Jetboil - Is it worth the money?
- Thread starter Jaymzflood
- Start date
They are not really a food stove, more a water boiler/rat pack heater. Remember too that performance drops in the cold as the gas gets colder, the gas with added isobutane is better but still not as good as a stove with remote canister which allows you to flip the gas can and regain performance.
There are cheaper options that will give you performance and 'flip'.
If you want to cook real food and can add a bit of dosh then look at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34EMehx1XHQ
http://www.outdoorkit.co.uk/product.php?product_id=7174&gclid=CKvvydGD2a0CFQMntAodAjstoA
Another option would be a proper Trangia
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/trangia-27-...t=Trangia-Trangia_27-2_Stove_And_Cookware_Set
This will get you cooking at your February camp and later you can buy a gas insert if you want your three minute cup of tea
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000N8JR...de=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B000N8JRB2
If your on a budget then personally I'd go for the Trangia then add the gas burner later. The Trangia is a really well though out piece of equipment, very stable, not too big, will allow you to cook a variety of food for 1-2, you can use the pots on a fire and with the gas insert will give you pretty much JB speeds.
I have one of the originals and it is still going strong (though the lid split a bit).
I find it great for boiling use but poor for delicate cooking and TBH it rarely goes out these days as I prefer my hobo or an open fire these days... or if there is no wood - one of my trangias.
I find it great for boiling use but poor for delicate cooking and TBH it rarely goes out these days as I prefer my hobo or an open fire these days... or if there is no wood - one of my trangias.
Look at fuel efficiency and with modern, "normal" gas burners these days they are not that efficient and would take a really long trip to justify weight saving!! The original was, what 400g plus??!! I get a gas burner, pots, stand and windshield for significantly less than 300g. That leaves over 100g or best part of one small canister to use up over that what the jetboil would use before any weight savings on fuel.
To put is simply. In magazine tests they weigh the amount of gas used per standard boil. Last time I looked the jetboil had 6g but a crux and a primus can top had 7g of fuel!! So you now have something like 100 x 500ml boils to make up before the jetboil breaks even!! BTW I get 6-7 days of proper use out of my can top stove on one primus gas can (100g size). That is good enough for me considering my kit is is actually more compact than a standard jetboil.
Now ask me if I want one!!
That's an affirmative. Don't know why as everything I know about them tell me there is no point to them for what I use it for. I am a gram weenie where possible but I still like them. I think it is the kit form. I am tempted by the primus version though. If you recall Primus used to make the original burners for them and after a falling out made and sold their own form of the original jetboil as it wasn't strictly jetboil's private design. It is actually sub-400g so is lighter than the original jetboil version despite having the same performance and similar looks. It is also £60 at full price so perhaps cheaper if you can find one.
To put is simply. In magazine tests they weigh the amount of gas used per standard boil. Last time I looked the jetboil had 6g but a crux and a primus can top had 7g of fuel!! So you now have something like 100 x 500ml boils to make up before the jetboil breaks even!! BTW I get 6-7 days of proper use out of my can top stove on one primus gas can (100g size). That is good enough for me considering my kit is is actually more compact than a standard jetboil.
Now ask me if I want one!!
That's an affirmative. Don't know why as everything I know about them tell me there is no point to them for what I use it for. I am a gram weenie where possible but I still like them. I think it is the kit form. I am tempted by the primus version though. If you recall Primus used to make the original burners for them and after a falling out made and sold their own form of the original jetboil as it wasn't strictly jetboil's private design. It is actually sub-400g so is lighter than the original jetboil version despite having the same performance and similar looks. It is also £60 at full price so perhaps cheaper if you can find one.
I love mine.
Used to a Crusader set-up.. it actually amazes me every time it boils.. So So fast. Packs away nicely too.
Have the coffee press, and its great for nice camp coffee. (although very expensive)
Think I will probably invest in the Pot support, but again very expensive for what it is!
Used to a Crusader set-up.. it actually amazes me every time it boils.. So So fast. Packs away nicely too.
Have the coffee press, and its great for nice camp coffee. (although very expensive)
Think I will probably invest in the Pot support, but again very expensive for what it is!
