Anyone ever made and used a dakota fire pit?

K

kr1

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May 30, 2006
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I was wondering if anyone has actually made and used one of these types of fire pits? For cooking? What was your experience? How difficult was it to actually make?

KR
 
I don't know if this is the same thing or not, but I read a story once about an early trapper who would dig a hole build a fire in it and sit over it cross legged. He would then wrap his blanket around him trapping the heat and staying warm he was also able to keep an eye on his surroundings. Obvoisly not a big fire and I bet he smelled kinda smokey lm the morning but he was traveling fast no time for a shelter and didn't want to give his position away with fire light. Always wondered if that would work but I have never tried it. Anyone heard of it or tried it??
 
FULMTALJKT said:
I don't know if this is the same thing or not, but I read a story once about an early trapper who would dig a hole build a fire in it and sit over it cross legged. He would then wrap his blanket around him trapping the heat and staying warm he was also able to keep an eye on his surroundings. Obvoisly not a big fire and I bet he smelled kinda smokey lm the morning but he was traveling fast no time for a shelter and didn't want to give his position away with fire light. Always wondered if that would work but I have never tried it. Anyone heard of it or tried it??
Click to expand...

I think Ron Hood talked about it in one of his videos. Might want to check his web site too. hoodswoods.com
 
i have done the dakota fire but it was a pain in the ass and i would rather just lay my pot on the coals or just put it on 2 large logs the pit kept fallin in and the moisture of the dirt kept trying to put my fire out
 
My understanding is that the Dakota pit is that it is intended to be a concealed flame heatsource more than a cooking fire. I'm not saying it can't be used for cooking, I know folks who have use it, and I intend on trying it. I'm just saying that cooking is not isupposed to be ts best function.
 
it also wasn't very good for generating heat and you could see the smoke and light from it a a good bit away
 
I have built several and used them more often, but the time it takes to dig the two "wells" and connect them at the bottom makes it more sutable to a long-term camp than a weekend.

The fire they generate is fierce - good for heating large volumes of water, for example. They melt glass nicely.

Good at protecting fire from the wind.

Poor for warming you since the fire is in the bottom of one of the holes, limiting radiant heating.

Not very good in heavy rain or if the water table is high.

Never tried one with lots of snow on the ground, but seems doubtful for such conditions.

They generate smoke according to the fuel used.

(Whatever you do, don't use batoning to prepare the wood. :p )
 
Thomas Linton said:
I have built several and used them more often, but the time it takes to dig the two "wells" and connect them at the bottom makes it more sutable to a long-term camp than a weekend.

The fire they generate is fierce - good for heating large volumes of water, for example. They melt glass nicely.

Good at protecting fire from the wind.

Poor for warming you since the fire is in the bottom of one of the holes, limiting radiant heating.

Not very good in heavy rain or if the water table is high.

Never tried one with lots of snow on the ground, but seems doubtful for such conditions.

They generate smoke according to the fuel used.

(Whatever you do, don't use batoning to prepare the wood. :p )
Click to expand...


Great info. Thanks.

Thanks for the others information also. I'll have to try it when I have time. Most of the areas I am in have lots of rocks and some of them are heavy with roots also.

KR
 
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