Hey Eric, thanks for taking the time to share this! Didn't hurt, your honest feedback is appreciated and you were very respectable. The Flash is great for boiling and freeze dried meals but I get that this may get boring for the longer trips. Have you tried the MiniMo, MicroMo, MightyMo or Sumo? The "Mo" burner to these units have precise simmer control and the cooking possibilities are endless. The burner can also be purchased separately and is compatible with the Flash cup. Happy Backpacking! - Brenda
I love the Flash for what it is. Jetboil offers different products for different needs. I have the flash as well as the MiniMo. I also have the pocketrocket 2 you can never have too much stuff right. I find I use the flash most often because of its ease of use.
The considered design of the other jetboils is far superior to a hodgepodge “custom” setup Might feel nice to go back to one’s roots but man, the efficiency and speed of the mo series always beats struggling with high winds and dodgy aluminium wind shields!
When my mom and dad started my sister and I into back country foot travel, he used an ancient Primus (still have it) and he insisted that we NEVER eat a freeze dried meal. He used to cook some awesome meals based on food my mom would dehydrate and we became spoiled (did not realize it until I started backpacking on my own). He eventually bought an MSR Whisperlite and when it came time to start to set up my own cook kit, he passed to me the Whisperlite. It served me well, but I started to seek a lighter cooking stove and chose a Pocket Rocket (the original one) and I still use it a few decades later. Jet boil came out and I started to see them on trails, but just as you point out...all they seem to be used for is boiling water and reconstituting freeze dried food. I would be eating fresh caught trout and dehydrated veggie and everyone wanted to share my food because..."OMG, that smells delicious!" Thank you for sharing your experience, I was starting to wonder if I was like the only one! :) Many miles of adventure and harmony!
I have two main reasons I'll likely stick to boil water meals. 1) I hate clean up. So I'm not likely to do complicated meals. 2) I'm just a weekend a month backpacker so freeze dried meals aren't going to kill me. Now I'll also note, I have become a fan of the alcohol stove. I love how quiet it is. I like that it is super cheap to make or replace. It is slower but I'm usually not in a hurry. As I'm learning about backpacking in general, everyone hikes their own hike.
I've been using a penny stove for at least 7 years, I've gone through hundreds of bottles of heet.. My only complaint is when not if but when the water boils over(accidently of course), it can be disastrous
I have have been using an alcohol cooker for about 30 years (using methylated spirits). its a bit slower and a bit heavier, but i don't care. I have 2 pots and a frying pan that is shielded from the wind. It is is stable and gives me so much versatility. Everytime i look at other alternatives i come back to the fact that spending €200 is not going to be worth the slight improvement over my alcohol cooker
Рік тому+2
Cleaning is easy with wet wipes, while still warm.
Hi Eric. I see your point and would like to ask you if you would make a follow-up to this video showing some of your favorite meals and discussing which ingredients are best for hiking trips. There are other integrated systems (even from jetboil) and a comparison video with cooking as a theme would be helpful. I have used my jetboil loads but have also cooked. It's more what I feel like for a particular trip, not that obe is better overall than the other.
Proud of you! I have been backpacking and cooking real food on trips since the 70’s when I was a Boy Scout. Did mre’s as a grunt in the USMC. Life’s too short for freeze dried food, especially when you are absorbing the beauty of Mother Nature!
Got the Jetboil while I was in the military. And boy, let me tell you, being able to actually cook my MREs is way more better than using that god forsaken chemical heat packet. The low weight, compact storage and rugged build was perfect for a 2 week field op. Currently working in construction and its still worth it. No more basic sandwich and peanuts, I can actually bring in leftovers and reheat it using an additional Ozark backpack cooking set I got from walmart. Eggs, burritos, tacos, soup, spaghetti, coffee. And with heat resistant baggies, I can even heat up microwaveable food too.
This might fly for POG'S and mounted/mech/armor units, but for a light Infantry soldier, this does not apply, too loud, too bright, too much scent, and you absolutely can't afford to hump stuff like this outside the wire.
@@johnhildenbrand2642 .. Now this might fly for light infantry units, but i was in the first Black Ops, after my golden AK ran out i used the jetboil in the mud and the blood.. and when your shoes are wet and your socks torn all you want is that MRE.
@@coffeepot3123 I've no doubt you did, after your 4th excursion behind enemy lines and capturing the entire Taliban leadership singlehandedly and solving the local villages water and food problems as an afterthought right? 🙄
@@johnhildenbrand2642 used it for 4 years when i was in as an 0311 was it pogy bait yup was it a nice change of pace from MRE yup lol if ur going off smell those chem packs are smokey and terrible 😅
@@johnhildenbrand2642 too loud? People have that characteristic without having to bring any gear. Too bright, if this were an issue cigarettes would be banned I. The field as well. You ever seen a cigarette light up like a Christmas tree under night vision? Scent, those mre chemical heaters also give off a scent. My unit (infantry) was actually encouraged to bring a cannister stoves on a field op, they weigh next to nothing, infantry already carried heavy weight packs, what's an extra few ounces?
Glad to see more and more UA-camrs like yourself showing all the options that are out there. Was getting tired of hearing others out there saying their selected gear or camping technique is the only option and anything else is wrong. There are so many options that work just choose what works best for your trip.
A very nice balanced video Eric. I have never been tempted to buy a Jetboil but have had gasoline stoves then butane like the MSR Pocket Rocket. Yes, they are fast and efficient but some time ago I was with some Swedish hikers and they introduced me to Trangia alcohol stove systems. They are slower, very, very quiet which I just love and most of all the fuel is environmentally sustainable, cheap, and available worldwide. Now I solo hike with a Speedster alcohol stove which weighs less than 1 oz and will burn with the simmer ring for about 30 minutes. In my 750 ml pot, I can cook quite adventurous meals. I am older, slower, and like to stop and enjoy the trail so fast food or drinks are not so important. There is just so much to recommend alcohol stove systems for one or two-person cooking however for groups Butane rules the roost.
Ditto here. Gone back to my old faithful Storm cooker. Had/have MSR whisperlight, gas stoves, Jetboil - the list goes on…I am 71 and enjoy cooking and do not really use precooked meals…Each to their own
I started with Trangia's back when I was in Scouts and at school camps. One recent thing I learnt whilst watching a documentary about the history and development of the Trangia is that the 25 series (and 27 series) can operate really well at altitude if you let them form their own micro-climate. The documentary had a segment of an army training video which showed digging a hole (shielded from the wind) that would leave about a 1" gap between the dirt and the outside of a Trangia all the way around and it was almost as deep as the entire assembled Trangia. Once lit, it would warm the air around it (changing the air pressure) and the dirt would help insulate it. This meant that a Trangia could reliably operate at altitude. I have not tried this technique as I only recently learnt it and where I camp, the ground is as hard as concrete (I'm in Australia) but I'm interested in trying this technique in Autumn when I go to the High Country where the ground is softer.
@@matthewnirenberg Many years ago when I lived in the Scottish Highlands an army outdoors instructor with the Green Howards used a Trangia in winter conditions. He would look for a wind-swept area, choose a softball-sized rock set deep in the ground, pries it out and set the Trangia in the hollow, light it with a match left in the stove as a wick, put the mess tin on straight away and it worked just fine when our gas stoves had to be pre-warmed next to our skin to operate in below freezing conditions.
Jetboil minimo+summit skillet. I've never once had a freeze dried meal, I always cook my meals fresh. I don't have to deal with heat loss or bring extra accessories to light my stove or wind screens to keep the fire on. A nice plus is adding the coffee accessory and now I can also enjoy my morning french press coffee in the wild. Yes there are other options out there that may work well for others, but owning a jetboil doesn't mean freeze dried meals are your only option.
Right there with you. Never had a freeze dried meal even though I want to try one. I find the art of back-country cooking to be exceptionally rewarding. I use my trusty Jetboil Minimo. My favorite dish to cook is quinoa with cilantro and tomatoes with tuna. Never once had my quinoa stick to the bottom of the pot because like the pocket rocket, I can turn the heat down to a simmer. I would take the Jetboil over the pocket rocket because it is more consistent. If I simmered quinoa using a pocket rocket on a fairly windy day, the heat won't be as consistent throughout the cook whereas the Jetboil would contain the heat much better. I appreciate your videos Eric!
☑️☑️ Yeah, and I bought a special Jetboil skillet way back in 2008! So they've had other cooking options for a LONG time now! I also own an MSR Simmerlite stove and a separate, lightweight cook set I bought, which the Simmerlite stove will conveniently fit inside of. But then I also have to carry at least 1-2 fuel bottles filled with liquid fuel. The Simmerlite is supposedly a more effective option for mid winter backpacking, when it's really cold, and isobutane type stoves allegedly run slower and aren't as efficient. BUT..... The very first time I ever used my Jetboil stove was on a pre-planned 3 day trip in early February of 2007, on the Appalachian trail in the Northern half of the Shenandoah natl park. It was during a fairly severe cold front, where it was 6° f the first night, 9°f the 2nd night, and never reached more than 22°f during the first 2 days. My Jetboil was obviously running slower in those conditions than when I'd first bought and tested it a few weeks earlier indoors(at 70°f). So in those extremely cold conditions, it took 3-4 mins to boil water, instead of 2mins. But so what?? Maybe it would be far less effective if the temp was well below freezing, but I probably won't be backpacking in -25°f conditions anytime soon! I just hope I can still buy a replacement Jetboil coffee press, because mine broke right where the aluminum rod connects to the plastic press/filter. I hope they don't charge something ridiculous for that inexpensive part, like $30 or whatever!
Great points! I do agree that the JetBoil Flash is geared towards freeze dried meals. I use MiniMo and prefer it over Flash or the Pocket Rocket. As an average backpacker I try to balance lightweight backpack and comfort so the 14.6oz that the stove weighs is not a deal breaker for me. I'd rather cut weight on quality tent and sleeping bag. With MiniMo I can boil water just as quick and it has an attachment so you can use a skillet or a pan. On top of that it has simmer control which is important if you're trying to cook something instead of making a charcoal out of it.
Recently I have been collecting different mess kits/pots/cups etc, and I'm totally with you. I ended up loving a complete nesting kit with a twig stove. Not only can I cook great, but I can also use it for extra heat instead of starting a campfire.
Jetboil makes a very nice folding pot stand that nests inside the cup. I have used it countless times with my titanium pan to cook trail meals such as omelettes, meat and potatoes, and many fresh caught fish. It works wonderfully and is more stable with the canister legs on ground that is not perfectly flat. I am trying the pocket rocket thing now but am not sure it can beat the capabilities of my jetboil.
I've never used a bag meal before. I stick to oatmeal with dried fruit, ramen, chicken packets, pasta packets, and mashed potatoes for my hot meals. And I've pretty much always used a Jetboil to boil water and measured out freezer bags of food because of the convenience. Just so much easier to only boil water. Nothing gets messy - I like to keep it simple on the trail. However, I have been considering a small stove and small pot to save space and weight.
As a 65 year old lifelong backpacking enthusiast I agree with you. It's not about cost or high tech or saving a few seconds boiling something. It's all about the experience and quality of the food. It's one thing if your climbing Mt Everest and every gram matters. Average backpackers carry lots of things they don't "need" but because we're all different we fill our packs with them because of the comfort and quality they bring to our overall experience.
