Bongo Fury

Work sent me on a fantastic training course for the last week - where I have done loads of outdoors stuff.

One thing we used were Kelly Kettles whenever we needed a drink.

I like the idea of these for the Bongo, for anyone who hasn't seen them - you just make a small fire in the base of the kettle. It then uses the volcano effect to increase the intensity of the fire and you keep dropping twigs etc in the hole at the top to keep feeding it. The water is in the jacket of the kettle and boils within a few minutes.

They are a bit of a gimmick as I can easily boil a kettle of water on the gas hob in the Bongo, but I like them and it gives an excuse to make a fire and teach my kids how to build a small fire - and to light it without matches etc.

Anyway just wondered if...

a) anyone uses one?
b) if anyone can recommend anything better or similar?
c) if anyone knows what campsites are like with regards to using them - I know most don't like open fires but it can be argued that they aren't an open fire. However they can give off a fair amount of smoke if you drop the wrong bit of wood in!

I've got one.

Brilliant bit of kit, bulky but very light and boils water very quickly indeed.

I've typicaly used it when cycle camping as it saves carrying gas cylinders and newspaper and twigs can be scavanged anywhere, no running out when the shop is shut.

I have used it on campsites and never had a problem but obviously this is down to individual owners. Generaly if they allow BBQs and you keep it off the ground I recon you should be OK, maybe take it to reception and ask first.

You can get a grill and dedicated cooking gear for them, too.

I did see the cooking gear but have read bad reviews of them.

There seems to be a few variations depending on make on model of the kettle.

There looks to be an attachment which goes in the top to allow you to heat a pan on top whilst the water is boiling. Downsides - You can't add any more wood and it is quite unstable. Also once the water has boiled you have to stop cooking on top. If you leave the water it boils over and runs down the kettle and potentially puts the fire out. You also can't put the empty kettle on to cook as it burns through an empty kettle.

There then seems to be a bit which goes over the base when you remove the kettle but at this point the fire is quite small so not sure how well/long it would cook for and you can't really add wood easily.

It seems to do a cracking job of boiling water but the additional functions don't look to be great. I don't need one but I do think they are good for teaching the basics of making a fire.

Not a genuine 'Kelly Kettle' but I'm thinking of going for this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5L-Storm-Ke ... 1989215659

sotal wrote:Work sent me on a fantastic training course for the last week - where I have done loads of outdoors stuff.

One thing we used were Kelly Kettles whenever we needed a drink.

I like the idea of these for the Bongo, for anyone who hasn't seen them - you just make a small fire in the base of the kettle. It then uses the volcano effect to increase the intensity of the fire and you keep dropping twigs etc in the hole at the top to keep feeding it. The water is in the jacket of the kettle and boils within a few minutes.

They are a bit of a gimmick as I can easily boil a kettle of water on the gas hob in the Bongo, but I like them and it gives an excuse to make a fire and teach my kids how to build a small fire - and to light it without matches etc.

Anyway just wondered if...

a) anyone uses one?
b) if anyone can recommend anything better or similar?
c) if anyone knows what campsites are like with regards to using them - I know most don't like open fires but it can be argued that they aren't an open fire. However they can give off a fair amount of smoke if you drop the wrong bit of wood in!

Its not a kelly kettle,its a gillie kettle......fabulous bit of kit

Brian

Bongoplod wrote:
Its not a kelly kettle,its a gillie kettle......fabulous bit of kit

Brian

Ghillie Kettles are slightly different but the same principle as a Kelly kettle. Just different brand names. The one I'm looking at buying is a Storm kettle instead.

From what we were told they tend to all get called 'Kelly Kettles' as that is the brand that was most popular with the scouts a bit like vacuum cleaners getting called Hoovers.

Ended up buying an Eydon Storm Kettle 1.5L

Fingers crossed that I get a good bit of usage out of it!

We use a Jet boil like the kelly its only really any good for heating water quickly but with the Jet boil the kids put hotdogs and heat in the bag food in it for D of E

winchman wrote:We use a Jet boil like the kelly its only really any good for heating water quickly but with the Jet boil the kids put hotdogs and heat in the bag food in it for D of E

I've used Jetboils for years - terrific bits of kit
Did you know you can get pots and pans to use on them as well?
take a look here : http://www.jetboil.com/Cooking-Pots-and-Pans/