Promethean Wood Stove

In Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus steals fire from the god Zeus and gives it to the mortals. The fire has been interpreted to symbolize, in addition to literal fire, both tools and knowledge in general.

In Korean camping circles, Mr. An Kiyong (a titan, perhaps even a god) has given us (the mortal campers) the ultimate portable wood-burning furnace. Mr. An, the founder and leader of the Backcountry Camping group, designs and produces various camping gear in limited batches under his own proprietary brand, Promethean.

When I first saw this thing, I have to admit, I thought the very idea was categorically absurd. I mean, c'mon, really. If you think it's so cold that you have to lug an entire furnace with you, then maybe you ought to wait until spring. It's like packing a portable air conditioner in the summer. It not only offended my personal sensibilities but also seemed to conflict directly and almost comically with Backcountry Camping's own purported "minimalist" camping philosophy.

But having seen the Promethean furnace in action, I have to admit, I now think it's not so ridiculous, perhaps even kinda cool. First of all, the main body (30 cm (l) x 20 cm (w) x 29 cm (h)) folds neatly into itself like a flattened shoebox, while the four-piece chimney (204 cm (h)) retracts like a telescope (55 cm), all of which can be stowed in a backpack with a capacity as small as maybe 60 liters. In total, the
furnace weighs about 2.7 kg, which isn't exactly featherweight but not bad all things considered. The top surface can be used for cooking or boiling water, which eliminates the need to pack a separate gas burner/stove and fuel; of course, you still need to either pack burning materials, such as wood pellets, or scrounge for firewood. Most important, the precision construction, hand-made in Korea, prevents seepage of smoke and fumes and thus allows for use inside a tent that features a chimney port (tents, particularly teepee-style, can be retrofitted for this purpose). And finally, an incidental benefit (unsanctioned by this blog) of the enclosed structure is that the furnace may be lit (or go undetected) in places where open fires are otherwise restricted.

I haven't purchased one of these gizmos myself, and I'm not sure if I ever will, but I support those that do--especially when I can share in the warmth.

As punishment, Zeus bound Prometheus to a rock, where a giant eagle would come to eat his liver every day (the liver grew back daily). I wish Mr. An all the best in his endeavors.