Exactly. Spot on. Being an “elder hiker’” I was a Boy Scout many years ago and I earned my cooking merit badge cooking real food…because that’s all that was available. To this day, I have never eaten a freeze-dried meal. They are convenient, no doubt, and combined with a very fast boiling stove like Jet Boil, they make clean-up very easy, but they remind me of emergency rations on a life raft and only meant to keep a human alive. Nothing beats a camp sight in the woods alive with the smells of cooking bacon, pancakes, and fresh coffee. Many parks today prohibit hikers and campers from using an open fire for warmth, cooking, and s’mores. So I bring a large Firebox stove, a Firebox Nano, and a Windmaster stove. In the morning I start off with the stove to make coffee to energize the stiff bones from sleeping in a hammock. Then I use the stove to cook some fresh biscuits. Then I fire up the Firebox stoves and cook the bacon on one and the hash browns. Of course, you don’t need all 3 fire sources and could cook everything sequentially on the stove, but by using all 3, you can have all the food ready at the same time as you would on an open fire. If I am going to have oatmeal with chopped walnuts, raisins/cranberries, and brown sugar, I use the stove for that. Now what c-rations can compete with that? Sitting outside in the forest and watching the flora and fauna come alive while you eat a breakfast like that is pure, unadulterated heaven. Nope, no jet boiled, emergency rations for me.
Hahaha wow so poetic...for everyone who doesn't want to live in your fantasy world, freeze dried food offers a quick, easy, nutritous way to fuel up so you spend less time cleaning, prepping, etc. And more time enjoying the outdoors
“more time enjoying the outdoors” Have you considered that enjoying a leisurely meal while taking in the surroundings *is* enjoyable? I don’t want to have three stoves to keep up with, but rushing through meals eating reconstituted styrofoam so that I have more time to enjoy myself? That’s one extreme to another.
Peace, and each their own. Elder Hiker, your meals sound great, tasty, now I'm hungry because I love biscuits with bacon and eggs, especially if the coffee is plentiful and strong. KB below is correct too. E.g. If you want to cover miles on a bike, or canoe trip. And if you are in grizzly country packing along bacon is a bit tricky if you're 20 miles back in on a bicycle. Any time outdoors is good time. Happy trails.
You'd be surprised at just how good freeze dried meals have become. They've really come a long way even in just the last decade. Probably has to do with freeze dryers now available to average people, so people are experimenting & realizing just how good they can be. No longer just a collection of carbs, protein, & some blah flavor to help choke them down. I keep a few around, but I've also turned back toward the slow food movement.
@@ddhrsa that's why I go into the outdoors to kill and cook my meal. Weird people have different use for the outdoors. Fantasy, I prefer food. Actually food not a number.
Embrace the slow food movement Eric! Join the trangia gang, silent, controllable, good simmering, time to reflect and appreciate your backpacking food you prepare.
I’ve been backing for years and always used a Trangia spirit stove, I have bought just recently a Soto Amicus stove system which I have used a few times now. Which every stove I take, I think cooking your own meal is the best, I feel it brings your day out to a satisfying close before you go to bed.
I have avoided doing just dehydrated meals especially for weekend trips. You can bring tons of fresh delicious food and open up a bunch of options. For just boiling water trips I bring a 550ml titanium cup and a BRS stove. Tiny and light. But for most trips I've been bringing a 900ml Evernew nonstick titanium pot. Its the wide style vs the tall "cup" style pot so you have a lot of options on cooking. I use a Kovea Spider which is a lightweight remote cannister stove with a windscreen. Everything fits well inside the pot and I can simmer as well as sear steaks and veggies. If I know I'll be frying, say if I'm planning on catching fish or something, I also bring a MSR Quick Skillet.
@@healthcoachadrian if its just a weekend you can freeze a steak and pack it and it will be fine, depending on the temperature of course. In warmer weather you can switch to things like sausage vs a steak.
@@healthcoachadrian Wrap a frozen steak in your sleeping bag or other insulation and it will remain frozen for at least a day, or maybe two days if the nighttime temps drop into the low 30s.
Thank you Eric for this video. I never bought the Jetboil, firstly because I hate the stoves screwed on the gas cartridge, far too unstable! I much prefer light tripod stoves (some are less than 8 oz!) where the gas flow is near the cartridge, and not under the burner, which allows a finer adjustment of the flame, and to avoid the risk of overturning the container. I always have a small kettle in which I store the folded stove (yes, it fits without problem!), a 230gr cartridge of gas, my cutlery, a lighter, salt, sugar, a small sponge, a flask of dishwashing liquid , and the titanium sheet windshield that rolls up. And I place the kettle thus filled in a saucepan with its lid. This set is less than 10 inches in diameter and 6 in height. The kettle is only for hot water, so it always stays clean, and the saucepan for cooking. Laurent, Bordeaux, France
Have you tried the jetboil minimo? Bigger pot. You can regulate heat. It comes with pot holder so you can bring your own pot or skillet. Yes it is more than $45 pocket rocket but is new best thing. Quick boil or gourmet meal.
My minomo burner has a plastic surround that caught on fire. It happens enough to be a problem. If it didn’t catch on fire it would be a brilliant cooker
I was thinking this too - I typically use my MSR Dragonfly for winter and groups, jetboil for light solo trips, and felt I had a hole in my stove setup. I bought a pocket rocket deluxe as a both - ultralight with 550ml pot for me, or add a 2 or 4 litre pot for family trips in summer. But I almost went mini mo - the jetboils are very efficient... But the MSR is easier to use with more pot sizes, grills, etc...
You are so right about the 'char' on the bottom of the Jetboil cup when cooking. I've had my Jetboil for over 10 years, my main cooker when hiking and kayaking. We usually do about 60-40 cooking vs dehydrated meals. Lots of mac n cheese, mashed potatoes and ramen in the thing. The cup now has a permanent odour and that taste gets into the boiled water too, making some things like tea unpalatable. Jetboil wants $70 for a replacement cup, which is steep price. Well last trip we used a BRS 1-ounce stove and Ti cup. That works ok but it makes me nervous not having the cup affixed to the burner like the Jetboil.
Thanks for the quick pro and cons, indeed the Jetboil is still very popular. In my opinion if budget is not too much an issue I would get both, so if you go an hike and want to just eat something quick with dehydrated foods then bring the Jetboil. And if you're bringing some nice fresh foods and want to make a more gourmet meal then go with the regular pocket stove like pocket rocket. So can enjoy both :-)
Yeah I'm glad I have both and there will be times in the future I'll still use Jetboil. But yes, cooking fresh food in the backcountry is just wonderful.
Hey Eric this is your own personal preference I’m 60 years old my first trip was when I was 11 I’ve seen it all done it all and you can use a skillet. Personally when I’m out there, I don’t want to spend time cooking I’m there to explore, fish, bushcraft hike, you go your way I’ll go mine I LOVE my Jetboil that’s why I have 3.
I agree with your theory about freeze dried meals and they are very expensive. I'm a big fan of the JetBoil, and also the BRS for ultralight backpacking. Respectfully, you can cook the exact same way using the same sea to summit pot, with the JetBoil pot stand and you don't have to worry about losing heat and efficiency. God bless! 👍
Personally I like using my Solo Stove for Hobo cooking as long as I can find dry sticks for fuel, but I always keep my MSR white gas jet burner as a backup for rainy days or when everything is all wet or snow covered. They have always served me well. I'm sure I could save a few ounces by ditching the solo stove, but there is almost always an abundance of dry fuel anywhere I go in the woods. So it saves me $. And It's good for a mini fire to warm my hands in cold weather lol. I'm just an old school Army grunt.
You would hate that stove in Western Washington. I have one and it really only works well here in summer only. Lots of rain and wet wood in our forests...
For those newer to this gear, Jetboil doesn't exclusively make the Flash system (only boiling water) being shown here. They have multiple options with simmer control. This isn't a dig towards MSR, but he's using the term Jetboil as if it's their only product rather than notating the specific model which is best for boiling water.
I use an old can used for coffee beans. I made a cozy out of one of those reflective windshield covers, which does a really good job of blocking the heat. This system has been working for years and I can recycle old cans!
That’s great. I think you covered the differences between the two. What I want to hear more about are these meals you make not using freeze dried. What are you bringing? What are you making? Are you foraging for these fresh ingredients?
I own all the recipe cookbooks. I love them. My buddy and I do a hybrid camp food packing system where we have a few ingredients that we have dehydrated or freezedried and then fresh ingredients for the rest. I love cooking real meals in the backcountry!
David, I will be moto camping so I don’t need to worry as much about weight. I will prep some ingredients ahead and freeze them to double as ‘ice’ for other items that I don’t like to freeze but need to be chilled. I will buy some ingredients just as I get to campsites. Mornings are usually bagel or wrap with egg hash using some peppers or potatoes saved from dinner previous, add an avocado and Sirichi (?) hot sauce. Sometimes it’s oatmeal with frozen berries. This year I am going to give a good at photogenic meals which I know you’ll appreciate. I want to try and see how far I can push healthy reasonably easy meals that are great tasting. I will definitely be relying on planning and prepping ‘portioned’ ingredients. Bikes on trails are hard on wet goods, things tend to come open. I found this line of serious silicon reusable food storage that I think will help. I think it’s called STASHER BAGS , not cheap, not terribly lightweight unfortunately, but I think they will great to use as a small grocery bag in a town to throw veg in and strap to bike for ride in. They are also able to be boiled in bag and come in many shapes and sizes (I bought one to test as a waterproof storage for my phone while it’s in motorcycles bar bag, they are a great design.), so I can create foods designed for that ahead of time as well. They can be frozen so I can dedicate one for marinades and pack foods in marinades and again freeze them as required. Prep frozen food has to be eaten as it’s melting, so after couple days I will be picking up perishables in towns. PS I am not knowledgeable with foraging, I forage with my debit card :-) www.stasherbag.com/
Don't know if it was out when you made this but Jetboil also has a "Mo" series that allows great heat control to allow simmering. Lots of options depending on what you are wanting. Another thing to consider is because the system you recommended isn't as efficient as a jetboil, you will need more canisters for multi day trips and a wind screen protector so the weight argument may actually be moot.
Started camping a few months ago and it rekindle my boy scouts memories, cooking over an open fire, in the wilderness. Never once did i think about using freeze dried food until i saw people use the jet boil. It looks great....for making tea. But i can do the same thing over a wood, sure its longer and not good when the weather is bad. But i'm not a hardcore hiker, mountaineer or going to a blizzard tundra. I'll leave this kit for those people. At the end of the day, i think it depends on what's your objective: Are you just there for the destination? Or is the destination just a bonus to the journey? Me, its just chilling and appreciating the location and nothing like having good food, a hot drink next to an open fire.
Well said. "Boils water in 100 seconds"... So we go take refuge in nature to escape the stress of the office... only to be counting the seconds it takes to get a cup of water to boil... So we can pour it into a bag of technically edible mass produced powder. So many levels of non sense that I can't even comprehend what's on those people's mind.
I have been using my jetboil for over a decade. Several years ago I bought a pot support and have my pot that has given me all the options you are talking about. I cook most of my meals now. And that gives me great diversity of meals. I do like what you are saying about not getting wrapped up with only bag meals and cook healthy meals. My pot support works very well adding that other aspect to the jetboil. My pot fits well in my bear canister. These days I mostly use my jetboil for making my teas. I do want to add thanks for sharing good info.
If you want lightweight, the Trangia mini (aka 28) is actually pretty light and the whole kit is small enough to fit in a coat pocket. The 27 *is* a lot more versatile and has a better wind shield
I have the Trangia Mini (28). I use it both with the meths burner it came with, but also with a little Primus ETA gas stove head. I cook fresh soups and stews and everything I need to do so fits in this little cook set which is about 7” in diameter 🙂
I've got a rediculous amount of stoves, but was never temped by a Jetboil. A personal favorite is a Ti Firebox Mini that acts as a base for a simmer capable remote burner. About the same weight as a Jetboil, can be used with a finned pot for efficency or any other pot/pan and go oldschool with wood if I run out of fuel. Gotta love all the options out there today.
