Jet Boil - Pots and Stoves

[dtasker]

18 months ago I came across a Jetboil Saucepan ( without Stove )in a sports store in QLD -
It looked to be an exciting product but the $300 price tag put me off.
Ebay to the rescue. I ended buying up buying a Jetboil Stove AND Saucepan set from the US for $160
and was so impressed with it I purchased 3 of the Personal Cooking Systems(PCS) - these are a 2 cup capacity "cup style"
cooking utensil and a gas stove. Why 3 - well 2 were for gifts.

These systems boil water super fast and use around 1/2 the gas for a given amount of water.
Most of my trips I now only take the PCS and 1 small gas canister. On my first 5 day trip since purchasing the PCS I took 2 gas canisters
and cooked for 2 people over the 5 days plus a couple of "cuppas" for other party members. I used only 1 canister.

These are an amazing system for anyone contemplating a new stove.
No - I have no affilliation with the jetboil company.
They use standard Camping Gaz style cylinders ( 70/30 mix)

I would be interested to hear of other peoples experiences with the kit.
One downside is that the PCS is not the greatest for simmering as they are quite fierce
even on low - although the 2L cooking pot is OK for simmer.

If your like me and tending towards food that you just add hot water to - soups, stews, tea, coffee etc
then the PCS might just suit you.

[Son of a Beach]

I've been looking at these and thinking that they sure look like a good idea, if they perform as advertised. I think I'd like a combination of the original small Jetboil (for when cooking for just myself) plus the Helios with the 3 litre pot for when cooking for a group (which I often do).

I might have to come and visit you and check our your Jetboil - it would be good to see it in person one day (assuming your the 'dtasker' I know.)

The only disadvantage I could imagine with them, would be cleaning, if you happen to get a lot of muck caught up in the 'flux ring' underneath. But that's unlikely to happen, and wouldn't be a big deal anyhow. Perhaps if your porridge boils over or spills, I guess.

[sarge]

We have used the jetboil for around 18 months.

It is extremely fast - The unit boils water so fast that when I use it I have to make sure everything is ready before turning on the water. Although I generally dont mind waiting for a pot to boil it is nice to have a system that is so efficient. On our last multi day hike we only went through 1.5 small cannisters over 9 days cooking for two including plently of cuppas and soups for lunch etc.

Only down side is that is is not fantastic for simmering (but can be done on the lower gas setting) and also you cant fry things very well - this would be negated if you had the frypan attachment which I don't.

The pot has a cover on the base and another the top which doubles as two plates if you dont want to eat out of the pot. You need to make sure you take the bottom cover off the flux ring before cooking though - I know a lady that forgot to do so and melted a hole in hers. The fold out handles also save you having to use a pot holder too. I also like the pizo electric starter which has not failed yet after many uses - although it sometimes takes two clicks to start.

MSR have released a similar cooking system called the 'Reactor' it has a device similar to the flux ring on a jetboil but is fully enclosed. Not sure if it is available in Aus yet??

[dtasker]

Hi there "Son of a beach" I am the only dtasker ( David Tasker) that I know - actually not true as just last week another David Tasker from Detroit contacted me - rather wierd. More about me at http://www.davidtasker.com
You are welcome to visit - will be interstate until 5th May - best to email direct [email protected] before visiting.

I have to repeat these things boil - damn fast- and I have to admit to being a bit blonde. The first time out with the Cooking pot I did indeed leave the botton cover on and burnt a hole it the plastic cover. Haha. Felt a bit foolish indeed.
Still its not the fault of the product for idiot actions like that.
The REAL advantage is that overall these systems are very light - and super efficient on gas usage.
The stove is beautifully engineered to fit inside the PCS "cup" and has plastic feet that dont harm the non stick lining.
I had no problems with the piezo ingnitian system until someone else packed up for me an placed the stove inside the cup as its
supposed to eb and then placed a few things ob top before pressing the lid on.
The result was that the porcelain insulator on the stiker is now broken - so a box of matches is required.
After 2 years I can highly recommend.

[Son of a Beach]

Hi David,

I'm Frank's son-in-law, so I'll definitely come and check it out one of these days. I've been wanting to come out and have a look at your new house anyhow, but haven't got around to it yet (its taking me so long, that I guess it's not so new anymore).

