---

 

Long Term Report:

 

    In the field report I complained of problems burning oatmeal and commented that I probably had fully discovered how to use the simmer. I discovered quite accidentally how to use the simmer. Turn the gas level down until you remove the "jet" noise but not all the way snug off and you've got the simmer. This being my first experience with a simmer stove, I was pleasantly surprised at how it worked.

 

    While atop the rocky, treeless tundra of Medicine Bow Peak, with the University of Wyoming Geography Club, I discovered the simmer function in this manner. While others munched on granola bars, I busted out the Jetboil and attached the burner to the canister. I filled the Cooking Cup with water and attached it to the burner. The tall stance of the entire outfit coupled with a narrow base made for an obviously unstable situation. That noted I made an attempt to get the stove started. With the ability to use only one hand I found that the control was hard to turn on at first. After I finally got the knob to turn on, I found that the wind made it hard to light the Jetboil's fire. I built a shield of the rocks and successfully balanced the tippy stove on a less than even surface. After a couple of tries and redistribution of rocks, I was able to get the fire lit. Within a couple of minutes the 12 ounces of water (.35 liters) were boiling, without turning down the heat, I emptied the packets of oil and spice into the cooking and proceeded to open the packet of Raman noodles. The spices however, instantly caused the water to boil over. I struggled with the control knob to turn down the fire, instead I turned it up. Finally I was able to turn off the stove, or so I thought. When I went to relight the stove, I found that it fired right back up to the "jet" noise level, as I turned up the gas, without having to hit the piezo button. I left the stove burning at the lower level for what would be the remaining 3 minutes of cook time.

 

    The other discovery I made about the stove took place on the Manistee River Trail. Before heading out on the hike, I had reviewed the instruction. They said to be sure not to over tighten the canister. Well of course I was made sure to follow that instruction. When using the stove that weekend I found that boil times had increased to 10 minutes, a far cry from the 3 to 4 minute boil times I had experienced in the past. The problem in this case turned out that the canister was not sqrewed on as tightly as it should.  Screwing the canister back on tightly was sufficient to get the stove back up to par.

 

One morning when the temperature was below freezing and I went to fire up the stove, it acted like it didn't want to start. After a couple of tries it finally caught, I'm not sure if the starter was damp or the gas was too cold.

 

With a partially full, Jetboil canister of fuel, boil times at 7,000 ft (2100 m) were over 4 minutes.

 

---

 

Field Conditions:

 

    The Jetboil PCS performed well on two hiking expeditions in Michigan and several expeditions in Wyoming. Medicine Bow Peak, at 12,000 ft (3700 m) was the highest altitude at which the Jetboil was used. The Jetboil was also used on a weekend trip to Yankee Springs State Park in Southwestern Michigan and the Manistee River Trail in Western Michigan. The Jetboil was used at other location in Michigan and in Wyoming's Medicine Bow National Forest. The Jetboil was used in high winds at temperatures ranging from 32° F (0° C) to 65° F (36° C).

---

 

Summary:

   

    This great product, convenient and reliable so far. Storing the stove as one unit is not always workable. I don't always wash dishes on the trail. In reality I'll toss the unwashed stove back into my pack without having replaced the fuel canister and burner inside. I also think the plastic bottom cover could be made of more flexible plastic similar to the Sipper Lid (but given my experience with the lid cracking perhaps I need to rethink this statement.) My main complaint with the bottom cover is that it is hard to remove.  Rolling boil time tested out to be over 4 minutes (cold tap water, 2 cups (.47 liters), half empty Jetboil fuel canister.)

 

    Things I like

 

 

    Things I don't like

 

---

 

Backpacking Background:

 

    In 2002, I hiked 92% of the Appalachian Trail, taking 7.5 months to do so. In September of 2003, I walked 350 miles (564 km) across Michigan's Upper Peninsula on the North Country Trail. Before those experiences, I was very active outdoors: canoeing through Canyonlands National Park, biking, day hiking, cross country skiing and doing other things.