I couldn't agree with you more. I love cooking anyway and making a proper dinner after a long day on trail is one of the ways I mentally transition from hiking to relaxing. I use the Soto Windmaster, whose 11,000 BTU output is great for doing everything from searing food to smelting iron LOL
THANK YOU for this! I have used several of the tiny cannister stoves and they let me actually cook, rather than just boiling water. Snow Peak makes a tiny ultralight stove that works extremely well. Another thing to seriously consider is to ditch the titanium pot and use an aluminum one. Titanium has very poor heat transfer characteristics. Aluminum is one of the best for heat transference. One more thing, rough up the outside bottom of the pot and paint it with flat black hi-temp engine paint. The black paint increases the ability of metal to absorb the heat. Keep up the cooking! p.s. Regarding the windscreen, make sure you don't have it so tight to the pot that the heat causes the cannister to get hot. A hot cannister may very likely explode...
I’ve had the original jetboil for about 15 years, and I still do like it. But for just boiling water it’s too heavy. I find if I have a BRS stove, It’s lighter, I can still boil water, and I can put a small pot on it if I want to simmer something and cook for real. And it’s like 17 bucks!
@@chriseidam7319 Why would you want to? The Jetboil is so efficient I've had cannisters last literally years! No need to carry an extra unless one is almost empty.
@@runlarryrun77 , No offense, but if you can make one canister last years with a Jet Boil, we probably do much different hiking. As I posted elsewhere, I use a Trail Designs Ti Tri wood/Esbit/alcohol stove. I have tried different stoves. It is my favorite.
I think that is a really good point about freeze dried food. I have been doing mountaineering for decades, and have never eaten a freeze dried meal. I have had similar things like Raman noodles, instant mashed potatoes, instant soup, nearly ready rice, etc... and I am sure this guy is right- it can't be good for your digestive system if you do it continuously. I don't know what the best solution is, apart from trying to throw in as much fresh stuff as possible, whenever possible, and diversifying your meals whenever possible.
MSR has an entire backpacking cook system that I have purchased with pot and skillet that also utilizes the similar type of Jetboil system. One aspect everyone will become aware of is the heat loss and mother natures “wind.” The windscreen is an option by carrying both is a better idea. Check out the MSR backpacking kit.
I've been using my Jetboil for years now on hiking, camping, MTB'ing fishing and hunting. I seriously have no issues cooking, brewing, stewing and boiling with it. It literally saved the day when I used to start a campfire after my lighter malfunctioned one day. The insulation keeps the content warmer longer and also provides sound deadening during hunting trips. The fins under the cup also provides some wind protection. There's an attachment that came with it to use with a regular pot or pan over the burner which I use to elevate the Jetboil cup as well to keep the content from burning. I don't ever recall using my Jetboil for freeze dried meals. Improvise and utilize with what you got.
Hi Eric. I used a white gas coleman 400 every other or third weekend for 25 years starting 1980. Jet Boil was my first canister stove in 2005. The deep pot made cleaning a nightmare if you are doing anything other than boiling clean water. Then I got a super super light weight minimalist stove, lasted three trips before the pot arms bent and broke while trying to melt just 2 liter snow for camp water. Both got garbaged. Been using a canister Peak1 and a smallerBRS last while, both way better than Jet boil. I hear you.
WOW great video man! I almost bought a Jet boil today and then saw the price and realized wellll I enjoy gun powder and lead far more than boiled water! All kidding aside i enjoyed your video and what you had to say about it. Not that you will, but if you happen to check out many of my videos or cooking videos you will quickly see I’m a huge fan of cooking elaborate homemade meals over fire in Stanley pots. They are affordable and work for me. Thanks for your thoughts and keeping healthy is key!
Horses for courses. Love the Jet boil, as it is great for boiling water so on a short day hike in summer wouldn't hesitate as well as a flask of hot coffee and a flask of hot stew instead, but for longer staycations maybe the need to cook would be nice, so they both have a place in the rucksack.
Having the ability to boil water, without a canister, is a great back-up to have at your disposal in the backcountry. I don’t mind taking a one trick pony into the wilderness so long as I have this capability in a single walled stainless water bottle etc. Your method, which I completely get, does both. I think they both have their place. Placing a windscreen around the canister…if too close…can create an unneeded hazard. I will admit that it would be nice to carry something other than freeze dried anything. I have a book on freezer bag cooking. It’s nice to make your own stuff and be in control of the ingredients. The ability to be creative, at the stove, is a great skill to have in the kitchen or the back country. :). Thanks for making great content…
Jetboil works for me work construction and so the jet boil is something I can use on a day-to-day basis not just for backpacking but for practical use during the week
Liked your comments, enjoyed the comparisons! However, having Cooked “ creatively “ my kitchen for 60years, I LOVE the dehydrated easy peasy, easy clean up meals when I’m backpacking!!
The jetboil is great for two people. I use the other system when I’m on my own but only use it to boil water because water is a premium on my through hikes and I don’t want to be using my water to be scrubbing caked on food.
I know the feeling of water being a precious resource on the trail, as I'm an Aussie, and water is hard to come by once you leave the cities and suburbs. I usually carry 2-3 gallons (up to 12kg) of water in my 80L rucksack when hiking over 3-4 days, as it's rare to have the opportunity to refill from a river or lake, because Australia is just so barren and dry..
Old timer here - have used the MSR whisper light for many many years - windscreen and all! Ha ha ha - Fuel bottle is the fuel tank - I love the design and also I have a small repair kit, still good to fix any problem that happens to this stove - Its so simple it can be stripped down completely in a minute and easy to troubleshoot and fix - the best in very very cold winter camping too - take small alcohol squirt bottle to fill warming cup - light and warm tube that vaporizes white gas. All around best for all conditions/countries or the MSR that also burns diesel/gas and white gas
@@coachhannah2403 Yeah, I have a sweet Ruta Locura set up like that. It includes a Jetboil SOL- Ti, carbon fiber lid, Ti canister shield, Ti heat exchanger shield, and modified BRS stove. I love it. It is super light with super fast boil times, around 1:30 to boil a full pot (Approximately 750 ml).
Thank you very much for this video! I've been going back and forth with jetboil and a pocket rocket for almost 9 months now; justifying spending $100 on a jetboil.
Couldn’t agree more! I got my jetboil circa 2005 so for nearly 20 years it’s been my one and only stove. A few weeks ago I switched to an msr pocket rocket and a titanium pot for exactly these reasons and wow what have I been missing!! I can now cook food in a skillet! Msr stove and pot takes way less room up in my pack! It’s about 100grams lighter, and I feel like I did when I was a kid because I’m able to cook sausages and all that stuff I’ve been missing out on for so long! Bye bye jetboil!
Also to note, with the sea to summit pot. You could cook over hot coals on a fire during camp. Which saves fuel but also adds warmth. Sorta a best case scenario!
It’s always great to have choices and you’ve given us options. I like taking hummus which lasts for several days without refrigeration. Cut up some fresh veggies and put into a sandwich ziplock baggie. Gives you hydration and nutrients! Baby crucerferous greens can be munched as well. All very light weight and minimal space in your pack. Proteins: tuna in pouches. Check out the vitamins and minerals on these items. Electrolytes galore! Curries are great too. Quinoa meals, high protein, frozen peas, sweet potatoes, all very filling and nutritious. Use coconut milk in an aseptic carton. Compact paper trash, easy to carry out. Enjoy😋
I agree with you. I do prefer the snowpeak and markill burners with four pot fingers for better support and piezo built in. I also recommend a gas canister base thing for stability. I like carrying olive oil and onions/chives and bacon crumbles as a starter. But gear choice is an individual thing, so there is no right or wrong.
Thanks for posting this video which I thought was thought provoking as ,like you ,I have come to realise the limitations of a Jetboil on longer trips. I do hiking, camping and fly fishing trips of around 3 weeks duration in NW Scotland where a diet of dehydrated pouches becomes both boring and expensive. My solution,again like yours,was a Pocket Rocket plus a set of nesting pots in which the gas canister is stored ,plus a tiny 12 cm frying pan. I can boil water for washing and cooking, can make soups,porridge,pasta and sauce,fry eggs,bacon and sausages etc.I also cook trout which I catch in the lochs up there Like you I see Jetboil and its competitors as useful on short trips but appreciate using a more versatile system on longer trips that enables me to have a more varied diet
I'm apparently backwards since I've been using the smaller folding stoves like you use here and also folding wood or fuel tablet stoves and just been looking into something similar to jetboil just as another option depending on what my plans are. I'll see how well my small gas folding stoves hold up since they're only like $20 a piece but so far they've worked great and no issues. Great vid and is helpful as I look into other options of cooking gear
I am not a backpacker but have truck camped my entire life. Cooking in camp was the big experience for me, and family, and friends. At 76 I just purchased an e-mtb and have it ready to go. My consternation is making room for some decent cooking gear....favorite pot, kettle, and a folding handle carbon steel skillet. So far all of that has packed well into my panniers and trunk bag. To solve the food storage problem, I am awaiting the arrival of two front fork Ortlieb bags. My idea, good or bad, is to put a small dry bag in one with a couple of frozen Bodyarmor drinks, some precooked link sausage, a lock-lock of frozen homemade chili, gumbo etc. Maybe even some fresh pre-scrambled eggs. I guess I am actually bikecamping, not bikepacking. I have a breakdown spinning rod and hope to cook up some fish as well. I think if planned properly you can really enjoy some good cooking and eating.....grams of weight be damned.
I love this video. I was just starting to get into backpacking and hiking and looking around the internet and UA-cam to learn more about it and build up my kit. I was really shocked that so many backpackers relied on freeze-dried food, which not only is expensive, and isn’t a good replacement for real food but also produces a lot of plastic waste which I thought those people should try to avoid. The same people that tried to promote the outdoors basically promoted practised and products that hurt the outdoors. I never even tried freeze dried foods, in Germany we would say it is something for „Yuppies“ (feel free to look that up), I just bought store ingredients and dried goods and saw it as a challenge to cook great food outdoors without the minimalist approach.
Thanks Eric, after recently volunteering as a SAR technician, I'm packing more like a long day tripper/prepper. I'm playing with a Stainless Steel Canteen cup and fancy feast alcohol/twig stove, which all nests around a nalgene oasis canteen bottle, wrapped in a military enclosure bag. In the space of everyday hydration, you can have survival water treatment, & camp cooking too. If I get it dialed, there is an option to upgrade the Stainless to titanium.
Blasphemy!! Just kidding. Appreciate your perspective. I’m an avid jetboil guy myself. Love its quick boil, and the titanium cup. Definitely more wind resistant. I can’t knock the pocket rockets though. They certainly have their value and use.
i've been jetboil fan for years and switched to pocket rocket & bsr but found lots of wasted fuel which is important on 7+ day hikes and now Jetboil Stash 7.1 oz but i do get the point making real food is great and also delicious on shorter hikes.
Love my Jetboil MiniMo. As a hunter who loves to cook get out of the truck, hike in and cook nice meals over survival meals the jetboil is super diverse for cooking needs! Plus it is amazing on fuel consumption.
Very good presentation and I certainly respect your opinion. Personally, I love my MiniMo for heating up water for morning coffee. I regularly use the adapter to swap out for the skillet/larger pot cooking experience. The simmer control on the Jetboil is top notch and works well. There is a weight cost to having the jetboil pot and an additional pot, but that’s what friends are for! The pocket rocket is also a great stove to be sure. Keep up the good work and thanks for presenting this rather than just the endless gear reviews.
Note that part of that weight cost is the flux ring, which helps you avoid hot spots in your pot and is vital if you want to do stuff besides boil water. Thin titanium has such little thermal mass it can otherwise be difficult to work with. IMO it’s ounces well-spent.
I LOVE my OLD Optimus 8R for cooking. Had many great backpacking meals on it. I LOVE my Jetboil for hot water but know that is all it is for. I use the Jetboil in my van for getting hot water for the dishes, washing up, hot drinks etc.
