Camp Living

What Stands Out

• **58,000 BTU in a 19-inch bowl:** The maximum rated output is substantial for a compact propane fire pit. It creates the kind of visible central flame that makes sense for a small group of campers sitting together, rather than trying to imitate a sprawling wood campfire.
• **304 stainless steel burner and fasteners:** The burner ring and hardware use stainless steel, while the body is powder-coated, enamel-finished steel. This combination is reassuring for equipment that spends evenings outdoors around damp campsites and occasional coastal moisture.
• **The Deluxe cover and carry kit:** This is the practical difference between the Deluxe and Standard configurations. The fitted black cover and crossing carry straps make the bowl more manageable to move, store, and pack without leaving its interior exposed in the vehicle.
• **Pre-attached 10 ft propane hose and regulator:** The longer hose lets the 20 lb propane tank sit away from the fire bowl instead of crowding the seating area. That flexibility matters on gravel pads, uneven campsites, and RV sites with limited usable space.
• **Included propane tank stabilizer ring:** A useful detail for campsites where the ground is imperfect. It provides a dedicated support accessory for the tank rather than leaving you to improvise around a loose cylinder.
• **No assembly required:** The Firebowl arrives as a complete fire pit with its burner and gas supply hardware already fitted. The included 4.4 lb natural lava rock set provides the finished fire-bed appearance.
• **Natural gas conversion option:** Outland offers a separate Model 780 conversion kit for owners who eventually want to use the same fire pit at home with an appropriate natural gas supply.

In The Field

Every summer in the Pacific Northwest, I seem to reach the same point in the camping season. The weather finally gets good, the evenings are warm enough to sit outside for hours, and the campground announces that wood fires aren’t allowed. That’s understandable when everything east of the Cascades is tinder-dry, but it changes the evening considerably.

An August weekend at Lake Chelan is exactly where I see the Firebowl 893 Deluxe fitting into my routine. After swimming, hiking, or spending the afternoon around camp, I want somewhere to settle down with a chair and a cold drink. Without a fire, everyone tends to retreat toward the tent or RV once the sun disappears behind the hills. A propane fire pit doesn’t reproduce collecting wood and building a campfire, but it gives the group a visible flame to gather around—usually the part I’m missing most.

The important distinction is that a propane fire pit is not automatically permitted simply because wood fires are restricted. Outland describes the Firebowl 893 as CSA approved and safe to use during most fire bans. In practice, that means the product has an applicable gas-appliance certification; it is not blanket permission to operate it anywhere. A local restriction that prohibits all open flames still takes precedence. I check the current wording for the campground, county, or forest before bringing out the fire pit, especially during the late-summer fire season.

At 19 x 19 x 11 inches, the bowl isn’t something that dominates a campsite. I can picture it in the middle of a few low camp chairs at a Central Oregon state park or beside an RV at a lakeside campground. The maximum rated output is 58,000 BTU/hr. That sounds impressive, but BTU measures heat output, not a promise that everyone a particular distance away will feel warm—wind, air temperature, seating position, and the flame setting all change the experience. What matters to me is a substantial gas flame from a compact circular burner. Sitting near a wood fire, you feel radiant heat from logs and coals. The Firebowl is different: a visible propane flame rising through lava rocks, without a pile of wood building up beneath it. For a small evening circle, that difference is acceptable. I’m not expecting it to replace a large wood fire on a freezing night—I want enough flame to make sitting outside feel worthwhile on a cool September evening.

The propane arrangement is worth understanding before buying. The Firebowl uses a conventional 20 lb propane tank, and that tank isn’t included in the $159.99 price. If you already travel with one for an RV or other propane equipment, the purchase makes more sense. Otherwise, the complete setup costs more than the fire pit alone.

The pre-attached 10 ft hose is a feature I appreciate more than another decorative detail. On a gravel pad, the best place for the bowl isn’t always the best place for a propane tank. The hose length allows a more sensible arrangement while following the owner’s manual for tank location, clearance, and gas connections. The included tank stabilizer ring helps on Okanogan dispersed sites where gravel and compacted dirt rarely resemble a level patio, although it doesn’t eliminate the need to find a stable spot for the cylinder and fire pit.

