View Full Version : Which Jetboil to get?
I am looking to get a Jetboil cook set but not sure which one to get. I was looking at the Sol, the Flash and the Zip. Let me know how you like the one you have.
I have the Sol Aluminum. I got a good deal on it and felt that the Sol Ti cost too much more for the small weight difference. The stove has been super fuel efficient and boils 2 cups of water in around 2 minutes.
Starchild
01-16-2014, 19:48
The Sol is the one needed for 1 person and also 2 people (sometimes at a stretch). Those other ones are better for 2-3 people.
The Sol Ti model is only for heating and boiling water - and can get damaged if used outside this purpose, the Sol (Al) model is also for cooking and melting snow.
I have the Sol Ti, which was replaced once due to the heat fin separating (with the new requirements that it be used for water only). I would however recommend the Sol AL if you want to do any cooking. Any of the other models you mention only if you are 2 or more.
Is this for solo use?
Is money an issue?
If cost is not an issue, and it's for solo use, the aluminum SOL.
If cost is an issue, the ZIP. If it's for two people, the Flash. If it's for a group of three or more the Sumo.
Unless you are a gram weeny stay away from the titanium SOL. They have a history of melting down if you try to cook anything other than water. If fact JetBoil updated their instructions on the titanium SOL to state "Water boiling only". And you only save a little more than an ounce.
I would like to stay below 130.00 dollars, so the Sol Ti is out. It will be for 2 people sometimes, I currently carry a Wisperlite and a GSI pot set. I also would like to get the frying pan. Besides the .2 liter difference, what is the difference between the Sol and the Flash?
I would like to stay below 130.00 dollars, so the Sol Ti is out. It will be for 2 people sometimes, I currently carry a Wisperlite and a GSI pot set. I also would like to get the frying pan. Besides the .2 liter difference, what is the difference between the Sol and the Flash?
The SOL is lighter (not just because of the pot size) and has a pressure regulator that allows for a larger jet for better performance in colder weather.
Can you use a Jetboil in 10 degrees? If you put the fuel in my sleeping bag over night.
max patch
01-16-2014, 20:19
3 1/2 ounces and the thermo regulator.
I was lucky enough to catch the SOL AL on sale at REI for $90 several months ago. I was going to get the TI but the warnings above about the failure rate when doing more than boiling water is why I did not.
Here is a comparison chart:
http://www.jetboil.com/products/comparesystems
max patch
01-16-2014, 20:21
The thermo regulator is said to deliver consistent heat output down to 20 degrees. I do not know if it works as advertised.
The sol aluminum has worked well for me into the mid 20s. I've never even kept the canister in my sleeping bag. Boil time may have been a bit slower but the jetboil is so fast that I probably wouldn't notice if not timing it.
The thermo regulator is said to deliver consistent heat output down to 20 degrees. I do not know if it works as advertised.
I have both the Flash and SOL. The regulator does help in colder weather. I would say the regulator on the SOL adds about 10 degrees to the usable temperature range compared to the Flash if I had to guess.
TY for this thread I am confused about which one to get also (if I go with jetboil)
colorado_rob
01-16-2014, 21:05
I have both the Flash and SOL. The regulator does help in colder weather. I would say the regulator on the SOL adds about 10 degrees to the usable temperature range compared to the Flash if I had to guess. YEs, +1 on this, that regulator really does help, I have both and I basically quit using the flash completely. Be sure to check around, I bought the Sol Ti on sale for right around a hundred bucks, I believe on amazon, nowhere near the $140 list.
colorado_rob
01-16-2014, 21:07
Correction, yikes! The Sol Ti is now $160 on amazon. Look around though.
YEs, +1 on this, that regulator really does help, I have both and I basically quit using the flash completely. Be sure to check around, I bought the Sol Ti on sale for right around a hundred bucks, I believe on amazon, nowhere near the $140 list.