Thanks for your evaluation! My biggest qualms with any canister stove are the difficulty recycling them after their spent and the noise. I go to the backcountry for the peace and quiet. I can appreciate the convenience, but always opt for a tiny alcohol stove unless it's the middle of Winter or specifically regulated that the stove must have a shut-off valve.
For the canisters, Jetboil makes a tool called "Crunchit" I believe that is super inexpensive but useful. Anyhow, making sure the canister is completely empty, it punctures holes safely and allows you to recycle the canisters. It works on any isobutane canister that has a lineal valve.
@@mattsmucker6149 Hi - probably not many people recycle them. I held back for a long time for that reason. I just thought I would mention what I found to recycle them.
I’ve always been a fan of natural tinder that you can find wherever you are. This, I went with the SoloStove Titan. I also got the Pot 1800 that nests with it so carrying both is compact yet versatile. It’s not as small a footprint as a Jetboil or its competitors, but I retain fire making skills, can cook more varied meals, and have infinite fuel sources - advantages that can sharpen self-reliance skills and just be more fun.
This is where home preservation comes in really handy. Depending on how far you're going (ie: how long the food will be at ambient temp before it gets cooked), you can make up homemade soups and other foods, portion them out and vacuum seal them (I have a chamber style vacuum sealer that's been worth its weight in gold), then store them for the long term in the deep freeze, taking out what you might want to take for a trip, then using the boiling water in whatever appliance you carry to heat up the bags and you're set. I make homemade creamed chipped beef (good ol "shjt on a shingle") that is GREAT for camping trips, and will be taking a crack and pemmican (which to be fair, you don't need a camp stove for) probably this fall.
I use the micro mo the pan attachment is great so it's great for fresh cooking aswell as boiling water.so there's nothing wrong with the jetboil just you didn't get the pot stand
I've had my jetboil since 1999, still a rock solid performer, my only other camping stove is a small stainless grate for campfire coals the fact that French presses fit my jetboil is reason enough to be king of all systems
Love your videos, Eric! I have both the Jetboil MiniMo and the Pocket Rocket and use them according to my hiking requirements. My MiniMo came with the adaptor for using a different pot or skillet for alternate cooking methods and I love it. If I want to go smaller, I use the Pocket Rocket with a Toaks 750ml titanium cup and that works great, or I can cook with my skillet over that too. I love them both, but even on a whim, use an alcohol stove or a Swiss M3777 military surplus stove. I am lucky to have more than one choice. But if I could only have one...yes, the Pocket Rocket would win out! Keep up the great videos!
I like my Primus ETA 0.8L pot w/heat exchange rim with my MSR Dragonfly. You just don't have to worry about boiling over if you get 'momentarily' distracted especially if you're mixing while cooking.,
Me too. I even manage to do nothing more cooking than boiling water. For coffee, for oatmeal (that I just let soak after boiled water is poured over). No dried meals from bags. Just dried food. My cooking setup is VERY simple and low weight.
Having used many stoves over the years, the jetboil is still my go to favourite. I fully understand many of your points in this video, it is too easy to rely on just boiling water when you have such a rapid device. With some care and a pot adapter (included in some sets) it's perfectly possible to cook anything on it that you can on the other one you demonstrated. Big difference being, you CANNOT leave a jetboil whilst cooking, because it WILL burn if not stirred and kept at the right temperature. The biggest problem with the jetboil for cooking is that you need another pot really. The ultimate win for the Jetboil for me is when climbing or hiking. You can stop at any time, pull out the jetboil and make a quick, hot brew. When pouring with rain on a walk with no shelter, you can warm yourself up quickly and not get any more cold doing to. It cannot be beaten when climbing a rock face for stopping between pitches and making a nice quick cuppa. I have used Alcohol stoves, solid fuel stoves, gel stoves, twig stoves and gas stoves for many years. All have their place and their upsides. But time and time again, my jetboil sees more use than any other.
Thank you for your video, it is nice to see that I am not doing things wrong as new backpacker. I enjoy the freedom to cook quick (but nice) real meals specially at night. Thanks again.
I have used the same Trangia set for the last 20 + years, and I recently considered buying the Jetboil. Thanks for the tip, it is a valid point I had not considered.
My first and only Jetboil is the MiniMo. It is the best of both worlds. While it has all the perks of the JetBoil, it is a bit wider and short than the one you have, and it has extra legs so the burner can be used with other pots and pans. Mind you it is 3x what your little stove cost, but it is JetBoil after all🤪
Wow this is my actual setup and I thought I was the only one as I don’t see this mentioned much anywhere. The wider base of the Sea2Summit 1.9l pot is the perfect size for boil in the bag meals but with the added thing that it requires less water to boil than the net oil which would require filling to the top and therefore using more gas. I can fold a meal down to an inch high and cook it in maybe 2 inches of water so using less fuel than a jet oil would. I have it for the same reason, if I want to cook, then I can, and yes it’s bigger but like you said just store your cooking stuff/food in it alongside the gas. 👍🏻
Good point Eric, love your program. I will say the cook time was done in your home...in the cold and in the live wind, you have to take into account the difference in winter cooking and windy conditions. Good point-perhaps Jet Boil will create a new hybrid product...that would be awesome.
Agree. I still use dehydrated food, but in some short trips now I sometimes use my Trangia, quite heavy compared with modern cooking systems, but you really can complex cooking with it. I missed cooking outdoors, that wonderful relaxing time, and of course the quaility of the food properly cooked: chopping, preparing, sofrito, slow cooking... the whole shebang. ¡and fresh ingredients! I relegated it only for picnics for years, but now I'm cooking once in a while in shorts trips as part of the experience I want. Yes, it's too heavy for long trips, that's the thing, when you are out for several journeys, you better get a light cook system and dehydrated food, fresh food weights a lot more too. But for a night out... sometimes it deserves the extra weight. By the way... my UL cooking system is a titatium pot, aluminium windscreen made from kitchen oven stuff , pot cozies made with car sunscreens and the famous DIY catstove. Bulletproof and the lightest kit available. :D
Great video! I used to eat pre packed freeze dried foods. When I started hiking with my children, they refused to those rations. After that I started cooking with home dried ingredients. Everyone’s been happier since. It’s pretty amazing what food you can cook, if you put some thought to it!
I love that your children refused to eat the pre packed freeze dried foods. Some of the best times I've had backpacking was creating our own dinner menus. Kids are great.
I grew up backpacking and on white gas. I resisted the Jetboil craze for a long time but did have one as I loved it for coffee. Ultimately though I never liked the fuel canister issue. With the MSR Whisperlite I could know I was always leaving with a full canister and not have to carry extras. Having said that we almost always made our own food while backpacking. I guess to say back in the 70's-80's and even into the early 90s the options were pretty limited. Its always good to see people exploring and trying new things.
I use the MSR Windburner stove in the mountains in fall and sometimes in the winter. When mountaineering in the winter, I use use the MSR XGK white gas stove. But in the spring, summer, and fall hiking, I use the MSR Pocket Rocket 2. I put it in the Toaks small pot withe a canister, folding spork to make a small lightweight cookset. The right tool for the mission.
I used pocket rocket type stoves for several years, but recently converted to a Trangia 27. Not quite as fast as gas, but silent and pretty much bombproof. No contest for me, should have done it years ago - !
I've been making up meals at home using dried and fresh ingredients to take out, then rehydrating them while out camping. Dried vegetables, couscous, coconut milk powder and pre-cooked meat pieces work well. Meat and dairy produce can stay cold for a good long time, especially if some of it was frozen before it was packed up. Ziplock style food storage bags can keep meals tidy
I just started getting gear for next season and I got a BRS because I wanted options. Pea protein Mac and cheese is so easy, add sriracha. Hotdogs? No problem. I’m all about saving money
I love my Jetboil. I have several backpacking friends who own MSR pocket rocket, and it is not any better than my Jetboil. When I get back to camp after a long day of hiking, I want my food as quick as possible, and my Jetboil is my rock and has not let me down in the last 7 years.
I am so happy i bought a harvest right freeze dryer. Make your own mre's, fruit, whatever, raw or cooked. Good for 20 or so yrs, and last year, sure needed to dip into the 2014-16 meals and leftovers. so glad I did.
The down side to using that pot space to store things that need to stay clean is that you will have a dirty pan after 1 use unless you are able to find a spot to clean it out. That's the main advantage to packaged meals in my opinion, as well as weight saving, but you are quite right - you cannot beat real cooked food. Chorizo is a favourite to carry, delicious and lasts a few days in your bag. I also carry a cut up fish sponge and impregnate it with washing liquid for washing pans where I can.
I've had a jetboil for 15 years. Ive used it a lot! It's a tank. I love the fact it's all in one package. Just take it out the pouch and assemble. For boiling water, the jetboil is king. Heating milk is possible but I agree it burns easily. I just crank the power down. I have the little attachment to allow a pan on it, don't use that much. I just purchased a firemaple ripoff jetboil to leave in the back of the car. I hope it works well. Jetboil has a specific function, and it does well at that job
Oh so many stoves and I still want more. So fun to play with. Stick stoves, jet stoves, trangia, fancy feast stove, bio lite so many options or just make a tripod and cook on the fire. The idea of slowing down to enjoy your food and time in the woods is a great one. Good vid
We need more people in the industry to be blunt, forthcoming, and most importantly, honest. That's how products get better. Lying and saying everything is amazing just for sales is what kills products. Keep being honest.
I have bought and used about every stove on the market.Each stove and cook set up has it place. Yes, I'm an old gear head. and out of the game. I even tried a non cooking stretch on the AT. Boy was I miserable. Good video.
I still use a svea "swedish handgrenade" or a coleman backpacking single burner when I'm getting fancy with the cooking. The coleman has the control of a gas stove at home and the svea is a heck of a lot better then your average camp stove. Plus with the btus in white gas or gasoline a little goes a very long way. The weight difference is negligible and I've always thought that if most people were truly going to go "ultra light" the first thing they should trim is their waist line. 😂 after all that's the case for me.
The problem with cooking in back country is the clean up. People clean thier dishes in prestine bodies of water. With freeze dried you fold it up and put it in your trash ziplock. Easy on environment. But i get it.
Hey Eric, thanks for taking the time to share this! Didn't hurt, your honest feedback is appreciated and you were very respectable. The Flash is great for boiling and freeze dried meals but I get that this may get boring for the longer trips. Have you tried the MiniMo, MicroMo, MightyMo or Sumo? The "Mo" burner to these units have precise simmer control and the cooking possibilities are endless. The burner can also be purchased separately and is compatible with the Flash cup. Happy Backpacking! - Brenda
I love the Flash for what it is. Jetboil offers different products for different needs. I have the flash as well as the MiniMo. I also have the pocketrocket 2 you can never have too much stuff right. I find I use the flash most often because of its ease of use.
Bro don’t even know
The considered design of the other jetboils is far superior to a hodgepodge “custom” setup
Might feel nice to go back to one’s roots but man, the efficiency and speed of the mo series always beats struggling with high winds and dodgy aluminium wind shields!
I LOVE JETBOIL!! I have 2 The Flash & Mini Mo.🇦🇺
MiniMo is awesome and very controllable for cooking
When my mom and dad started my sister and I into back country foot travel, he used an ancient Primus (still have it) and he insisted that we NEVER eat a freeze dried meal. He used to cook some awesome meals based on food my mom would dehydrate and we became spoiled (did not realize it until I started backpacking on my own). He eventually bought an MSR Whisperlite and when it came time to start to set up my own cook kit, he passed to me the Whisperlite. It served me well, but I started to seek a lighter cooking stove and chose a Pocket Rocket (the original one) and I still use it a few decades later. Jet boil came out and I started to see them on trails, but just as you point out...all they seem to be used for is boiling water and reconstituting freeze dried food. I would be eating fresh caught trout and dehydrated veggie and everyone wanted to share my food because..."OMG, that smells delicious!"
Thank you for sharing your experience, I was starting to wonder if I was like the only one! :) Many miles of adventure and harmony!
