Solo Stove Basecamp vs Outland Living vs Waaliji: Best Fire Pits (2026)

Published September 9, 2026

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Photo: Charlotte Shaw

More campgrounds are restricting or banning ground fires every year, and a portable fire pit solves that directly — a real fire, without needing a fire ring the site may not even allow.

1. Solo Stove Basecamp 24″

See the Solo Stove Basecamp 24″ on Amazon →

The most well-known name in this space, and for good reason. A dual-burn airflow design pulls air in from the bottom and the sides, creating a secondary combustion that burns off most of the smoke a traditional fire ring would produce. It’s still a genuine wood fire — just a dramatically cleaner one. At 24 inches with an included stand, this is the larger backyard-style option, sized for 5–7 people rather than something you’d pack in and out of a campsite.

Best for: Backyard gatherings and larger groups who want the real wood-fire experience without sitting in a cloud of smoke all night.

2. Outland Living Firebowl Mega

See the Outland Living Firebowl Mega on Amazon →

Propane-powered, which sounds like a compromise until you’re at a site under an active wood-fire ban and it’s the only option that still gets you a fire at all. Zero ash, zero smoke, and an adjustable flame dial for instant control — turn it up, turn it down, or shut it off in seconds, none of which a wood fire can do. At 58,000 BTU and 24 inches across, it puts out real heat for a group, and the included weather-resistant cover protects it between trips.

Best for: Campsites with fire restrictions, or anyone who wants a fire without dealing with wood, ash, or cooldown time.

3. Waaliji 22.5″ Hexagon Fire Pit

See the Waaliji Hexagon Fire Pit on Amazon →

A lighter, more packable option for trips where cargo space matters more than raw heat output. The hexagon design uses a patented smokeless approach in a lighter build than the steel options above, and it comes with its own carry bag — genuinely easy to fit alongside the rest of your gear instead of competing for trunk space.

Best for: Car camping trips where packing light matters as much as having a fire at all.

The Bottom Line

Three different approaches to the same problem: a real wood fire with less smoke, a propane fire that works anywhere including under a fire ban, or a lighter option built around packing space. Which one makes sense comes down to whether your destination allows wood fires at all, and how much room you actually have to bring one.