Jetboils..

Anyone use one, and are they any good?
I’m after something a bit more compact than my Primus Omnifuel for when I’m biviing..

So, your verdicts please!

Or should I just get an MSR Whisperlite & an Alpkit Ti mug?

Piezo ignition is very temperamental, even on the newer flash models.

Whisperlite is a radically different type of stove, do you mean pocket rocket??

They’re not really particularly compact.

Let me know if you’re selling your omnifuel 🙂

I use one and a few of the lads I know use them too. From memory they used to do two sizes and we all have the larger cup one so you can get a rat pack in it to cook.

I used a jetboil zip at the puffer and it was brilliant. Borrowed from a friend, I will definitely be getting one. Water boiled in a couple of minutes without any of the balancing issues I’ve had with a stove/kettle combo. I was just making tea/coffee but noodles would have been easy too.

Very good a little fatter and longer than a can of beans, light and efficient.

Do you want to lend mine for a bit?

If you go with the jetboil, just carry a firesteel.

I loaned a flash(large cup) and thought it was ace for brew making and rat pack cooking. I’m not sure I want one for cooking “normal” food. If that’s what you’re after you can’t go wrong IMHO. I would buy one, but I’m not sure I have the need anymore.

Nearly bought a jetboil as a mate has one and is quite good.

I went instead for an Alpkit MytiMug. Inside I can fit a 100g gas canister, an Optimus Crux folding stove (already had this), a folding titanium spork and a small fire steel. A small square of material inside stops any rattling. I made a double (overlapping top and bottom) thermowrap pot cosy for it which holds it neatly. I have been very happy with this setup and is very lightweight and compact.

Lot of blokes I know use them (they fit in a utility pouch and can heat up a rat pack pretty quickly) and the only bad thing I have heard about them is that you need to take spare gas with you if you are going to be out for a while, hence the adoption of the multifuel MSR stoves when all there is is diesel…

That said, I just take a cheapy folding gas stove with a remote cylinder with me and fit the whole thing in a small mess tin.

Some of the jetboil advantage can be gained by using a pot with a heat exchanger on the bottom (Optimus do one) and then the stove of your choice.

Had four of them, currently still got three (one was stolen when the car was broken into, replaced it the same day). Really good bits of kit… can’t recommend them enough.

The deal breaker for me is that you can’t cook normal food.

So if you really need to shave 1 minute off your water boiling time, then they’re much better than regular stoves.

That said, I consider Joule once it has been released.

I had a couple of jetboils and although they were pretty good, I now use an MSR Reactor and would highly recommend it. Build quality and boil times are in a different league and now that there is a 1l pot version too it packs pretty small as well. It really is a fantastic bit of kit.

do you mean pocket rocket??

Yes, yes I did… 😳

Cheers all..

Good for rat packs or stuff in bags (can make scrambled egg in a ziplock in them) with water for a wet.
If you want something to cook proper food on get a proper stove, I think the clue is in the name. Jetboil, not Jetcook… 🙂

Meh, give me a meths stove.

I’m never in that much of a hurry when out camping.

Bottles good for a sniff too.

Just turn the wick down a bit, I have cooked loads of normal stuff in the little cup.

I had 12yrs of rat packs, so keen to try other stuff.. But I still tend to end up using boil in the bag food.
Looks like it could be all good.
Now, where’s best to buy one?

Have a few stoves, tend to take the primus (similar model to pocket rocket) for longer trips, have a stabiliser for the gas can and a nice pot set so can cook good grub on it.

Have a small ti stove and military mug and plastic spork for quick lightweight trips which usually heat soups, noodles etc.

Then the jetboil, I loves it. Removed the piezo and take a flint striker, does the job I want and cooks quickly and efficiently and these days the supermarkets offer a fair selection of food that can be done with a JB, I’d say it’s the most used of my kit really.

As per others, if only boiling in the bag with compatible burner then yep.
Squaddies i know love them, fast, good with gas, maybe a one trick pony.

I use a MSR pocket rocket, my old enamel tin mug is now an Alpkit Ti myti mug/pot thing. Bit lighter, easier to spread about when packing, and if i run out out of gas can just whop the Ti pot on an open fire.
I wouldn’t say no to a jet boil 🙂

What piemonster said up there. Good meths stove will take 5-6 mins to boil 750ml of water which will do for a dehy meal and a cup of soup. They weigh nothing, are dirt cheap, take up very little space and you can get fuel for them pretty much anywhere.

I love my JetBoil. Used it in the last 3 Puffers.

All it needs is a whistle – so if you fall asleep when using it you get woken up before all the water has boiled away.

Made one of these a few weeks back… does a fantastic job:

highly recommended!!

For overnighter a in ok weather, I love my wee titanium esbit /meths stove and it mug. Great for simple porridge / cus cous / brews.
For colder / windier / wetter I still use a (generic) old Edelrid gas stove (pocket rocket ish) and it is ace.
I have not felt the need for a jetboil, especially with a home made wind shield. A jet boil would shave a few seconds off a boil competition, but they are a pain to cook in.
I would really like to try out some stoves ( esp. A better wee meths stove / hive wood burner) for longer trips.

Love the jetboil the coffee press allows one a decent brew in all sorts of places

Only time mine hasn’t successfully boiled water was tucked in behind a dry stone wall on Bwlch Tryfan in Feb, 3deg,gusting 40-50. Was waiting for it to settle down a bit before heading back down to Idwal Cottage. Even with the Jetboil sheltered in my rucksack I only managed a lukewarm mug of tea.
Been faultless otherwise for going on 5 years, even the piezo still works fine.

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Morning all, that was a blustery night! Coffee is on….. #microadventure[/url] by South Downs MTB Skills[/url], on Flickr

Love mine, relatively compact, boil time super quick

Cheap compact cookset & stove option here £27.50 all in from a reputable North American brand.

The Helios has pans more suited to cooking as opposed to water heating.

Cheers,
Jamie

This one cup of coffee made the cost of my jetboil worth it, and when I say worth it I got it free with a Trail magazine subscription about a year ago so even better!
Arrgh! I cant get the Flickr link to work, I cant find out how to get the BBcode on the new alleged improved Flickr, anybody know how to get it?
I cant help but think this photo may be a disappointment to you all after this…

piemonster – Member

Meh, give me a meths stove.

I’m never in that much of a hurry when out camping.

Bottles good for a sniff too.

I thought the same too piemonster, I was never that much in a hurry either, quite happy to use my meths cooker, but after borrowing one for a week at work, I have not looked back!

Easy to fire up, boils insanely quick, easy to cook with, does not seem to use much gas as other burners I have had in the past, no leaky meths sarnies either anymore.

Even bought the coffee press, for my daily coffee break.

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image[/url] by stu_laidlaw[/url], on Flickr

Result!