Thank you for your honest review. As you said in the video we have already did improvements in the design. Looking forward for future collaboration and reviews. Yours sincerely, The VIREstove Team.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for commenting and I look forward to working with you again in the future

I love the way you narrate every conceivable detail of your videos. I imagine your style is great for those with a visual impairment. 👍🏼👏🏼

@MarkYoungBushcraft

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you like them! Thanks for commenting

Thanks Mark; I’ve been looking forward to your review. I have the full size Vire and it’s worked flawlessly for me. I’ve had such a negative experience with other so called rocket stoves the Vire has been quite refreshing. I savor your in depth stove reviews! Keep up the good work, Doug

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you are enjoying my videos. Thanks for commenting

Wind does indeed present a challenge, but you did it!😊 Thanks, Mark, for the demo (especially on the pellets!).

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

LOL...the wind can be a challenge for sure. The one stove I have that loves the wind is the Kelly Kettle. Thanks for commenting

I have found that a little bit of Home heating stove door insulation kind of looks like rope works well on the spots where the vire doesn't come together quite well.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

2 жыл бұрын

Great idea. I have used carbon felt as insulation but had not considered the fiberglass rope. Thanks for commenting

Thank you for showing the use of different fuel sources, I appreciate the thoroughness of your testing!

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

You are most welcome. Thanks for commenting

I love shakshuka! But, it's better with green peppers, and red pepper flake!

@MarkYoungBushcraft

2 жыл бұрын

Good additions. Thanks for commenting

Your meals are always inspiring and fun camp cooking ideas

@MarkYoungBushcraft

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you like them! More to come. Thanks for commenting

Great Test For These 2 Stoves, Thanks, Mark ! ATB T God Bless

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you like them! Thanks for commenting Terry

Good Video!! Thanks

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it! Thanks for commenting

Figured I would comment, the gaps in the stove are caused by having a latching bar only on one side, the other side hangs loose and will naturally separate. They need latching bars on both sides for it to close up tightly, especially with such a loose bottom hinge. As for insulation, they could perhaps come up with a fireproof insulating 'sock' that slips on the outside of the stove. There are a number of possible insulating materials that could work. That would let it remain packable and keep the weight down. Appreciate the through review.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

Жыл бұрын

I tend to agree. I have not had an issue so far but I can see how it could become one. Thanks for commenting

👀Nice video👌I don't know.. But the "Kelly Kettle" it always helps to have the "fire feeding opening" UP against the wind (straight in 90*) for direct airflow. 18:43 Look at the steam from both kettles. The one to the LEFT is blowing downward, the one to the RIGHT is blowing more natural (horizontal / up). "TURBULENCE"

@MarkYoungBushcraft

10 ай бұрын

Yes, it does help the KK to have the air ports facing the wind. I may help with these stoves as well. Worth trying. The Mini will still be hampered by its short chimney in any case. Thanks for commenting

@OutdoorFreedomDk

10 ай бұрын

Yeah You're welcome. I'm glad!@@MarkYoungBushcraft

@OutdoorFreedomDk

10 ай бұрын

And I say; Thanks for your reply.@@MarkYoungBushcraft

very nice comparison,i think i would prefer the bigger of the two,it does like it needs less nurture

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, exactly Steve. Much easier to use and a better performer. Thanks for commenting

Great Information

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting

It comes down to is it worth carrying vs other styles of portable fire boxes. Fuel versatility ...what you can gather or carry ...no fuel no fire. Assembly to fire...how much work to unpack the stove ...assemble and ignite. My preference tends towards a hobo type stove...this looks to be more of a gimmick.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Right on. Accurate summary. Rocket stoves are designed (if built correctly) to be hot and fast and clean burning. Ideal for locals were the dangers of smore exposure is high. They don't simmer or grill well. There are more versatile stoves but few that can provide this fast clean heat. Thanks for commenting

I purchased the large one some time ago. I didn't think I would like the smaller one because it seemed like a design flaw. After seeing you use the mini I am quite impressed. Eventhough the mini isn't trully a rocket stove that side feeding shoot is a plus in my opinion. It sure fired up quickly.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

2 жыл бұрын

VIRE has upgraded their design to reflect a lot of what I mentioned. They also have a titanium version I am hoping to try out. Thanks for commenting

@akbaskin3000

2 жыл бұрын

@@MarkYoungBushcraft thanks so much for your videos! Have you had a chance to try out the titanium? I was super bummed to see they only made the titanium version for the mini model when it seems the original is superior (guessing they assume the use case is for someone exclusively concerned with weight). I’m more interested in strength and it’s ability to rapidly cool. Re strength: is titanium less prone to warping from heat? Re cooling: I believe drenching in water is bad because it would make the metal more brittle, right? But is there a safe way to cool metals/stoves more quickly? Maybe putting a bit of dry soil on it? Relatedly, I had an idea I wanted to share to help with the insulation issue in wintertime. Maybe you could use a trowel/knife to quickly dig out a little space in the soil that the unit could slide into? Might be more work than it’s worth but if you didn’t have other insulating materials on hand maybe that could work in a pinch? I imagine you wouldn’t have to dig super deep, but you could just take the V-shaped of the unit and then use the soil that you dug out to insulate the rest of the way. Anyway, just an idea. Thanks again for all of your content!! I have learned a lot from you!

