Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat for a Long Time ... But Have Shelved it Now
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2012
UPDATE (Jan 2018):
Okay, in the last 6 months, I've actually put the Jetboil on the shelf and not used it at all. I actually went a little more old-school and changed my cook system completely. I picked up a Stanley Adventure Cook Set at Walmart for $15 in September of last year. It's the one with the two green nesting cups (that I immediately discarded). The Stanley holds my BRS 3000 burner, a small fuel can, my mini bic, the Jetboil fuel can stand, spices, and everything else I need and couldn't fit into the Jetboil. Don't get me wrong, if you're only goal is to boil water really fast, the Jetboil is still the absolute best way to go. However, if you want to do anything else/more, the Jetboil isn't going to get you there. There was almost no weight trade-off with my recent change, as the Jetboil is already pretty light. However, the BRS burner weighs less than one ounce compared to the giant Jetboil burner, and the Stanley steel cup (with locking handle and strainer lid) weighs about the same as the Jetboil cup (with lid and Neoprene sleeve/handle). The big bonus from the new system, which boils water about 30 seconds slower than the Jetboil, is that I can use it over an open flame or other fuel/stove option. I can put it in the fire. I can use a wood stove (which is more sensible sometimes). I have taken to carrying an Ikea hobo stove with me (stainless steel strainer, 5"x7", weighs about 6 ounces and clips to my pack with a carabiner - I cut a small hole in the side to load tinder and fuel) for back country campfires where I don't want to disturb the natural areas (you can put it on a rock and run a good 2-3 hour fire with nothing but harvested sticks and twigs as opposed to making a fire ring and harvesting limbs and cutting/batoning wood). A couple times I've actually used that hobo fire to cook my food in that Stanley cup (two old fashioned steel tent stakes for supports), and it's a better option if you're cold weather camping as canisters sometimes struggle when it's cold out. I can also pack my alcohol stove, stand and fuel in the Stanley cup if I need to ... which I couldn't do with the Jetboil. The whole thing nests (with a bandana) in my Toaks 750 ml pot and goes back in a small stuff sack. The form factor is a little smaller than the Jetboil, and I like the cooking options. The BRS isn't quite as efficient as the Jetboil burner, but I have much better simmer control and can actually cook with my new system, where all could do with the Jetboil was boil water and make coffee. I have also abandoned the Stowaway pot, as I find the Toaks 750ml is the far better option (has a lid I pack in the stuff sack under everthing else). Sometimes I leave the lid at home as the Stanley lid will fit the Toaks pot also.
The Jetboil is a great option if all you're doing is making coffee or rehydrating prepackaged foods. For a lot of folks getting into backpacking, that's the perfect solution. As you get bored with Mountain House meals and want healthier options that are less processed, the Jetboil's appeal starts to fade a little. If they had a better simmer control (may be the case with newer product options and updates), that may change the equation a little. However, I have found the ability to cook on pretty much any heat source with my Stanley setup to be a selling point that Jetboil just can't match. You also can't compare the price. $80-$100 for a Jetboil and $15 for the Stanley set. The Toaks pot was $35 and came with its own lid and mesh stuff sack, and the BRS burner was $12. So, fully comparable to what's included in the Jetboil, my current cook system cost less than $65, and is more versatile.
ORIGINAL REVIEW (Oct 2012):
Wow, I wish I had one of these in the military!
I've been camping and backpacking with this thing for over a year now. The only other implements I normally bring are an MSR Alpine Stowaway Pot (475 ml) and my long handle spoon (TOAKS). Sometimes, if I'm going to higher altitudes or colder climates, I'll bring my MSR PocketRocket too. In colder weather, you can usually still get it to light, but the fuel can gel in below freezing temps, and I don't want to ruin my JetBoil. The rest of the time, it's the only stove I bring. Mine also came with the pot support (which it looks like may not be included anymore ... what a shame), which I use A LOT. You can use the JetBoil fuel or any other iso-butane canister fuel (with the same size threaded port). In reality, there are better and more cost effective fuels out there for the JetBoil than the JetPower fuel they overcharge for.
The longer I own this thing, the harder time I have imagining camping or backpacking without it. It's my whole kitchen all in the same canister. Even my spoon fits perfectly into the loop on the sleeve, which holds it tight to the canister for travel.
This is easy to set up and tear down, easy to light, easy to use. It's a great design and a must pack item for me now. Coffee, cider, ramen, backpacking food (freeze dried), soup, etc. It's a fast and easy way to get 2 cups of water piping hot in about 90 seconds.
My only caution with this product: the "cup" on the bottom is crap. Mine broke the first or second time I took the unit camping. It's flimsy and useless. I was able to fix mine with the strip of duct tape, and I keep it on the unit just to protect the bottom of the Flash. Otherwise, the cup is junk. I'd rather they just made a removable cover for the bottom (and that would compact the pack size a little bit more).
Awesome. Worth every penny.