Paul_B, a 100g canister lasts 6 or 7 days? I really thought it would have been alot less than that.
BUT...looking at it, is it really worth all that money? Thoughts appreciated
I'm a massive fan, I think it's a fantastic bit of kit, but you need to be aware of it's limitations. The jetboil is designed to boil water fast and efficiently, but that is all it does. It's designed mainly for people who use boil in the bag or dehydrated "just add boiling water" food and for making hot drinks. You can cook more adventurous food but if you are a gourmet cook, there are other stoves that will accomplish this much better than the jetboil. It's an extremely "handy" stove because everything packs neatly inside and it bolts together and is ready to go in a very short time - seconds. It also packs away in equally short time. For some people (particularly bushcrafters), the boil time is unimportant, but if you have just been hiking fort 15 miles and you have just pitched a bivvi bag in horizontal, freezing rain, then minimal hassle and fast boil makes a big difference to your comfort. Because it locks together and boils so quickly, it's possible to steady it with your hand while it boils - or even simply hold it in you hand while it boils. This makes getting boiling water possible in some circumstances where other stoves dont stand a chance. In terms of weight, it's in the medium category. But it's efficiency means it uses very little gas and over an extended trip of several days or more, then relative to other stoves it starts to look lighter and lighter until eventually it actually does become an ultralight option. You have to consider duration of your trips, fuel weight and efficiency as part of the overall weight of your cooking system. The weight of the stove alone is only one part of the equation. If you understand it's limitations, where and how it's designed to be used, then it excels. If what you are looking for is an ultralight stove for very short trips, look at something else. If what you want is a good stove for gourmet cooking, look for something else. If what you want is a stove that will rapidly and efficiently deliver boiling water under almost any circumstances and almost any weather conditions, or an ultralight option for an extended trip, or just simply a very high convenience factor, then the jetboil stand out in the crowd.
There are lots of ways to cook and boil water. Bushcrafters generally prefer to cook over a wood fire if circumstances and conditions allow it. It's enormously satisfying and very versatile. Cooking with liquid fuel stoves, paraffin, meths etc.. can bring a similar satisfaction and are equally versatile. Gas stoves generally, but particularly the jetboil, dont have this satisfaction element and it is not nearly as versatile. It just boils water - it's a kettle. Match the stove to your needs and desires to avoid disappointment.
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I use mine just for brew-ups when on day walks. It is is superb because it is very efficient and fast and I must get 15 brews (full pot) from the small cylinder. Another option is to use a bigger cylinder, pack it separately and use the space inside the Jetboil for brew-stuff. That way the cost starts to come down.
A 100g cannister will boil approximately 15-20 x 500ml of water (depending on conditions). If you can make 15-20 x 500ml of boiling water last 7 days, then that's how long it lasts.
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Brew in morning, two in evening, noodles with cosy for simmer at lunch and boil for dehydrated meal in evening. 5 boils per day of varying volumes. The last day might mean a few less boils but that is what my little gas stove will do. At least with the Primus can. If I use Coleman's can the same size (about) then it is probably less than 5 days. A cheapo brand and it is less. Once got about 7 boils out of a cheap large canister (IIRC about 450 size). It just went cold as it burnt of one component then on a warm June day it just could not sustain a flame!!
I got one free with a subscription to Trail magazine and havent used it yet. I tend to use rat packs when camping and hadnt even thought about using the jetboil to heat them up, a few people have mentioned it and it must work ok so will give it a try.
Anyone know of anywhere online I can get the gas cannisters as I cant seem to find them anywhere locally.
Anyone know of anywhere online I can get the gas cannisters as I cant seem to find them anywhere locally.
How much of a gram weenie are you?
Naked Jetboil Sol (800ml aluminium pot), pot, lid and burner, 264g. With the 1L classic pot (also naked), 294g. If you go for the titanium pot and use a tinfoil lid, you can get down to almost 200g. But the laws of diminishing returns start to apply. Personally, I think even for a gram weenie, 264g for cooking pot, lid and stove is pretty good.
Now factor in burner efficiency.....
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Not sure you can have gas canisters delivered. Certainly not by mail and most couriers I've used have them as an excluded item too.
