Stove advice please

[cbr6fs]

Ill second that , All the gas stoves are great when you live near a camping or outdoor store but you try finding half of these gas bottles in the North or North West of Scotland on any day of the week . Sunday into the garage bottle o meths no problem, Gas no thanks.
As for “taking far too long to boil water” keep it out of the wind and it seems just fine to me.

As i've said a few times, meths burners have their place, in this instance though they are not the right tool for the job.

Now that John has made me aware of the screw/pierce adapter i can find gas cannisters over here far easier than i can find meths.
But even if i can't it's only making a cuppa while out so not really a life of death situation.

Plus i already have the Triad meths burner anyways so could always use that if needed.

Yes Paul and I'm saying what's the rush enjoy the view and stick with the trangia he has got. Why do you go out into the countryside to rush everything chill relax and breath in the air.

As i said above the situation here is a bit different.

Plus if i'm going to sit back and relax i'd much prefer to do that with a cuppa in my hand rather than having to check on my stove every 30 secs

 

[Paul_B]

I'm guessing the fire risk is serious in Greece hence your gas stove idea. I'm generally very careful when I use meths but I almost always end up with spilt and burnt meths on the ground. Easily sorted but I'm not in a high fire risk area in the Lakes.

If you are carrying the 100g can for the walk and it is going to be more than enough fuel for your trip needs then will the jetboil system be needed? My thinking would be to take a simple can top stove with a light pot (mine are either 96g or 105g depending on which I take). I use a light foil windshield and sometimes take pot supports which are not really needed IMHO if you can make a circular can sized depression to hold it all steady. That system would be lighter, cheaper and easier than the jetboil I think. You said you had the use of one arm so even with Shewie's comment about not clicking the jetboil into the locked position I'm sure a simple stove is better for you. With the right stove and pot you can get fast boil times without the heavier heat exchanger pots and systems. You will use more gas turning the burner up though but if speed is the important criteria there are some simple stoves with close to jetboil's boil times without the weight penalty when carrying it. I think the burner technology got better after the jetboils came out with their efficiency savings on gas use. Now the simple stoves are so much better I believe.

 

[cbr6fs]

Your absolutely right Paul.

To be honest i never really bother with my stove in summer as the last thing on my mind then is a hot drink :yikes:

So although it is illegal to have a fire 12 months of the year in some areas i do use my common sense and only fix a brew when the ground is not likely to go up in flames.

Oddly enough you can still smoke in these areas, so i don't know if anyone does approach me if a meths or gas fire would be considered illegal.
My guess is, it'll be like UK knife laws and very much open to interpretation.

Still as said i'd sooner be kicking back with a cup of warm stuff than watching a meths stove take it's time, so even if i'm in no rush it's better to watch the pot for 3 mins then fix a drink than be on edge watching the pot for 10 mins, as it's not the pot i went out to watch


I'm usually very decisive but i'm really struggling in deciding between the Sol Ti and the Crux HE weekender.

The Sol Ti is lighter at around 349gm (418gm for the Crux), the Sol is also 2cm shorter at 10.4 x 16.5cm (12.4 x 16.5cm for the Crux).
BUT i don't like the idea of the Sol Ti being a system.

As you say i could if need be just take the stove head, a cup and canister out with the Crux, that's not really the case with the Sol Ti.
Likewise if some new technology comes out with regards to gas stove heads, i could with the Crux system just buy a new head, again i'm not sure that's the case with the Jetboil.

Tough choice.



Cheers
Mark

 

[Shewie]

As you say i could if need be just take the stove head, a cup and canister out with the Crux, that's not really the case with the Sol Ti.

You can do that with the Sol too Mark, all you'd leave at home is the plastic bottom cup and the universal pot holder thingy, leaving you with the cup, burner and cart

 

[cbr6fs]

Thanks mate that was the push i needed.

Jetboil Sol Ti ordered.

