Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a fire as much as the next person, but at the same time can count on one hand the number of times I've actually made a fire while out camping over the past 15 years or so.

Lots of reasons for this that I will list below

1) I bring a butane or WG stove with me when camping/backpacking so I can cook

2) Temps I camp in generally are such that a fire isn't needed for warmth, and when it is cold, the warmest place is usually in my sleeping bag with the dog.

3) A lot of the places I've been to over the past decade and a half have had restrictions on campfires.

4) Laziness.  After hiking all day the last thing I really want to do is go through the effort of gathering wood and making and maintaining a fire

5) It's a liability.  Yup...Make a campfire and you have a responsibility to stick around and make sure it's out.  Ive found more than one smoldering campfire left by careless folks when I am out in the woods.  

Like I said, I understand why people enjoy them, and I will go out and practice my fire making skills from time to time, but I rarely if ever actually use them when I am out camping or hiking.

I always have one unless there are fire restrictions.

I cook on on a stove, and light with a small, led lamp. So its been a looooooong time since ive had a campfire.

I skip it from June to August. When the weather is cooler though I like a fire.

without a fire it's called hiking

If I can build a fire, I do. Unless its way too hot. If its hot enough out that I dont want a fire, chances are that I'm not gonna be camping and I'll find a hotel with an AC.

Unless restrictions are in place or if its too warm out, I usually have one.

Twice in thirty years when backpacking.

You sure post a fuck - ton of topics dude...

To answer your question YES I start up a campfire every time I camp as long as its legal.
Why? Cause I love  to sit around a camp fire with good friends whenever I can - That's why.
Sounds like you have a lot of reasons why you don't. I don't know that it makes a good topic
for discussion but, like, whatever. Anything to get your post count up it's like, you know, like cool.

For backpacking we rarely make a fire as we really don't need it.  The last time I did was because our clothes were soaked from perspiration and we just needed to dry them out.  With most backpacking equipment and a stove/fuel, there really is no need for a fire outside of extreme emergencies or just enjoying an open flame.  My shelter and insulation provide all I need without a fire for the conditions and contingencies I plan for.  

I will admit that even when distance backpacking, I like to practice making a fire, but that's only ignition and not sustaining it.

Time is another major consideration as it takes a lot of time to prep and feed a fire, even for cooking.  The weight of a proper stove makes cooking faster, more convenient and easier.  When you're humping about 15 miles a day and there is only a couple hours before sundown, all you want to do is clean up, eat and go to sleep...a stove is the better option.  

All that said, having the skill and capability of making a fire for an emergency is prudent planning.

ROCK6

Who does not typically build a fire when outdoors?  

The Marines

Get out of the wrong side of bed or something?

I could care less about post counts...this is a "discussion" forum for fucks sake...it's for discussing things.  Don't like it, don't reply.

I must admit to being on the other side.  I don't HAVE to have a fire, but it adds so much to my enjoyment when kicking back in the evening, that I build one whenever I can.  Maybe call me a closet pyro!!

When car camping I bring the whole iron tripod, camp kettle, spyder akillet and everything.   Really enjoy that.

Doc

I hate fires when hiking.  I have no desire to sit around a smelly fire when out hiking.  I can sit in the dark.  Not only that, but one errant spark will eat my expensive light weight tarp, hammock, sleeping bag or underquilt for lunch.  No thanks.

My hiking buddies?  It's like they are 5 years old and need a nitelight.  They always want a fire.  I just don't get it.

I always have a fire if there isn't a burn ban in effect.

The entire point of going out side is to, somewhere along the line, start a fire.

I always have a campfire.. I like to experiment with different ways to create fire while in the wilds.. Have not used a match or a lighter in years...

Ditto. One of my buddies owns land in upstate PA. We use the fire for cooking, warmth, a little bit of light, and to burn trash. Not to mention it's something to stare into while consuming bourbon.



 

Almost the same.  I would say "often" instead of "always".

I often bring a stove/ heat tabs when hunting.  Always when camping.  Many is the time when a campfire was a comfort.

More for the "feel " of it than the need fir it.
Most fires I make are small ...enough to warm the hands or cook on. I use what wood I can pick up..nothing bigger than thumb thickness. Normally a good piss in the am and a lil unfiltered h2o to make sure its out (after stirring and digging it)  then bury it over (always dig it into the ground..)then I cover ..
Police up where I slept and move on.

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This..

most of my outdoor time is hiking in local forest preserves and state parks. None of them allow open fires or even gathering wood. if I want a hot cup of tea, I use a stove of some sort.

