Gear Recommendations + Recipes to Complete Your Pre-Game Cookout
Fall is here and for football fans that means one great thing - it’s time to tailgate.
At BioLite, we are always looking for ways to elevate our next tailgate - securing a louder speaker for pre-game hangouts, building a custom corn hole set to stir up some friendly competition, and most importantly locking down the perfect food menu.
When it comes to tailgating grub, we’ve all got our own priorities. Fortunately, we’ve got grills to cover all of them. Read on to determine which of these grills will be joining your team.
The FirePit
The FirePit is ready for tailgating overtime. If your pre-game ritual extends for many hours before kickoff, this is your grill. The FirePit is a smokeless wood and charcoal burning grill that can be placed centrally in any tailgate and cooked over from the comfort of a folding chair. Perfect for group grilling, FirePit fits up to 8 burgers or 20 brats at a time. Once the grilling is over, toss some firewood into the FirePit and just like that you’ll have a smokeless bonfire that everyone can warm up around.
This grill is ideal for the fan looking for more than a quick meal out of their tailgate. Once you’re done with the fire, you can detach the power pack and use it to charge up cell phones ahead of kickoff.
- BioLite Gear Pairing: FirePit + Solar Carry Cover. (Pro tip: buy together and save $10 on the bundle).
- Recommended Recipes: Here are three creatively crafted burgers sure to satisfy everyone at your tailgate.
The BaseCamp
The BaseCamp is all about variety. This is for the griller who wants to challenge the idea of what game day grub looks like. With the BaseCamp, you can grill some delicious wood-fired burgers, then throw on the PizzaDome and turn the grill into a pizza oven. Make cooking at the tailgate a fun, interactive time where everyone can build and cook their own personal pie. But, the PizzaDome isn’t just reserved for pizzas - tailgaters can use it as a lid to cook up wood-fired nachos, fresh baked cookies, or trap heat to keep meals warm for those looking to get in on seconds.
An added bonus? The BaseCamp generates up to 5W of electricity that can be used to charge up phones, speakers, iPads, and more.
- BioLite Gear Pairing: BaseCamp, PizzaDome, CarryPack.
- Recommended Recipe: Tired of grilling the classics? Surprise your crew with a pizza party, we'd suggest wood-fire BBQ chicken pizza or calzones.
The CampStove 2 + Portable Grill
The CampStove 2 with the Portable Grill attachment is our smallest grill option and powers any type of tailgate. Live in a dorm or have limited storage space? The CampStove 2 packs up to be just around the size of a Nalgene bottle and can fit under a bed or easily in the corner of your closet. Its size gives also you flexibility when choosing a location to set it up - this grill can be set up on a table, the bed of a truck, or on the ground. Getting the grill ready for food is as easy as filling it with wood-fuel pellets and lighting some fire starter (when filled with pellets, this grill can run without refueling for about 30-45 minutes which is plenty of time to grill for a big group). After grilling, the CampStove cools down quickly and can be packed into the car with plenty of time for pre-game hangouts.
This option is ideal for tailgates with space constraints or a griller looking for to get cooking in the least amount of time.
- BioLite Gear Pairing: CampStove 2, Portable Grill, Fuel Pellets.
- Recommended Recipe: Kebabs are quick to prep and involve little to no cleanup (and if you use wooden skewers, you can burn them inside your fire once you’ve finished eating). Here are three skewer recipes for your next tailgate.
Stay Lit
No matter what type of grill you go for, make sure your station is well lit. Set the BaseLantern XL up on your table to be ready for the shorter days ahead. You’ll not only light up the whole tailgate, but you can use the color controls to make sure you’re repping your team at the same time.
- BioLite Gear Pairing: BaseLantern XL, SiteLight Variety Pack.
- Recommended Usage: Turn on some tunes and throw the BaseLantern XL in Party Mode to bring the tailgate to the next level.
With these gear recommendations and recipes in mind, gather your friends, secure a location, and fire up the grills for one epic tailgate. Bringing along one of our smokeless grills that doubles as a charging station is a surefire way to become the MVP at your next tailgate.
