Backcountry stoves and cooking

[Tbob]

So I've been an MSR whisper lite or Simmer lite kind of guy for the last 8-10 or so.. Anymore I just boil water for Mt. House dinners or breakfasts.. I'm thinking about trying a jetboil or an MSR reactor this year instead.. Does anyone have any pro's and cons for these stoves? The main reason I like using the white gas stove is I don't have any trash (fuel canisters) to pack out. Also I'm a little worried about not knowing how much fuel is left in the cannisters after 5 or 6 uses.. Any help/advice is greatly appreciated..

[jackelope]

I have the MSR Reactor stove and it's pretty awesome. I think it's heavier than the jetboil by a few ounces, at least heavier than the Ti version of the jetboils. @fillthefreezer has some more concrete info on the # of burns per can but it's a bunch. 5-6 uses you're still at 3/4 tank I think.

[JLS]

You can also float the canister in water to estimate how much fuel is left.  I've used a single canister for over a week, heating water for breakfast and dinner.

[seth30]

What helps me is having a full one and the one I use.  Gives me a idea of how much I have left.  The idea of floating one sounds a lot easier than hauling two of them up the mountain

[Jonathan_S]

They're both good stoves, can't really go wrong with any of the name brand systems.

[Fl0und3rz]

They also make a range different size canisters.  I don't know if that's a statement of the obvious, but it would seem to moot the concern about never having enough for a trip. 

[Jonathan_S]

They also make a range different size canisters.  I don't know if that's a statement of the obvious, but it would seem to moot the concern about never having enough for a trip.

It's a good point. If somebody is worried, just throw in a fresh medium canister. That sucker will last weeks unless you are using it as a campfire.

[fillthefreezer]

i have been geeking on stoves for the last few years. a few things i have found.. i avg about 4g fuel per boil. i scratch my boils in the side of the canister. i have a bone empty cyl at home to tare the scale, and then grams of fuel in a partial, to take them on shorter trips. with the stoves like JB and reactor, you dont need to crank them. just enough for the flame to cover the fins. i am averaging around 27 boils per 110g fuel can, in the casades and rockies. the pots with fins do make a huge difference. dont boil in the wind, it wastes a ton of fuel. my sol ti pot finally died, after 200 or so boils.

[jackelope]

i have been geeking on stoves for the last few years. a few things i have found.. i avg about 4g fuel per boil. i scratch my boils in the side of the canister. i have a bone empty cyl at home to tare the scale, and then grams of fuel in a partial, to take them on shorter trips. with the stoves like JB and reactor, you dont need to crank them. just enough for the flame to cover the fins. i am averaging around 27 boils per 110g fuel can, in the casades and rockies. the pots with fins do make a huge difference. dont boil in the wind, it wastes a ton of fuel. my sol ti pot finally died, after 200 or so boils.

I knew you wouldn't disappoint with the full on geek mode pile of info.

[Tbob]

Awesome! Thanks for all the info guys! Looks like I'll be getting one of these in the nxt month for my upcoming AZ mule deer hunt. Only a 5 day hunt so hopefully one cannister does the trick.. Thanks again.

[Bushcraft]

Jetboils are great, but do not depend on the piezo.  I've owned three different models over the years and exactly none of the piezos worked.  For the life of me I can't figure out why they continue to integrate them in their burner designs.  The neoprene sock is awesome, but it's easy enough to sew one up for other pots.  Not a fan of the way the stove and pot connect.

The MSR Reactor is bomber.  A bit bulky and slightly on the heavier side, but an absolutely solid piece of kit.  I particularly like the contained catalytic-type "flame" when using it inside expensive shelters (vented, of course).

My all-round favorite is the Titanium Snow Peak GigaPower (no piezo) coupled with the heat/wind shield thingy. I don't think they make it any longer.  I use a Snowpeak Ti cup/pot with it most of the time.  But, the pot I robbed off this alcohol burning cookset has the heat exchanger built into the pot making it more efficient and results in less fuel consumption. https://esbit.de/en/cookset-with-alcohol-burner-cs985h-ex/

If you want to go superlite, are patient, only want to get your water lukewarm, are in a windproof environment and are willing to put up with the cancer causing fume stench...Try the Esbit fuel tab stove. 

Alcohol stoves are total bullsh...er, cowpie.  Don't even bother experimenting.

[Bob33]

The MSR Reactor stove is the fastest to boil that I've ever used or seen. It's simply amazing. For ultra light weight I like the Snow Peak GigaPower stove, but if you don't mind a few extra ounces the Reactor is the way to go.

[scottcrb]

Go reactor. Been using mine for years and it's awesome. They make adapters to turn your pot into a French press too for coffee.  They  also have two different size pots for different needs. 