I have been known to have a fire in a metal fire pit on my front deck just for the heck of it though.

when car camping, a fire is a must, although it can be a fair amount of work, and after a few days the novelty wears off.

Except the Air Wingers.  They build fires.  

I never build a fire for asthetics. Only if it's needed for heat or grilling/cooking.

Hunting camp or other social setting, usually yes.  Hiking or backpacking, not too often unless I'm cold, doing it for a demonstration or just doing it for practice.

Camping and a fire just go together like beer and pretzels .

If i'm hiking, i'll cook with my coffee can hobo stove. If i'm camping, i'm cooking on an open flame campfire. Always.

I am pro fire if you're going to run a poll.

Generally won't have one until the evening meal.  The other meals are generally cooked on a coleman.  The evening meal is generally grilled over fire, hell if car camping I'll bring a dutch oven and bake a pineapple upside down cake.  

I live in the wet north east so we don't have too much of a fire problem so having an open fire isn't that big a deal.  We drown the snot out of it before leaving.

A fire at night is a social thing, while cooking and thereafter, having a beer together, helping the kids roast marshmallows.  

If it's hot and car camping I like my kero lanterns for ambiance light instead of the smoke and heat.

Let me guess, she kicked you out again.

Eta, fire when wanted. Simple

I don't always build one. It depends on how I'm feeling or what type of bans are in effect.

Sometimes I pound out a lot of miles and just feel like racking out with a book instead of being up tending a fire, especially on solo trips.

Car camping at a campground or other social setting with a fire ring, sure.  

Actual camping, never.  It's just a pain in the ass.  I have stove for cooking.

Always have one, fell in the river just yesterday and GLAD I had one.

Car camping: Yes.

Backpacking: No.

This!

Sorry OP, but I think you're going to be in the minority on this one.

I do most of my hiking in Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area where fires are banned above 4,000 feet and near many lakes.  As a result, I generally don't make fires when hiking there.  I always make one on our annual beach hike on the Olympic Coast.  (Fires are banned on some parts of the coast in Olympic National Park, but not where we generally go.)

I used to really like building and hanging by the campfire, but have gotten out of the habit of doing it while hiking.  We still car camp a lot, though, and almost always have a fire when we do that.

I partition outdoor activities, like many do....

Camping -  no commitment. Car close by, or even right next to the tent. Probably at a camp ground. Sure... light a fire, sit around it drinking beer and telling stories. I'll be bathing and washing my clothes tomorrow, probably.

Hunting - much like camping, except I expect to be in the field a little longer. Probably better provisioned than when backpacking, but not as well provisioned as when camping... I'll generally only light a fire if I need to dry out or it's very cold.

Backpacking - high commitment. No car, no support... just you and your pack and what's inside it. No fire. What's a fire worth? I guess if it's very cold and my stuff is all wet, I might light one and string up my stuff... but usually when I've been in these situations, it's too wet to dry anything out anyway.

One of my first solo backpacking forays into the wilderness after I got out of the Army, it rained pretty much non-stop. It was summer, so it wasn't hypothermia cold, but it was really unpleasant. I managed to construct a lean-to out of plastic sheeting that I could string my clothes under, facing the fire, and they dried out pretty well.. but it was also extremely difficult to get the fire going and to stay going. I wasn't willing to build up a raging inferno, as I had tree branches hanging over me (trying to hide from the pounding rain), and the fire would go out in about 20 minutes if I didn't keep on top of it. In the end, while I was able to get my stuff half-way dried out, it just got soaked again in no time, once the fire was out and I wasn't under the plastic sheet. Hell- I got pretty wet even under the plastic, from condensation on the inside, and water soaking through the dirt floor, despite trenching it out.

That's when I learned the value of a quality, breathable tent, when weather isn't going to be perfect. And synthetic insulation, for above-freezing temps.

/story time

Yes we did. Build a fire and make Purple Jesuses.

Always build fires when the family is with me, wheter is camping, hunting or hiking.  On the job side as the tactical situation dictates.  Usually have either a wisperlite (Alpine) or grasshopper (desert) in my ruck.  Doing dive requal on some beach somewhere, big white mans fire.


CD

A fire is a must for me.  When camping I have a fire all day if just hanging out at the site but when hiking it's just at night.

Not me. I carry fire making supplies for an emergency but I use a single burner propane stove for camping. So many wild fires in Nevada that get really big really quick.

I do. Only for cooking.

I typically avoid lighting a fire unless I am camping with my kids - they enjoy it more than I do.

I have to ask: what is a Purple Jesus?

Backpacking....almost never.

Truck camping....usually, unless there is a risk of starting a forest fire.