I don't pack the Flash much any more either, but I will take the Flash cup on spring and fall day hikes with scouts. I found you can boil a half a dozen hotdogs in the Flash cup, you just stick them vertically in the cup and add water. The SOL cup is a little too short to cook the whole hotdog :) Makes for a quick hot lunch for a group of 10-12 year olds.
My two cents. I have an older Jetboil, works great. But... they are a bit heavy, and I always had to carry a separate coffee cup, 4-5 ounces and additional space.
I found an elegant alternative, after a lot of searching. I now use an Evernew titanium ECA278; got it from Trail Designs for about $65. It is a stackable .7L/.4L pot/cup combination, 2 for the price of 1. For a stove, I bought the new Soto Windmaster, another $65. Great reviews, and on a 40 degree day, I boiled 8 ounces of water with this setup in 2 minutes.
Like the Jetboil, a small 100 gram canister, the Jetboil canister stand, and stove all fit inside the pot. I then purchased a cozy from George at Antigravitygear.com; great service and about $10!
Expensive? About $140. Weight: 10.2 ounces: pot, cup, lid, stove, canister stand, cozy, and bag. Add the weight of a canister, which again fits inside.
HooKooDooKu
01-17-2014, 10:04
I would argue that anyone who has decided on a JetBoil, but has to ask the question "Which One?" needs to get the Aluminum Sol.
The primary reason I say this is because the Sol is the company's latest offering, therefore offering the latest innovations. Additionally, so long as each member of a small group has their one mug/bowl/etc and the JetBoil is only for boiling water, the single small JetBoil can service more than one person.
I would argue against the Sol Ti simply because is doesn't seem worth $40 to save 2oz. The exceptions would be gram weenies (in which case you're more likely to be using an alcohol stove ) and those with deep pockets (i.e. those that will always buy the most expensive). But then just to prove my point... these types of people would know what they want and wouldn't be asking the question.
The other products do have their place:
Zip: Economy Model
Sumo: Big Groups needing lots of water
But then again, the people who need economy (of price or scale) would again know that that is what they are after and therefore wouldn't need to ask the question "Which One?".
So it sort of boils down to "If don't know what to get, get the Aluminum Sol" (pun intended).
colorado_rob
01-17-2014, 11:13
I would argue that anyone who has decided on a JetBoil, but has to ask the question "Which One?" needs to get the Aluminum Sol.
The primary reason I say this is because the Sol is the company's latest offering, therefore offering the latest innovations. Additionally, so long as each member of a small group has their one mug/bowl/etc and the JetBoil is only for boiling water, the single small JetBoil can service more than one person.
I would argue against the Sol Ti simply because is doesn't seem worth $40 to save 2oz. The exceptions would be gram weenies (in which case you're more likely to be using an alcohol stove ) and those with deep pockets (i.e. those that will always buy the most expensive). But then just to prove my point... these types of people would know what they want and wouldn't be asking the question.
The other products do have their place:
Zip: Economy Model
Sumo: Big Groups needing lots of water
But then again, the people who need economy (of price or scale) would again know that that is what they are after and therefore wouldn't need to ask the question "Which One?".
So it sort of boils down to "If don't know what to get, get the Aluminum Sol" (pun intended). I don't disagree, but the difference is only $30 at REI (120 vs 150). Also, the quoted weights are about 1/2 ounce optimistic, my "stripped " SOL Ti is 8.9 oz (stripped = no little useless black cup, no pot stabilizer, no carrying sack, just burner, pot and lid).
I think the technology in both is the same, but I could be mistaken. All I know for sure is that the SOL Ti (and I'm sure the SOL AL) is fantastically efficient, blew me away last year on the AT. I got about 14-15 three+ cup boils out of a 4 ounce (7.5 total oz) canister, basically a full week (I heat a lot of water every day, 6-7 cups), two full weeks out of a larger (8 oz, 13 total) canister. This is about 25% better than with a pocket rocket, doing controlled side-by-side testing a couple years ago.
