Gun Digest
 

Survival Gear Review: EcoZoom Versa

Editor's note: You'll be hearing more from the instructors at P.R.E.P., who submitted this gear review of the EcoZoom Versa, on LivingReadyOnline.com. Be sure to check out the full EcoZoom Versa review here.

[slideshow_deploy id='217085′]

The folks at EcoZoom asked us if we were interested in trying out their Versa stove and writing an unflinching review of our findings. That takes nerve and you better be ready to take a punch if your product is lacking in any way.  Of course we said yes, always happy to discover a worthy survival solution or to thin the herd of junk products where needed.

We first saw their stoves at a survival expo out in Colorado a couple years ago and were intrigued. Rocket stoves come in various designs and many people have tried to create their own version. Some even make them from debris lying around. There are usually a couple of problems with rocket stoves. They are either made in pieces from debris and not easy to transport, or they are made of some kind of structural steel/concrete and could double as a ship anchor. Some designs are even dangerously hot to the exterior touch due to lack of insulation, which is a fire hazard in itself. One thing is for sure though; they work great if you can get your muddy hands on a good one.

We found that there actually is a solid solution to this problem. In the Versa model we found that EcoZoom has created a good combination of strength, weight, portability and safety. Here’s what we found as we put the stove through some paces.

EcoZoom Versa Review: Pros

EcoZoom Versa Review: Cons

The well insulated structure and refractory brick makes it a heavy piece of equipment, so it’s not a convenient trail stove. This stout little rocket is best suited as an off-grid cooking option in case of disaster, or a base camp stove, but you won’t be throwing this in a backpack anytime soon. For hiking, I’ll rely on either a bush craft stove or a portable cooking system.

EcoZoom Versa Review: The Verdict

In the end, we love this thing and consider it to be one of those things you will only need to buy once and keep using for many years to come. Its amazing ability to be useful in almost any environment, using almost any combustible solid material is a big plus for us as we are hard on equipment and go to some rough places.

Check out more survival gear reviews and instruction from P.R.E.P. at ReadyGoPrep.com.


Outstanding Gear and Resources

Special Forces Survival Guide

Survival Straps Survival Bracelet

SAS Survival Handbook

Exit mobile version