All stoves take a bit of getting used to. Most new Trangia owners burn the O-ring the first time they pack up the stove hot. (Although with Trangia's, I'm not sure that an unburnt O-ring is much better than a burnt one - they all seem to leak a bit).

[Ivan]

Hi I am Ivan from SA. my wife and I intend to walk Cradle Mountain walk next March and are walking in SA building up the distance and weight carried on our backs slowly. Any how We have been using a 2lt jet boil stove for about 3months and love it. You can stop for a rest and make a cuppa very quickly with no hassel. I am still on my first canister and it still sounds full. the only small problem I have found is getting the top lid back on its very tight.
Cheers Ivan.

[sarge]

I also like the pizo electric starter which has not failed yet after many uses - although it sometimes takes two clicks to start.

Spoke to soon - starter failed this weekend on a trip to Mt Buangor. Luckily I packed matches!

[svEngineer]

Hi ,

I have all three meths trangia's and have switched to the jet boil 2ltr and the PCS 1ltr.

I love the small one when in my one person tent. I think that gas is a lot safer for vestibule cooking, and for poor weather conditions and I felt uncomfortable using my smallest Trangia, with the risk of a meths flare up if knocked over. The PCS is a lot lighter and ideal for the dehydrated bags- just add boiling water cooking. They do need a bit of wind sheilding when outside the tent.
They are excellent for a quick cuppa for lunch or pot noodle etc. And weigh less than a thermos.

The Piezo spark failed immediately after buying, this was replaced then it failed during it's first 5 day out (Mt Anne)- It was replaced a second time Now Paddy's say they won't replace it again. The ceramic insulation breaks and the spark arcs out in the wrong spot- I always take a lighter with me.

If you are into big extended cook ups, then stick with a medium or larger trangia. They are a more stable platform, wind resistant.

But I still feel a bit nostalgic for the Trangia as I had been using one for 20+ years.

[Tony]

Hi all,

I have had a JetBoil for about two years now and I have found it to be a great stove but heavy, I love how easy it is to set up and how fast it can boil water for a cuppa. I own two PCS pots (though one has been modified) and one GCS pot, I have found that the GCS pot to be the most efficient pot I have tested yet (more on that later).

One problem with JetBoil stoves and other upright canister stoves is that they struggle to work in very cold temperatures.I have modified my JetBoil burner to be a remote canister liquid feed stove so I can use it in the snow (see pics below) Jet Boil has just released a liquid feed model called the Helios, I have not seen one yet or read any reviews so I am unable to comment other than from the pictures, it look nice.

http://www.jetboil.com/Products/Cooking-Systems/Helios

I have pulled my JetBoil apart many times and my Piezo still works although my friends one which has been treated very carefully has stopped working.

Tony


The JetBoil working at -7C

View of the pre-heat tube

[geoffmallo]

I've recently been using a jet boil with a friend on a few recent trips. While I do like many things about it I decided in the end to order the MSR Reactor. More of my field test at http://mycampgear.com/2008/08/06/field-test-jetboil-pcs-stove if you're interested in what I don't like.

[alliecat]

I've recently been using a jet boil with a friend on a few recent trips. While I do like many things about it I decided in the end to order the MSR Reactor. More of my field test at http://mycampgear.com/2008/08/06/field-test-jetboil-pcs-stove if you're interested in what I don't like.

Just be a bit careful with the Reactor; tests showed that it carbon monoxide emissions were very high for a gas stove. At low power especially, the CO emissions were absolutely huge, so take care, particularly if you are cooking in an enclosed area (hut, tent vestibule).

[kahtadin]

Hi, I live in New Hampshire, US, where Jetboil is "headquartered" and used my PCS day in and day out it for a month in Tassie last February (who knew it would work just as well in the Southern Hemisphere ? Go figure.) If you can live with the weight (we've been bugging them here to titanium up) and lurking in the back of your mind piezio failure issue, you'll love it.

I'll be back on island in December for four months, and based on the prices I see mentioned should I bring a couple dozen and pay for my flight ?

[relax]

Just received my new Jet Boil GCS. Ebay $130 brand new. Have only used it at home so far but looking forward to putting it to the test in the Western Arthurs soon. I have only heard very good reports about them.

