Stove Showdown

This article originally published in the September 2010 issue of Adventure Insider Magazine.

In recent years there has been a definite trend towards the use of integrated cook systems. These all-in-one systems combine the stove, windscreen, heat exchanger, and cook pot, and their efficiency and ease of use makes them extremely popular for backpackers moving to a lighter cook system as well as high altitude mountaineers looking for lightweight hangable kits. We compare three of these systems below.

MSR Reactor

Both the Jetboil Flash and MSR Reactor have been around for a couple years. The Primus EtaSolo is brand new to the market and with that comes the obvious advantage of learning from other mistakes. We conducted a series of tests on all three systems side-by-side to eliminate as many variables as possible.

Test 1: Each system was filled with 2 cups of water at 81° F. Time was recorded at rolling boil.

Test 2: Each system was filled with 2 cups water at 34° F. Time was recorded at rolling boil.

Test 3: Each system was filled with boiling water. Temperature was recorded in ten minute intervals for 30 minutes.

Bonus test: The MSR reactor was filled with 1 L of 34° ice water. Time was recorded at rolling boil.

Note: Air temperature for all tests was 74° F.

Conclusions

What stove you ultimately decide on will be a matter of your circumstances. Here’s our feeling.

Groups: If you’re traveling with more than three people there is no comparison to the MSR Reactor. The Reactor boils water at a shockingly fast speed and the larger capacity will enable everyone to get a nice hot cup of tea.

Solo or couples: Either the Jetboil Flash or Primus EtaSolo are great choices. If you plan to hang your stove often the sting of the Jetboil Flash hanging kit will be minimized and if you hang rarely the included Primus hanging kit is a welcome addition. Both stoves also offer lids used to drink from the pot and insulation to keep the contents warm. The ability to use other pots with the Primus EtaSolo may give it an edge for most people, however.

	MSR Rector	Jetboil Flash	Primus EtaSolo
Price	$159.95	$99.95	$99.95
Weight1	1 lb 1 5/8 oz	15 3/8 oz	15 5/8 oz
Capacity2	2 L	1 L	1 L
Hangable	No	Optional (kit: 1 7/8 oz, $29.95)	Yes (kit: 7/8 oz, included)
Test 1	1:23	1:52	1:50
Test 2	2:09	2:53	2:41
Test 3 (°F)0'/10'/20'/30'	198/170/152/137	198/177/160/148	198/182/164/153
Bonus Test	3:59	N/A	N/A
Pros	• Large capacity • Cool MSR logo when lit	• Very stable hanging kit • Feels very tight and well assembled	• Ability to use other pots withincluded pot stands (5/8 oz). • Included hanging kit
Cons	• No integrated lighter • Stove rattles inside pot in storage	• Must purchase hanging kit separately	• Primus fuel can be tough tofind although most isobutane canisters will work • Rattles quite a bit

¹ Includes stove, pot, and burner
² Max fill is half of listed capacity

Jetboil Flash

About the Jetboil Flash

The Jetboil Flash in the latest innovation from Jetboil. Like the Jetboil Personal Cooking System (PCS), the Flash is an integrated cup, stove, and heat exchanger. The integration of all the components make the Jetboil systems extremely efficient. According to Jetboil the Flash will boil two cups of water in an amazingly fast two minutes. The features and specs from the Jetboil website:

• 1.0 Liter FluxRing® cooking cup with insulating cozy, featuring Flash color-change heat indicator
• Adjustable stainless steel burner with push-button “through-cup” igniter
• Drink-through lid and insulating bottom cover/measuring cup
• Tripod base for added stability
• Available in Gold, Violet, Sapphire and Carbon
• Weight: 14 oz (397 g)
• Volume: 32 oz (1 Liter)
• Boil Time: 16 oz (1/2 Liter) = 2 minutes
• Water Boiled: 12 Liters per 100g Jetpower canister
• Dimensions: 4.1” x 7.1” (104 mm x 180 mm)

Differences Between Jetboil PCS and Jetboil Flash

On initial inspection, the differences between the Jetboil PCS and the Flash seemed fairly cosmetic to me so I inquired further. Ric Pratte from Jetboil’s PR firm gave me some more in-depth information on the updates.

The technical difference between PCS and Flash is in the burner. [The] Flash burner control is a wire “bale”, which is easier to access and operate than [the] knob on the PCS. The Flash igniter is low profile and comes up through the burner head, which means its less likely to be damaged than the PCS igniter. The burner head is solid stainless steel, as compared to the mesh head on the PCS, which is subject to shrinking over time and then falling out. Also, the Flash comes with a tripod stabilizer, which is a $10 retail value.

First Impressions of the Jetboil Flash

The Jetboil Flash is a pretty impressive piece of equipment. Stowed, all components fit within the Flash’s 32oz. cup for easy transport. The Flash is a bit heavier than the homemade alcohol stove I currently use for warm weather pursuits but the Flash’s simplicity and quick boils will no doubt be key during the colder months. In the couple boils I did to test the Flash did indeed get water to a boil very quickly, and the heat indicator on the side is a nice (though not altogether necessary) touch — it turns orange when the water reaches 140°F. I look forward to giving the Jetboil Flash a good workout in the coming months.

What We’re Looking for in the Jetboil Flash

With the Jetboil already being used by many of the top mountaineers on some of the highest peaks in the world (see Peter Whittaker mention the Jetboil as a mountaineering game changer) we anticipate that the Jetboil Flash will be an asset on our backcountry endeavors in slightly less demanding conditions.