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There’s nothing like a fire at camp — but in a lot of places these days a contained fire pit is the only way to have one. It keeps embers off the ground, leaves no scar to clean up, and on the “smokeless” designs it burns hot and clean so you’re not chasing the smoke around the circle all night. Some pack flat for the boot, some double as a grill, and the best run almost smoke-free. Here’s how to choose, and the pits worth packing.
Before you light up:always check for atotal fire banin your area and follow local restrictions and national-park rules — many fire pits arenotexempt during a ban. Never leave a fire unattended, and drown it cold before you leave.
Quick Picks
- Best overall (smokeless):Solo Stove Ranger 2.0
- Best for cooking:BioLite FirePit+
- Best ultralight/packable:Fireside Outdoor Pop-Up Pit
- Best collapsible stainless:Snow Peak Pack & Carry Firepit
- Best value:Charmate Collapsible Fire Pit
How to Choose a Fire Pit
First, decide betweensmokeless and traditional. Smokeless pits use clever airflow — a double-wall with vents, or a battery fan — to feed the fire enough oxygen to burn its fuel completely, which dramatically reduces smoke (no fire pit is trulysmoke-free, but the good ones come close). Traditional collapsible pits are simpler, lighter and cheaper, but you’ll get more smoke.
Then weighportability against size. A rigid stainless pit like a Solo Stove is durable and burns beautifully but takes real boot space; a collapsible or pop-up pit folds flat and packs into a carry bag, which is the better call if space is tight or you hike in. Check theburn area— bigger pits throw more heat and fit standard logs, while compact pits may need you to cut wood down.
Considercooking. Many pits take a grill grate so you can cook over the coals, and some run oncharcoal as well as woodfor a more grill-like experience. Finally, think aboutclean-up(an ash pan or drop-out tray makes life easier) andmaterials— quality stainless steel resists warping and rust far better than thin painted steel. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the portable camping fire pits.
The Fire Pits
Solo Stove Ranger 2.0
The smokeless benchmark. Its 360-degree airflow design pulls air through vents at the base and reinjects preheated air higher up, so it burns hot, fast and remarkably clean with minimal smoke. Premium stainless build, an easy-empty ash pan, and a slick look. Best for campers and backyards who want the cleanest, most reliable fire with little fuss.Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Solo Stove Ranger 2.0.
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BioLite FirePit+
The cook’s pit. Instead of passive airflow it uses a rechargeable battery fan with 51 air jets (controllable by app or button) to force a near-smokeless burn, and its X-ray mesh body lets everyone see the flames from all sides. It comes with a grill grate, burns wood or charcoal, and the battery doubles as a USB charger. Best for campers who want to cook over the fire and like a bit of tech.Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the BioLite FirePit+.
Fireside Outdoor Pop-Up Pit
The packable choice. A collapsible aluminium-and-stainless frame with a fire mesh sets up in about a minute, gives a generous 24-inch burn area, and folds into a nylon carry bag — keeping the fire off the ground with a heat shield. Best for tight-on-space campers and anyone who wants a big fire that packs small.Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Fireside Outdoor Pop-Up Pit.
Snow Peak Pack & Carry Firepit
The fold-flat workhorse. A beautifully built stainless pit that folds down almost flat into a carry case, with a stable base and optional grill accessories for cooking. Durable enough to last decades. Best for campers who want a quality, compact, fold-flat pit.Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Snow Peak Pack & Carry Firepit.
Charmate Collapsible Fire Pit
The value option. A simple, sturdy collapsible steel pit that folds flat, sets up quickly and costs a fraction of the premium designs — more smoke than a smokeless pit, but plenty for a campsite fire and often grill-grate compatible. Best for buyers who want a capable pit without spending big.Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Charmate Collapsible Fire Pit.