@MarkYoungBushcraft

2 жыл бұрын

@@akbaskin3000 Hi Andrew. I have not been able to get my hands on the titanium mini but would love to do so. Yes, cooling a steel stove with water can harden the steel making it brittle. Having said that, Mac at Simple Theory Gear recommended cooling his stoves off that way. His comment was the stove would anneal (become soft) with the next fire. With another rocket stove I wrapped carbon felt (welding blanket) around the chimney as insulation. It worked quite well. Hope this helps some

@akbaskin3000

2 жыл бұрын

@@MarkYoungBushcraft thanks! I appreciate how responsive you are Mark! Cheers!

A nice conclusion to your assessment of the Vire Stove & Vire Mini. Your comprehensive review basically supports your initial impressions. The Vire Mini in my opinion, the greatest disappointment. Hopefully the makers will rework that model. Glad to see you cooking food on the Vire stove, showing it can do more than just boil water. Did you burn charcoal in the Vire Stove? And once again, your newish microphone really excelled in the windy outdoor conditions. 🏆

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

I agree, the mini needs a bit of work. Vire has made a few changes since my video was recorded. I have used charcoal in both stoves and like how it performs. Only down side is can create a hot spot on a frypan due to the small cross-section of the chimney. Thanks for commenting

@lynella6073

3 жыл бұрын

What mic do you use, Mark?

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

@@lynella6073 I upgraded my system (at some expense) a few months ago to the Canon M50 and Rode Wireless Go. Worth it to me but still learning how to make the most of it

While it may not be practical for field use, it would be interesting to see how wrapping the chimney in some type of insulation -- carbon felt perhaps -- would affect the burn in cold weather.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Right on. I have successfully improved the performance of another rocket stove (previously reviewed) using carbon felt. It would help here as well. Thanks for commenting

what stove would you carry on a camping trip and buy if you could only afford one. I watched your reviews on the kelley the vire and others but no indication which trumps which. Maybe a comparison video. Love your channel

@MarkYoungBushcraft

2 жыл бұрын

Sure. It is hard to say one stove is the best as they all have pros and cons. Having said that, there are two stoves I would recommend. The Gen 2 5" Firebox and the Bushcraft Essentials Bushbox XL. They are very close in size, weight, design and performance. They are bigger and heavier than many stoves but will always perform. Titanium weigh less than stainless steel but costs more. Of course, then you have to consider what you will cook or boil water with as well as cutting wood to burn, unless you can collect and break it with your hands. By no means a definitive answer but at least a start. Good topic for a video I think

@ralphseelisch9040

2 жыл бұрын

@@MarkYoungBushcraft thanks for the reply and the input

I had used the original vire to cook 2 hours straight. I noticed it creates alot of coals that clogs up after around 30 mins of feeding. I used chopped wood, not small branches. I am guessing it will perform optimally with twigs and not wood. Has the coal created by the stove turned into ash in your test? Mine mostly stayed as coal.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

2 жыл бұрын

My experience is that thinner pieces of wood (sticks or splits) will burn hotter and consume more thoroughly. Best if they are hardwood. Bigger chunks will be more likely to stay as coals. Even so, ash does build up over time. Thanks for commenting

I'm still not used to this stove, I find that it is very frugal on wood use and I love that it can use long sticks, but it takes so long to bring water to a boil. And I have to use fairly thin sticks in it to keep the fire going. I've not used it in summer yet, just winter and spring. In the winter, it would not bring water to a boil at all, and in the spring it took a long time, especially on windy days. The last trip I took, I used my Firebox and found it much faster. Do you have any idea what I'm doing wrong?

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

I don't believe you are doing anything wrong. I find all rocket stoves that do not have insulated chimneys loose a great deal of heat during cool or cold weather. Try it again during warm weather. You should find it works fast and clean once it gets going. Hope this helps

@ms.gearhead6884

3 жыл бұрын

@@MarkYoungBushcraft thanks Mark, I've been thinking of adding insulation with carbon felt or a welding blanket, as well as constructing a wind screen for it. Would you consider doing a video of your experiments with carbon felt so we can see the difference? I really want to like this stove.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

@@ms.gearhead6884 I can do that. I will likely wait till winter to really show the difference

Question: How much wood will these stoves burn through before the chamber is choked from ash or are they so efficient that they burn through most of the ash? It's great to know they can use alternative pellets and charcoal fuels!

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Good question but a bit hard to answer. I am sure you are aware the factors that influence complete burning include air flow, moisture content of the wood and type of wood used and of course, design. What I found is that once the stove is going well it consumes pretty much all the fuel very efficiently, leaving very small amounts of fine white ash. I am not sure it is intentional but some of that drifts out the gaps at the bottom. After about an hour of use I see about a palm full of ash. There are better stoves but this is not bad. Hope this helps

@paradyne1T101

3 жыл бұрын

@@MarkYoungBushcraft Thank You for your response. As I have already purchased both these stoves but haven't used them yet I now have something to look forward to in using them.

Both vids were excellent! I like the larger original, it shows all the signs of operating like a proper rocket stove. The mini looks to me to be a waste of material and time. If one wants a rocket, you have to accept the size, as the stack height is vital to its operation.

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

I agree Randal. The full size, despite its weight and bulk, is a much better performer. Thanks for commenting

How do I send something to you?

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Can you message me on FaceBook? or email me at mark.eric.young@gmail.com

Hi Mark, it seems that the email has some problems, can you check your FB message? - Cindy, WUBEN

@MarkYoungBushcraft

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Cindy. Found you message and have replied