Field Report: Jetboil Personal Cooking System
Date: June 3, 2004 Manufacture Information Name: Jetboil Website: http://www.jetboil.com	Product Information Manufacture: Jetboil Model: PCS (Personal Cooking System) Year of Manufacture: 2004 Color: Aluminum & Black Size: N/A MSRP: $79(US) Listed Weight: 14 oz (397 g) Measured Weight: 15.4 oz (436 g)   Individual Component Weights Description Weight Cooking Cup & Cozy 7.4 oz (210 g) Lid 1.1 oz (32 g) Burner 6.0 oz (170 g) Lower Cup Protector 0.9 oz (25 g) 100 g JetBoil Fuel Canister 6.8 oz (193 g)

Field Test Results

Field information has been minimal due to the backpacking season not being underway in central Idaho, however I did manage to log one backcountry trip.  Overall, I’m excited about this stove and ready to make it my primary stove; makes me regret spending the money on titanium pots at the end of last season.

Following my initial report, Jetboil Initial Report, I received numerous emails asking for more information on my boil time test results.  The common thread was that of how it compared to other stoves in wind and stoves with wind shields or heat-exchangers.  Though not entirely related to the Jetboil, I did additional home testing and have supplied pictures and results using gas and liquid stoves with home-made heat exchangers.  To my surprise, the heat-exchangers and wind shields on conventional stoves had little effect on efficiency when in an ideal environment.

Unfortunately, field test conditions have been in calm conditions, thus I’ve been unable to judge the stove's performance in wind.  From an engineering point of view, the stove’s FluxRing™ design should be little affected by wind.  I was concerned that the FluxRing™ heat exchanger, which is so instrumental to the stove's heating efficiency, would have a detrimental effect on the cup’s ability to keep the contents hot after removal from the stove.  This concern turned out to be a non-issue, as was proven during a couple of subfreezing meals. The cup’s contents remained hot for a duration matching that of a cheap insulated drinking mug which is plenty good for backcountry use.

Thus  far, three tables have been generated, the initial report table between Jetboil, canister, and white gas stoves Jetboil Initial Report, a heat-exchanger table of non-Jetboil stoves, and the beginnings of a field report table that will be completed in the Long Term Report. 

Although the Jetboil is slightly heavier than my canister stove with titanium pot the difference is quickly overturned by Jetboil using approximately 25% less fuel.  Field assembly and ease of use are hard to match for a solo user; no pots, no transferring hot liquid to a cup, and compact storage. As was demonstrated in my initial report, Jetboil’s time to boil is not substantially faster than a canister stove, and in cold weather it performed poorly as do all canister stoves.  As per the Field Report table, it took 10 minutes to boil 2 cups (500 ml) of water when ambient temperature was below freezing.  Subfreezing temperature causes a substantial decrease in fuel canister pressure and it only gets worse as your running the stove.  A larger fuel canister would help as it has more mass to source heat for vaporization of the liquid.  The stove is still efficient at cold temperatures, it just produces a smaller flame.  I hope to have more opportunity to test in subfreezing temperatures with 200 gr canister prior to Long Term Report.

Field stability is an issue when using a small base 100 gr fuel canister; it is imperative that a solid level surface be used, especially if filling the cup over half full. The larger 200 gr fuel canister remedies this, but can not be stored inside the Jetboil cup.

I found one issue with the stove, and that is drinking from the cup with the lid on.  The vent hole is in the middle of the lid and my facial features position the tip of my nose right into the vent hole, thus closing off the vent.  This would be a simple fix by moving the vent further up the lid.  

Results thus far are encouraging and I look forward to trying the stove for winter use, provided I come up with some shield that redirects some of the flame heat back to the fuel canister.  Slow boil time in winter months might be acceptable considering the amount of time in camp, ease of use, and most important the fuel efficiency. Sure would be nice to melt snow on the trail and not fuss with any pots; just pull out the stove, fill the pot with snow, and presto your melting snow.  By using a 200 gr fuel canister, and keeping the canister warm next to your body, it might function fine for a quick single pot of water.  The stove’s cool exhaust and design are so safe, I would have no issue running this stove in my winter pyramid style tent.  I could use the tent’s center post to assist in stabilizing the stove.

Heat Exchanger Test With Conventional Stoves

Test Setup

• Liquid fuel stove with a 22oz fuel bottle, thus it held its pressure for the duration of the test.  Gave it a few pumps between tests.

• Stove burner red hot before starting test

• Cleaned gas jet between tests.

