Carry This Fire Pit on Your Back: PACKFIRE Review

I stared into the bed of my pickup — loaded with two suitcases of clothes, essential outdoor gear, pet supplies, kitchen necessities, and a mountain bike — and saw a small open plot of real estate. I’d loaded up with everything I absolutely needed for a cross-country move and had room for one small luxury.

Ordinarily, a background yard fire pit would be out of the question. In fact, it would be the first thing on the gear chopping block. But I sized up the PACKFIRE carrying case — a hard-sided backpack the size of a standard carry-on — and dropped it squarely into the last open slot in my truck.

On a chilly February evening, a couple of months later, I retrieved the case from its hiding spot under the deck, opened the backpack, popped the foldable fire pit into shape, and presto! I had the easiest fire pit setup in all of North Carolina. It’s nifty, if somewhat niche innovation, but if you’re on the move and want a plug-and-play campfire system, the PACKFIRE proves shockingly simple.

In short: It’s not the biggest or most smoke-free fire pit option, but the PACKFIRE ($399) is easily the most portable. Its ingenious design is universally easy to set up and pack away. Great for bringing to the beach, tailgating, ice fishing, or home use. It’s competitively priced, without the commitment of a permanent backyard fixture.

Need more ideas? Check out GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Fire Pits.

PACKFIRE Fire Pit Review

I have used both Solo Stove and Breeo fire pits in the past and am generally a fan. But the common issue between both is portability — or the lack thereof. And this directly impacts storage.

Overall, I’m not terribly concerned with portability when it comes to a fire pit. After all, most campsites have fire rings. And if you’re going further off-grid, you’re not going to haul a 35-pound fire pit. But there is upside when it comes to vehicle-based excursions: tailgating, heading to a friend’s party, or ice fishing.

What’s more, even if you’re not on the move, being able to pack down a fire pit so it’s not a permanent fixture of the yard has a major upside.

PACKFIRE Design

The magic of PACKFIRE’s design literally hinges on its stainless steel and aluminum slat construction. The vertical panels connect like almost like vertebrae, with the ability to flex slightly. This allows the fire pit to lock into a circular shape. Then, when the lock is released, the slats can pivot and flatten into a two-layer sandwich.

The slats also have channel openings at the top and bottom to promote secondary combustion. That helps reduce smoke (but doesn’t eliminate it). The PACKFIRE pit also comes with an ash dump tray and a foldable tripod stand, both of which fit inside a dual-chamber hard-case backpack. When fully packed, the entire system weighs about 35 pounds.

As Easy as Advertised

Admittedly, it took me a bit to take the PACKFIRE for its first test burn. Where a Solo Stove or Breeo offers a straightforward, set-it-and-forget-it option, I assumed the PACKFIRE might add a layer of complexity to the backyard burn.

When I flipped open the case, I pulled out three pieces: the main body “burn chamber,” the tripod stand and dump tray assembly, and the top ring. Without reading any instructions (all of which are included), I had the whole thing assembled in about 15 seconds — half the advertised 30 seconds.

The only aspect that took a little consideration was ensuring the burn chamber had locked into the base. This is intuitive and virtually automatic; just ensure everything is snapped in tight before using. Two retractable tabs at the base of the foldable chamber hold it onto the base in its circular configuration.

When you take the fire pit apart, a button near the handle actuates the tabs so you can remove it from the base and fold it into the pack. This is incredibly simple and worked perfectly.

The Fire: What to Expect

With a little tinder, kindling, and a few logs, I had my debut PACKFIRE blaze going in no time. The burn chamber is about 2 feet high and a foot-and-a-half wide, so it fits two standard logs comfortably (and I could have squeezed a third in there). Of course, if you cut your own wood, your mileage may vary.

I had the fire burning on a bed of gravel, but the tripod stands kept it off the ground, so I could conceivably use it over dirt or grass without scorching the ground.

If there is one small drawback to the PACKFIRE, it’s that my fire was not as smoke-free as advertised. I’m not saying it turns into a signal fire, but I found it a bit smokier than a Solo Stove. Still, the secondary combustion chambers did seem to mitigate some smoke.

It’s worth noting that PACKFIRE advertises that it has greater heat output than competing fire pits, but I didn’t measure it. And honestly, I don’t care which is hotter — it’s a fire. To me, it looked, sounded, and felt like a campfire. I was happy with it.

Backpack Portability

If you’re shopping for the PACKFIRE, then your number one priority should be portability. I find the design ingenious. It makes the PACKFIRE a lot more convenient than other fire pits I’ve used. As noted, all the parts fold, collapse, and slide into a dual-chamber backpack.

This pack is every bit as thoughtfully designed as the fire pit itself. It’s mostly a weatherproof hard shell, except for a padded back panel and a rugged ripstop foldover lid. I’ve left the fire pit in the pack outside through the entire winter without any issue — no moisture intruded inside.

Not only did the brand consider how to carry a fire pit, but it also paid extra attention to how this system works at rest. The case has a simple, mechanical kickstand that automatically deploys when the pack is set down upright. This keeps the back pad off the ground, making it much easier to remove the fire pit. Very clever.

PACKFIRE Portable Fire Pit: Who It Is For

If you’re lucky enough to have the space and budget for a large backyard fire pit, whether it’s a Solo Stove or Breeo, I think those are outstanding products (especially if you also want a pizza oven).

But if you’re looking for something beyond a set-it-forget-it backyard fixture — something you can bring car camping or tailgating — the PACKFIRE is your best bet. It is the most portable option out there that also provides a decently large, robust fire.

At $399, it’s competitively priced and easily wins on convenience.