The Happy Camper: Two New Stoves for Your Next Winter Camping Trip
I got myself a new wood stove for hot tenting this winter—and it’s made in Canada!
My previous wood stoves were from Kni-Co. They were good stoves, made of 22 gauge cold rolled wood burning steel. My medium-sized one, however, was too banged up and rusted to burn through yet another winter, so I looked into buying another just like it. That’s when the problems began. Kni-Co is made in the United States.
With the recent reciprocal tariffs placed on steel and applied upon import, the very high US/Canadian dollar (now at $1 USD = $1.40 CAD) and the insane shipping (freight/brokerage) costs, the idea of buying a new Kni-Co stove became impossible.
Just as I was about to bang out the dents and brush off the rust of my older stove, however, I discovered that a Canadian manufacturer—Esker—just released two similar portable winter tent stoves. Mine arrived in the mail the other day and I can’t wait to give it its first burn.
I ordered my stove from The Canadian Outdoor Equipment Co, based in Mississauga, Ontario. There’s two new “Canadian made” styles: Esker Baffin and the Esker Hudson. I chose the smaller, mid-sized Baffin, but here’s a breakdown of both.
Esker Baffin Portable Winter Tent Stove
I preferred the mid-sized for me. I go solo a few times or have just another friend or two (and my dog) join me. This 44 litre burn chamber gives off enough heat to warm up a mid-sized canvas tent (9×9, 10×10, 10×12). I really love the “Snow Float” legs on the base of the stove. You simply place an arm-sized pieces of wood/branch as make-shift supports. This is crucial as the ice or snow below the stove behind to melt.
The nesting/tapered pipe set and elbow fits perfectly inside the stove for storage and hauling on your toboggan. The elbow gives you the option of a side wall pipe mount or you could easily have a straight top mounted if that’s what you prefer. It also comes with a flue damper—something I generally don’t use but that’s another blog topic all on its own. And the big bonus—the Baffin is fully made in Canada, using Canadian-made carbon steel.
Here are the specs:
- Packed Dimensions: 47 cm (L) × 33 cm (W) × 33 cm (H)
- Burn Chamber (in use): 58.5 cm (L) × 33.5 cm (W) × 49 cm (H)
- Burn Chamber Volume: 44 L
- Overall Height: 280-297 cm (depends on pipe configuration)
- Burn Chamber Weight: 7.3 kg
- Packed Weight: 8.6 kg
- Made from 22 gauge Canadian made carbon steel
- Includes pipes and elbow for use with all stove pipe ring placements
- Interoperable with Esker’s false bottoms and side tables
Esker Hudson Portable Winter Tent Stove
If you have a hot tent measuring 10×12, 12×12, 12×14 or 14×16, then it’s best to get the largest stove in Esker’s collection. It’s got a sizeable 57.3 litre burn chamber but is still darn light, packable and portable. It also comes with the “Snow Float” legs, a flue damper and a nesting/tapered pipe set with straight pipes and an elbow, making it interoperable with either side wall or straight, top mounted stove pipe ring use. And yes, the Esker Hudson is also fully made in Canada, using Canadian-made carbon steel.
Here are the specs:
- Packed Dimensions: 60 cm (L) × 33 cm (W) × 33 cm (H)
- Burn Chamber (in use): 74.5 cm (L) × 33 cm (W) × 53 cm (H)
- Burn Chamber Volume: 57.3 L
- Pipe Stack Height: 286 – 318 cm (depends on pipe configuration)
- Burn Chamber Weight: 9.1 kg
- Packed Weight: 13.5 kg (approx., depends on pipe configuration)
- Made from 22 gauge Canadian made carbon steel
- Works with all stove pipe ring placements
- Interoperable with Esker’s false bottoms and side tables
