Smokeless fireplace pits have taken over American backyards, however the identical can’t be mentioned for its campgrounds. Whereas a smokeless fireplace pit makes for an undeniably higher expertise in comparison with a basic campfire ring, there’s solely a lot gear you’ll be able to slot in your SUV. Vargo, well-known within the ultralight backpacking world for his or her light-weight titanium merchandise, solved this drawback neatly with the Vargo MegaHex. Whereas different smokeless fireplace pits are made out of huge panels of welded chrome steel, the MegaHex is made up of 5 separate elements which fold up, origami-style, right into a slim bundle that may simply match in-between the remainder of the gear packed up in your car.
- Weight: 25 kilos (measured at 24.9 kilos)
- Measured Folded Dimensions: 25.5 inches nook to nook x 2 inches thick
- Assembled Dimensions: 13.25 inches excessive x 24 inches (15.75 inches)
- Measured Assembled Dimensions: 13.5 inches excessive x 24.25 inches (18.25 inches)
- Materials: 201 Stainless Metal
- 5 separate items
- Restricted lifetime guarantee
The MegaHex relies on the design of Vargo’s backpacking wooden range, the Hexagon. In contrast to its smaller counterpart, and the remainder of Vargo’s providing, the MegaHex breaks from custom and solely is available in chrome steel — simply as effectively given the upper value of merchandise produced from titanium. It packs right into a useful carrying case that closes with velcro and has a deal with on the highest.
Like different smokeless fireplace pits, it’s designed to maximise the warmth of the hearth, which helps to reduce each smoke and ash. In contrast to different fireplace pits, the collapsible design makes it so much simpler to see how this one works. Air is pulled by the openings on the base of the MegaHex, coming into the hole house between the outside of the hearth pit and the hearth itself. A number of the air is pulled down beneath the panel stand, to feed the hearth on the base. The remainder of the air is pulled in by the air holes on the prime of the interior panel, serving to to wrap up the combustion of any remaining gas because it exits the MegaHex on the prime.
Testing the Vargo MegaHex within the Discipline
I examined the Vargo MegaHex on a protracted weekend with buddies out on the Kitsap Peninsula of Washington State. It was mid-August, so it ought to have been heat and sunny, however in true PNW fashion it was chilly, moist, and darkish sufficient to be mistaken for fall. Within the night, our crew was prepared for warm drinks and a roaring campfire.
Meeting
Regardless of having by no means arrange the MegaHex, it was surprisingly intuitive. When you unzip the case, there are 5 items to assemble. It begins with the bottom.
That is the place any remaining ash or unburned wooden will land on the finish of utilizing the hearth pit. As a result of it’s made from such a skinny piece of chrome steel (solely 7.3 lbs), it should conduct a number of warmth in a short time. Should you’re utilizing this in your patio or deck, and don’t need to mark it up, then you definately’ll need to raise it off the bottom. (We used some bricks whereas testing that labored simply nice.)
Subsequent up is the panel stand, positioned on prime of the bottom. This helps the 2 panels and improves airflow.
The interior panel is slotted into the panel stand, utilizing a sequence of tabs.
The outer panel, which is self-supporting, wraps across the interior panel with the underside slanted towards the sting of the bottom.
Final up is the cap that goes on prime of the interior and outer panels. All in all of the Vargo MegaHex Smokeless Hearth Pit takes solely a minute or two to assemble.
Constructing a Hearth
Laura Lancaster
Like with all smokeless fireplace pits, the MegaHex was simple and easy to take from lit match to roaring fireplace. We used a firestarter coupled with some paper grocery baggage that have been mendacity round, and had a raging fireplace going very quickly. Regardless of overloading the hearth pit to begin, it burned down shortly and there was no smoke bothering us for the remainder of the night.
What the Vargo MegaHex Does Finest
The Vargo MegaHex packs flat, which suggests it takes up a fraction of the house of different smokeless fireplace pits. When packing up my Toyota 4runner for 2 weeks of tenting and backpacking, I shoved it right into a slender slot between my tenting water container and energy station. Quite than packing round this smokeless fireplace pit, you should use it to fill within the gaps. Think about doing that with even the smallest of the Solo Stoves.
Laura Lancaster
Like different smokeless fireplace pits, this one additionally does an awesome job of burning sizzling, maximizing air stream and minimizing the smoke. The lengthy weekend the place I examined this unit was chilly and damp, and we actually appreciated the heat and ambiance it supplied.
Once I was packing up the range on the finish of the lengthy weekend, I appreciated how easy it was to eliminate the ashes. With simply the bottom part to hold, it was light-weight and simple to dump out.
The place the Vargo MegaHex Can Enhance
Regardless of being so compact, the MegaHex shouldn’t be particularly light-weight. It’s each barely smaller and barely heavier than the comparably sized Solo Range Bonfire.
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As a result of the MegaHex is so skinny, count on some warping to happen from the warmth of the unit. After a few makes use of, the bottom on the one I examined would now not lay flat.
Lastly, in comparison with the comfortable curves and pleasing aesthetic of a Solo Range or Breeo smokeless fireplace pit, the Vargo MegaHex has a little bit of an industrial look to it. Architecturally, that is extra brutalist than mid-century fashionable. Personally, I sort of preferred the look of it, however most individuals I confirmed it to had a damaging response to its look.
This aesthetic was heightened by the discoloration that occurred to the unit after its preliminary use. In comparison with the outside of different smokeless fireplace pits, count on this one will get that broken-in look a bit quicker on common. Particularly should you shake out the ashes and pack up the unit with out totally cleansing it off (as I did). One addition I might make for the subsequent time I used the Vargo Mega Hex is to hold a small whisk broom.
Closing Ideas
Smokeless fireplace pits have turn into a preferred a part of yard get-togethers, however their dimension and bulk has restricted their utility elsewhere. The slim packed profile of the Vargo MegaHex not solely makes it a viable choice for automotive campers and overlanders, however even for white-water rafters and canoe campers. Given the more and more strict necessities for having a campfire in numerous outside settings, there’s certain to be an rising want for a packable fireplace pit choice like this.