Managed to find one for £109 so wasn't much more than the Optimus system.

Ordered from here:
http://www.elitemountainsupplies.co.uk/product/750_jetboil-sol-titanium-cooking-system.html




Cheers
Mark

 

[Shewie]

Good price, I think RVOps were the cheapest when I ordered

 

[cbr6fs]

Well the stove arrived yesterday and so far i'm really chuffed with it.

It feels lighter than i imagined and is only slightly bigger than the cup i was using before.
Not been used outside in anger yet, but we did have a few brews through it tonight and it boils VERY very quickly.


So thanks again for all your help and advice guys, very much appreciated.




Cheers
Mark

 

[cbr6fs]

Bit of an update.

Been using the stove for the last few weeks and it's been absolutely fantastic, it boils water for a brew or a tin of soup quicker than my microwave at home, really impressive bit of kit, UNTIL today.

Today i fancied something different so i took a tin of beans and a pack of sausages to mix in.

Problem was that even on the lowest heat setting and with me stirring to the point of whisking it still burnt the beans to the side/bottom of the mug AND melted the bloody heat exchanger underneath.

Surely i can't be expecting too much to cook a tin of bloody Heinz baked beans on it?


I've sent off an email to Jetboil to see what they say, but for future use do any of you guys use the Jetboil 1.5L cooking pot or Frying pan?
Does this suffer the same problem if your cooking say sausages?



Cheers
Mark

 

[johnboy]

I cannot comment on the Sol but the original PCS would cook beans and sausages without any issues but you'd have to use the lowest heat. I also drop in a bit of water to the beans so the juice is more liquid at the start so the heating conducts better.

TBH I've found Jet Boils customer service to be ok.

Cheers

John

 

[cbr6fs]

Thanks John.

I had it turned down to the point where i had to relight it 4 times, so a few mm more and it went out.

We'll see what Jetboil say, i don't mind buying the pot.

Or the frying pan

But as they both have the heat exchangers underneath i'd want airtight confirmation that i'm not going to get the same problem.

Other alternative is to just take a normal pot and use that.
After spending over £100 on a stove stove i really want to be able to use one of of it's selling points (quick boil times).




Cheers
Mark

 

[Shewie]

Problem was that even on the lowest heat setting and with me stirring to the point of whisking it still burnt the beans to the side/bottom of the mug AND melted the bloody heat exchanger underneath.

Surely i can't be expecting too much to cook a tin of bloody Heinz baked beans on it?


I've sent off an email to Jetboil to see what they say, but for future use do any of you guys use the Jetboil 1.5L cooking pot or Frying pan?
Does this suffer the same problem if your cooking say sausages?



Cheers
Mark

Ooh that's not good, I must admit I've only boiled water in mine for dehydrated meals.

I'll be interested to hear what Jetboil say

 

[ged]

TBH I think you're expecting a bit too much. There has to be a clue in the name -- JetBOIL.

I think if they'd called it a JetCOOK I might have tried beans in it, but knowing how easy it is to burn food while camping I'd never have tried to heat beans in a Jetboil.

Like you though, I'd be a bit disappointed that the heat exchanger fins melted. Are they light alloy? I'd have thought they'd be copper, which would be a lot harder to melt.

I've been thinking of soldering some copper fins onto the bottom of one of my kettles to see what improvement it makes, but I'm not sure it's worth the bother apart from the fun of the experiment and the possible learning experience. The past couple of weeks I took the ol' favourite 111B to France and Spain. It never took more than five minutes to make a brew and I didn't even have to refill the tank.

 

[widu13]

They are excellent stoves at boiling liquids, not so good at solids. Many gram weenies just accept that, and if eating "wet" rations know that they will be eating hot and lukewarm food at the same time but just make do. As a single use stove (liquids) it's very hard to beat.

 

[cbr6fs]

Ooh that's not good, I must admit I've only boiled water in mine for dehydrated meals.