Manual ignition is another detail worth knowing. There’s no built-in igniter button to press and forget about. For the first light of the evening, I would follow Outland’s owner’s manual rather than assume the lighting procedure matches another propane appliance. Once I understand that, it isn’t a dealbreaker, but it is less convenient than integrated ignition.

The included lava rocks create the rocky fire-bed presentation that makes this look like a portable campfire rather than an exposed circular gas burner. Outland specifies using the included lava rocks rather than substituting glass rocks. For me, the tradeoff against wood is straightforward. Propane doesn’t produce woodsmoke, so there isn’t a cloud following someone around the chairs or soaking into jackets and sleeping bags, and there’s no woodpile or wood ash to manage. On a smoky September weekend in Central Oregon, those are welcome differences. You also lose some character—no crackling cedar, no shifting coals, and none of the slow ritual of tending a real fire. I would rather have a simpler propane flame than spend another dry-season evening staring at an empty fire ring.

Packing is where the Deluxe package starts to justify itself. The fire pit weighs 23 lb (with rocks)—reasonable for a short carry from a hatchback to a picnic area, but not for a long walk. Then there’s the 20 lb propane tank. That designation refers to propane capacity, not the total weight of a filled cylinder. In practical terms, I’m planning room for two pieces of equipment: the steel fire bowl and its fuel cylinder.

For a hatchback loaded with chairs, a cooler, shelter, and sleeping gear, I’d rather place a covered bowl among the camp equipment than have exposed lava rocks and steel edges sharing space with soft bags. The Deluxe carry straps also make moving it between the vehicle and campsite easier. That’s why I would buy the Deluxe instead of the Standard: both share the same compact fire pit, but the cover and carry kit are useful every time the bowl gets packed away. The benefit isn’t more heat; it’s fewer awkward moments loading and unloading the car. The same portable format suits RV travel—if the campground permits propane fires, a compact bowl can make an evening outside the trailer feel more like camping, with no assembly to deal with.

Outland also offers the Model 780 Natural Gas Conversion Kit separately for a suitable home patio with an appropriate gas supply and professional installation where required. For occasional camping trips, I’d keep the standard propane configuration. October brings another reason to appreciate it: on the Kitsap Peninsula, I’ve arrived at campsites where everything is damp and the wood around camp is thoroughly wet. A propane fire avoids relying on dry firewood, although rain and wind still affect how pleasant it is to sit outside.

Care is straightforward. Outland recommends storing it indoors or out of harsh weather, clearing debris from the burner area before each use, and cleaning with warm soapy water before drying it thoroughly. The one-year manufacturer’s warranty is worth having, but treat the powder-coated and enamel-finished steel bowl as camp equipment that deserves reasonable protection, not something to abandon outdoors year-round.

At $159.99, the buying decision comes down to how often you lose your campfire. If I camp only once or twice a year and already have a crowded vehicle, going without is cheaper. But for repeated August and September trips to Lake Chelan, the Okanogan, or Central Oregon, I can see the Firebowl earning its space. It won’t make every restricted campsite usable, and it doesn’t replace everything I like about burning wood. It simply gives me another way to spend the evening outside when conditions and local rules allow.

Technical Specifications

Final Thoughts

The Outland Living Firebowl 893 Deluxe solves a familiar Pacific Northwest camping problem: wanting the atmosphere of a campfire during the dry months when building a traditional wood fire isn’t an option.

I like the straightforward design. There’s a black steel bowl, a stainless steel burner, a useful amount of propane hose, and a lava rock bed that gives the flame a more natural appearance. Nothing about it needs to be complicated.

The Deluxe version is the one I’d choose because the cover and carry kit address the less glamorous part of ownership. A portable fire pit has to travel well, not just look good when it’s lit. Protecting the bowl and making it easier to move are worthwhile improvements over the basic package.

There are tradeoffs. 23 lb (with rocks) isn’t light, the propane tank takes up additional space, and manual ignition isn’t as convenient as a built-in starter. And while propane offers a practical alternative to wood, it doesn’t recreate the smell, sound, or character of a traditional campfire.

For me, the strongest case is a week of car camping east of the Cascades in August. If I have the vehicle space, an appropriate fuel supply, and a campground that allows propane fire pits, I’d rather bring the Firebowl than spend every evening without a fire.

It’s a specialized piece of camp-living equipment, but one that makes considerable sense for people who repeatedly camp through the Pacific Northwest’s late-summer fire restrictions.