Jetboil Stove
Back Story
A while back, I set off on my first backpacking trip in ages. The minimal weight of my ultralight Jet Boil stove was a huge benefit, given the extra weight of my camera gear and tripod.
I had planned to hike along the Tensleep Trail that starts in the south end of the Bighorn National Forest, in central Wyoming. My goal was to see the Cloud Peak Glacier in the heart of the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area.
At the last minute, I bought a JetBoil stove from the Sports Lure shop in Buffalo, Wyoming.
After leaving the Tensleep trail head just before sundown, I hiked several hours north from the parking area. I trudged past forest lakes and meadows, wondering when I would ultimately ascend past the treeline. Time dragged as I plodded along with my eighty pound backpack. I only encountered two hikers on their way back from the wilderness. They warned me of moose in the area. Meanwhile I could hear what seemed like a dozen coyotes. Well after sundown, I passed a group of backpackers who had already pitched their tents. I kept plodding along to find my own private little patch of wilderness. I donned my LED headlamp to scout alongside the trail for a sheltered bit of grass, well away from any lake, pond or stream. Then I pitched my dome tent in the dark.
Shortly afterwards, I got bundled into my mummy sleeping bag and hunkered down for the night. It had begun to snow. I managed to keep warm by sleeping fully clothed in my mummy bag. What made a huge difference was the comfort and insulating warmth of my Thermarest sleeping pad underneath.
Deep in the night I awoke to the scritching, scratching, chewing and gnawing of a large animal just outside my tent flap. But I was too exhausted to stay awake. I simply rolled over and passed out.
Daylight was burning when I awoke. I had left my camera tripod just outside. I suspect that a large animal had been attracted to the salt left on the tripod grips. No harm no foul.
I was famished. I unpacked my food, water bottles and brand new Jet Boil stove then set them out on a flat boulder near my tent. I was delighted and amazed by how the JetBoil stove brought 500 ml of water to a full roiling boil in under 4 minutes. That was enough for me to enjoy hot cocoa, coffee, and a hot bowl of instant oatmeal.
JetBoil Stove Review
Features and Benefits of the JetBoil Stove
The JetBoil’s burner, small fuel canister, tripod stand, measuring cup and cooking vessel complete with lid, handle, heat distributor and insulating cozy all nest together into a compact cylinder about the same size as a one liter water bottle. The entire kit weighs only 13 oz, about the same as 0.37 liters of water. In other words, the entire Jet Boil kit is far lighter than the drinking water I normally bring along.
Moreover, the stove is easy to assemble. The only real challenge is to find a flat, level surface on which to safely operate the stove.
You also need to unfold the wire loop that serves as the fuel valve handle before you screw the fuel canister into the burner head.
The cooking vessel comes with a neoprene, insulating cover, or cozy, to keep the heat in. The cozy features a belt loop of nylon webbing and temperature indicating logo.
Cleaning up is easy thanks to the cooking vessel’s nonstick coating.
It’s easy to turn the valve to a lower setting than for a full rolling boil. However, it’s impossible to maintain a gentle simmer with certain models. Note that since my hike in the Bighorns, Jetboil has vastly expanded its product line from “boil only” models to more advanced models that can be turned down to a slow simmer.
Fuel Economy of the JetBoil Stove
Its fuel economy is great. The compact fuel canister (that nests neatly inside the cooking vessel when not in use) turned out to be quite sufficient for the entire three day trip, with plenty of fuel sloshing around to spare. The small canister of butane/isobutane fuel contains 100g of fuel, enough to boil 12 liters of water, equivalent to boiling half a liter for 24 meals on the trail. It costs $16 for the Jetboil brand fuel.
Durability of the JetBoil Stove
My Jet Boil now shows the wear and tear of the last few years. The stove is still functional but its piezoelectric igniter no longer sparks. I have not yet succeeded in repairing it. Instead, I always bring along a Bic lighter. Also, the non-stick coating has lost its quality near the base of the cooking vessel where it receives all the heat. Replacement vessels, known as Fluxring Pots, cost $65 and up, and come with the insulating cozy, lid and measuring cup.
Summary and Conclusions
All in all, the Jet Boil stove is an excellent little companion for alpine backpacking trips. It takes up no space in my backpack – I simply secure the entire kit to the outside of my pack with a bungee cord. The entire kit weighs almost nothing to boot. In the morning, I’m able to cheer myself up with instant hot cereal and hot chocolate. In the evening, I’m able to replenish my caloric deficit with hot noodles or pasta, savory hot treats that went well with my other backpacking foods.
Since my epic trip into the Bighorn mountains of central Wyoming, I’ve brought my trusty Jetboil companion on all my wilderness hikes. In Yosemite National Park, I brewed hot tea for a welcome break on the snow covered trail out to Taft Point from Glacier Point. I’ve cooked up instant noodles, cacao , coffee and tea on several wilderness beaches of Northern California. Hot treats like those were invariably welcome in the chill wind of those foggy strands.
I now take my Jetboil kayaking. It’s perfect for boiling seawater to cook delicious mussels right there on the beach where I haul out my kayak.
Recommendation – Get a JetBoil Stove
I highly recommend this little unit. The basic backpacking kit costs between US$100 to US$165 depending on the model and its options. I’ve also seen kits on Amazon sell for $95. Replacement butane canisters can be purchased at most outdoor recreation stores and hardware stores. They’ve really become the mainstream form of portable camp fuel. In fact, there are 3 standard canister sizes. Only the smallest size nests within the cooking vessel for compact transport. Even so, the smallest is plenty big for a 3 or 4 day backpacking. The only two features that have failed on my JetBoil have been the non-stick coating and the piezo-electric ignitor.
Happy trails and Cheers!
