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product test
little wombat
bush campfire
introduction
I had the opportunity recently to trial a
Little Wombat bush campfire thanks to Ian Porteous from Dreamtime
Campers in Newcastle. The Little Wombat is a high quality stainless
steel, fully insulated portable firebox which can be used as a
campfire, a bbq or a spit.
A campfire is one of the
joys of camping in the bush & I like the idea of having a fire which
does not scar the ground. Next morning I emptied the ash onto the
edge of the bush clearing to be washed into the ground during the
next rain, leaving the camp area in a pristine condition, untouched
for the next camper. We are fully behind the conservation of our
natural environment & the practice of
Leave No Trace Australia
what you get
The Little Wombat comes in an orange zippered
canvas bag with the carry handle webbing sewn around the
circumference of the bag & not just to the top, to support the
weight. The upright folded dimensions are 510mm long, 250mm wide &
370mm high. All you need for a fire as well as cooking is
conveniently stored inside including a cast iron bbq plate, a cast
iron grill & a rotisserie which uses two D cell batteries to cook
the perfect roast. The Little Wombat weighs around 15kg.
using it
Setting up is easy. Just
unzip the bag & unfold the legs which elevates the Little Wombat off
the ground to about 200mm. The two stainless steel top covers lift
off & clip onto the side of the fire box to provide shelving to rest
your bbq cooking utensils etc. Out comes the two cast iron bbq
plates & the rotisserie.
If using it as a bbq or
rotisserie you first need to light the fire. An alternative fuel
source other than wood could be heat beats. When the fire has
reached the right temperature, place the bbq plate in position &
start to cook. Easy as that. I did find the fire to smothered a
little & smoke when I put both plates on, however when I removed
them after cooking the fire once again burst to life.
The rotisserie is also
easy to assemble & clips into the Little Wombat's firebox surround.
The shaft comes in two halves & screws together. After
cooking, the Little Wombat can be used as a campfire. Because the
firebox is insulated the sides are not red hot making it safe for
small kids, though in cold weather I would say you will need to sit
over it more to get the heat coming from the top.
When heading off to bed the
lids can be replaced on top of the firebox, smothering the fire &
making it safe to leave for the night.
Some form of fire grate/bbq
plate lifter would be a handy addition as part of the package for
removing the bbq plate or grill.
likes
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everything packed inside the fire box for storage so you are not
looking for bits & pieces.
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versatility of the Little Wombat as a camp fire, bbq or spit.
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safe
for young kids melting marshmellows.
summing up
A fantastic idea for having
a safe campfire with the environment in mind leaving no ugly scaring
on the ground. The Little Wombat is priced at $280 plus $30 postage.
by Rob
february 2009
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