FlameStower phone charger

[EmberMike]

FlameStower - The Fire Charger

In the same category of product as the BioLite Stove, but a little cheaper and a little more one-use-type (just charges stuff, not a kettle and cooker).

This seems way more practical for backpacking. 1/4 the weight, smaller and folds flat. The one concern I have is the water reservoir and if it can stand up to a campfire flame. It's easy to get the heating plate over a stove flame, but not so easy with a campfire flame that moves.

Anyway, still looks kind of cool. Anyone have one? Any thoughts on it?

 

[ChadTower]

Seems like if you're that far away from a power source the stove fuel is more important than your smartphone battery. And it looks like it requires way too focused a heat source to use on a natural fire.

 

[stm1957]

I think using stove fuel to slowly somewhat charge a cell phone battery, is not a very efficient use of that resource.

Looking at the photo and the video, it seems to me, that once you got it close enough to the very edge of even a small camp fire to activate the charging mechanism, you would run a very real risk of melting the USB cable.

On the other hand the BioLite Stove looks like a really nifty idea.

 

[Newanderthal]

There are solar chargers that are lighter, cheaper, and don't use any of your precious fuel.

 

[stm1957]

Check out the BioLite Stove.... it charges while you are cooking on it... and the fuel source is twigs... seems like a very clever invention.

Expensive, but clever...

 

[EmberMike]

Yeah, I'm changing my vote back to the BioLite after giving this some thought. I had seen the BioLite before the FlameStower, and I thought the FlameStower might be more useful tapping into an existing fire to generate the charge. But as has been mentioned already, getting a campfire flame to be focused enough for that small plate would be very difficult.

I'm not running out to purchase either right now, but if I were, it'd be the BioLite.

 

[IndianaHiker]

Not a big fan of the BioLite if backpacking. Heavy and not very efficient. Backpacker Magazine did review after burning for 37 minutes saw a 13% Increase in battery charge in a iPhone.

 

[dinosaur]

You guys know they sell solar chargers for cell phones, right?

 

[NWABYUCougar]

Nifty but impractical. I love eating way too much to use fuel for charging. I guess the only thing it might come in handy would be if I am lost and ready to give up.

 

[Theosus]

Solar chargers would work a lot better, if you're staying in one place for a while or are hiking somewhere with few trees. There are some that will hook to the outside of your pack, which means you have to be in the sun. The better ones charge an internal battery, which you plug into your phone later. Phones don't charge when the power is constantly on and off.
An even better option may just be a battery pack you charge at home and then use when needed.
You can get many varieties, and levels of storage. For my own use I have a pack that can recharge my phone four or five times, and run the gps in the meantime if it's batteries crap out.
I would guess this solution is more aimed at the person who is in a bad situation and just needs to charge a dead phone enough to text or make a few calls. The bad problem is, your phone might not save you in such a situation. sure you can play Angry birds, but do you have a signal?
I'm surprised the "Get Off The Grid!" meanies haven't attacked you yet for mentioning phone charging in the woods. The "hike your own hike" spirit that exists on other boards is often refocused here to "if you don't hike like I do you're stupid and shouldn't be in the woods". Don't let those people discourage you.

 

[wvbreamfisherman]

Doesn't seem like enough bang for the buck (and weight) for me. I'd say either a solar charger, spare charged battery, or a battery pack would be a lighter and more practical solution.

Most of the places I'd be hiking would have very limited to non-existent cell service anyhow. On our AT section hike, I only turned the phone on long enough to try for service at likely looking high points and then only long enough to send a text message or two to keep out families advised of our progress. The phone battery lasted the entire week, and on this phone the battery last only about 28-30 hours with limited use and good connections. YMMV

 

[ChadTower]

I'm surprised the "Get Off The Grid!" meanies haven't attacked you yet for mentioning phone charging in the woods.

The reason we're all here is that there are no meanies here. We all have our own hikes and there is respect for that on Outdoor Basecamp.

 

[dinosaur]

In my kit, I carry two units that take two AA batteries each. They have a USB port at one end and will provide several hours of talk time for my phone. They cost me about twenty bucks and the batteries, purchased at a "Dollar Store" were about another two dollars after tax. I'd be willing to bet that I got off cheaper than burning precious fuel on a piece of equipment that, in all likelihood, cost more than 22 dollars.