REVIEW: Fibi Stove

Simply brilliant, and brilliantly simple: that's the Swiss Fibi Stove. This classic hobo stove is rightfully the favorite of many bushcrafters and deserves a closer look. It was developed by Tom Bieri and Ueli Fiechter, both experienced outdoorsmen who packed their professional experience into the construction of this wood stove and have been delighting outdoor enthusiasts with a range of equally stylish and functional products for fire, cooking, and heating.

The central strength of the Fibi Stove is its disassembly capability: the ten precisely milled parts made of stainless chrome-nickel steel (the fire grate is missing in the image above) can be assembled into a 37 centimeter high and 15 centimeter wide tower in a few easy steps. It stands securely on its solid base, and the slim stainless steel profiles do not damage the natural ground due to their minimal contact area.

The construction uses the same chimney effect as a Swedish torch, with elements of reindeer, stars, moon, and clouds stamped on the four outer walls not only decorate it but also provide the necessary ventilation and make it very powerful. When started with suitable kindling (it is advisable to have "ready-made products" on hand, but natural ignition is also possible), it quickly gets to work. From then on, it is fed from above with thumb-thick pieces of wood. Ideally, these should be prepared in advance. But that's the advantage of the Fibi: in our latitudes, there is almost always "fuel" available, and even in the rain, one can find suitable materials.

The stove efficiently burns the material and leaves practically no residue. And thanks to the base plate, there is no scorch mark on the ground. When feeding the Fibi heavily, one must still be careful of the heat radiation and the associated risk of fire to the ground. High, dry grass is definitely not a suitable location for the hobo stove.

A pot or pan is placed directly on the stove. If you want to bake or even grill (see image), the heat shield, available as an accessory, is necessary. This is placed directly on the stove, like a hotplate, to reduce the impact of the flames. To maintain the temperature while cooking or baking, wood must be thrown through the narrow gap between the pot and the stove, or the pot must be removed from time to time. This is a bit annoying and probably the only drawback of the Fibi, but a manageable one. The clear advantage is that it not only serves as a stove but also as an oven, providing excellent service in the cold season.

CONCLUSION: With its weight of two kilograms, it is at the upper limit for backpackers, but eliminates the need to think about gas cartridges or gasoline supplies. For trips with canoes, horses, or dog sleds, the slim bag (pack size of 22 x 34 x 3.5 cm), in which the individual parts of the Fibi can be stowed, is not a nuisance. More painful are the 265 Swiss francs (exchange rate to the Euro currently practically 1:1!) that one must spend on the Fibi Stove. However, for that price, you get a product designed and manufactured in Switzerland that will bring joy beyond the five-year warranty period.

The Stove on the Internet: www.fibistyle.ch