Comparison
| Fire pit | Type | Packs | Cooking | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 | Smokeless (rigid) | No | Add grate | Cleanest fire |
| BioLite FirePit+ | Smokeless (fan) | Folding legs | Yes (incl. grate) | Cooking + tech |
| Fireside Pop-Up Pit | Traditional | Flat, carry bag | Optional | Packable / big fire |
| Snow Peak Pack & Carry | Traditional | Flat | Optional | Fold-flat quality |
| Charmate Collapsible | Traditional | Flat | Often | Value |
The Bottom Line
If a clean, low-smoke fire is the goal, the Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 is the pick; the BioLite FirePit+ is the one to get if you want to cook and don’t mind a fan and battery. For packing space, a collapsible Fireside or Snow Peak folds flat, and the Charmate covers it on a budget. Whatever you choose, check for total fire bans before you light up, keep it off dry grass, and put it out cold before you leave.
Round out camp with our guides to the best camping stoves, the best camping chairs, and the camp kitchen setup guide.
A portable fire pit gives you the evening fire without a scorched ring on the ground, and modern smokeless designs keep most of the smoke out of everyone’s eyes. The choices come down to fuel, material and how easily it packs, along with one thing that overrides all of them: whether fires are even allowed where you are going.
Check the fire rules first
Before any of the gear talk, know the regulations where you camp, because many places ban solid-fuel fires through the dry season and some enforce total fire bans that carry heavy penalties. Gas fire pits are sometimes allowed when wood fires are not, since they produce no embers, so they can be the only legal way to have a fire at certain times. Some sites also require a fire to sit off the ground in a contained pit, which a portable unit handles neatly. Checking the current rules is not optional, and no fire pit changes the fact that an escaped fire is a serious matter.
The main types
Folding steel pits collapse flat, weigh little and travel easily, which suits campers short on space, though the thin metal can warp over time. Solid smokeless pits use a clever double wall that draws air up and burns off much of the smoke, giving a cleaner, hotter fire that keeps the haze off your clothes, at more weight and cost. Gas fire pits run off a bottle, light instantly, adjust like a stove and leave no embers, trading a little atmosphere for convenience and fire-ban flexibility. Simple steel bowls sit in between, cheap and sturdy but smoky and heavy. Match the type to how you travel and how often you expect to actually use it.
How smokeless pits actually work
The smokeless trick is airflow. A double wall pulls air in at the base, heats it as it rises between the layers, and feeds it back in through upper vents, where it burns the smoke that a normal fire would send up. It works best with dry, seasoned wood and a decent bed of coals, so it still smokes a little on startup and smokes plenty if you feed it damp timber. Splitting the wood smaller also helps it catch and burn cleanly from the start. Treat it as much less smoke rather than none, and keep the wood dry.
Material, ground protection and features
Stainless steel resists rust and keeps its looks for years, while cheaper mild steel costs less but rusts and needs covering and drying between trips. Metal thickness matters, since thin steel warps and eventually burns through. Remember the ground beneath, because even a pit raised on legs throws heat down and can kill grass or scorch a timber deck, so a heat shield or stand is worth having and keeps you on the right side of leave-no-trace habits. A spark screen, a cooking grill and a carry bag are useful extras depending on how you camp.
Where to save and where to spend
Save with a folding mild-steel pit if you only light a fire now and then and do not mind a bit of rust and warping. Spend on a thick stainless smokeless pit if you use it often and want less smoke and a pit that lasts, or on a gas pit if convenience and fire-ban flexibility matter more than the crackle of wood. If you camp with others who dislike smoke, the smokeless design is the upgrade they will thank you for. A heat shield is cheap and worth buying whatever pit you choose, since replacing a scorched lawn or deck is not.
Common mistakes
- Lighting a wood fire during a ban, risking fines and, far worse, an escaped fire.
- Setting a pit straight on grass or a deck and leaving a dead, scorched patch behind.
- Feeding a smokeless pit damp wood, then wondering why it smokes as much as any other fire.
- Walking away from a burning pit, or packing up before the ash is cold and dead out.