I have no idea of that part of the world but googled outdoors Rainham kent and got camping international near Chatham, Camping and General near Canvey Island and there seems to be a few in and around Chatham / Gillingham. I have no idea where Rainham is other than kent and these are in kent sonot sure how helpful I'm being.
I would suggest checking out your yellow pages and then any places it lists. You are most likely to come across Coleman (not high performance gas in their cans) and Camping Gaz (different cans). IF you need anything better then you will probably have to detour to a store like Blacks, Millets or a specialist outdoors shop in a more hilly walking area like Peak District, SNowdonia, LAkes or SCotland in the highlands. Just have to visit a shop to buy I think,.
I have no idea of that part of the world but googled outdoors Rainham kent and got camping international near Chatham, Camping and General near Canvey Island and there seems to be a few in and around Chatham / Gillingham. I have no idea where Rainham is other than kent and these are in kent sonot sure how helpful I'm being.
I would suggest checking out your yellow pages and then any places it lists. You are most likely to come across Coleman (not high performance gas in their cans) and Camping Gaz (different cans). IF you need anything better then you will probably have to detour to a store like Blacks, Millets or a specialist outdoors shop in a more hilly walking area like Peak District, SNowdonia, LAkes or SCotland in the highlands. Just have to visit a shop to buy I think,.
I find the optimus "green" tri-fuel to be superb. It's also one of the cheapest of the "good" gasses. Just google "optimus 100g gas" and look for the green can.
Yeah you can. I usually get em by the half-case (12x cans), you save a bit that way. It works out to about £2.50 a can IIRC.
Thast makes it cheaper than using B&Q bought meths in an alcohol stove.
How efficient are the burners with it stripped down? Some reviews state 1g fuel saving per 500ml boil with the full kit. I have a 96g (measured) pot, 76g stove and a windshield in super light foil from BPL. Not sure how that weighs but suggest less than 40-50g. This is then 212 to 222g. That is 42 to 52g difference or at the 1g of fuel difference in efficiency at least 42 x 500ml boils!! Hmmm! Maths kind of don't stack up even if stripped.
Then how much is the Jetboil Sol? Assuming it is the Ti one it is in excess of £100. My kit cost £20 stove, £25 pot and can't remember the foil cost but could have used a cheap baking tray from ASDA that cost 40p for 4 foil baking trays and saved weight and money. So about £45 for a lighter system overall that would take me up to 10 days before I matched the weight cost by the efficiency cost of my stove!! I mostly only get 1 week away at a time so doesn't suit me a Jetboil but others like it and I do rate it for it's format.
If you want to go gram weannie then I am of late into meths. I have a WBS and using less calorific meths can beat even my 222g gas setup. I also have a pepsi can stove and an nordisk folding wing stove at 11g for using hexi / esbit.
All I am saying is Jetboil is not about the weight saving for short trips that most people do. It is for long trips and the format / function of a complete system. ALl that and I am not really a gram weannie just see jetboil as it is, another stove choice we have to make as gear freaks / outdoors people.
Then how much is the Jetboil Sol? Assuming it is the Ti one it is in excess of £100. My kit cost £20 stove, £25 pot and can't remember the foil cost but could have used a cheap baking tray from ASDA that cost 40p for 4 foil baking trays and saved weight and money. So about £45 for a lighter system overall that would take me up to 10 days before I matched the weight cost by the efficiency cost of my stove!! I mostly only get 1 week away at a time so doesn't suit me a Jetboil but others like it and I do rate it for it's format.
If you want to go gram weannie then I am of late into meths. I have a WBS and using less calorific meths can beat even my 222g gas setup. I also have a pepsi can stove and an nordisk folding wing stove at 11g for using hexi / esbit.
All I am saying is Jetboil is not about the weight saving for short trips that most people do. It is for long trips and the format / function of a complete system. ALl that and I am not really a gram weannie just see jetboil as it is, another stove choice we have to make as gear freaks / outdoors people.
Who from? Howdo they deliver? Which courier?? Seriously I've only been told no by online retailers.
Google is you friend mate - seriously. I think even the bushcraft store sell em in singles, though not at that price.
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