I'll be interested to hear what Jetboil say

Just had a reply, they have requested the entire system be returned so they can check it over.
They will then see if they think the damage will be covered by warranty.

TBH I think you're expecting a bit too much. There has to be a clue in the name -- JetBOIL.

I think if they'd called it a JetCOOK I might have tried beans in it, but knowing how easy it is to burn food while camping I'd never have tried to heat beans in a Jetboil.

Like you though, I'd be a bit disappointed that the heat exchanger fins melted. Are they light alloy? I'd have thought they'd be copper, which would be a lot harder to melt.

I've been thinking of soldering some copper fins onto the bottom of one of my kettles to see what improvement it makes, but I'm not sure it's worth the bother apart from the fun of the experiment and the possible learning experience. The past couple of weeks I took the ol' favourite 111B to France and Spain. It never took more than five minutes to make a brew and I didn't even have to refill the tank.

I wanted to bring a sloppy tin of beans to a gentle boil not bake a Sunday roast, so it's not really relevant if the product is called Jetboil, Jetcook or Jetmicrowave.
My opinion was that as the tin was more sauce than beans it would cope fine, the logic behind my thinking was that many of the dried foods i've tried over the years have the same sort of consistency.

Looks like i was wrong, although it will be interesting to see if Jetboil cover it under warrenty.

They are excellent stoves at boiling liquids, not so good at solids. Many gram weenies just accept that, and if eating "wet" rations know that they will be eating hot and lukewarm food at the same time but just make do. As a single use stove (liquids) it's very hard to beat.

Aye it does boil liquids extremely effectively and it looks like it this efficiency comes at a price when cooking food with less fluid.

It's a shame really as the speed of which it boils a cup of water still amazes me every time i see it.


Has anyone tried a pot or frying pan with the Jetboil burners?

If it only boils water i can live with that most the time, but it'd be nice to be able to throw in a pan and cook something else, like beans.

 

[cbr6fs]

Well it's not looking good now.

Yesterday they were happy for me to return it so they can inspect it, today as soon as they found i was outside the USA they said it's no longer covered by warranty

Not really sure if that means any Jetboil sold outside the USA has no warranty or if it's just Greece, i have asked for clarification.

Odd thing is, i stated in my first email the circumstances of the failure together with pics i posted in post #28, they said then they'd need it back to look at it.
Yet yesterday i gave them no information other than that i was in the USA and they now say it's use was out of warranty, if cooking baked beans invalidates the warranty why didn't they just say that in the first response

Even more annoyingly their instructions clearing state.

DO NOT fry or cook foods with low moisture content. Use low flame....

The last thing i'd call Heinz baked beans is a food with "low moisture content" my soggy toast with strongly disagree


Any ways either way it's a crap system with a fundamental design flaw and if i can't simmer food it's really only useful sometimes not all the time.


So next questions please:

1/ Has anyone found a successful way of simmering with a Jetboil burner?
2/ What stove/cooking system would you guys recommend that is able to quickly boil water AND have enough control to simmer afterwards?




Cheers
Mark

 

[SpareX]

http://www.primus.eu/templates/pages/3_cols_white_middle.aspx?SectionId=5888

http://www.primus.eu/templates/pages/3_cols_white_middle.aspx?SectionId=5888

one of them 2 would be my choice mate

the eta express will boil faster than the jetboil youtube ftw

also has a frying pan built in its small yes but to cock a egg or a bit of bacon works well

the pack light is a great stove to cook in and boil water very fast is just wider rather than tall

comes with a nice wind shield also and as the gas canister is external to the stove you can keep it warm easier in colder temps

 

[lannyman8]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120713429...WAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648#ht_997wt_952

http://www.southwestsurvivalequipme...ing/stoves/web-tex-warrior-compact-stove.html

i have just got both and very good combo, just needs a wind shield when windy....

also with the right pot stand you can use a meths burner, i used some wire cooling wrack to make one and it works fine with my home made meths open burner...

the price is ok and the pan can be used on a fire gas burner meths, anything really, just make sure it does not boil dry being ally it could melt (the pot that is, i think the fins are steel)...and it all fits inside the pot, and room for brew kit too....

hope this helps.

chris.

