Jetboil Cooking System

[runner]

I just purchased a Jetboil cooking system at EMS and am very impressed with the ease of use and the time to boil. Has anyone else had any experiences with Jetboil?

[rondak100]

link....

http://www.ems.com/products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442584176&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574489160260&fromTemplate=search%2Fresults.jsp&bmUID=1080057741091

looks pretty cool..

Mike

[mtbnski]

sounds like a nice summer time piece of equipment, but i wouldn't dare venture out with one of those in the winter. i can't imagine how long it would take to boil enough water to fill a nalgene bottle. plus you never know how much fuel you have left in one of those cannisters.

[redhawk]

Looks real neat. What does it weigh? Does it take the same cartridge that other propane/butane stoves take?

Just a little rich for my blood (unless of course you didn't have a stove to strart with).

I understand what mtnbski is saying. I have found though that if I keep the fuel canister somewhere warm and if I have a littl "cozy" for it, it will work pretty good. There is also a thingie that you can get for the canisdters now (a piece of reuseable tape which sticks on the side) that will indicate the fuel level. (Looking for the link I was going to order some).

I use a coleman canister stove and have made a cozy for canisters. A well designed wind screen will also help it to heat more quickly.

I just got tired of having to clean aperatures on gas stoves and was always paranoid about the bittle leaking or bursting. It never happened but I always obey murphy's law!

I don't know if you are coming to the forum outing April 17th, but if you are, bring it along so we can al have a look-see.

[Kevin]

After knowing a few people with these, I decided to get one (had a coupon ).

It's a great idea and eliminates the need to bring cooking pans (I eat freeze dried Mountain House dinners and oatmeal for breakfast now). After numerous weekend adventures outdoors, I realized 99% of the time all I'm doing is boiling water for rice, coffee, or oatmeal. The MREs (which don't even come close to tasting as good as the freeze-dried stuff) had a separate warmer, so they never needed to touch a pan.

[MREs also don't taste anywhere's near as good as the freeze dried stuff]

I think the jetboil is a wonderful idea for the average backpacker. If I'm out in the cold and the fuel won't work, I better get back inside!! lol

FYI -- the fuel canisters are "4 season", and can be easily warmed up if needed. It's a special blend to allow it to function below 20F (about where the MSR butane cannisters stop working efficiently). If you're like me and have been using cannisters for a while, you can gauge within one or two uses how many 'boils' you have left. If it's real cold out, the side of the cannister will frost at the fuel line, showing you how much remains. It's not as scary or unpredictable as you would think. Just keep the burner's element dry, which I think is true for any cooking system.

[sacco]

hey hawk, how cold have you cooked in with your canister stove?

on that catskill trip a couple weeks ago my jetboil really stunk.
it was probably around 20* when i was cooking.
i warmed the canister up to body temp but did not have a cozy to protect it at all.

i made a cozy out of reflectex but i'm still skeptical after seeing such poor performance in relatively mild cold weather.

[Kevin]

They still burn at lower temps but consume a lot more fuel (are less efficient). I think eventually there's a point of diminishing returns and it probably won't work in extreme cold, but that's when you need to sleep/hike with the canister to ensure it works.

Prior to my recent jetboil purchase I used a primus cannister stove. It worked in the lower teens with no problems, and that was without doing anything special to warm the cannister.

[redhawk]

Canister stoves lose their efficiency major league once the weather gets below freezing. You can warm the canister by putting it underneath your mid layers and then use a cozy, but they not be anywhere as efficient as a whitegas/etc stove in the freezing weather.

The best of both worlds, you use a liquid fuel stove (or WOOD) in the winter and a canister stove the other three seasons.

I think the Jetboil has to have an advantage over the other canister stoves just by the way it's engineered.

I was going to get a jetboil with the cash windfall I had but I forgot so now will have to wait. Just as well now anyway, I think that there may be a new improved revision coming out. Not a rumor or insider information, just a feeling.

[Wldrns]

I just purchased a Jetboil cooking system at EMS and am very impressed with the ease of use and the time to boil. Has anyone else had any experiences with Jetboil?

Instead of the Jetboil I've been using a Kelly Kettle for a year now. My food has gone to almost 100% home dehydrated - regular meals that I would eat at home. Boiling water is all I need for great tasting meals and the KK is fast and efficient. I can get 3 cups of boiling water in 5 minutes or less in the KK. It seems ideal for what I do. Especially on extended trips I no longer worry about carrying enough fuel.
Discription on http://kellykettle.com/

http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/kellystove.html

and several other web sites.

[kingof14ers]

hey hawk, how cold have you cooked in with your canister stove?

on that catskill trip a couple weeks ago my jetboil really stunk.
it was probably around 20* when i was cooking.
i warmed the canister up to body temp but did not have a cozy to protect it at all.

i made a cozy out of reflectex but i'm still skeptical after seeing such poor performance in relatively mild cold weather.

I have a Gaz Turbo 270 that I've used on snow (wo/a cozy) when it was -5F. Boiled 1/2 liter water for some hot tea still in <4 minutes. Was it less efficient? Sure I suppose so, but I just bring a full canister with me to fix that.

This stove totally rocks. It's comparable if not better than those MSR fuel pump models. I don't know why people don't like stoves like mine more. Maybe it's because it's not fancy looking enough. Alas I get the last laugh. I've had this thing for 9 years and have never had to clean it ONCE. Zero maintenance. No priming. Best of all, I think I'll keep it an additional 11 years to be sure I got my $26 worth of stove. For giggles, I'll pretend to pump it. I guess I just don't see the benefit of something like an MSR that costs 3-5 times as much.

[redhawk]

How about the SVEA Optimus?

[lumberzac]

How about the SVEA Optimus?

Optimus makes great stoves. I have an 8R (same burner as the SVEA, but different body) that has to be at least 30 or 40 years old and works like new. The only problem with it is it's heavy.

[sacco]

i'll be doing an experiment as soon it gets cold enough.

i'm going to try out my jet boil under various conditions while holding the following conditions as steady as possible:
ambiant temp*
water temp* and amount
initial canister temp*

these are the conditions i want to investigate:
new vs. near empty canister
exposed bare canister
canister inside my home made reflectex cozy
inside cozy with chemical hand warmer under canister
hotwater cozy method - i.e., boil a couple of ounces of water first, then pour the boiling water into the plastic 8 oz. cup that comes with stove, to keep canister warm.

i'll do this and post efficiency results as soon as it gets cold enough to make it worthwile - atleast teens.

comments or suggestions are welcome

[redhawk]

comments or suggestions are welcome

Take Jeff. No stove needed!!

[lumberzac]

Take Jeff. No stove needed!!

Yeah, but a stove is a lot lighter than a fire hose.