[sarge]

Last weekend we tried using our pocket rocket stove with the jet boil 2Lt pot (we have both jetboil system and pocket rocket - we vary between the two depending on the situation). The boil time was exceptionally fast, I believe it has something to do with the flux ring on the pot.

[tim]

We recently used a number of PCSs in a large-ish group in Kos.NP. We found we had an almost 100% Piezo-ignition failure rate across 5 or 6 stoves - the snow was making things all a bit wet, and so we figured that the things were shorting out, because the lighters started to work again after they had been used for a while. Go figure.

Cheers

[ninjapuppet]

just barging in here without a jetboil

Ive got an MSR reactor and its purpose is to melt snow when i'm up in the mountains. Though not a real issue in australia, other parts of the world can have mountain campsites that are usually rocky and on uneven terrain on a slope. This has a tendency to knock the reactor's tall pot over when filled with water.

My 3 winter tents all have a hook in the vestibule and i tried to make a hanging system so i wouldnt knock over the pot. worked ok but then the heat melted my rope due to the high temps generated by the reactor. This nearly caused a catastrophe!

tried a friend's jetboil hanging kit which worked really well with my reactor because the wires are metal and dont melt.
it makes the pots opening higher than eye level so you cant really see into the pot to cook but if its only for melting snow and boiling water.
Its a stable system and the pot is easy to remove and put back onto the stove. i guess you gotta watch out for the carbon monoxide more because the stove's exhaust becomes closer to your face.

packs really compact and only weighs 42 grams. however, its just a tinge taller than the reactor's pot so the lid doesnt fit inside.
Its rated to 4.5kg capacity which is more than enough to hold a litre of water.

Also wanted to show pics of my snowpeak titanium bowl. A gas cansiter fits inside it really well, so you can add some warm water in it to keep the canister warm in frigid temps. this should help greatly with efficiency in sub zero temps as per Roger Caffin's highly scientific information. (most of it is beyond me)
http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/FAQ_Mixtures.htm

[oceanboy]

hI,

I've used both the Jet Boil and MSR Reactor on a couple of himalayan climbing trips and favour the Reactor. I was lucky enough to buy two Reactors from REI for $120 USD each at the end of 2008. The Reactor is very fragile but very quiet. The only draw back with the Reactor is also its main strength- it heats water so fast that if you want to take full advantage of its efficiency you need to be ready with all your utensils and food beforehand. What I mean is that so often I turn it on and before I can get out my pasta etc the damn thing has boiled and I have to turn it off (while I fiddle with getting my pasta out) otherwise I will be wasting gas.

My Reactors are some of my favourite pieces of gear.

They are so effecient, that for short trips, you are carrying excessive weight unless you buy a SMALL size tank of gas, not the normal size. You always come back from short trips with unused gas if you get a normal-sized tank.

My lightest-weight stove for short weekend trips is to take no stove at all. Just half a loaf of bread, cheese, and cherry tomatoes. All this weighs as much as a stove itself.

[ninjapuppet]

There is a new Sol Ti jetboil comming into the market that weighs 240 grams. http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/Stovedetail.cfm?PRODUCTS__ProductID=JTB131

Now jetboil is competing in the gram weenie category with still the same power efficiency, Ive got to rethink the whole alcohol stove Vs Jetboil argument again.

[Bluegum Mic]

Damn it. I knew they'd do that. I was torn between the PCS and a kovea moonwalker and went with the moonwalker. Oh well. I'm happy. I like my lunar module.. I mean stove

[langy]

Interesting price quoted on the pots in the first post.
The full RRP (2011) on a stand alone jet boil pot is $119.00, but you do need to add a pot support and stabilizer kit at the Full RRP of $41.00.

[corvus]

Damn it. I knew they'd do that. I was torn between the PCS and a kovea moonwalker and went with the moonwalker. Oh well. I'm happy. I like my lunar module.. I mean stove

Perhaps you should have bought one of these to feed your "lunar craze"
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fire-Maple-FMS-11 ... 1890wt_928
corvus

[corvus]

Or one of these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fire-Maple-FMS-10 ... 4aa3b692d9
corvus

[Humpo]

I have the Primus ETA express same sort of principal but with out the thermal outer. Works great, heats water in no time flat. I would be interested in heating times for 500ml of water to compare the jetboil and others.

http://www.primuscamping.com/product.php?id=68