Svante Fredén Reflector Oven
Pear Crumble in the backcountry, what could be better?
If dehydrated food in a vacuum-sealed foil bag is your thing, you should stop reading right here. But if you love sharing delicious meals and desserts around a crackling campfire with good friends, this review is for you!
I love good food and cooking, especially over an open fire! As a wilderness guide and avid backcountry traveller, I have always enjoyed experimenting with fresh ingredients and trying new recipes to cook and bake from scratch. Until about three years ago, many of those endeavours involved the use of rather heavy Dutch ovens. Not only was the weight a big disadvantage, but also the fact that you can’t see what is happening inside your cast-iron pot. More than once, I misjudged the heat in my Dutch oven and either produced under-cooked or badly burned food.
A friend introduced me to Svante Freden’s reflector oven and The Canadian Outdoor Equipment Company hooked me up with a specimen of his fine product. It changed my way of campfire baking entirely!
Everything is more delicious after a day of paddling
The reflector oven is made from thin aluminum sheet metal. It folds into a nice handy package for storage and transport. With a weight of roughly 800 grams, it is light enough to take on a backpacking trip with a larger group, distributing the weight among multiple people. But it is definitely the perfect addition for the kitchen of established camps or on canoe trips, when the extra weight matters little.
What I like about it the most is the very even heat distribution around my food. From the front, the heat from the fire cooks the food, while the angled reflector walls direct heat back from the sides and rear, creating an even baking temperature. I also love that I am able to watch my food cook. No more burned cobblers, crumbles, or breads! I can turn the food or adjust the heat by simply building up the fire next to it, or move the oven a little further away from the heat source if I need lower temperatures. Simple, but genius!
My favourite dishes from the reflector oven? Fresh pizza is always a top contender, with pear crumble for dessert a close second!
Svante Freden has been making and perfecting these reflector ovens since the 1990s. And he is still making every single oven personally in his metal shop in Sweden. Thanks to COEC, you can enjoy his reflector oven on your next canoe adventure or camping trip!
After a week in the woods nothing satisfies like a freshly baked cake!
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Fabian Schmitz
Fabian Schmitz moved to the Yukon in 2008 and earns his living as a wilderness guide and survival instructor with Bushcraft Yukon. Wilderness river trips by canoe or exploring the endless forest and mountains of Canada’s Northwest with hiking boots or on his skis: That is where he feels right at home!
