Back Packing stoves.
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- #22
In terms of weight, cost and speed it looks like the Optimus is the winner.
The Snow Peak unit does not have a heat exchanger, the stove might win if combined with a different pot.
The Snow Peak unit does not have a heat exchanger, the stove might win if combined with a different pot.
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The Jetboil is around 6200 BTU. You are going to burn a lot more fuel with any other unit. Which means for long trips, extra canisters and extra weight.
Edit: Posted the old burner output, the new burners are slightly higher, yet still more efficient when you compare how much heating/use you get per oz. of packed weight. Another spec you might want to look at is how many litres of water you can boil with a particular package weight. I.E. included canister.
Jeremy
Edit: Posted the old burner output, the new burners are slightly higher, yet still more efficient when you compare how much heating/use you get per oz. of packed weight. Another spec you might want to look at is how many litres of water you can boil with a particular package weight. I.E. included canister.
Jeremy
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Looking at those specs to me it comes down to the Jetboil and Reactor for boiling capacity, but the Jetboil wins with weight. However, Jetboil beats the Optimus in every category except price.
If you change the Jetboil to the Aluminum version of the SOL you only gain -2 oz. (10.5 oz. total) and then the price is the same as the Optimus. But still beating it in every category.
Just MHO.
If you change the Jetboil to the Aluminum version of the SOL you only gain -2 oz. (10.5 oz. total) and then the price is the same as the Optimus. But still beating it in every category.
Just MHO.
The best stove is going to depend on your intended use.
If you do winter camping, and want to melt snow for water, nothing beats the Reactor. Likewise, the Reactor has better performance than the Jetboil in cold temps and wind.
The Reactor is a bit heavier (20.1 ounces compared with 15.1 ounces for the Jetboil,) but the Reactor has a 1.7 liter pot compared with the 1 liter on the standard Jetboil.
My current 3 season stove of choice is the Trail Designs Ti-Tri.
It burns alcohol and wood, has an integrated wind shield, and is half the weight of the Jetboil.
I've got reviews of all of these stoves (and some others) on my blog, here:
Stoves
If you do winter camping, and want to melt snow for water, nothing beats the Reactor. Likewise, the Reactor has better performance than the Jetboil in cold temps and wind.
The Reactor is a bit heavier (20.1 ounces compared with 15.1 ounces for the Jetboil,) but the Reactor has a 1.7 liter pot compared with the 1 liter on the standard Jetboil.
My current 3 season stove of choice is the Trail Designs Ti-Tri.
It burns alcohol and wood, has an integrated wind shield, and is half the weight of the Jetboil.
I've got reviews of all of these stoves (and some others) on my blog, here:
Stoves
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- #26
Where did you find the BTU # for JB? I was looking at boil times; Optimas 3 min/l vs JB 2m15s/0.5l and the 28% lower BTU O/P make sense.
So JB wins on weight, loses on boil time, loses on BTU, doesn't publish their spec on fuel consumption so they must be proud of that, and loses on cost.
'Splain to me how you figure JB beats Optimas?
So JB wins on weight, loses on boil time, loses on BTU, doesn't publish their spec on fuel consumption so they must be proud of that, and loses on cost.
'Splain to me how you figure JB beats Optimas?
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- #27
That is a very good write up. I looked at wood stoves briefly but there are so many burn restriction in this area I gave that idea up fast.
I don't camp in the winter, period.
This stove would be for overnight hikes in summer at relatively low altitudes.
Jetboil boils water in 2 minutes, plain and simple. I don't care if it is .5 l or 1.5l.
Why do you have to have a high BTU output to "win" if it gets the job done better. Hence the heat exchanger.
They highly publish their fuel consumption spec. That is what they are known for. 12l of water for a 100g tank. it takes 2 minutes to boil .5l of water, so you can run for what, 48 minutes on a 100g tank?
Like I said if you can sacrifice 1.8 oz. then the Jetboil SOL aluminum is only $106. That wins in cost as well.
Tell me which one of those units can boil 12l of water with a pack weight 14oz. (includes 100g fuel can)?
The Optimus would weigh over 18oz. and then it would take longer to boil the water each time. (would require a 230g fuel can to get the same results as the Jetboil with a 100g can.
Like was said before, the Jetboil has it's limitations. But fuel consumption, boiling water performance, weight, nor price isn't one of them. The need to carry an additional fry pan and store the pan rest are a drawback over the Optimus.
Personally I like the fact the I could pack my Jetboil with 1 fuel can and about a weeks worth of meals and be set.
