# Traeger for comp?



## monty3777 (May 13, 2008)

Do any of you use a Traeger for comp? I am looking at one for $850 - looks like a typical offset with one level. I love the ease of use but I wonder if they are all they are cracked up to be. 

Thanks!

BTW, any Traeger dealers on this forum? I would like to keep my $$$ among friends


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## wittdog (May 13, 2008)

Just keep something in mind....electricity at most comps is hit and miss and not dependable......
and I'll keep the rest of my manifesto to myself easy bake ovens and such


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## Captain Morgan (May 13, 2008)

man, last fall I got set up, plugged up, etc, and when I finally
went to turn on my light later, no power!  SOMEONE HAD UNPLUGGED
ME!  Fortunately I was too drunk to track his cord back to his bastard
self and whip his ass, so I just plugged in an extension cord with
multiple outlets.


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## wittdog (May 13, 2008)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> man, last fall I got set up, plugged up, etc, and when I finally
> went to turn on my light later, no power!  SOMEONE HAD UNPLUGGED
> ME!  Fortunately I was too drunk to track his cord back to his bastard
> self and whip his ass, so I just plugged in an extension cord with
> multiple outlets.


Its posts like that....


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## Diva Q (May 13, 2008)

I have been using Traegers for competitions with some great successes. I use a Lil Tex and a Texas Style and maybe another great new addition later this summer. 

Power can be hit and miss but we invested in a generator to remove this issue for future comps.


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## Kloset BBQR (May 13, 2008)

I have a marine battery with an inverter.  It runs my Fast Eddy without any problem.  Don't need to worry about comp electric now.


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## Adrienne1 (May 14, 2008)

We use both Traegers and FEs at comps without issue.  We have inverters with marine batteries, so electricity is not a concern.  Have seen it happen that others unplug extension cords at 'the hub', in order to get power for themselves, without concern for the other guy, so we went the other route, and bought inverters instead of paying for power which was at most times unreliable.  

But I digress . . . . 

Traegers are great at comps as long as it's not too cold or windy, and you have a reliable and constant source of power.

Traeger helped us to place, most often in the top three ,  in 2007


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## monty3777 (May 14, 2008)

Adrienne said:
			
		

> Traegers are great at comps as long as it's not too cold or windy, and you have a reliable and constant source of power.



What are the issues with cold and wind in addition to what would be a problem for a WSM?


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## wittdog (May 15, 2008)

The issue with a pellet pooper when it comes to wind and rain and cold is the way it works….the little element that heats the pellets might not get the pellets hot enough with the inclement weather factoring in heat loss ect…The dial that controls the temp might not go up to 11   …. Not to mention water and electronic pit components don’t mix well..(All this being said I’ve never cooked on a outdoor oven  :twisted:  :P    so I could be off base) ….Where as on a WSM…wind might make it run hot or if it’s cold..you just need to open the vents more to bring in more O2.…more O2 hotter fire..I've used my WSMs in real cold weather and haven't had any issue getting it up to temps other than having to use more charcoal and having the vents open more than normal


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## Kloset BBQR (May 15, 2008)

A traeger will work just fine in sub-zero temperatures and in rain.  The only difference is it will use much more fuel since it is not insulated.

FEC's are insulated and will cook in any environment while using approximately the same amount of fuel although your mileage may vary.


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## Bill The Grill Guy (May 15, 2008)

Most comps have electric available.  If they dont, it will be advertised as no E/W.  Good luck with the traeger.


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## bigwheel (May 15, 2008)

Never experienced the pleasure of a WSM but have waltzed many a set with R2D2 type cookers of which the WSM is one with a fancy paint job and a high price tag in my view.  Try cranking that bad boy up in a 70 MPH rainstorm where the rain come in side ways and the weather is chilly. Bet it be hard for a WSM operator to keep up the heat on that deal.  Now my trusty ECB was in a situation like this once upon a time.  Just overturned a #2 galvanized washtub over the top...and the heat acts like it aint even raining.  Put a few bricks or logs on top of the wash tub so it dont blow away. 

bigwheel




			
				wittdog said:
			
		

> The issue with a pellet pooper when it comes to wind and rain and cold is the way it works….the little element that heats the pellets might not get the pellets hot enough with the inclement weather factoring in heat loss ect…The dial that controls the temp might not go up to 11   …. Not to mention water and electronic pit components don’t mix well..(All this being said I’ve never cooked on a outdoor oven  :twisted:  :P    so I could be off base) ….Where as on a WSM…wind might make it run hot or if it’s cold..you just need to open the vents more to bring in more O2.…more O2 hotter fire..I've used my WSMs in real cold weather and haven't had any issue getting it up to temps other than having to use more charcoal and having the vents open more than normal


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## wittdog (May 16, 2008)

BW least you forget....I live up North and deal with COLD weather cooks 9 months out of the year...


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## monty3777 (May 16, 2008)

bigwheel said:
			
		

> Never experienced the pleasure of a WSM but have waltzed many a set with R2D2 type cookers of which the WSM is one with a fancy paint job and a high price tag in my view.  Try cranking that bad boy up in a 70 MPH rainstorm where the rain come in side ways and the weather is chilly. Bet it be hard for a WSM operator to keep up the heat on that deal.  Now my trusty ECB was in a situation like this once upon a time.  Just overturned a #2 galvanized washtub over the top...and the heat acts like it aint even raining.  Put a few bricks or logs on top of the wash tub so it dont blow away.



On December 24 we experienced below zero weather and severe winds. My neighbor needed me to smoke a Christmas "ham" - not yet cured or smoked. WSM reached 225 in about 15 min and stayed there until the fuel ran out. Rain has NEVER been an issue for the WSM. Wind is its bitch and below zero cold is worse for the cook than the cooker.


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## WalterSC (May 18, 2008)

monty3777 said:
			
		

> Do any of you use a Traeger for comp? I am looking at one for $850 - looks like a typical offset with one level. I love the ease of use but I wonder if they are all they are cracked up to be.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> BTW, any Traeger dealers on this forum? I would like to keep my $$$ among friends



I have thought about buying one for the house to be honest , Merry Oaks cooks at comps with them and thier food aint bad at all . But I will stick to my WSMs and my steel drum smoker for now. You can buld wind screens for the WSMs out of just about anything , I will be making some for mine.


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## Impailer (May 18, 2008)

we use our Traegers in temps about -25 or so and its never been an issue


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