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Vargo Titanium "Jet-Ti" Stove
Initial Report
Tester Bio
Name: Anthony (TJ) Smith
Age: 30 years old
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
Weight: 155 lbs (73 kg)
Email address: tjsmith1946@gmail.com
City, State, Country: Pensacola, Florida USA
Date: June 16, 2005
Backpacking Background: I have been camping for a little over
5 years now, mostly car camping. I have recently begun backpacking, and I am
constantly adding new gear to my “collection” in an effort to get
my gear list tailored more towards backpacking, specifically lightweight backpacking.
Most of my backpacking trips are short duration, not more than one or two nights.
However, I am planning some longer trips in the near future.
Product Information
Year of Manufacture – 2005
Manufacturer URL – www.vargooutdoors.com
MSRP - $64.95 USD
Stated Weight – 2.7 oz (76 g)
Stated Size - 2.75 in (7 cm) high, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) top diameter
Weight as Delivered – Stove 2.9 oz (82 g) Pouch 0.75 oz (22 g) Total Pack
Weight 3.65 oz (104 g)
Size as Delivered – Stove 3 in (7.6 cm) high, 4 in (10.2 cm) top diameter,
Pouch 3.75x3x1.5 inches (9.5x7.6x3.8 cm)
Initial Information/Observations
I received this item on June 16, 2005. It shipped in a plain brown box, which
was quite deceptively large for the item contained within. Upon opening the
box, I found a large quantity of packing paper. Within the packing paper I found
the Jet-Ti, in it's attractive carrying case, attached to a cardboard hang-type
packaging. The stove itself folds up quite compactly, just smaller than the
carrying case (which is a good thing, or it wouldn't fit inside!)
The packaging on the Jet-Ti was attached to what appears to be the retail packaging
for the stove. The back of the packaging lists a few features of the stove (the
same as listed on the product's web page), as well as brief operating instructions
for the stove. The inside of the packaging lists numerous other items Vargo
offers.
The carrying case appears very well constructed.
It consists of black nylon with a zipper going about half way around the side
of the case. The front of the case is embroidered with "VARGO TITANIUM"
in white block letters, and what appears to be a belt loop made of 1.25 in (3
cm) webbing on the back of the case.
Upon opening the carrying case, I took out the stove to see how easy it appeared
to operate without using the directions. Setup was easy enough, with the pot
support simply folding out and rotating around the center of the burner. The
control for the fuel is equally as intuitive, with the handle folding out and
very easy to turn. As this is the first iso-butane stove I have used, I do not
yet have a canister to see how easy the stove is to attach to a canister, or
how stable it is with the canister attached. The part of the stove that attaches
to the canister appears to be constructed of brass, somewhat of a surprise given
the stove is named the "Titanium 'Jet-Ti,'" which lead me to believe
most of the stove would be made of titanium. The attachment also has a rubber-type
washer/gasket that appears to seal against the top of the fuel canister.
Test Plan
I intend to utilize the Jet-Ti on a variety of day and overnight backpacking
trips. I also intend to utilize the stove at home to gain exposure to as many
weather conditions as I can to fully test the stove in any conditions I might
experience in the field for the time I have the stove. Expected conditions during
the testing period should range from a high in the 90s F (32 C) down to lows
around freezing, 32 F (0 C). I anticipate a wide variety of precipitation, but
I do not expect to use the stove in snow. I also anticipate a variety of wind
conditions during the testing period.
The following are a list of issues I intend to explore:
How well does the Jet-Ti function for a variety of cooking scenarios? Does it
work equally as well for me for boiling water, simmering, and slow cooking of
meals? How does this compare to the alcohol stove I'm used to using? How long
does the stove last with one can of fuel for my average use? How many cans of
fuel do I need for various trip lengths?
How easy is it for me to find fuel canisters in my area? Are the iso-butane
canisters readily available, or will I have to find a specialty retailer to
acquire the fuel for the stove? Is the fuel available in a variety of sizes?
Does fuel from different manufacturers appear to function differently in the
stove?
How easy is the stove to set up and ignite? How easy are any needed field repairs to perform? Do I need special tools to perform any repairs and maintenance, or will a basic multi-tool serve this purpose?
How easy is the stove to ignite and use under a variety of environmental conditions? Is the stove more difficult to light at different temperatures and humidity levels? What effect does wind have on the stove, as the stove is not for use with a windscreen? How easy is it for me to adjust the flame level for changing from boiling to simmer?
How stable is the stove on a variety of surfaces? I use a couple different types of pots for cooking depending on how many are in my group. Is the Jet-Ti flexible enough to use with a variety of different size pots, or am I limited as to my pot selection? Does the stove, fuel, and the carrying case fit inside the various pots I carry or will it take up more space in my pack?
I also intend to report on any other issues that may arise during my testing of this stove.
My thanks to Vargo and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to test this item.
Read more reviews of Vargo Outdoors gear
Read more gear reviews by Anthony Smith
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