Jet Boil for PCT?

[Just Jack]

Everybody seems to recommend an alcohol stove for the PCT. However,
I have never developed the ability to use one of those stoves. Don't
know if it is pot size, wind screen, amount of alcohol, putting pot on too soon, temp, or what. Would like to take a Jet Boil on the PCT. Anybody use a Jet Boil or a pressurized stove. I know the issues with weight and mailing fuel. Anybody have problems with mailing canisters even if the book says you can. Were you able to find canisters for sale up the trail? Just wanting to take something that works for me. May wind up having to practice with that alcohol stove for the next 3 months. Happy Holidays to everyone.

[handlebar]

Jack, The Jetboil is fine for the PCT, although you will probably need to mail - via surface mail only - a number of the small canisters to yourself along the way. I understand the large canisters are too big to fit within the post office OK for mailing. Since they have to go surface, you'll have to allow plenty of time. For more info, search the archives on pct-l or ask your question there.

[Sly]

Here's Ken's great page on mailing fuel.

http://www.gottawalk.com/shipping_fuel.htm

[mrc237]

Recently ordered 8 canisters shipping was quick: http://www.rei.com/search?query=jet+...13&button.y=10 ...Have fuel shipped to Motel/Hostel that will accept pkgs. I don't think that REI will ship to POs for GD but I'd check on it.

[Sly]

Recently ordered 8 canisters shipping was quick: http://www.rei.com/search?query=jet+boil+fuel&button.x=13&button.y=10 ...Have fuel shipped to Motel/Hostel that will accept pkgs. I don't think that REI will ship to POs for GD but I'd check on it.

I don't think REI ships USPS but UPS. Seems like you can ship to many private addresses on the PCT to make it work with the possible exception of Toulemne Meadows if you don't mind carrying two, possibly three, at times.

[Erik The Black]

I carried a canister stove (MSR pocket rocket) for the whole PCT and it was wonderful.

I never had a problem finding fuel canisters and they last a long time. One of the small 4 ouncers would last at least six days and if you need to go longer the bigger canisters last forever (I think I went three weeks on one of them once). The trick is to carry a pot cozy, so you just boil water real quick and dump it in your food and don't waste fuel.

I also mailed canisters to myself several times, just by plain old priority mail in with my food and other stuff. Never had a problem. Of course you're not supposed to do that, so if you want to play by the rules you can just mail it to yourself Parcel Post with the ORM-D sticker or whatever it is.

But yeah, canister stoves are great and a lot of hikers used them on the PCT. Alcohol stoves are soo.. 2002

[ARambler]

I carried a canister stove (MSR pocket rocket) for the whole PCT and it was wonderful.

I never had a problem finding fuel canisters and they last a long time. One of the small 4 ouncers would last at least six days and if you need to go longer the bigger canisters last forever (I think I went three weeks on one of them once). The trick is to carry a pot cozy, so you just boil water real quick and dump it in your food and don't waste fuel.

I also mailed canisters to myself several times, just by plain old priority mail in with my food and other stuff. Never had a problem. Of course you're not supposed to do that, so if you want to play by the rules you can just mail it to yourself Parcel Post with the ORM-D sticker or whatever it is.

But yeah, canister stoves are great and a lot of hikers used them on the PCT. Alcohol stoves are soo.. 2002

1) Can't recommend canisters in priority mail. I do know they were pretty easy to find on the cdt, so, only excess demand would be a problem on the pct. I recommend the larger cylinders because they are more stable, last longer and are slightly more efficient on a weight basis. The 3 weeks seems about right for the cooking you describe.

2) That said, I think it is pretty close between alcohol and butane.

3) So 2002??? In 1976, I carried butane to Warner Springs, but it didn't work all the way. I used Sterno (the original cat can stove) to Bear Lake, and then used a Seva, which uses dinosaur dung, for the next 1000 miles. I didn't bend to peer pressure and use alcohol until 2007. There has been a very similar cycle in water treatment over the last 30 years.
Peace,
Rambler

[buckwheat]

The larger MSR canisters will work also with the Jetboil. The typical JetBoil canister has 3.5 oz. of fuel whereas the MSR has 4.0 oz. So, sometimes, I will take the MSR canister. The drawback is that the larger canister won't fit inside the Jetboil for storage.

Hey, Jetboil people ... get on the stick! People need larger canisters, but still want them to fit inside the Jetboil for storage. So, make larger canisters with more vertical height! I have plenty of room inside my JetBoil cup for a larger canister! Double your fuel sales in store inventory alone!

Hey, Jetboil people ... get on the stick! People want larger JetBoil PCSs. Make a 1.5L or 2L version. Double sales just on store inventory alone!

Hey, Jetboil people ... get on the stick! Hire me to be your product designer. Double sales!

[Mags]

As I like to say: There is no such thing as the best for any gear.

From http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.ph...omparison.html

There are many backpacking stoves available for the consumer now. Lightweight alcohol stoves, canister stoves and white gas stoves are the most popular now for general use. But what stove is "the best"? The true answer is: NONE OF THEM.

The article below will go into the pros and cons of the various stoves for "real world" (not marketing) use depending upon your needs.
The "best stove" depends upon what your use is for. Boiling a lot of water? Backpacking as a couple? Doing "real" cooking in the back country? Long time without resupply? Winter camping? These are all questions that need to be asked when considering a stove for backcountry use. Just as you would not use a screwdriver to put in a nail, certain types of stoves are suited for different type of tasks than another stove.


Some people love the quick boil times and no futz factor of a jetboil. Others like a quick boil, but not the weight penalty of the jetboil system and go with other canister stoves. Some people like the DIY aesthetic, light weight of alcohol stoves. Still others say the heck with the stove and just mang' all day and forgo cooked meals (I am seriously considering this for the Great Divide Trail).

So, figure out your hiking style and pick out accordingly.

(I use alcohol myself...but I tend to go to the dirtbag side of the gear equation. Worked well on the CDT anyway. ).

Finally... Remember, gear is the least important part of hiking.

[MOWGLI]

I used a Pocket Rocket on the JMT this past summer. Worked like a charm. I also picked up a couple of full canisters in the hiker barrels at Vermillion Valley Resort. Saved me some cabbage.

I met one of the two designers of the MSR Reactor stove at the trail head for Bishop Pass. He informed me that the Reactor outperforms the Jetboil - especially in poor conditions. The tests show just that.

http://www.trailspace.com/news/2007/...-showdown.html

Of course, any old canister stove will work on the PCT. Good luck with whatever you choose. And if you stop by VVR, check out the barrels for cannisters.

[Dogwood]

I did the isobutane Snow Peak Giga stove thing throughout the PCT last yr. But, I primarily got my fuel tanks by including them in already planned resupply boxes because it's a bit harder(but not impossible, see Erik's post) to find isobutane tanks on the PCT than finding them on the AT. If I was not already doing some maildrops I would have went w/ the alcohol stove. If U were to go to a alcohol stove don't sweat it. Not real hard. Not real complicated. Not real expensive. Fuel is easier to find. Sly's gottawalk link accurately relates the legal and how-to aspects of mailing isobutane tanks. Reread posts #2 - #6 and then make your decision.

[Geo.]

Just in case some may not be aware, there's been a recall of some models of Jetboil.
See...
http://www.jetboil.com/recall

There's also a thread on this at...
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=44408