Which Grill is Right for You? Compare Them All Right Here.
 CampStove 2 Watch Video
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 BaseCamp Watch Video
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 FirePitWatch Video |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 5.0 x 7.91 in (127 x 201 mm) |
23 x 21 in (584 x 533 mm) |
27 x 13 15.8 in (69 x 33 x 40 cm) |
| Weight | 2.06 lbs (935 g) |
17.92 lbs (8.16 kg) |
19.8 lbs (8.98 kg) |
| Portability | Stove packs down to size of a nalgene. Stove can nest inside KettlePot (sold separately) for extra protection as a hard carry case. | Bucket handle and folding legs makes it easy to carry from car to site. Carry Pack (sold separately) distributes weight across shoulder for longer distances. | Side handles and folding legs make it easy to carry to the right spot. Solar Carry Cover (sold separately) distributes weight across shoulder for longer distances. |
| Cooking | Grill 4 burgers with Portable Grill Attachment. Accommodates pots and pans. | Lever transforms fire from boil-to-grill status and cooktop can grill up to 8 burgers at a time | Attach grill-grate for hibachi cooktop for direct food grilling. Pots and pans not recommended. |
| Group Size | 4-6 people | 8-10 people | 8-10 people |
| Fuel | Sticks, pinecones, twigs, BioLite foodsafe pellets. Top-loading entry. |
Dry branches or split firewood. Side entry. |
16” firewood, charcoal. Top-loading entry. |
| Add Ons | Boil, brew, and pour with KettlePot and CoffeePress for morning games. | Transform into Pizza Oven with PizzaDome System. Cook pizzas, calzones, and more | Standalone flames make for great s’mores. |
| Power Source | Thermoelectrics (self-powered) | Thermoelectrics (self-powered) | USB-Rechargable Airflow Pack |
| Special Features | Offers charge-out to other devices | Offers charge-out to other devices | Bluetooth enable for remote airflow control |
|
CampStove 2 Shop Watch Video |
|
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 5.0 x 7.91 in (127 x 201 mm) |
| Weight | 2.06 lbs (935 g) |
| Portability | Stove packs down to size of a nalgene. Stove can nest inside KettlePot (sold separately) for extra protection as a hard carry case. |
| Cooking | Grill 4 burgers with Portable Grill Attachment. Accommodates pots and pans. |
| Group Size | 4-6 people |
| Fuel | Sticks, pinecones, twigs, BioLite foodsafe pellets. Top-loading entry. |
| Power Source | Thermoelectrics (self-powered) |
| Special Features | Offers charge-out to other devices |
|
BaseCamp Shop Watch Video |
|
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 23 x 21 in (584 x 533 mm) |
| Weight | 17.92 lbs (8.16 kg) |
| Portability | Bucket handle and folding legs makes it easy to carry from car to site. Carry Pack (sold separately) distributes weight across shoulder for longer distances. |
| Cooking | Lever transforms fire from boil-to-grill status and cooktop can grill up to 8 burgers at a time. |
| Group Size | 8-10 people |
| Fuel | Dry branches or split firewood. Side entry. |
| Power Source | Thermoelectrics (self-powered) |
| Special Features | Offers charge-out to other devices |
|
FirePit Shop Watch Video |
|
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 27 x 13 15.8 in (69 x 33 x 40 cm) |
| Weight | 19.8 lbs (8.98 kg) |
| Portability | Side handles and folding legs make it easy to carry to the right spot. Solar Carry Cover (sold separately) distributes weight across shoulder for longer distances. |
| Cooking | Attach grill-grate for hibachi cooktop for direct food grilling. Pots and pans not recommended. |
| Group Size | 8-10 people |
| Fuel | 16” firewood, charcoal. Top-loading entry. |
| Power Source | USB-Rechargable Airflow Pack |
| Special Features | Bluetooth enable for remote airflow control |
Looking to upgrade your next tailgate?
Shop our Tailgating picks here.
