[Bigfoot21075]

Hello!

I am a long time backyard BBQ fanatic, I currently own a Large Big Green Egg (awesome cooker), a Gasser Weber and a 22" Weber Kettle.I make pretty good stuff on these, but are really frustrated with the capacity. Without jury rigging and moving racks around, doing several racks of ribs on the Egg is a PAIN! I have tried the Traeger Texas pellet (NO smoke taste at all - sold it), had the cheap-o Offset type, not consistent enough and bad in coooold weather.

I want something I can load full size, uncut racks of ribs into (St Louis). I love the set it and enjoy the day feature of the Egg and understand a good cabinet smoker can offer the same thing. I have looked at a lot of these smokers and it is pretty much down to Backwoods and Stumps. I LOVE the idea of a water smoker - moist meat is important.

The two cookers are similar to me, but one factor is customer service. There is a distributor for Backwoods in the Mid Atlantic. Not so for Stumps. That may be the final factor unless Stumps is significantly better for some reason.

That aside, I have never competed but thought it would be fun to do the occasional competition. I used to love doing Chili cook offs! I need a GOOD smoker that can produce GREAT results after I learn it, hold enough to make a showing at a competition, but not be so big I can't just use it for the wife and I.

The BW Chubby is cool, but I am afraid the bottom shelf would be too hot and not very useful, and it is overall small. The party looks nice, but after I upgrade the doors it costs damn near what a fat boy costs. The fatboy seems perfect for beginner competition but is it just too large to fire up for a pack of chicken or 2 racks of ribs?

I lookede at the Spicewine, but the small one weighs 400lbs! I could convert my gun safe to a smoker if I want that!

Your thoughts on all of the above a TRULY APPRECIATED!

THANKS!

Bigfoot