And yes, my wife and I both use a lot of hot water, the the 0.9 liter capacity (3.5- or so cups) is perfect for us. Makes two meals at a time or two hefty cups of hot drink at a time. The Flash is definitely bigger, but we just don't need that capacity. Certainly, a solo hiker doesn't.
Let me know what you cook besides boiling water?
Blissful
01-17-2014, 20:45
Yeah be careful on the SOL Ti -if you read the print it is for water boiling ONLY. Not sure if it voids warranty if you cook anything else in that pot....
My system - Snowpeak 700 pot, Litemax, homemade pot cozy, homemade stuff sack, titanium spoon, old camping cup
4eyedbuzzard
01-17-2014, 21:11
Yeah be careful on the SOL Ti -if you read the print it is for water boiling ONLY. Not sure if it voids warranty if you cook anything else in that pot....
How would they (Jetboil) know provided you cleaned it? Water leaves plenty of mineral residues and stains just like food.
How would they (Jetboil) know provided you cleaned it? Water leaves plenty of mineral residues and stains just like food.
They know because water is the heat sink that keeps it from melting down. The problem with the TI SOL is the fins melt and separate when it overheats. It is impossible for the stove to get hot enough for that to happen as long as there is water in the pot. So if the fins melt, the pot was either empty (which also voids the warranty), or there was something other than water in the pot. Aluminum transfers heat much better than Ti, so the risk of a melt down is much smaller, your food would burn up before the Al pot melted.
The warranty on the other components is not effected by what you put in the pot, they are essentially the same as the SOL Al.
When I talked to the Jetboil folks they told me they never really planned on making a Ti version, but they kept getting non stop calls and emails begging them to make one in Ti, so they did. I guess people just love the cool factor of having titanium stuff. With the SOL you only save 1 ounce with the Ti cup (.75 Oz if you use the Ti cozy with the Al cup).
atmilkman
01-17-2014, 21:53
I have the Sol Ti and the only reason I do is because I got it brand new in package on Ebay for $85 no tax free shipping. If I had to pay full price or anywhere near it I would go with the aluminum if you plan to cook in it. I primarily boil water but have done cup-o-soups and ramens, etc. Nothing that has to be stirred. Just whatever can be rinsed and go. Basically whatever is mostly water. I've had it down to 9º and it fired right up but I slept with the canister. I left water in it one night and it was frozen solid the next morning and I just put the flame to it wide open (which is the way I always run it) and it melted completely in about 5 min. It sweated like heck and dripped on the burner every now and then but it never quit and did the job.
snail2010
01-18-2014, 20:58
Consider a pocket rocket, awesome stove for $39.95! Very dependable small and light!
Have the Flash since I started out hiking with my son. If something ever happened to it I would probably downsize and replace it with a Sol.
Love my JetBoil. :)
I would argue against the Sol Ti simply because is doesn't seem worth $40 to save 2oz. The exceptions would be gram weenies
Actually, the strongest argument for many going Ti is to avoid repeated use of aluminum and the known sied-effects from exposure to cooking with aluminum.
I don;t worry about such minutiae, but I know those who do and therefore use the Sol Ti. I use the Sol Ti because I got a great deal on one a couple years back.
Regardless, the Aluminum Sol is a great stove.
HooKooDooKu
01-19-2014, 16:07
Consider a pocket rocket, awesome stove for $39.95! Very dependable small and light!
I tried the pocket rocket and hated it... mainly because of the instability issue many people mention in reviews of the pocket rocket.
But if you want to try a lightweight canister stove, I would recommend the Snow Peak LiteMax (http://www.backpacker.com/june_09_gear_review_snow_peak_litemax_stove/gear/13143). It actually weights less than the pocket rocket, and folds down way much smaller. It also doesn't feel as unstable as the pocket rocket. I don't know why, because from a center-of-gravity point of view, the LiteMax is just as tall as the pocket rocket. It might have something to do with the fact the support legs lay flat, where as the pocket rocket leaves the pot sitting on small points. It costs a little bit more ($59). But I feel like it is worth the difference.
