Gear Review Kelly Kettle (Volcano Kettle) Review

The giveaway I held a while back for the Kelly Kettle hobo stove came as a result of the kind folks at Kelly USA sending me one to give away here. I was hoping to find out if there is genuine interest because I firmly believe in this product, not because of any possible monetary gain. The goal was to stir up some thought and discussion so we could get a few more reviews from members who have tried these fantastic kettles; this will add to the forum and give new members a better understanding of how versatile and useful these kettles really are.

I have used many stoves, as most members here probably have, too. The one feature I especially look for is the ability to burn ordinary combustibles like twigs, pine cones, and leaves. Another feature I prefer and the Kelly Kettle excels at, is durability. The stove would have to be sturdy and not flimsy so it will last and work to my advantage in the field. The bulk of stoves available are too thin and weak, and only after a couple seasons they tend to break down and fail --some never even make it past the first outing. The only portion of the Kelly Kettle I have seen to break down is the base, which can be easily replaced at low cost. I still haven't burned through my original aluminium base after more than 10 years, and that is far less durable than the steel version. Of course, if I had used it more frequently, I am fairly certain the base would be toast by now. Regardless, it's not a serious problem since I have a spare.

So, what is my preferred method to make hot water and cook when backpacking? It's the Kelly Kettle with the hobo stove addon and a thermos, a frying pan, and a steel mug. Simple. I found this investment to be the wisest of all I have made and saved a great deal of money in the long run from no longer relying on cheaply made stoves which require external fuel (which adds to pack weight) and the hefty cost associated with fancy titanium tools I really do not need.