Smokeless fire pits have taken over American backyards, but the same can’t be said for its campgrounds. While a smokeless fire pit makes for an undeniably better experience compared to a classic campfire ring, there is only so much gear you can fit in your SUV. Vargo, well-known in the ultralight backpacking world for their lightweight titanium products, solved this problem neatly with the Vargo MegaHex. Whereas other smokeless fire pits are made out of large panels of welded stainless steel, the MegaHex is made up of five separate components which fold up, origami-style, into a slim package that can easily fit in-between the rest of the gear packed up in your vehicle.
- Weight: 25 pounds (measured at 24.9 pounds)
- Measured Folded Dimensions: 25.5 inches corner to corner x 2 inches thick
- Assembled Dimensions: 13.25 inches high x 24 inches (15.75 inches)
- Measured Assembled Dimensions: 13.5 inches high x 24.25 inches (18.25 inches)
- Material: 201 Stainless Steel
- 5 separate pieces
- Limited lifetime warranty
The MegaHex is based on the design of Vargo’s backpacking wood stove, the Hexagon. Unlike its smaller counterpart, and the rest of Vargo’s offering, the MegaHex breaks from tradition and only comes in stainless steel — just as well given the higher cost of products made from titanium. It packs into a handy carrying case that closes with velcro and has a handle on the top.
Like other smokeless fire pits, it’s designed to maximize the heat of the fire, which helps to minimize both smoke and ash. Unlike other fire pits, the collapsible design makes it a lot easier to see how this one works. Air is pulled through the openings at the base of the MegaHex, entering the hollow space between the exterior of the fire pit and the fire itself. Some of the air is pulled down underneath the panel stand, to feed the fire at the base. The rest of the air is pulled in through the air holes at the top of the inner panel, helping to wrap up the combustion of any remaining fuel as it exits the MegaHex at the top.
Testing the Vargo MegaHex in the Field
I tested the Vargo MegaHex on a long weekend with friends out on the Kitsap Peninsula of Washington State. It was mid-August, so it should have been warm and sunny, but in true PNW style it was cold, wet, and dark enough to be mistaken for fall. In the evening, our crew was ready for hot drinks and a roaring campfire.
Assembly
Despite having never set up the MegaHex, it was surprisingly intuitive. Once you unzip the case, there are five pieces to assemble. It starts with the base.
This is where any remaining ash or unburned wood will land at the end of using the fire pit. Because it’s made of such a thin piece of stainless steel (only 7.3 lbs), it will conduct a lot of heat very quickly. If you’re using this on your patio or deck, and don’t want to mark it up, then you’ll want to lift it off the ground. (We used some bricks while testing that worked just fine.)
Next up is the panel stand, placed on top of the base. This supports the two panels and improves airflow.
The inner panel is slotted into the panel stand, using a series of tabs.
The outer panel, which is self-supporting, wraps around the inner panel with the bottom slanted against the edge of the base.
Last up is the cap that goes on top of the inner and outer panels. All in all the Vargo MegaHex Smokeless Fire Pit takes only a minute or two to assemble.
Building a Fire
Laura Lancaster
Like with all smokeless fire pits, the MegaHex was easy and straightforward to take from lit match to roaring fire. We used a firestarter coupled with some paper grocery bags that were lying around, and had a raging fire going in no time. Despite overloading the fire pit to start, it burned down quickly and there was no smoke bothering us for the rest of the evening.
What the Vargo MegaHex Does Best
The Vargo MegaHex packs flat, which means it takes up a fraction of the space of other smokeless fire pits. When packing up my Toyota 4runner for two weeks of camping and backpacking, I shoved it into a narrow slot between my camping water container and power station. Rather than packing around this smokeless fire pit, you can use it to fill in the gaps. Imagine doing that with even the smallest of the Solo Stoves.
Laura Lancaster
Like other smokeless fire pits, this one also does a great job of burning hot, maximizing air flow and minimizing the smoke. The long weekend where I tested this unit was cold and damp, and we really appreciated the warmth and ambiance it provided.
When I was packing up the stove at the end of the long weekend, I appreciated how simple it was to dispose of the ashes. With just the base section to carry, it was lightweight and easy to dump out.
Where the Vargo MegaHex Can Improve
Despite being so compact, the MegaHex is not especially lightweight. It’s both slightly smaller and slightly heavier than the comparably sized Solo Stove Bonfire.
Read Next: The Best Smokeless Fire Pits
Because the MegaHex is so thin, expect some warping to occur from the heat of the unit. After a couple of uses, the base on the one I tested would no longer lay flat.
Finally, compared to the soft curves and pleasing aesthetic of a Solo Stove or Breeo smokeless fire pit, the Vargo MegaHex has a bit of an industrial look to it. Architecturally, this is more brutalist than mid-century modern. Personally, I kind of liked the look of it, but most people I showed it to had a negative reaction to its appearance.
This aesthetic was heightened by the discoloration that occurred to the unit after its initial use. Compared to the exterior of other smokeless fire pits, expect this one will get that broken-in look a bit faster on average. Especially if you shake out the ashes and pack up the unit without thoroughly cleaning it off (as I did). One addition I would make for the next time I used the Vargo Mega Hex is to carry a small whisk broom.
Final Thoughts
Smokeless fire pits have become a popular part of backyard get-togethers, but their size and bulk has limited their utility elsewhere. The slim packed profile of the Vargo MegaHex not only makes it a viable option for car campers and overlanders, but even for white-water rafters and canoe campers. Given the increasingly strict requirements for having a campfire in various outdoor settings, there is sure to be an increasing need for a packable fire pit option like this.
