Firepits are practically required packing for car campers. But they’re bulky, heavy, and rarely portable enough for backpacking. Fire Maple is looking to remedy that with the release of its most compact firepit ever.
The Antarcti is the brand’s smallest, most backpacker-friendly firepit model. It collapses down into a roughly three- to four-inch cube with a packed weight of just 24.9 ounces (705 grams) — not exactly “featherweight,” but still impressively packable for a legit, gas-powered firepit. If you value a cozy campfire experience at the end of a long hiking day, that’s weight that’s well worth the carry in my opinion.
The clever design includes three interlocking metal panels that connect to form a triangular bowl. Once deployed, the dead-simple setup is a matter of clicking the center, 3,750-BTU burner into place, and filling the pit with the included 300 grams of volcanic stones. Connect the Antarcti to any standard 4-ounce or 8-ounce fuel canister, and you’re ready to burn. There’s even a built-in dial to adjust the flame height and output. Fire Maple pegs fuel consumption around 100 grams per hour, so you can expect a little more than an hour of burn time from a small canister or roughly two hours from a larger, eight-ounce can. The mix of stainless steel, copper, and aluminum alloy construction ensures it’s durable enough to go the distance out on the trail. Just pack a good lighter or some camping matches, as this pit doesn’t include an automatic ignition or other fire-starting source.
The Fire Maple Antarcti Gas Fire Pit is available now for just under $60 (not including fuel). That’s awfully affordable when compared to just about every other portable fire pit on the market, making it the perfect stocking stuffer or holiday gift for the backpacker in your life.
