I’ll be honest. I had doubts about its effectiveness. I don’t anymore.
I had the chance to talk with Eli and Jonah from Snowtrekker about their Helix stove pipe spark arrestor. The concept is smart, but like a lot of winter gear, I wasn’t convinced until it proved itself in real conditions.
That proof came during a five-day winter trip deep in the frozen Boundary Waters of Minnesota. Subzero temps, steady stove use, and real-world fuel. The Helix performed flawlessly. It kept the burn clean, maintained strong draft, and dramatically reduced sparks coming out of the top of the chimney.
That last part matters. Less spark output means safer camps, less risk to gear, and more confidence running a stove hard in winter conditions.
There is one tradeoff worth noting: once installed with the provided screws, this section of pipe no longer nests with the rest of the stovepipe. You’ll need to plan for that when packing. For me, the performance outweighs the inconvenience.
Bottom line: if you’re doing serious winter camping and running a wood stove with a 4-inch pipe, this is a well-designed piece of gear that actually does what it claims. I’d recommend it without hesitation.