[pd]

i have been geeking on stoves for the last few years. a few things i have found.. i avg about 4g fuel per boil. i scratch my boils in the side of the canister. i have a bone empty cyl at home to tare the scale, and then grams of fuel in a partial, to take them on shorter trips. with the stoves like JB and reactor, you dont need to crank them. just enough for the flame to cover the fins. i am averaging around 27 boils per 110g fuel can, in the casades and rockies. the pots with fins do make a huge difference. dont boil in the wind, it wastes a ton of fuel. my sol ti pot finally died, after 200 or so boils.

I can smell the engineer from all the way over here.  Great stuff!

[whacker1]

for the geeks, I have a jet boil Flash, but I was geeking on the MSR windburner and Reactor

boil time looks longer than jetboil, but I find that the jetboil is a lie unless perfect conditions.
MSR made in the USA / seattle
Jetboil - 1.25 oz lighter.


I won't be doing anything until the jetboil dies, but thought I would point it out as an option over the Reactor.  Reactor $199, windburner $128, and jetboil flash $99

It will be hard not to buy another jetboil, but I would like to support something made in the State.

[mossy8352]

I have the jet boil and my friend has the MSR both work well out of the wind. I used mine to make meals at home for a long time before I took it out in the field. The igniter has always worked for me so again for me no issues there. I have made a big pot of soup. fried pork chops, made bannock many times with no issues. You can tell how low the fuel is but a week long trip with the medium canister is very doable. The MSR is about the same and for me a minute or two on boil time is not something I worry about. You can take the smaller size canister and put it into the cup for carry and add a medium if your concerned to you pack and that would give you a long time to make meals!

[bracer40]

I've been listening to a ton of podcasts over the summer and the topic of stoves has come up many times. The MSR gear has been found to be a slightly better performer for some of the reasons already pointed out.

Something that hasn't been mentioned is the company's support of hunting. From everything I've heard from people dealing with Jetboil, is that they DO NOT support hunting (and may even be an "anti-hunting" company.

All I've heard regarding MSR, is that they are "friendly" to our hunting pursuits.

The last thing I want to do is support a company that might be against hunting.

Just my 

[davk]

Also I'm a little worried about not knowing how much fuel is left in the cannisters after 5 or 6 uses..

As others have mentioned you can do the float test.  I know the MSR fuel canisters, at least the ones I have, have markings on them for the float test.  Obviously you still will need to pay attention to # of uses or knowing its 1/2 full is useless if you dont know what the other 1/2 got you.

[notsosneaky]

Reactor hands down
I never use my jetboil anymore

[300rum]

I have been using a Pocket Rocket for a few years now (6 or so?).  With a Ti kettle it is about as light as I can get (about 8oz or so, total weight).  With a separate Ti kettle you can supplement your gas with a fire.  I was at 8k feet in Montana in the middle of November last year with a buddy who had a Jetboil and was able to compare the two head to head.  The Pocket Rocket was much quicker, maybe half the time of the Jetboil.  In fact, when we got back he ordered a Pocket Rocket.     

[fillthefreezer]

you guys that are pitching boil times crack me up, you have your stop watch out? was that 2:05 or 2:35? who cares if you can get through a whole trip on a 110g fuel. i see some peoples packing lists/pics with multiple fuel canisters. that would last me a month solo with a jetboil.
stoves comparisons should be about weight, fuel efficiency, durability, ease of use. maybe even whether or not you can cook with them, or if theyre just straight boilers. they all boil water pretty quickly and is not a defining factor...

[Jonathan_S]

I'll be honest, reading this thread took me longer than all previous thoughts about this topic to date 

[whacker1]

you guys that are pitching boil times crack me up, you have your stop watch out? was that 2:05 or 2:35? who cares if you can get through a whole trip on a 110g fuel. i see some peoples packing lists/pics with multiple fuel canisters. that would last me a month solo with a jetboil.
stoves comparisons should be about weight, fuel efficiency, durability, ease of use. maybe even whether or not you can cook with them, or if theyre just straight boilers. they all boil water pretty quickly and is not a defining factor...

my only comment on their boil times is that it would lead me to believe that you would use more fuel at 4 minutes vs. 2:30.

fuel efficiency is something you gain by experience for most of these.  I am with one of the prior comments in that I can get 27-30 boils per canister.  I would like to think that the MSR at 4 g per boil would be the same at 27.5 doing the math, but the longer boil time they publish would make me think otherwise as a knee jerk reaction.

[Tbob]

So the reactor is a bit more spendy as well, but with it being able to also boil snow ( from what I hear at least) I think I'd like to have that option in a pinch.. Looks like I'll be ordering one of those.. Thanks for all the advice !

[7mag.]

Check out the Primus ETA as well. Primus is a hunter friendly company.