Why do you have to have a high BTU output to "win" if it gets the job done better. Hence the heat exchanger.
They highly publish their fuel consumption spec. That is what they are known for. 12l of water for a 100g tank. it takes 2 minutes to boil .5l of water, so you can run for what, 48 minutes on a 100g tank?
Like I said if you can sacrifice 1.8 oz. then the Jetboil SOL aluminum is only $106. That wins in cost as well.
Tell me which one of those units can boil 12l of water with a pack weight 14oz. (includes 100g fuel can)?
The Optimus would weigh over 18oz. and then it would take longer to boil the water each time. (would require a 230g fuel can to get the same results as the Jetboil with a 100g can.
Like was said before, the Jetboil has it's limitations. But fuel consumption, boiling water performance, weight, nor price isn't one of them. The need to carry an additional fry pan and store the pan rest are a drawback over the Optimus.
Personally I like the fact the I could pack my Jetboil with 1 fuel can and about a weeks worth of meals and be set.
I have both the JEtboil and the MSR reactor. You can interchange the fuel canisters. The MSR is hands down faster than the JEtboil. Our biggest use is for french press coffee on trips. The MSR boils a bigger pot at a faster rate. THe issue with the MSR is it is limited to what you can cook because of the extreme heat. I do noodles or other such boil items. I can also do soups that are not to thick. Last weekend reheated a large amount of white chili but you would have real issues doing normal chile. We also will make chili or soup ahead of time vacuum seal them and just drop the servings into the pot and reboil. Very fast way to eat.
THE jetboil can be used to cook other items and is much more versatile with its cooking pans. You could easily do eggs and bacon or small stir fry and many other cooking items. Not going to get a large group meal going.
I love both the stoves but if I had to pick one it would be the MSR for my use as we usually have a large camp stove or fire going and the MSR is used for specific items. I do love the french press that comes with the cups for the JEtboil and will haul those with me at non camping times.
THE jetboil can be used to cook other items and is much more versatile with its cooking pans. You could easily do eggs and bacon or small stir fry and many other cooking items. Not going to get a large group meal going.
I love both the stoves but if I had to pick one it would be the MSR for my use as we usually have a large camp stove or fire going and the MSR is used for specific items. I do love the french press that comes with the cups for the JEtboil and will haul those with me at non camping times.
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- #30
Something about this statement bothers the logical part of my brain.
Since the cups that come with it are not 1L and the company list the 1L boil time as 5 min and explains that you have to do two batches of water to get to 1L I would surmise that it does .5l in 2:30.
My personal experience is that my MSR will boil 1L faster than my Jetboil will boil its amout of water. But that is just my experience. In our cruiser group we have 3 jet boils that we all used for coffee. Now we just use the one MSR.
My personal experience is that my MSR will boil 1L faster than my Jetboil will boil its amout of water. But that is just my experience. In our cruiser group we have 3 jet boils that we all used for coffee. Now we just use the one MSR.
Cause physics gets in the way..
Single person backpacking and minimalistic approach, I'd still be looking long and hard at sterno/Alcohol stoves.
Zen Backpacking Stoves - Home of the Alcohol Stove
Mostly because of the price
Sure you can, get 3 jetboils with .5 l in each. I was actually being a smartass because why in the hell would you need to boil more than 500-800 ml on a backpacking trip? You can put 800 in a cup and it will boil in under 3 minutes. Pretty close to 2 minutes.
I use the home brew alluminum can alcohol stove and I really love it. You can't beat it in the ultra light weight category. Inexpensive too. My entire cooking kit with stove, wind screen, cozy, spoon, pot, & fuel for 3 days weighs in under 16 oz.
I have a titanium optimus burner. It works very well, and is small and light.
Here is a video with a pretty good looking lady using the Flash like I have. Boils what looks like 400-500ml in a minute.
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- #39
I already have that page book markedCause physics gets in the way..
Single person backpacking and minimalistic approach, I'd still be looking long and hard at sterno/Alcohol stoves.
Zen Backpacking Stoves - Home of the Alcohol Stove
Mostly because of the price
, lots of dead links but the live ones are pretty good. I emptied a can of shaving cream yesterday and plan to make a stove out of it. The aluminum in shaving cream cans is much thicker than beverage cans it should make a slightly heavier but more robust stove.
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- #40
I should have worded that more carefully, I want to replace the Svea on short warm weather trips. The Svea will stay in my FJ40 camping kit. If you have ever camped out of an FJ40 you know space is at a premium, the Svea is perfect. Plus it uses the same fuel as the 40.