[pct-l] stove question..

[Dan Welch]

I've seen a couple of mentions of the old Svea stove.  I had one back in the
mid-70's (Yes I'm that old) that I had a kind of love-hate relationship
with.  It was kind of like my Volkswagen at the time - it was reliable as
long as you didn't mind working on it frequently (??). Between seals losing
pressure and needle valve issues, I nursed that stove though a number of
years, but finally decided (as with my Bug) that I wanted something without
so much "personality".  I like my machines to work like machines - not like
people.  :-) 

I have tried many stoves since then including alcohol and a number of
canister stoves.  I often take alcohol for a short weekend trip because of
the light weight.  For a couple days, I don't mind the minor cooking
hassles.  But once I get to about 4-5 days the weight of fuel makes the alky
stove rig pretty similar in weight to my JetBoil Sol rig (if you consider
the weight of "the whole rig".) So for longer trips, I opt for the
convenience of the JetBoil.  

By "the whole rig", I mean the stove, fuel & fuel container, pot & lid,
insulating mug (for coffee or tea), cozy for heat soaking meals, &
windscreen. (The JetBoil needs no windscreen as Caffin demonstrated.) The
JetBoil Sol has all these features included for 12 oz. (You can shave a
couple of oz by spending $30 or $40 more and getting the Ti version.)  Throw
in the 100g fuel canister (lasts me about 10 days) and I'm at 19 oz starting
weight for the JetBoil rig.  Of course I'm at 19 oz even if I'm going for a
single night - that's the downside.  

With my alcohol rig, my weight is about 10 oz plus fuel at about 1.25 oz per
day.  This includes pot/lid, mug, cozy, fuel container, windscreen, etc...
(Without a windscreen, it can take a while for an alky to boil on a cold,
windy day - plus it uses more fuel.)   But I digress, because the alky stove
is not an issue this year...  They are likely to be illegal on the PCT many
places.

As compared to the other "standard" canister stoves, I find the JetBoil a
clear winner.  Compared to a standard canister (Pocket Rocket or similar) I
find the weights very equivalent (once you include the pot/lid, mug,
windscreen, cozy) and the JetBoil is clearly more efficient as was verified
by Caffin's tests.

With the JetBoil I reliably get 10-11 liters per 100g canister (10 g/l).
With a Pocket Rocket and windscreen I get about 7-8 liters per canister
(12-15 g/l).  Without a windscreen I get about 6 liters (16-17 g/l) and it
can be worse depending on wind conditions.

The JetBoil is a nice integrated system.  The cozy is permanently attached
to the pot so heat is being conserved even while cooking.  Plus the "pot"
actually makes a nice mug with a nice rubberized lid that allows you to
comfortably drink from it while the cozy keeps your beverage of choice hot
for 10 to 15 minutes.  As for cozying food, that can be done right in the
pot, or if I'm doing freezer bag cooking (which I do regularly) I pour the
boiling water into the freezer bag, stir, and place it right back into the
pot/cozy for heat soaking.  Works perfectly.  Incidentally there is also a
small plastic cup that serves to cover the bottom of the rig.  It is marked
as a measuring cup and can be used as a second cup or as a small bowl for
oatmeal or whatever. 

The down sides to the JetBoil:  1) It doesn't simmer well.  You can sorta
turn it down some, but it's challenging.  However, since I generally heat
soak my food in the cozy, I rarely find that to be an issue.  2) The above
mentioned issue with fuel weight for a 1-4 day trp.  (But you'll have this
issue with any canister stove)  3) They are pricey, but once again, if you
compare the cost of the whole rig including lightweight pot, etc, etc. they
are pretty competitive. 

As a bonus, I find them extremely reliable (unlike my Svea). The only
JetBoil reliability issue I hear about is the piezo lighter, but mine has
worked flawlessly over several years & many trips - including a couple of
month-long hikes, but no thru hikes.  (Of course I carry a spare source of
fire just in case!)

I hear concerns about cold weather with any canister stove - but this should
generally not be a big issue on the PCT - if you take a couple of
precautions.  First, buy canisters with isobutane and NOT butane.  They
should all have 15% or more of propane in them for cool weather use.
JetBoil, MSR, and Snowpeak canisters all fit that bill.  A typical mix is
80%/20% or 85%/15% isobutane to propane.  Cheap canisters have butane which
will not work well below 40F.  Second, keep your canisters "reasonably"
warm.  (I am convinced this is the reason that some people have trouble with
canisters in cold weather.)  You have to do this BEFORE the canister is
getting near the end of life.  If you have a brand new canister and you use
it on a 30F morning after it has been out all night, it will light but it
will burn mostly on the propane component of the mix - which means the
propane will be gone and not available to help you light it when the tank is
half empty.  On cooler nights (below 40F) I usually throw my canister to the
foot of my sleeping bag where it will stay plenty warm.  On a cold day, I
sometimes put it in the pocket of my down vest or jacket for 30 minutes or
so before using just to warm it up.  Not really much of a hassle once you
get used to it, but I understand why people don't do it.  I just find it
well worth it...

Anyway my 2 or 3 cents...
Timberline