Fireside Outdoor Trailblazer Portable Fire Pit – My Thoughts

Chris HuntAbout the Author: Hi! I'm Chris Hunt, and I wrote this article. With years of experience as a former firefighter and knowledge of combustible materials, I have personally researched and compiled the information presented here. Please note that the content provided is solely my opinion and should not be construed as professional advice. Additionally, I do not guarantee the quality or performance of any of the products featured. Please be sure to review the website's Disclaimer, Terms and Conditions before using the site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (without additional cost or expense to you).

For those on a camping trip, outdoor adventure, or even just looking for a quick solution for a backyard fire, a portable camp stove can be an excellent solution.

In this article, we will look into the hugely popular Fireside Trailblazer portable camp stove to see its key features, who it’s best suited to, and the pros and cons.

This camp stove rated 2nd in our review of the best portable fire pits, only to come behind its big brother! However, fireside Outdoor did sweep this product category.

Fireside Outdoor Trailblazer Features

As with any product review, we’ll look at what key features you get with the Fireside Trailblazer and see what makes it stand out from other portable camp stoves on the market.

A Kickstarter campaign heavily backed this product, so you can expect to see some customer/investor feedback make its way into the final product!

Portability

Firstly, we’d have to say that portability is the standout feature of this product. At a weight of only 3 pounds (1.36 kg), you can easily carry around this camp stove for backpacking, hiking, kayaking, or any other outdoor pursuits that involve cooking outside.

It’s small and compact enough to carry a backpack alongside (or inside) easily. Still, it does come with its carry strap for ease of portability.

Durability

The Fireside Trailblazer has aircraft aluminum and anodized stainless steel, making it durable and rust-resistant for long-term use in rough environments.

The design mimics a camping chair intentionally in terms of its folding mechanism for easy setup and its ability to hold weight without collapsing (utilizing a low center of gravity). Its 11″ x 11″ cooking area can hold up to 25 pounds (ca. 11 kg) of food and feed 1-4 people.

While its coating has durability in mind, it’s worth pointing out that some users have had some rusting issues and the heat shield is becoming damaged after just a few uses. However, these seem to be incidents few and far between, so we’d be fair in saying these could be isolated manufacturing issues.

Customers have been getting frequent and damage-free use of the product for the most part.

Simplicity

Starting a fire outdoors can often be tiresome work. The Trailblazer is simple and easy to use, making all the difference after a long day of outdoor pursuits. Firstly, Its unique pop-up functionality results from a patented (camper chair) style mechanism.

With this feature, your stove folds out in seconds and, more importantly, keeps your fire pit raised for leave-no-trace burning, and once folded, all pieces slot together instantly, as no loose parts or tools are required. Everything is “slot” focused.

Finally, the setup time takes less than 2 minutes. A fire can be started quickly without fire accelerants with the mesh base due to the increased airflow. To pack away, tip out the coal/wood into your chosen disposal method and pack the stove away in the reverse process from setup.

The entire process is streamlined and far from using rock-built pits and mangled campsite grills.

Safety

The final feature we want to consider is safety. Firstly, the product passes federal firepan regulations, though you should always check your state-specific laws before use. Its fire mesh allows 95% airflow to prolong the fire and eliminate the need for any fire accelerants, which run the risk of creating an uncontrollable fire.

Secondly, the product features a leave-no-trace design. Unlike traditional camp stoves, It’s raised from the floor and comes with a heat shield that sits underneath the fire mesh to prevent scorch marks and damage to the ground’s surface.

Finally, the raised guards contain any coal, logs, wood, or ash within the stove. This feature prevents the fire from spreading and allows for a safe and thorough clean-up after use.

Additional Features

Besides the above “key features,” here’s a quick-glance list of some additional features or benefits that come with this product:

  • First, it has a lifetime warranty on the frame, guards, and grill.
  • Second, it comes with a 50-use or 1-year warranty on the fire mesh.
  • Third, it meets federal firepan regulations.
  • Fourth, it comes with a heavy-duty carry case.
  • Fifth, it sports a tool-free assembly.
  • Finally, ember guards keep your fire under control and prevent ash, coal, or wood from escaping.

Pros & Cons

After reviewing the product’s essential features, we will examine the pros and cons. While the parts look good, we won’t claim that this product is perfect and has some drawbacks.

 Pros

  • Environment: The design of this camp stove means minimal ash or heat escape from the furnace. While this feature may seem beneficial in reducing clean-up time, the main benefit is that it will not leave burn/scorch marks in the area you’ve used it, making it a better option for nature preservation.
  • Versatile: The stove can burn wood, coal, or biofuel and double as a campfire pit, allowing versatility in a compact package. It essentially has a 2-in-1 functionality.
  • Intuitive: Everything from assembly, starting and maintaining a fire, clearing away, and transporting is straightforward and incredibly user-friendly. The fold-out design and lack of nuts and bolts are accessible to many people.

 Cons

  • Coating: While this product is durable, some users have found it started to rust after multiple uses, and the heat shield gets damaged from use.
  • Size: While this product is compact and lightweight, its maximum cooking capacity is 1-4 people. Therefore, it wouldn’t be an excellent option for larger families or groups.

In Summary

Trailblazer - Leave No Trace Portable Camp Stove/Fire Pit | 3 lbs Total Weight | 12Check Price on Amazon

Suppose you’re tired of rolling up to campsites to use old and beaten-up communal grills and want a cleaner, simple, and environmentally friendly alternative. In that case, the Fireside Outdoor Trailblazer portable camp stove might be the ideal option.

It’s lightweight, intuitive, and versatile (functioning as a stove or fire pit). It is suitable for any outdoor pursuit/adventure, even cooking food on your backyard patio!