Backcountry stoves and cooking

[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.