I have two main reasons I'll likely stick to boil water meals. 1) I hate clean up. So I'm not likely to do complicated meals. 2) I'm just a weekend a month backpacker so freeze dried meals aren't going to kill me.
Now I'll also note, I have become a fan of the alcohol stove. I love how quiet it is. I like that it is super cheap to make or replace. It is slower but I'm usually not in a hurry.
As I'm learning about backpacking in general, everyone hikes their own hike.
I've been using a penny stove for at least 7 years, I've gone through hundreds of bottles of heet.. My only complaint is when not if but when the water boils over(accidently of course), it can be disastrous
Going on seventeen years using homemade alcohol stoves. I dehydrate fourteen or so different one pot meals that reconstitute really well.
I have have been using an alcohol cooker for about 30 years (using methylated spirits). its a bit slower and a bit heavier, but i don't care. I have 2 pots and a frying pan that is shielded from the wind. It is is stable and gives me so much versatility. Everytime i look at other alternatives i come back to the fact that spending €200 is not going to be worth the slight improvement over my alcohol cooker
Cleaning is easy with wet wipes, while still warm.
Alcohol fuel is also really eco compared to these light, single use butane containers I'd reckon
Hi Eric. I see your point and would like to ask you if you would make a follow-up to this video showing some of your favorite meals and discussing which ingredients are best for hiking trips. There are other integrated systems (even from jetboil) and a comparison video with cooking as a theme would be helpful. I have used my jetboil loads but have also cooked. It's more what I feel like for a particular trip, not that obe is better overall than the other.
Proud of you! I have been backpacking and cooking real food on trips since the 70’s when I was a Boy Scout. Did mre’s as a grunt in the USMC. Life’s too short for freeze dried food, especially when you are absorbing the beauty of Mother Nature!
Correct you are 😂
Got the Jetboil while I was in the military. And boy, let me tell you, being able to actually cook my MREs is way more better than using that god forsaken chemical heat packet. The low weight, compact storage and rugged build was perfect for a 2 week field op.
Currently working in construction and its still worth it. No more basic sandwich and peanuts, I can actually bring in leftovers and reheat it using an additional Ozark backpack cooking set I got from walmart. Eggs, burritos, tacos, soup, spaghetti, coffee. And with heat resistant baggies, I can even heat up microwaveable food too.
This might fly for POG'S and mounted/mech/armor units, but for a light Infantry soldier, this does not apply, too loud, too bright, too much scent, and you absolutely can't afford to hump stuff like this outside the wire.
@@johnhildenbrand2642 .. Now this might fly for light infantry units, but i was in the first Black Ops, after my golden AK ran out i used the jetboil in the mud and the blood.. and when your shoes are wet and your socks torn all you want is that MRE.
@@coffeepot3123 I've no doubt you did, after your 4th excursion behind enemy lines and capturing the entire Taliban leadership singlehandedly and solving the local villages water and food problems as an afterthought right? 🙄
@@johnhildenbrand2642 used it for 4 years when i was in as an 0311 was it pogy bait yup was it a nice change of pace from MRE yup lol if ur going off smell those chem packs are smokey and terrible 😅
@@johnhildenbrand2642 too loud? People have that characteristic without having to bring any gear. Too bright, if this were an issue cigarettes would be banned I. The field as well. You ever seen a cigarette light up like a Christmas tree under night vision? Scent, those mre chemical heaters also give off a scent. My unit (infantry) was actually encouraged to bring a cannister stoves on a field op, they weigh next to nothing, infantry already carried heavy weight packs, what's an extra few ounces?
Glad to see more and more UA-camrs like yourself showing all the options that are out there.
Was getting tired of hearing others out there saying their selected gear or camping technique is the only option and anything else is wrong.
There are so many options that work just choose what works best for your trip.
A very nice balanced video Eric. I have never been tempted to buy a Jetboil but have had gasoline stoves then butane like the MSR Pocket Rocket. Yes, they are fast and efficient but some time ago I was with some Swedish hikers and they introduced me to Trangia alcohol stove systems. They are slower, very, very quiet which I just love and most of all the fuel is environmentally sustainable, cheap, and available worldwide. Now I solo hike with a Speedster alcohol stove which weighs less than 1 oz and will burn with the simmer ring for about 30 minutes. In my 750 ml pot, I can cook quite adventurous meals. I am older, slower, and like to stop and enjoy the trail so fast food or drinks are not so important. There is just so much to recommend alcohol stove systems for one or two-person cooking however for groups Butane rules the roost.
Ditto here. Gone back to my old faithful Storm cooker. Had/have MSR whisperlight, gas stoves, Jetboil - the list goes on…I am 71 and enjoy cooking and do not really use precooked meals…Each to their own
I started with Trangia's back when I was in Scouts and at school camps. One recent thing I learnt whilst watching a documentary about the history and development of the Trangia is that the 25 series (and 27 series) can operate really well at altitude if you let them form their own micro-climate. The documentary had a segment of an army training video which showed digging a hole (shielded from the wind) that would leave about a 1" gap between the dirt and the outside of a Trangia all the way around and it was almost as deep as the entire assembled Trangia. Once lit, it would warm the air around it (changing the air pressure) and the dirt would help insulate it. This meant that a Trangia could reliably operate at altitude.
I have not tried this technique as I only recently learnt it and where I camp, the ground is as hard as concrete (I'm in Australia) but I'm interested in trying this technique in Autumn when I go to the High Country where the ground is softer.
@@matthewnirenberg
Many years ago when I lived in the Scottish Highlands an army outdoors instructor with the Green Howards used a Trangia in winter conditions. He would look for a wind-swept area, choose a softball-sized rock set deep in the ground, pries it out and set the Trangia in the hollow, light it with a match left in the stove as a wick, put the mess tin on straight away and it worked just fine when our gas stoves had to be pre-warmed next to our skin to operate in below freezing conditions.
Jetboil minimo+summit skillet. I've never once had a freeze dried meal, I always cook my meals fresh. I don't have to deal with heat loss or bring extra accessories to light my stove or wind screens to keep the fire on. A nice plus is adding the coffee accessory and now I can also enjoy my morning french press coffee in the wild. Yes there are other options out there that may work well for others, but owning a jetboil doesn't mean freeze dried meals are your only option.
Pot on fire. Or even better can of soup on rock.
I was saying the same thing,um you can do way more than just boil water in a jetboil.
@@FT4Freedom that’s one option. It may work well for you. Jetboil also gives the opportunity to cook/eat in the time it takes some to build a fire.
Right there with you. Never had a freeze dried meal even though I want to try one. I find the art of back-country cooking to be exceptionally rewarding. I use my trusty Jetboil Minimo. My favorite dish to cook is quinoa with cilantro and tomatoes with tuna. Never once had my quinoa stick to the bottom of the pot because like the pocket rocket, I can turn the heat down to a simmer. I would take the Jetboil over the pocket rocket because it is more consistent. If I simmered quinoa using a pocket rocket on a fairly windy day, the heat won't be as consistent throughout the cook whereas the Jetboil would contain the heat much better. I appreciate your videos Eric!
☑️☑️ Yeah, and I bought a special Jetboil skillet way back in 2008! So they've had other cooking options for a LONG time now! I also own an MSR Simmerlite stove and a separate, lightweight cook set I bought, which the Simmerlite stove will conveniently fit inside of. But then I also have to carry at least 1-2 fuel bottles filled with liquid fuel. The Simmerlite is supposedly a more effective option for mid winter backpacking, when it's really cold, and isobutane type stoves allegedly run slower and aren't as efficient.
BUT..... The very first time I ever used my Jetboil stove was on a pre-planned 3 day trip in early February of 2007, on the Appalachian trail in the Northern half of the Shenandoah natl park. It was during a fairly severe cold front, where it was 6° f the first night, 9°f the 2nd night, and never reached more than 22°f during the first 2 days. My Jetboil was obviously running slower in those conditions than when I'd first bought and tested it a few weeks earlier indoors(at 70°f). So in those extremely cold conditions, it took 3-4 mins to boil water, instead of 2mins. But so what??
Maybe it would be far less effective if the temp was well below freezing, but I probably won't be backpacking in -25°f conditions anytime soon! I just hope I can still buy a replacement Jetboil coffee press, because mine broke right where the aluminum rod connects to the plastic press/filter. I hope they don't charge something ridiculous for that inexpensive part, like $30 or whatever!
Great points! I do agree that the JetBoil Flash is geared towards freeze dried meals. I use MiniMo and prefer it over Flash or the Pocket Rocket. As an average backpacker I try to balance lightweight backpack and comfort so the 14.6oz that the stove weighs is not a deal breaker for me. I'd rather cut weight on quality tent and sleeping bag. With MiniMo I can boil water just as quick and it has an attachment so you can use a skillet or a pan. On top of that it has simmer control which is important if you're trying to cook something instead of making a charcoal out of it.
Recently I have been collecting different mess kits/pots/cups etc, and I'm totally with you. I ended up loving a complete nesting kit with a twig stove. Not only can I cook great, but I can also use it for extra heat instead of starting a campfire.
what wood stove did you use?
Jetboil makes a very nice folding pot stand that nests inside the cup. I have used it countless times with my titanium pan to cook trail meals such as omelettes, meat and potatoes, and many fresh caught fish. It works wonderfully and is more stable with the canister legs on ground that is not perfectly flat. I am trying the pocket rocket thing now but am not sure it can beat the capabilities of my jetboil.
Do you have the Jetboil Flash? Or which model?
I think it's $10 and it nests inside the jetboil system
I've never used a bag meal before. I stick to oatmeal with dried fruit, ramen, chicken packets, pasta packets, and mashed potatoes for my hot meals. And I've pretty much always used a Jetboil to boil water and measured out freezer bags of food because of the convenience. Just so much easier to only boil water. Nothing gets messy - I like to keep it simple on the trail. However, I have been considering a small stove and small pot to save space and weight.
That's why I switched from backpacking to bushcraft. So I could eat better,lol.
You don't save that way because you need more gas with pocket rocket
As a 65 year old lifelong backpacking enthusiast I agree with you.
It's not about cost or high tech or saving a few seconds boiling something. It's all about the experience and quality of the food.
It's one thing if your climbing Mt Everest and every gram matters.
Average backpackers carry lots of things they don't "need" but because we're all different we fill our packs with them because of the comfort and quality they bring to our overall experience.
Exactly. Spot on. Being an “elder hiker’” I was a Boy Scout many years ago and I earned my cooking merit badge cooking real food…because that’s all that was available. To this day, I have never eaten a freeze-dried meal. They are convenient, no doubt, and combined with a very fast boiling stove like Jet Boil, they make clean-up very easy, but they remind me of emergency rations on a life raft and only meant to keep a human alive. Nothing beats a camp sight in the woods alive with the smells of cooking bacon, pancakes, and fresh coffee. Many parks today prohibit hikers and campers from using an open fire for warmth, cooking, and s’mores. So I bring a large Firebox stove, a Firebox Nano, and a Windmaster stove. In the morning I start off with the stove to make coffee to energize the stiff bones from sleeping in a hammock. Then I use the stove to cook some fresh biscuits. Then I fire up the Firebox stoves and cook the bacon on one and the hash browns. Of course, you don’t need all 3 fire sources and could cook everything sequentially on the stove, but by using all 3, you can have all the food ready at the same time as you would on an open fire. If I am going to have oatmeal with chopped walnuts, raisins/cranberries, and brown sugar, I use the stove for that. Now what c-rations can compete with that? Sitting outside in the forest and watching the flora and fauna come alive while you eat a breakfast like that is pure, unadulterated heaven. Nope, no jet boiled, emergency rations for me.
Hahaha wow so poetic...for everyone who doesn't want to live in your fantasy world, freeze dried food offers a quick, easy, nutritous way to fuel up so you spend less time cleaning, prepping, etc. And more time enjoying the outdoors
“more time enjoying the outdoors”
Have you considered that enjoying a leisurely meal while taking in the surroundings *is* enjoyable?
