It’s not often that you see one of the techie gadget blogs covering camping gear but this week Gizmodo introduced us to the EGGo, a mobile kitchen concept that’s made for the outdoors. The egg-shaped pod includes a heating surface and a sink plus the water and fuel you need to get cooking.

It’s certainly a beautiful concept but it seems impractical in just about every way I can imagine. First: eggs aren’t good at standing on end (if you hadn’t noticed). It’s pretty obvious from the drawing below that strapping the EGGo to the roof of a car is awkward in every sense of the word.

The mirrored finish is certainly striking and in theory it reflects the natural beauty around you, making it fit nicely into the great outdoors. But consider this: camping (and especially outdoor cooking) can be messy and keeping the EGGo sparkling will be a losing battle. In fact I avoid the trendy stainless steel outdoor gas grills for this very reason. Black grills don’t show grease spots or soot

EGGo storage space seems to be minimal since the fuel and water need to be stored below the cooking surface and the egg shape tapers toward the bottom leaving little room for utensils.

Finally, I have to assume that integrating the sink is a huge technical challenge. How is the water pressurized such that it comes out of the faucet? Where does the waste water go?

Of course this is just a concept but I’m guessing we won’t be seeing the EGGo at a campground anytime soon (in this form anyway). I’ll stick to the Big Green Egg for my outdoor cooking needs.

Jetboil announced a recall for its Personal and Group Cooking System camp stoves that utilize the “B-style” fuel valve. According to the company some users have reported valve failures that caused fuel to leak and, in some cases, ignite. Read the full release below or check out Jetboil.com to find out how to identify if your stove is affected by the recall.

I once had a similar problem with a Coleman Peak 1 stove. The Peak 1 has an integrated fuel tank for white gas and a hand pump for pressurizing the fuel. After owning the stove for many years I took it on a trip and began pressurizing the tank to cook some soup. Just as I was adding the last few strokes (with the stove already pre-lit) I heard a violent hissing sound and noticed fuel shooting out the bottom. I quickly put out the flame and prayed the fuel leaking out the bottom wouldn’t ignite (fortunately it didn’t). Needless to say I had to throw the stove away after that incident.

I’m not sure what the problem was with my Peak 1 but it seemed to have something to do with rust and/or corrosion of the fuel tank. Just goes to show you should always inspect your camp stove before using it on a trip!

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Jetboil has announced a voluntary recall of certain Jetboil Personal and Group Cooking Systems (click here for joint U.S. CPSC and Jetboil, Inc. press release)

Jetboil has utilized three different gas valves (the “A”, “B” and “C” style valves) in the production of its Personal Cooking System (PCS) and Group Cooking System (GCS). PCS and GCS units utilizing the B style valve were shipped to US retailers between July 10 and September 9, 2008, and sold through retail since July 10, 2008.

Jetboil is undertaking a consumer recall of all PCS and GCS systems utilizing this B style valve, working in cooperation with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov).

We have determined independently to undertake this process after receiving reports and returned units from a very limited number of end users who have experienced leaking gas and subsequent ignition of the gas leak. No injuries or property damage have been reported by these users.

PCS and GCS systems utilizing the A and C style valves continue to be fully safe and functional. No Helios systems are affected by the recall.

Ultralight backpacking gear is usually anything but ultracheap but we found a video that shows you how to make your own ultralight backpacking stove using stuff you’d find in your kitchen garbage! Watch the video below or keep reading for a quick description of the steps.

Hobo Stove - Ultralight Backpacking - Build It In 3 Minutes!

First, pick out an empty tuna can (for some reason the video uses an empty can of clams - who buys canned clams anyway?). Mark two lines around the can - the first line should be about 3/4″ from the bottom of the can, the second line is about half an inch above that. Now, punch holes about every 1/4″ around the can along the bottom line. Continue punching holes along the top line of the can but make these punches a bit closer together to get more holes along the top line.

Now - you’re done. Fill the can to the bottom line with denatured alcohol and light it with a match. After allowing the “stove” to prime itself for a minute or so, you’re ready to cook! In the video the author got water boiling in 4 minutes which ain’t bad but there’s no way to regulate the temperature on this stove (what did you expect for free?).

One thing this video didn’t mention enough is safety - I wouldn’t recommend trying out your stove indoors as this video appears to show. Also heed the warning in the video itself to set your stove on a stable surface so your flaming alcohol doesn’t spill fire onto the forest floor.

Sometimes the best things in backpacking are free - you just need to use the internet to find them!

Via smallworldtreks.net.