I picked up a once used (water boil) Sumo still with box and a new canister thrown in for 80.00 from a girl on QB who had to abandon her Thru attempt. I love it but it is certainly more than. I need for 1. However I just went ahead and picked up a flash mug only and now I have a setup for solo or when my brother joins me. Jet boil really makes a good product that I don't see any reason to fool with other systems that require more fiddling.
Check MountainGear. Jet Boil Flash (second) for $75.00.
how many of you cook more food than just boiling water in a Jetboil? What type of food do you make?
I cook in my Jetboil but rarely try to simmer. I typically bring water to a boil, add something like a Knorr side, remove from the burner and put pot in a homemade cozy for ten minutes, then return to the burner and bring back to a simmer or boil to finish (if needed). Of course for couscous, instant refried beans or mashed potatoes, no cozy is needed, just add to boiling water and eat after a few minutes.
Starchild
01-19-2014, 18:54
The problem with the TI SOL is the fins melt and separate when it overheats.
As I understand it the problem is the fins are Aluminum while the pot is Titanium and the weld between the 2 dissimilar metals is weaker then desired and they have different thermal expansion properties. Heat it too much and the weld breaks, then the Aluminum, no longer in contact with the Titanium to transfer heat to, starts melting also but at that point when the weld breaks it's too late already.
As I understand it the problem is the fins are Aluminum while the pot is Titanium and the weld between the 2 dissimilar metals is weaker then desired and they have different thermal expansion properties. Heat it too much and the weld breaks, then the Aluminum, no longer in contact with the Titanium to transfer heat to, starts melting also but at that point when the weld breaks it's too late already.
Could very well be the case. I don't think Jetboil is saying. I can only go by the reports of others. From all the reading I have done and what Jetboil told me, as long as there is water in the Ti pot, there is nothing to worry about. It's only when the pot gets overheated that the problems start.
With the weigh savings only being 1oz, the cost being significantly higher, and the limitation on boiling water only, I see no good reason to recommend the Ti SOL over the Al version.
The true gram weenies are not going to carry a Jetboil anyway, so I don't see the need for the Ti version. The Al SOL however is a great stove. It would take a significant improvement in weight or function to get me to buy a new stove right now.
Gosh, when I bought my JetBoil back in the late 90's there was only one model. And it cost $69. Times have changed.
Caught the Jetboil Flash Java Kit on a Black Friday sale on Amazon this past November. Cheaper to buy the combo than the Flash alone. I was planning on using instant coffee but couldn't pass up the deal. Just checked the combo is now the same price as the Flash System (only problem - it's not on sale!)
I have a flash, my partner has the Zip. We take the Zip with us. Lighter 2 oz. No Starter, but that only works half the time on my Flash, always carry a bic in my Pocket. One thing I do like on the Flash is the extended valve handle, but it does come off if not handled carefully, easy to clip back on. But it can be adjusted with gloves on hands. Both are extremely fuel efficient, but need to be out of direct wind. 80$ for 1.5 oz is out of my range for the Ti.
Cajun Rooster
01-20-2014, 13:13
I have the Flash but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. I was going back and forth between it and the Sol, but when I saw the Flash on OMCgear.com for $55 back in December my decision was made for me.
I have the Flash but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. I was going back and forth between it and the Sol, but when I saw the Flash on OMCgear.com for $55 back in December my decision was made for me.
Not directed at you specifically, but just a word of advice from a certified gearaholic. If you let price drive your gear decisions, you will end up buying twice and spending even more. I'm not saying the Flash is not a good stove, it is.
Gear is always on sale if you look and wait. Do your research and pick your gear first, and then look for the sales. It will always work out cheaper in the long run.
colorado_rob
01-20-2014, 16:23
...
Gear is always on sale if you look and wait. Do your research and pick your gear first, and then look for the sales. It will always work out cheaper in the long run. So very, very true. (and Hello, I'm Rob, and I'm a Gear-A-Holic)... I'm a slow learner so I have pretty much two of everything: a decent version and a best-of version. Basically, this just makes the "best-of" price even higher.