I don’t want to have three stoves to keep up with, but rushing through meals eating reconstituted styrofoam so that I have more time to enjoy myself?
That’s one extreme to another.
Peace, and each their own. Elder Hiker, your meals sound great, tasty, now I'm hungry because I love biscuits with bacon and eggs, especially if the coffee is plentiful and strong. KB below is correct too. E.g. If you want to cover miles on a bike, or canoe trip. And if you are in grizzly country packing along bacon is a bit tricky if you're 20 miles back in on a bicycle. Any time outdoors is good time. Happy trails.
You'd be surprised at just how good freeze dried meals have become. They've really come a long way even in just the last decade. Probably has to do with freeze dryers now available to average people, so people are experimenting & realizing just how good they can be. No longer just a collection of carbs, protein, & some blah flavor to help choke them down. I keep a few around, but I've also turned back toward the slow food movement.
@@ddhrsa that's why I go into the outdoors to kill and cook my meal. Weird people have different use for the outdoors. Fantasy, I prefer food. Actually food not a number.
Ive had my Jetboild for almost ten years now. Still love. My GOAT
Embrace the slow food movement Eric! Join the trangia gang, silent, controllable, good simmering, time to reflect and appreciate your backpacking food you prepare.
You’ve inspired me
Get the non stick and it's an awesome set up for cooking meals
Spot on!
Even better than Trangia... visit flat cat gear! John has perfected the alcohol and esbit stoves
Laughs in traditional* get yourself a three proged cast iron mini dutch oven and dig s dakota fire hole
I’ve been backing for years and always used a Trangia spirit stove, I have bought just recently a Soto Amicus stove system which I have used a few times now. Which every stove I take, I think cooking your own meal is the best, I feel it brings your day out to a satisfying close before you go to bed.
I have avoided doing just dehydrated meals especially for weekend trips. You can bring tons of fresh delicious food and open up a bunch of options. For just boiling water trips I bring a 550ml titanium cup and a BRS stove. Tiny and light. But for most trips I've been bringing a 900ml Evernew nonstick titanium pot. Its the wide style vs the tall "cup" style pot so you have a lot of options on cooking. I use a Kovea Spider which is a lightweight remote cannister stove with a windscreen. Everything fits well inside the pot and I can simmer as well as sear steaks and veggies. If I know I'll be frying, say if I'm planning on catching fish or something, I also bring a MSR Quick Skillet.
how do you keep the meat cold up until you cook it?
@@healthcoachadrian if its just a weekend you can freeze a steak and pack it and it will be fine, depending on the temperature of course. In warmer weather you can switch to things like sausage vs a steak.
@@healthcoachadrian Wrap a frozen steak in your sleeping bag or other insulation and it will remain frozen for at least a day, or maybe two days if the nighttime temps drop into the low 30s.
Thank you Eric for this video.
I never bought the Jetboil, firstly because I hate the stoves screwed on the gas cartridge, far too unstable!
I much prefer light tripod stoves (some are less than 8 oz!) where the gas flow is near the cartridge, and not under the burner,
which allows a finer adjustment of the flame, and to avoid the risk of overturning the container.
I always have a small kettle in which I store the folded stove (yes, it fits without problem!), a 230gr cartridge of gas, my cutlery, a lighter, salt, sugar, a small sponge, a flask of dishwashing liquid , and the titanium sheet windshield that rolls up.
And I place the kettle thus filled in a saucepan with its lid.
This set is less than 10 inches in diameter and 6 in height.
The kettle is only for hot water, so it always stays clean, and the saucepan for cooking.
Laurent, Bordeaux, France
Jetboils literally come with a tripod that attaches to the gas canister to make it stable
Have you tried the jetboil minimo? Bigger pot. You can regulate heat. It comes with pot holder so you can bring your own pot or skillet. Yes it is more than $45 pocket rocket but is new best thing. Quick boil or gourmet meal.
Even the simple stash is viable
thats what i use and its very handy
Are you a jet boil salesman ?
My minomo burner has a plastic surround that caught on fire. It happens enough to be a problem. If it didn’t catch on fire it would be a brilliant cooker
I was thinking this too - I typically use my MSR Dragonfly for winter and groups, jetboil for light solo trips, and felt I had a hole in my stove setup. I bought a pocket rocket deluxe as a both - ultralight with 550ml pot for me, or add a 2 or 4 litre pot for family trips in summer. But I almost went mini mo - the jetboils are very efficient... But the MSR is easier to use with more pot sizes, grills, etc...
You are so right about the 'char' on the bottom of the Jetboil cup when cooking. I've had my Jetboil for over 10 years, my main cooker when hiking and kayaking. We usually do about 60-40 cooking vs dehydrated meals. Lots of mac n cheese, mashed potatoes and ramen in the thing. The cup now has a permanent odour and that taste gets into the boiled water too, making some things like tea unpalatable. Jetboil wants $70 for a replacement cup, which is steep price. Well last trip we used a BRS 1-ounce stove and Ti cup. That works ok but it makes me nervous not having the cup affixed to the burner like the Jetboil.
Thanks for the quick pro and cons, indeed the Jetboil is still very popular. In my opinion if budget is not too much an issue I would get both, so if you go an hike and want to just eat something quick with dehydrated foods then bring the Jetboil. And if you're bringing some nice fresh foods and want to make a more gourmet meal then go with the regular pocket stove like pocket rocket. So can enjoy both :-)
Yeah I'm glad I have both and there will be times in the future I'll still use Jetboil. But yes, cooking fresh food in the backcountry is just wonderful.
@@BackpackingTV if your going back to the roots get a bio light stove.👍
Hey Eric this is your own personal preference I’m 60 years old my first trip was when I was 11 I’ve seen it all done it all and you can use a skillet. Personally when I’m out there, I don’t want to spend time cooking I’m there to explore, fish, bushcraft hike, you go your way I’ll go mine I LOVE my Jetboil that’s why I have 3.
I agree with your theory about freeze dried meals and they are very expensive. I'm a big fan of the JetBoil, and also the BRS for ultralight backpacking. Respectfully, you can cook the exact same way using the same sea to summit pot, with the JetBoil pot stand and you don't have to worry about losing heat and efficiency. God bless! 👍
Personally I like using my Solo Stove for Hobo cooking as long as I can find dry sticks for fuel, but I always keep my MSR white gas jet burner as a backup for rainy days or when everything is all wet or snow covered. They have always served me well. I'm sure I could save a few ounces by ditching the solo stove, but there is almost always an abundance of dry fuel anywhere I go in the woods. So it saves me $. And It's good for a mini fire to warm my hands in cold weather lol. I'm just an old school Army grunt.
You would hate that stove in Western Washington. I have one and it really only works well here in summer only. Lots of rain and wet wood in our forests...
For those newer to this gear, Jetboil doesn't exclusively make the Flash system (only boiling water) being shown here. They have multiple options with simmer control. This isn't a dig towards MSR, but he's using the term Jetboil as if it's their only product rather than notating the specific model which is best for boiling water.
New sponsor???😂😂😂
I use an old can used for coffee beans. I made a cozy out of one of those reflective windshield covers, which does a really good job of blocking the heat. This system has been working for years and I can recycle old cans!
That’s great. I think you covered the differences between the two. What I want to hear more about are these meals you make not using freeze dried. What are you bringing? What are you making? Are you foraging for these fresh ingredients?
Check out Eric's videos with Chef Corso!!
ua-cam.com/video/vMKHZm8jImU/v-deo.html
@@johncurrie9463 dude that Chef is awesome in the Back Country
I own all the recipe cookbooks. I love them. My buddy and I do a hybrid camp food packing system where we have a few ingredients that we have dehydrated or freezedried and then fresh ingredients for the rest. I love cooking real meals in the backcountry!
Thx John for the Corso link, I recently subscribed to the channel but didn’t know these were here. These are similar to the style I cook.
David, I will be moto camping so I don’t need to worry as much about weight. I will prep some ingredients ahead and freeze them to double as ‘ice’ for other items that I don’t like to freeze but need to be chilled. I will buy some ingredients just as I get to campsites. Mornings are usually bagel or wrap with egg hash using some peppers or potatoes saved from dinner previous, add an avocado and Sirichi (?) hot sauce. Sometimes it’s oatmeal with frozen berries. This year I am going to give a good at photogenic meals which I know you’ll appreciate. I want to try and see how far I can push healthy reasonably easy meals that are great tasting. I will definitely be relying on planning and prepping ‘portioned’ ingredients. Bikes on trails are hard on wet goods, things tend to come open. I found this line of serious silicon reusable food storage that I think will help. I think it’s called STASHER BAGS , not cheap, not terribly lightweight unfortunately, but I think they will great to use as a small grocery bag in a town to throw veg in and strap to bike for ride in. They are also able to be boiled in bag and come in many shapes and sizes (I bought one to test as a waterproof storage for my phone while it’s in motorcycles bar bag, they are a great design.), so I can create foods designed for that ahead of time as well. They can be frozen so I can dedicate one for marinades and pack foods in marinades and again freeze them as required. Prep frozen food has to be eaten as it’s melting, so after couple days I will be picking up perishables in towns. PS I am not knowledgeable with foraging, I forage with my debit card :-)
www.stasherbag.com/
Don't know if it was out when you made this but Jetboil also has a "Mo" series that allows great heat control to allow simmering. Lots of options depending on what you are wanting. Another thing to consider is because the system you recommended isn't as efficient as a jetboil, you will need more canisters for multi day trips and a wind screen protector so the weight argument may actually be moot.
It was out which is why hos winge is a bit worse for that.
Started camping a few months ago and it rekindle my boy scouts memories, cooking over an open fire, in the wilderness. Never once did i think about using freeze dried food until i saw people use the jet boil. It looks great....for making tea. But i can do the same thing over a wood, sure its longer and not good when the weather is bad. But i'm not a hardcore hiker, mountaineer or going to a blizzard tundra. I'll leave this kit for those people.
At the end of the day, i think it depends on what's your objective: Are you just there for the destination? Or is the destination just a bonus to the journey?
Me, its just chilling and appreciating the location and nothing like having good food, a hot drink next to an open fire.
Well said. "Boils water in 100 seconds"... So we go take refuge in nature to escape the stress of the office... only to be counting the seconds it takes to get a cup of water to boil... So we can pour it into a bag of technically edible mass produced powder.
So many levels of non sense that I can't even comprehend what's on those people's mind.
I have been using my jetboil for over a decade. Several years ago I bought a pot support and have my pot that has given me all the options you are talking about. I cook most of my meals now. And that gives me great diversity of meals.
I do like what you are saying about not getting wrapped up with only bag meals and cook healthy meals.
My pot support works very well adding that other aspect to the jetboil. My pot fits well in my bear canister. These days I mostly use my jetboil for making my teas.
I do want to add thanks for sharing good info.
Trangia makes a good kit,little heavy but worth it.27 has everything you would need
If you want lightweight, the Trangia mini (aka 28) is actually pretty light and the whole kit is small enough to fit in a coat pocket.
The 27 *is* a lot more versatile and has a better wind shield
I have the Trangia Mini (28). I use it both with the meths burner it came with, but also with a little Primus ETA gas stove head. I cook fresh soups and stews and everything I need to do so fits in this little cook set which is about 7” in diameter 🙂
I've got a rediculous amount of stoves, but was never temped by a Jetboil. A personal favorite is a Ti Firebox Mini that acts as a base for a simmer capable remote burner. About the same weight as a Jetboil, can be used with a finned pot for efficency or any other pot/pan and go oldschool with wood if I run out of fuel. Gotta love all the options out there today.
The Jetboil can also be used as a regular stove with the adapter. Pots and frying pans are sold for it as well.