 

[johnboy]

Well it's not looking good now.

Yesterday they were happy for me to return it so they can inspect it, today as soon as they found i was outside the USA they said it's no longer covered by warranty

Not really sure if that means any Jetboil sold outside the USA has no warranty or if it's just Greece, i have asked for clarification.

Odd thing is, i stated in my first email the circumstances of the failure together with pics i posted in post #28, they said then they'd need it back to look at it.
Yet yesterday i gave them no information other than that i was in the USA and they now say it's use was out of warranty, if cooking baked beans invalidates the warranty why didn't they just say that in the first response

Even more annoyingly their instructions clearing state.


The last thing i'd call Heinz baked beans is a food with "low moisture content" my soggy toast with strongly disagree


Any ways either way it's a crap system with a fundamental design flaw and if i can't simmer food it's really only useful sometimes not all the time.


So next questions please:

1/ Has anyone found a successful way of simmering with a Jetboil burner?
2/ What stove/cooking system would you guys recommend that is able to quickly boil water AND have enough control to simmer afterwards?




Cheers
Mark

If you look on jetboils website it states that they offer a 1 year warranty. Returns are either directly to jet boil in the US. Or via a distributor in the country you bought from.


Say your in Greece but you bought the stove via the net from a Uk store. Then the UK distributor is Burton Mc call. I'd be speaking with them.

A lot of warranty type issue are often dealt with by the local distributor. I deal with the NZ distributor of leatherman a lot as mine keep falling to bits I don't deal with leatherman directly.

I'd see how far you get with the local distributor.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Sorry to hear how this turned out for you Mark. You took so much care in selecting the jetboil it seems unfair to be in this situation. I really hope they come through fr you to fix it. I dont think beans is low in moisture either. Given the short timescale since purchase I would deal with the shop rather than jetboil. It would be normal for the shop to rectify any issues up to a period of three months from purchase. If the instructions state no low moisture food, my interpretation is you have not used it outside stated parameters. Speak to the retailer first.

Good Luck

 

[ged]

.... So next questions please:

1/ Has anyone found a successful way of simmering with a Jetboil burner?
2/ What stove/cooking system would you guys recommend that is able to quickly boil water AND have enough control to simmer afterwards?

Sorry to hear you're having trouble with the maker, hope you get it sorted.

I can't help with question number 1 but my answer to your question 2 would be something like the Optimus Nova or Primus Omnifuel and maybe a pot with a heat exchanger if you want to speed up boil times. They'll never be as fast as the Jetboil but if you always live life as fast as that I think you might be on the wrong forum.

The Optimus can run with a very low power output even without a windshield. The Nova can't burn gas but the Omnifuel can. The new model of the Nova had some quality issues associated with moving manufacturing to China, I don't know if that's all been resolved. I have the old Nova (the wife has one too) and it's about the best all-rounder for me. I like the old Optimus Hiker, my 111B has a rather more powerful burner than the Nova but it can still be turned down fairly low. Apart from the weight and bulk of the Hiker-style stove-in-a-box with a hinged lid, the main problem is that if the lid doesn't fold flat (it doesn't on my 111B) then a big pan like a frying pan won't fit centrally over the burner. If I'm not going to fry something and if space and weight aren't problems I'll usually take the 111B in preference to the Nova. But it's not often I only take one stove anywhere.

There are a few Chinese-made stoves similar to the Primus and Optimus (but a lot cheaper) and they've had a few good reviews but I've very little personal experience. One I watched in use recently seemed to put out quite a bit more heat than the Nova, enough to destroy the non-stick coating on my frying pan in a matter of minutes.