I already own a Gozney Dome – it’s one of my favourite things and easily one of the best pizza ovens around. The perfect mix of function and fire, it turns a back garden into a pizza restaurant. But the Gozney Tread? That’s something else. This one’s built for adventure.
So last week I packed one in the back of a Mercedes Marco Polo camper van and headed to Wales for some proper wild cooking. Dough prepped, gas locked in, stand folded, peels packed – it was time to see just how portable this “world’s most portable pizza oven” really is.
Let’s be honest from the start – the Tread isn’t that light. At 13.5kg just for the oven, plus a 5kg gas bottle, accessories, and the optional Venture Stand, it adds up. This isn’t for hikers or minimalists. It’s for people who don’t mind packing the boot full of gear to chase the perfect bake in a picturesque location.
Luckily, the Marco Polo had space to spare. We loaded in the Matty Matheson limited-edition model – a bright orange showstopper covered in his doodles – and rolled into a quiet spot nestled in a woodland. The sun dropped low, sheep grazed nearby, and it was time to fire up the Tread.
Setup is simple. The stand is clever, with individually adjustable legs to cope with uneven terrain (though watch the sand – more on that later). Plug in the gas, press the igniter, and you’re off. It only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to reach cooking temp, and it’ll pump out a blistering 500°C (approx. 900°F) of focused heat from its lateral gas burner, just like the Dome.
That night, we cooked two 12in Neapolitan pizzas using our homemade dough (thank you, Marco Polo fridge). The results were incredible – beautifully blistered crusts, bubbling cheese, and that slightly smoky char that’s so hard to fake. The Tread isn’t just about portability – it performs just like a full-sized oven.
The next day, we headed to the Black Rock Sands beach, a picturesque beach in North Wales that allows you to drive on the sand. This time we tried something a bit different: Chopped Cheese Calzones, following a recipe from Gozney’s excellent YouTube channel. Think NYC-style chopped cheeseburger folded into a calzone. Ridiculous? Yes. Delicious? Also yes. The Tread nailed them, crisping the outside while melting the beefy, cheesy filling inside. It’s proof that pizza is just the beginning.
It’s worth mentioning: the Tread does cool down quickly – a big plus when it’s time to pack up. But after that beach cookout, I did get sand in the tripod legs. They used to glide open; now there’s a gritty crunch. Not a dealbreaker, but a reminder that wild cooking comes with trade-offs.
Despite the weight, the experience is brilliant. Cooking pizza outdoors isn’t just tasty – it feels like an event. A clear upgrade to sizzling some sausages on a barbecue.
There are plenty of neat design touches, too. The roof rack accessory lets you use the oven top as a prep area, and the attachable mantel makes turning and resting food easy. The stand, when it’s not full of sand, is rock solid. And the fact you can also fit a skillet in there means steaks, fish, even roast veg are fair game. This is a full-on outdoor oven disguised as a travel companion.
Would I carry it up a mountain? No. Would I take it to a friend’s garden, a beach, or a campsite where I can park up? Absolutely. It makes memorable meals in beautiful places. And it’s built to last – tough stainless steel, a 12mm cordierite stone, and a five-year warranty to back it all up.
I still love my Dome. It’s the king of home pizza ovens. But the Tread opens up new horizons – literally. So, if you’ve got a van, a view, and a bit of patience to haul it all, the Gozney Tread delivers big on performance and adventure. It’s not ultra-light, but it is ultra-fun.
The Gozney Tread has an RRP of $499 in the US and £499 in the UK, but it’s currently on sale for just £399 in the UK.
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