Only $700 for the kit!
Kidding but they sure are proud of a little pot
Cooking has always been one of my favorite things about camping/backpacking
I couldn't agree with you more. I love cooking anyway and making a proper dinner after a long day on trail is one of the ways I mentally transition from hiking to relaxing. I use the Soto Windmaster, whose 11,000 BTU output is great for doing everything from searing food to smelting iron LOL
Yep, I'm packing my 30-30! Packers need to start wearing bright orange because Grubhub does not deliver 20 miles in!!!
THANK YOU for this! I have used several of the tiny cannister stoves and they let me actually cook, rather than just boiling water. Snow Peak makes a tiny ultralight stove that works extremely well. Another thing to seriously consider is to ditch the titanium pot and use an aluminum one. Titanium has very poor heat transfer characteristics. Aluminum is one of the best for heat transference. One more thing, rough up the outside bottom of the pot and paint it with flat black hi-temp engine paint. The black paint increases the ability of metal to absorb the heat. Keep up the cooking!
p.s. Regarding the windscreen, make sure you don't have it so tight to the pot that the heat causes the cannister to get hot. A hot cannister may very likely explode...
I’ve had the original jetboil for about 15 years, and I still do like it. But for just boiling water it’s too heavy. I find if I have a BRS stove, It’s lighter, I can still boil water, and I can put a small pot on it if I want to simmer something and cook for real. And it’s like 17 bucks!
And you can probably carry a second cannister without that set-up weighing more than one cannister with a Jet Boil.
@@chriseidam7319 Why would you want to? The Jetboil is so efficient I've had cannisters last literally years! No need to carry an extra unless one is almost empty.
@@runlarryrun77 ,
No offense, but if you can make one canister last years with a Jet Boil, we probably do much different hiking.
As I posted elsewhere, I use a Trail Designs Ti Tri wood/Esbit/alcohol stove. I have tried different stoves. It is my favorite.
I think that is a really good point about freeze dried food. I have been doing mountaineering for decades, and have never eaten a freeze dried meal. I have had similar things like Raman noodles, instant mashed potatoes, instant soup, nearly ready rice, etc... and I am sure this guy is right- it can't be good for your digestive system if you do it continuously. I don't know what the best solution is, apart from trying to throw in as much fresh stuff as possible, whenever possible, and diversifying your meals whenever possible.
MSR has an entire backpacking cook system that I have purchased with pot and skillet that also utilizes the similar type of Jetboil system. One aspect everyone will become aware of is the heat loss and mother natures “wind.” The windscreen is an option by carrying both is a better idea. Check out the MSR backpacking kit.
And it’s not made in Communist China.
I've been using my Jetboil for years now on hiking, camping, MTB'ing fishing and hunting. I seriously have no issues cooking, brewing, stewing and boiling with it. It literally saved the day when I used to start a campfire after my lighter malfunctioned one day. The insulation keeps the content warmer longer and also provides sound deadening during hunting trips. The fins under the cup also provides some wind protection. There's an attachment that came with it to use with a regular pot or pan over the burner which I use to elevate the Jetboil cup as well to keep the content from burning. I don't ever recall using my Jetboil for freeze dried meals. Improvise and utilize with what you got.
Hi Eric. I used a white gas coleman 400 every other or third weekend for 25 years starting 1980. Jet Boil was my first canister stove in 2005. The deep pot made cleaning a nightmare if you are doing anything other than boiling clean water. Then I got a super super light weight minimalist stove, lasted three trips before the pot arms bent and broke while trying to melt just 2 liter snow for camp water. Both got garbaged. Been using a canister Peak1 and a smallerBRS last while, both way better than Jet boil. I hear you.
Those little BRS stoves are a great value.
@@wanderingcalamity360I recently bought one, they’re absolutely fantastic for most things.
WOW great video man! I almost bought a Jet boil today and then saw the price and realized wellll I enjoy gun powder and lead far more than boiled water! All kidding aside i enjoyed your video and what you had to say about it. Not that you will, but if you happen to check out many of my videos or cooking videos you will quickly see I’m a huge fan of cooking elaborate homemade meals over fire in Stanley pots. They are affordable and work for me. Thanks for your thoughts and keeping healthy is key!
Horses for courses. Love the Jet boil, as it is great for boiling water so on a short day hike in summer wouldn't hesitate as well as a flask of hot coffee and a flask of hot stew instead, but for longer staycations maybe the need to cook would be nice, so they both have a place in the rucksack.
Having the ability to boil water, without a canister, is a great back-up to have at your disposal in the backcountry. I don’t mind taking a one trick pony into the wilderness so long as I have this capability in a single walled stainless water bottle etc. Your method, which I completely get, does both. I think they both have their place. Placing a windscreen around the canister…if too close…can create an unneeded hazard. I will admit that it would be nice to carry something other than freeze dried anything. I have a book on freezer bag cooking. It’s nice to make your own stuff and be in control of the ingredients. The ability to be creative, at the stove, is a great skill to have in the kitchen or the back country. :). Thanks for making great content…
Jetboil works for me work construction and so the jet boil is something I can use on a day-to-day basis not just for backpacking but for practical use during the week
Liked your comments, enjoyed the comparisons! However, having Cooked “ creatively “ my kitchen for 60years, I LOVE the dehydrated easy peasy, easy clean up meals when I’m backpacking!!
The jetboil is great for two people. I use the other system when I’m on my own but only use it to boil water because water is a premium on my through hikes and I don’t want to be using my water to be scrubbing caked on food.
I know the feeling of water being a precious resource on the trail, as I'm an Aussie, and water is hard to come by once you leave the cities and suburbs. I usually carry 2-3 gallons (up to 12kg) of water in my 80L rucksack when hiking over 3-4 days, as it's rare to have the opportunity to refill from a river or lake, because Australia is just so barren and dry..
Old timer here - have used the MSR whisper light for many many years - windscreen and all! Ha ha ha - Fuel bottle is the fuel tank - I love the design and also I have a small repair kit, still good to fix any problem that happens to this stove - Its so simple it can be stripped down completely in a minute and easy to troubleshoot and fix - the best in very very cold winter camping too - take small alcohol squirt bottle to fill warming cup - light and warm tube that vaporizes white gas. All around best for all conditions/countries or the MSR that also burns diesel/gas and white gas
You need to be careful using a windscreen with a top mount canister stove. Leave a gap in the windscreen or you can potentially cause an explosion.
I thought of that, so I introduced a vented aluminum shield on top of the canister inside my windscreen.
@@coachhannah2403 Yeah, I have a sweet Ruta Locura set up like that. It includes a Jetboil SOL- Ti, carbon fiber lid, Ti canister shield, Ti heat exchanger shield, and modified BRS stove. I love it. It is super light with super fast boil times, around 1:30 to boil a full pot (Approximately 750 ml).
Thank you very much for this video! I've been going back and forth with jetboil and a pocket rocket for almost 9 months now; justifying spending $100 on a jetboil.
Couldn’t agree more! I got my jetboil circa 2005 so for nearly 20 years it’s been my one and only stove. A few weeks ago I switched to an msr pocket rocket and a titanium pot for exactly these reasons and wow what have I been missing!! I can now cook food in a skillet! Msr stove and pot takes way less room up in my pack! It’s about 100grams lighter, and I feel like I did when I was a kid because I’m able to cook sausages and all that stuff I’ve been missing out on for so long! Bye bye jetboil!
Jetboil has a skillit
@@colliesworld6380 - Unfortunately, some fall closer the 'minus' side relative to George MIller's highly cited psychology paper.
Also to note, with the sea to summit pot. You could cook over hot coals on a fire during camp. Which saves fuel but also adds warmth. Sorta a best case scenario!
Can you link to where you sourced your info for your freeze dried food claims?
It’s always great to have choices and you’ve given us options.
I like taking hummus which lasts for several days without refrigeration. Cut up some fresh veggies and put into a sandwich ziplock baggie. Gives you hydration and nutrients!
Baby crucerferous greens
can be munched as well.
All very light weight and minimal space in your pack.
Proteins: tuna in pouches. Check out the vitamins and minerals on these items. Electrolytes galore!
Curries are great too. Quinoa meals, high protein, frozen peas, sweet potatoes, all very filling and nutritious. Use coconut milk in an aseptic carton. Compact paper trash, easy to carry out.
Enjoy😋
I agree with you. I do prefer the snowpeak and markill burners with four pot fingers for better support and piezo built in. I also recommend a gas canister base thing for stability. I like carrying olive oil and onions/chives and bacon crumbles as a starter. But gear choice is an individual thing, so there is no right or wrong.
Thanks for posting this video which I thought was thought provoking as ,like you ,I have come to realise the limitations of a Jetboil on longer trips.
I do hiking, camping and fly fishing trips of around 3 weeks duration in NW Scotland where a diet of dehydrated pouches becomes both boring and expensive.
My solution,again like yours,was a Pocket Rocket plus a set of nesting pots in which the gas canister is stored ,plus a tiny 12 cm frying pan.
I can boil water for washing and cooking, can make soups,porridge,pasta and sauce,fry eggs,bacon and sausages etc.I also cook trout which I catch in the lochs up there
Like you I see Jetboil and its competitors as useful on short trips but appreciate using a more versatile system on longer trips that enables me to have a more varied diet
I'm apparently backwards since I've been using the smaller folding stoves like you use here and also folding wood or fuel tablet stoves and just been looking into something similar to jetboil just as another option depending on what my plans are. I'll see how well my small gas folding stoves hold up since they're only like $20 a piece but so far they've worked great and no issues. Great vid and is helpful as I look into other options of cooking gear
I am not a backpacker but have truck camped my entire life. Cooking in camp was the big experience for me, and family, and friends. At 76 I just purchased an e-mtb and have it ready to go. My consternation is making room for some decent cooking gear....favorite pot, kettle, and a folding handle carbon steel skillet. So far all of that has packed well into my panniers and trunk bag. To solve the food storage problem, I am awaiting the arrival of two front fork Ortlieb bags. My idea, good or bad, is to put a small dry bag in one with a couple of frozen Bodyarmor drinks, some precooked link sausage, a lock-lock of frozen homemade chili, gumbo etc. Maybe even some fresh pre-scrambled eggs. I guess I am actually bikecamping, not bikepacking. I have a breakdown spinning rod and hope to cook up some fish as well. I think if planned properly you can really enjoy some good cooking and eating.....grams of weight be damned.
I love this video. I was just starting to get into backpacking and hiking and looking around the internet and UA-cam to learn more about it and build up my kit. I was really shocked that so many backpackers relied on freeze-dried food, which not only is expensive, and isn’t a good replacement for real food but also produces a lot of plastic waste which I thought those people should try to avoid. The same people that tried to promote the outdoors basically promoted practised and products that hurt the outdoors. I never even tried freeze dried foods, in Germany we would say it is something for „Yuppies“ (feel free to look that up), I just bought store ingredients and dried goods and saw it as a challenge to cook great food outdoors without the minimalist approach.
Thanks Eric, after recently volunteering as a SAR technician, I'm packing more like a long day tripper/prepper. I'm playing with a Stainless Steel Canteen cup and fancy feast alcohol/twig stove, which all nests around a nalgene oasis canteen bottle, wrapped in a military enclosure bag. In the space of everyday hydration, you can have survival water treatment, & camp cooking too. If I get it dialed, there is an option to upgrade the Stainless to titanium.
Blasphemy!! Just kidding. Appreciate your perspective. I’m an avid jetboil guy myself. Love its quick boil, and the titanium cup. Definitely more wind resistant. I can’t knock the pocket rockets though. They certainly have their value and use.
i've been jetboil fan for years and switched to pocket rocket & bsr but found lots of wasted fuel which is important on 7+ day hikes and now Jetboil Stash 7.1 oz but i do get the point making real food is great and also delicious on shorter hikes.
