Backwoods Party or other suggestions

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I am looking to buy a new smoker and looking at the original party model. I am only doing home cooks, no catering or competitions. Just weekend cooks because I love to smoke and grill. Every now and then I will cook for a large crowd (~30 people) so I want a decent amount of capacity. My favorite is a whole packer brisket so I need to be able to fit that. I am also military so I am moving every few years and don't want something I can't move around too much. I may not always have an ideal set up for a permanent smoker placement at different locations.

Of course price is a big factor as well.

What are some suggestions from the experience here? Thanks for the help.
 
Have you looked the drum smokers. Cheap to build so far mine is doing great.. They must be nice have a a lot of folks going that way
 
Welcome, and Thank You for your service to our great nation..

I understand about moving, but any of the great smokers will be heavy because they are well built. I was looking at a Backwoods Competitor a few years ago and was ready to buy when I stumbled accross the Humphrey's line of smokers.

In my personal opinion I purchased a better smoker at about $1000.00 less. I'm not saying Humphrey's is right for you, but check out their line-up.

As far as constantly moving, the UDS is a great inexpensive cooker that wouldn't make you too sad if you had to leave it behind...
 
First, thanks for your service , second I guess it depends what you feel like draging along with you. The box smokers are nice but heavy and no they won't fit in a sea bag. I would check out assassin smokers great cookers and reasonable price. I say price mostly because if you got to move not many on base have that kind of money to buy it off of you. So I would buy a Wsm that way you have one of the best ever made and if you want you can off it to one of the boots on base if you got to leave in a hurry. When I was a young marine in ewa beach I would have beat 10 baby seals with a bat to have a great smoker. Alas their all alive. Good luck.
 
Humphrey's would be my recommendation but since you need to move it all the time Wolverine is right about the wsm. If you really want a cabinet I think humphrey's makes 2 models that are lighter than the rest of their lineup.
 
Given your circumstances, I would take a hard look at a 22" WSM. You would be getting a lot for your money and it wouldn't cut into your household goods weight anywhere near what a big box smoker would.

Also, welcome aboard; I myself am a former soldier and current Navy civilian.
 
Thanks for the great replies so far. Has anyone used a BBQ guru on the WSM? Is it required for an overnight brisket smoke?
Also, what kind of meat capacity have you been successful with?
 
I have an 18.5. I do not use a Guru or similar device, but many folks do. I often cook briskets without them - a WSM holds temperatures very well for very long periods of time. I have done 18-hour-long cooks without refueling and with very little monitoring. The 22.5 isn't quite as efficient as the 18.5, but you'll get pretty similar results and you get a ton more cook space.

In my 18.5, if I'm cooking a brisket on the top rack, I will sometimes cook two butts on the bottom rack - to give you an idea of space. On the 22.5, you could easily do three butts per rack, probably four. It has a lot to do with how creative you are with your cooking space.
 
I have both a 22" WSM and a Backwoods Gater and have a BBQ Guru I use on both. Both work very well. I personally got tired of fighting keeping the temps up on the WSM when it was windy or cold, as I prefer to cook in the 275 degree range. If you cook in the 225 range, the WSM with a guru will stay solid for 12+ hours easy on a load of charcoal even when windy. I also found I can keep the pit hotter using lump vs briquettes. You can do 1 full packer per rack on the 22" WSM and 2-3 12 pound butts per rack. I like to put my butts in a foil pan when they hit the stall which cuts it back to 2 butts per rack due to the pan taking up space.

If you get the backwoods it will be complete peace of mind, especially with the guru. I've had it rocking 275 within 2-3 degrees in 17 degree weather with snow and a 20 MPH wind. I'd buy the largest capacity cooker you can afford. The insulated cabinet smoker just makes it easier, no matter which brand you buy. I still use my WSM for when I go camping or hunting because it is very easy to transport. Buy some good 8" casters for the backwoods and you will be able to roll it to your car with ease. Just my 2 cents.
 
Fatboy. Youll be disapointed with the size of the racks on a party if you love brisket
 
I have an original Backwoods Party and I like it because it is probably the lightest cabinet smoker you can get for the size (130 pounds) and 2 people can move it fairly easily. The Extended Party is 170 and the G2 Party is 268. That being said, a whole packer more than 11 pounds probably won't fit (I trim 15 pound packers down to 10 or 11 for comps). I have cooked 2 briskets and 2 (10 pound) pork butts at the same time with no problem. I BBQ year round in New York so I need insulated smokers for the cold. I'm very happy with mine and when I replace it, I might move up to the Extended Party for the 3 extra inches. I think the G2 is too heavy for me to manage moving all the time. Being a Marine, I understand about the moving thing.
 
I don't have a suggestion but just wanted to say I liked your user name lol. Boats n hoes, boats n hoes.
 
I am definately considering the WSM, I didn't realize how much it could hold. I do worry about the cold weather though. I am sure I will end up somewhere cold on more than one assignment. That makes me lean towards the insulated cabinet smoker.
 
Not to sound like a WSM salesman (although I could make the same arguments for a UDS), but there are a lot of insulation/windbreak options for a WSM including things like heat-resistant thermal wraps and plywood enclosures. The difference in price between a WSM and building your own work-arounds vice an insulated cooker like a Backwoods or Humphrey's is pretty big. However, those cabinet cookers sure are nice.

If you have the money, get what you want. Personally, I'd get the WSM and use the extra money on meat.
 
3 Things...........

1. Thank you for serving :clap2:.
2. You handle is awesome :becky:.
3. I have a backwoods G2 Party and love it. I also have a 22 WSM and love it too. The WSM is really easy to move and much lighter than my Backwoods, but I don't consider my Backwoods that hard to move especially since I put them in and out the back of my truck 20+ times last year going to bbq events.

Cost is certainly a factor. The WSM will set you back less and honestly might be the way to go since you could spend $400 on it and if you wanted to change it up you wouldn't have any trouble getting most of your money back. The WSM can cook a bunch of food too. You could cook for 30 on a 22 WSM depending on what you were smoking.

I've used Guru's on both and no issues really with either. Good luck!
 
I'd suggest the wsm but if you can get past the heavy part, go humphreys. Got mine in September and it made me like smoking even more. I enjoy it and look forward to firing it up as much as possible.
 
270 Smokers

Fully insulated cabinet smoker.
Has great center of gravity when kicked back on it's wheels - easy to move.
No Guru needed.
Very efficient fuel usage.
Decent capacity - cooked 40 1lb chicken quarters on it once.
Heated draft convection keeps temperatures even throughout the cooker (+/-3 degrees top to bottom and side to side).
Comparable in price to the Backwoods Party.
 
Thanks everyone for all of the inputs and suggestions. I am certainly torn right now but I feel educated on my options based on the replies here.
 
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