some of this air is drawn upwards through the center and feeds the fire just as you might expect, while a thin, separate chamber runs up the sides. As the air rises through the inside of the walls it is warmed up and blown out across the top of the fire, which the company says creates a secondary burn and kills off small wood particles that would have otherwise become smoke.

A handy ash pan also rests inside the base of the Yukon, just above the ground to keep burning embers safe and the air flowing, as well has making for easier cleanup.

Alongside the Yukon, Solo Stove has also introduced a smaller model called the Ranger, which measures 15 in (38 cm) across and 12.5 in (31.75 cm) tall. The Ranger features the same smoke-fighting air flow system as the Yukon, but is intended for smaller areas like urban patios.

Both models are part of Solo Stove's new Kickstarter campaign, which has raised more than US$800,000 at the time of writing. Pledges start at $199 for the Ranger and $429 for the Yukon, with shipping slated for December and January, respectively, if all goes to plan.

You can check out the team's pitch video below.

Source: Kickstarter