Gear review: Wildtrak Frontier 360 Folding BBQ Firepit
Outdoor cooking is a favourite part of the caravan lifestyle, and we have been exploring different options with charcoal fires over the past few months.
Our search for a suitable firepit recently took me to the Wildtrak Frontier 360 stainless steel folding BBQ firepit, which we bought through a camping store in Byron Bay. We have seen a variety of this style of cooker, and they vary widely in price and size.
What attracted me to Wildtrak was its small size and easy set up and that the cost was reasonable. The Wildtrak website suggests a recommended retail of $199, which is about what competitors quote for their similar products. However, they were on sale at $99, which seemed pretty good value.
The firepit is made of stainless steel, which is a good start in the quest for longevity. It weighs only 3kg, which is a plus for caravanners like us who worry about the van’s payload.
The folding barbecue's compact stainless-steel metal case
The Wildtrak comes in a black vinyl zippered cover that doesn’t look particularly robust, but it should protect the barbecue as long as we pack it sensibly. The firepit is well-designed so the components can be loaded to sit inside a folded base, which looks clever and saves space.
Our first use of the cooker involved heating some charcoal beads in my homemade charcoal furnace for about 15 minutes to get them burning well. I then transferred the coals to the stable base of the Wildtrak and located the stainless-steel grill on top. At 300mm x 300mm, the grill is big enough for two meals, and we soon had some marinated pork ribs sizzling over the coals. The high heat cooked the ribs quickly, and I was pleased with the result. It promises many a great backyard barbecue as well as meals on the road.
Once the coals burned down, it was easy to clean the different components of the firepit. I wiped each component with a light application of cooking oil because I suspected the cooking heat might introduce rust.
A great cooking setup for all kinds of outdoor settings
I like the little cooker and was pleased with our first barbecue. However, it’s pretty lightweight, so we will report back in a few months to see how the firepit stands up to wear and tear.
The Frontier 360 is available at most camping stores or on the Wildtrak website.
Soft vinyl carry bag for convenient storage
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