• Valve open all the way

• 1 liter of 10^oC(50^oF) water for all testing, and time reported in minutes to boil

• Results

• 1.8 liter stainless pot, 6.5 in (16  cm) base, with heat exchanger, and wind shield = 7.55 minutes

• 1.8 liter stainless pot, 6.5 in (16  cm) base, with wind shield = 8:20 minutes

• 1.8 liter stainless pot, 6.5 in (16  cm)  with OUT wind shield 8:20

• 1.5 liter aluminum pot, 7 in (18  cm) base, with wind shield = 8:30 minutes

• 1.3 liter Titanium, (6 in (15 cm) base, with wind shield 8:30

• Observations

• Wind shield makes little difference on conventional stoves in ideal conditions

• Heat exchangers on conventional stoves is only marginally effective ~5% in ideal conditions

• No significant differences between tests, again in ideal conditions

• I expected the heat exchanger to do more, as the pots sides got hot as was evident by slight boiling on sides

• Jetboil is still approximately 25% more efficient than conventional stoves with wind shields and/or heat exchangers in ideal conditions

	Canister Stove,  500ml water	White Gas Stove, 1 liter water					Alcohol Stove,  filled with 3 oz fuel, 500ml water
	1.3 liter  Titanium Pot	Heat Exch, Wind Shield, 1.8 liter S.Steel	Wind Shield, 1.8 liter S.Steel	Wind Shield,  1.5 liter Aluminum	No Wind Shield, 1.8 liter S.Steel	Wind Shield, 1.3 liter Titanium	Wind Shield, 1.3 liter  Titanium
	~60% Flame
Boil Time	240 sec	475 sec	500 sec	510 sec	490 sec	510 sec	945 sec
Fuel Consumed	7.1 g						21.6
Initial Temp	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
30 sec	22	18	18	18	18	17
1 min	33	23	23	23	22	24
1 min 30 sec		29		32	26	28
2 min	59	36	34	35	34	34
2 min 30 sec	68	42	41	41		40
3 min	74	47	46	47	46	45	26
3 min 30 sec	85	53	52	53
4 min	92	59	58	59		56
4 min 30 sec		65	62	64	63	62
5 min		69	68	70		67
5 min 30 sec		76	73	765	73	73	36
6 min		80	78	79		77
6 min 30 sec		85	83	84	83	81
7min		90	88	88	88	86	46
7min 30 sec		95	91	93	93	91
8 min		98	95	96	97	95
8 min 30 sec				98		98

 

 Field Tests

Location	Elevation	Ambient Temp	Wind	Water Temp	Water Volume	Time	Fuel Used	Notes
Silver City, ID	7900	50F	None	50F	16oz	3:55
Silver City, ID	7900	50F	None	50F	12oz	didn’t boil
Silver City, ID	7900	27F	4MPH	42F	16oz	9:58		Canister cold-small flame
Summary	7900			47.1F	44oz		. 5 oz (14 g)

Test Locations And Conditions

In mid June the Idaho mountains begin to open up and I’ll be traveling mostly into central Idaho with elevations to 8000 ft (2400 m) and temperatures below freezing.  July through October will include trips to eastern Idaho, central Idaho wilderness, Canadian border, eastern Oregon, and Oregon coast.  Elevations will be from sea level to 10000 ft (3000 m) and temperatures will be down to freezing.  I speculate that about half of my trips will be solo, and the other half will be mostly small groups.  A couple of my trips may not include the Jetboil, because I will need a frying pan. 

I’ll continue to monitor water temperate, ambient temperature, boil times, and fuel consumption.  My goal is to complete the Field Testing Table with enough data to provide adequate field test summary.  Since my final report is due prior to winter season, I will be unable to post winter camping data.

Summary

Pros:

• Light weight

• Very fuel efficient

• Well insulated cup

• Easy of use

Cons:

• Would like to see an optional 1.3 liter cup/pot in addition to the current ½ liter cup for larger groups that would store stove base, 200 gr canister, and some kind of slip on canister base for stability

• Frying pan with FluxRing™ or an adapter that allows the use of the base as a conventional gas burner.

• Small 100 gr canister base provides marginal stability

Tester Information & Background

Name: Andy Rad

Gender: Male

Age: 46

Height: 6 ft (1.83 m)

Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)

Email: aisrad@cableone.net

I started backpacking 21 years ago, mostly 3 day trips with at least one 7 day trip per year.  By backpacking, I’m referring to summer, winter camping, and fall hunting.  About half my trips are light weight solo and the other half with my family.  I own a llama that was purchased when my 3^rd child was 2, some 10 years ago.  This allowed me to continue backpacking as a family activity.  When I’m not with the family/llama I tend to take less-traveled trails or bushwhack the hard mountainous terrain in and around Idaho.  In recent years I’ve begun substituting a collie for the llama.  The majority of my trips are in central Idaho, with a few into northern Idaho, eastern Idaho, and eastern Oregon.