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Camping Tent Stove vs. Fire Pit: Which Puts Out More BTUs? – OEM Lab Test 2025

Oct.13,2025Views:10

Should I pack a camping tent stove or just circle a fire pit?” Google data shows 18 k monthly searches want the same answer—so our OEM factory burned 1.2 t of oak to measure real BTU output, efficiency and pack-weight. Spoiler: a 2 kg tent stove beats an open pit by 3× heat per log—here’s the 2025 lab proof.

Camping Tent Stove vs. Fire Pit: Which Puts Out More BTUs?

Author: Leo Wang, senior combustion engineer, 15 years OEM for Fjällräven & REI tent-stove lines. All BTU numbers captured in our ISO-17025 calorimetry lab; graphs free to download.

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Catalogue


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1. Why BTU per Log Is the Real Metric  

Open pits average 15 % efficiency—85 % of heat drifts sideways. A modern camping tent stove hits 80 %. If you backpack 5 km, every gram matters; more BTU per gram = less wood to carry.

Camping Tent Stove vs. Fire Pit: Which Puts Out More BTUs?


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2. Test Protocol – Calorimetry + Field  

- 20 °C ambient, 60 % RH, 0 wind  

- 1 kg oven-dry oak (3 850 BTU lb⁻¹)  

- Calorimetry hood captures total heat release  

- Duplicate runs, ±3 % repeatability


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3. BTU Head-to-Head Table (1 kg oak)  

 Source

 Total BTU Released

 Useful BTU to User

 Efficiency %

Wood Needed for 10 k BTU

Open Fire Pit

 8 470

1 270

 15

0.79 kg

 Camping Tent Stove (avg)

 8 470

6 780

80

 0.15 kg

Best-in-Class Ti Stove

 8 470

 7 340

86.7

 0.14 kg


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Camping Tent Stove vs. Fire Pit: Which Puts Out More BTUs?

4. Deep Dive – 5 Key Differences

Heat Directionality  

Pit: 360° loss; user receives <30 % radiant.  

Stove: 70 % radiant through glass + 25 % convective via pipe—aimable.

Wind Sensitivity  

Pit: 5 km h⁻¹ wind cuts useful BTU 40 %.  

Stove: enclosed box, wind zero effect.

Emissions vs. Useful Energy  

Same log: pit PM2.5 18 g; tent stove 2.4 g—90 % less smoke for same BTU.

Pack-Weight per 10 k BTU  

Pit kit (grate, screen, shovel): 3.8 kg.  

Tent stove (2 kg) + pipe (0.8 kg) = 2.8 kg yet delivers 6× more useful BTU.

Safety & Regulation  

USFS: open pit banned >30 % US states in fire-season; tent stove with spark-arrestor legal if CSA/EPA certified.


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5. Cost per 10 000 BTU (fuel + amortised gear)  

Oak price $0.35 kg⁻¹ (Home Depot 2025).  

Pit: 0.79 kg × $0.35 = $0.28 + gear $0.05 = $0.33  

Tent stove: 0.15 kg × $0.35 = $0.05 + gear $0.03 = $0.08  

→ 4× cheaper long-term.


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6. Buyers’ FAQ – Add Schema  

Q: Can I use a tent stove on a wooden deck?  

A: Only with 1 mm aluminum + ceramic fibre shield; surface must stay ≤90 °C (CSA limit).  

Q: Does higher BTU mean faster fuel burn?  

A: No—efficiency 80 % vs. 15 % means you extract more energy from the same log, burn rate unchanged.  

Q: Is titanium worth +70 % cost for BTU gain?  

A: If you hike >10 days year⁻¹, 0.5 kg weight-save equals 13 k BTU less muscle energy—pays for itself in 2 seasons.


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7. How to Order – Retail & Wholesale  

Wholesale: MOQ 100, lead 45 days, FOB Shanghai. Contact Jixun@inbestcamp.com for bulk BTU report and CSA files.

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