Love my Jetboil MiniMo. As a hunter who loves to cook get out of the truck, hike in and cook nice meals over survival meals the jetboil is super diverse for cooking needs! Plus it is amazing on fuel consumption.
Very good presentation and I certainly respect your opinion. Personally, I love my MiniMo for heating up water for morning coffee. I regularly use the adapter to swap out for the skillet/larger pot cooking experience. The simmer control on the Jetboil is top notch and works well. There is a weight cost to having the jetboil pot and an additional pot, but that’s what friends are for! The pocket rocket is also a great stove to be sure. Keep up the good work and thanks for presenting this rather than just the endless gear reviews.
Note that part of that weight cost is the flux ring, which helps you avoid hot spots in your pot and is vital if you want to do stuff besides boil water. Thin titanium has such little thermal mass it can otherwise be difficult to work with. IMO it’s ounces well-spent.
I LOVE my OLD Optimus 8R for cooking. Had many great backpacking meals on it. I LOVE my Jetboil for hot water but know that is all it is for. I use the Jetboil in my van for getting hot water for the dishes, washing up, hot drinks etc.
Thanks for your evaluation! My biggest qualms with any canister stove are the difficulty recycling them after their spent and the noise. I go to the backcountry for the peace and quiet. I can appreciate the convenience, but always opt for a tiny alcohol stove unless it's the middle of Winter or specifically regulated that the stove must have a shut-off valve.
For the canisters, Jetboil makes a tool called "Crunchit" I believe that is super inexpensive but useful. Anyhow, making sure the canister is completely empty, it punctures holes safely and allows you to recycle the canisters. It works on any isobutane canister that has a lineal valve.
@@christianvachon2235 yeah, I think that's a good option, but I wonder how many people actually take the effort to recycle the them properly.
@@mattsmucker6149 Hi - probably not many people recycle them. I held back for a long time for that reason. I just thought I would mention what I found to recycle them.
Great setup. I'm a GSI Pinnacle Soloist og myself with the msr pocket rocket. Have had them for like 13 years now. Love em!
I’ve always been a fan of natural tinder that you can find wherever you are. This, I went with the SoloStove Titan. I also got the Pot 1800 that nests with it so carrying both is compact yet versatile. It’s not as small a footprint as a Jetboil or its competitors, but I retain fire making skills, can cook more varied meals, and have infinite fuel sources - advantages that can sharpen self-reliance skills and just be more fun.
This is where home preservation comes in really handy. Depending on how far you're going (ie: how long the food will be at ambient temp before it gets cooked), you can make up homemade soups and other foods, portion them out and vacuum seal them (I have a chamber style vacuum sealer that's been worth its weight in gold), then store them for the long term in the deep freeze, taking out what you might want to take for a trip, then using the boiling water in whatever appliance you carry to heat up the bags and you're set. I make homemade creamed chipped beef (good ol "shjt on a shingle") that is GREAT for camping trips, and will be taking a crack and pemmican (which to be fair, you don't need a camp stove for) probably this fall.
I use the micro mo the pan attachment is great so it's great for fresh cooking aswell as boiling water.so there's nothing wrong with the jetboil just you didn't get the pot stand
I've had my jetboil since 1999, still a rock solid performer, my only other camping stove is a small stainless grate for campfire coals the fact that French presses fit my jetboil is reason enough to be king of all systems
Love your videos, Eric! I have both the Jetboil MiniMo and the Pocket Rocket and use them according to my hiking requirements. My MiniMo came with the adaptor for using a different pot or skillet for alternate cooking methods and I love it. If I want to go smaller, I use the Pocket Rocket with a Toaks 750ml titanium cup and that works great, or I can cook with my skillet over that too. I love them both, but even on a whim, use an alcohol stove or a Swiss M3777 military surplus stove. I am lucky to have more than one choice. But if I could only have one...yes, the Pocket Rocket would win out! Keep up the great videos!
I like my Primus ETA 0.8L pot w/heat exchange rim with my MSR Dragonfly. You just don't have to worry about boiling over if you get 'momentarily' distracted especially if you're mixing while cooking.,
I cook real food at home. When I hike, I just want calories and convenience.
Me too. I even manage to do nothing more cooking than boiling water. For coffee, for oatmeal (that I just let soak after boiled water is poured over). No dried meals from bags. Just dried food.
My cooking setup is VERY simple and low weight.
Having used many stoves over the years, the jetboil is still my go to favourite.
I fully understand many of your points in this video, it is too easy to rely on just boiling water when you have such a rapid device.
With some care and a pot adapter (included in some sets) it's perfectly possible to cook anything on it that you can on the other one you demonstrated.
Big difference being, you CANNOT leave a jetboil whilst cooking, because it WILL burn if not stirred and kept at the right temperature.
The biggest problem with the jetboil for cooking is that you need another pot really.
The ultimate win for the Jetboil for me is when climbing or hiking. You can stop at any time, pull out the jetboil and make a quick, hot brew.
When pouring with rain on a walk with no shelter, you can warm yourself up quickly and not get any more cold doing to.
It cannot be beaten when climbing a rock face for stopping between pitches and making a nice quick cuppa.
I have used Alcohol stoves, solid fuel stoves, gel stoves, twig stoves and gas stoves for many years. All have their place and their upsides.
But time and time again, my jetboil sees more use than any other.
Thank you for your video, it is nice to see that I am not doing things wrong as new backpacker. I enjoy the freedom to cook quick (but nice) real meals specially at night. Thanks again.
I have used the same Trangia set for the last 20 + years, and I recently considered buying the Jetboil.
Thanks for the tip, it is a valid point I had not considered.
My first and only Jetboil is the MiniMo. It is the best of both worlds. While it has all the perks of the JetBoil, it is a bit wider and short than the one you have, and it has extra legs so the burner can be used with other pots and pans. Mind you it is 3x what your little stove cost, but it is JetBoil after all🤪
Wow this is my actual setup and I thought I was the only one as I don’t see this mentioned much anywhere. The wider base of the Sea2Summit 1.9l pot is the perfect size for boil in the bag meals but with the added thing that it requires less water to boil than the net oil which would require filling to the top and therefore using more gas. I can fold a meal down to an inch high and cook it in maybe 2 inches of water so using less fuel than a jet oil would. I have it for the same reason, if I want to cook, then I can, and yes it’s bigger but like you said just store your cooking stuff/food in it alongside the gas. 👍🏻
Good point Eric, love your program. I will say the cook time was done in your home...in the cold and in the live wind, you have to take into account the difference in winter cooking and windy conditions. Good point-perhaps Jet Boil will create a new hybrid product...that would be awesome.
Agree. I still use dehydrated food, but in some short trips now I sometimes use my Trangia, quite heavy compared with modern cooking systems, but you really can complex cooking with it. I missed cooking outdoors, that wonderful relaxing time, and of course the quaility of the food properly cooked: chopping, preparing, sofrito, slow cooking... the whole shebang. ¡and fresh ingredients! I relegated it only for picnics for years, but now I'm cooking once in a while in shorts trips as part of the experience I want. Yes, it's too heavy for long trips, that's the thing, when you are out for several journeys, you better get a light cook system and dehydrated food, fresh food weights a lot more too. But for a night out... sometimes it deserves the extra weight. By the way... my UL cooking system is a titatium pot, aluminium windscreen made from kitchen oven stuff , pot cozies made with car sunscreens and the famous DIY catstove. Bulletproof and the lightest kit available. :D
Great video! I used to eat pre packed freeze dried foods. When I started hiking with my children, they refused to those rations. After that I started cooking with home dried ingredients. Everyone’s been happier since. It’s pretty amazing what food you can cook, if you put some thought to it!
I love that your children refused to eat the pre packed freeze dried foods. Some of the best times I've had backpacking was creating our own dinner menus. Kids are great.
I grew up backpacking and on white gas. I resisted the Jetboil craze for a long time but did have one as I loved it for coffee. Ultimately though I never liked the fuel canister issue. With the MSR Whisperlite I could know I was always leaving with a full canister and not have to carry extras. Having said that we almost always made our own food while backpacking. I guess to say back in the 70's-80's and even into the early 90s the options were pretty limited. Its always good to see people exploring and trying new things.
I use the MSR Windburner stove in the mountains in fall and sometimes in the winter. When mountaineering in the winter, I use use the MSR XGK white gas stove. But in the spring, summer, and fall hiking, I use the MSR Pocket Rocket 2. I put it in the Toaks small pot withe a canister, folding spork to make a small lightweight cookset. The right tool for the mission.
I used pocket rocket type stoves for several years, but recently converted to a Trangia 27. Not quite as fast as gas, but silent and pretty much bombproof. No contest for me, should have done it years ago - !
I've been making up meals at home using dried and fresh ingredients to take out, then rehydrating them while out camping. Dried vegetables, couscous, coconut milk powder and pre-cooked meat pieces work well. Meat and dairy produce can stay cold for a good long time, especially if some of it was frozen before it was packed up. Ziplock style food storage bags can keep meals tidy
I just started getting gear for next season and I got a BRS because I wanted options. Pea protein Mac and cheese is so easy, add sriracha. Hotdogs? No problem. I’m all about saving money
I love my Jetboil. I have several backpacking friends who own MSR pocket rocket, and it is not any better than my Jetboil. When I get back to camp after a long day of hiking, I want my food as quick as possible, and my Jetboil is my rock and has not let me down in the last 7 years.
I am so happy i bought a harvest right freeze dryer. Make your own mre's, fruit, whatever, raw or cooked. Good for 20 or so yrs, and last year, sure needed to dip into the 2014-16 meals and leftovers. so glad I did.
The down side to using that pot space to store things that need to stay clean is that you will have a dirty pan after 1 use unless you are able to find a spot to clean it out.
That's the main advantage to packaged meals in my opinion, as well as weight saving, but you are quite right - you cannot beat real cooked food.
Chorizo is a favourite to carry, delicious and lasts a few days in your bag.
I also carry a cut up fish sponge and impregnate it with washing liquid for washing pans where I can.
I've had a jetboil for 15 years. Ive used it a lot! It's a tank. I love the fact it's all in one package. Just take it out the pouch and assemble. For boiling water, the jetboil is king. Heating milk is possible but I agree it burns easily. I just crank the power down.
I have the little attachment to allow a pan on it, don't use that much.
I just purchased a firemaple ripoff jetboil to leave in the back of the car. I hope it works well.
Jetboil has a specific function, and it does well at that job
Absolutely agree. Great point of view. Ty for the video. Getting conditioned to simplicity inhibits creativity.
Oh so many stoves and I still want more. So fun to play with. Stick stoves, jet stoves, trangia, fancy feast stove, bio lite so many options or just make a tripod and cook on the fire. The idea of slowing down to enjoy your food and time in the woods is a great one. Good vid
We need more people in the industry to be blunt, forthcoming, and most importantly, honest. That's how products get better. Lying and saying everything is amazing just for sales is what kills products. Keep being honest.
I have bought and used about every stove on the market.Each stove and cook set up has it place. Yes, I'm an old gear head. and out of the game. I even tried a non cooking stretch on the AT. Boy was I miserable. Good video.
Hiking to a remote area and preparing a satisfying meal changes the experience from surviving to thriving. Excellent video.
I still use a svea "swedish handgrenade" or a coleman backpacking single burner when I'm getting fancy with the cooking. The coleman has the control of a gas stove at home and the svea is a heck of a lot better then your average camp stove. Plus with the btus in white gas or gasoline a little goes a very long way. The weight difference is negligible and I've always thought that if most people were truly going to go "ultra light" the first thing they should trim is their waist line. 😂 after all that's the case for me.
The problem with cooking in back country is the clean up. People clean thier dishes in prestine bodies of water. With freeze dried you fold it up and put it in your trash ziplock. Easy on environment. But i get it.
Super smart video. I totally agree with you. I would rather cook a meal than just boil water.