View Full Version : Jetboil Reliability Question
Buzz_Lightfoot
07-05-2009, 08:21
Hi, I've been reading about Jetboil stoves for a while and picked up a new one on a whim while buying other new gear. I ended up cutting my 3 day section hike short because the stove worked for a grand total of ONE meal then refused to work again. It seems to have had something malfunction in the valve or clog up the jet and since there is no way to disassemble it I was left with nothing to eat but gorp and a few oranges.
"The Edge of the Woods" outfitten in DWG was outstanding. They replaced the stove no questions asked and even threw in a fuel canister even though I insisted it wasnt their fault; they did not manufacture the stove.
So now I have a functional stove but am left with concern about the reliablity of them. For this reason I am asking you all if you have had reliablity problems with JetBoils or was mine just an isoloated fluke? How has yours been working for you?
Thanks,
BL
I think you likely just got a "bad apple." Happens to the best manufacturers. I've had my Jetboil going on three years and have not had any problems. Being one of the early ones, mine did have the red igniter button that was announced by the company as defective, and mine did quit working. They sent me a new one free of charge or shipping and the new one works great. Fine product, excellent customer service. You just got a fluke!
Buzz_Lightfoot
07-05-2009, 12:11
I think you likely just got a "bad apple." Happens to the best manufacturers. I've had my Jetboil going on three years and have not had any problems. Being one of the early ones, mine did have the red igniter button that was announced by the company as defective, and mine did quit working. They sent me a new one free of charge or shipping and the new one works great. Fine product, excellent customer service. You just got a fluke!
Thanks for your input. I'll be a little less leary about my next trip with it. Honestly, it's going to take me a while to trust the stove after this. I never read anything like this about them and I've read a lot of positive reports which was why I purchased one. Reminds me of an experience I had with one of the early MSR whisperlites, before they added the shaker jet. It clogged up on a week long section by Old Speck in Maine but at least I was able to disassemble it and get it going again. I never really felt comfortable with that stove again. I ended up replacing it, with an MSR XGK. That stove worked quite well but was LOUD. Eventually, I replaced that with a newer whisperlite. This one had the shaker jet and I've never had a problem with that one.
I'm a bit of a gear nut and am a sucker for trying new stoves. Since I started backpacking, I've had a department store butane cylinder stove. Used twice, so tall and unstable a fly buzzing by would knock it over. Next was a Svea 123R which worked well. A couple Coleman peak 1's which I used canoe camping. (I felt they were rather fragile.) A whisperlite, an XGK, a whisperlite and now a Jetboil. Gosh, 8 different stoves! With the exception of that first awful stove I still have them all. I could outfit a boy scout troup. :)
Although a bit "put off" I'm looking forward to trying the Jetboil on my next hike. They DO have quite an impressive blow torch like flame.
Take care,
BL
I have mine for 2 years and no problems I want to also tried a popcan stove and I trying to find some good plans to built it
Rockhound
07-05-2009, 12:31
So you quit hiking? did you have matches? A lighter? You do know people were cooking with fire long before Jetboil was invented right? Improvise, adapt, overcome. Sorry your stove broke but seriously, you cut your hike short because of it?
Buzz_Lightfoot
07-05-2009, 12:52
So you quit hiking? did you have matches? A lighter? You do know people were cooking with fire long before Jetboil was invented right? Improvise, adapt, overcome. Sorry your stove broke but seriously, you cut your hike short because of it?
3 words. "Leave no trace". There are enough fire pits that turned into half-burned trash pits. Trouble with the JB is the pot is an integrated part of the system. Returing a fire scorched JB for replacement would have been "not cool".
Buzz_Lightfoot
07-05-2009, 12:52
I have mine for 2 years and no problems I want to also tried a popcan stove and I trying to find some good plans to built it
I have to try one of those someday too. :)
The only problem I have had with mine is in the winter. The canister freezes up and will not work. So I have stopped taking my JB in winter and use my simmer light white gas stove. O.K. here it goes I AM NOT trying to make people mad or start an arguement here. When I was on the A.T. I saw people using there alcohol stoves and I thought they were not very effective. I made my food and cleaned up from eating by the time they would get there water to boil. Just because I had seen it first hand it has ruined me for buying, making or having an alcohol stove. Just saying.
The only problem I have had with mine is in the winter. The canister freezes up and will not work. So I have stopped taking my JB in winter and use my simmer light white gas stove. O.K. here it goes I AM NOT trying to make people mad or start an arguement here. When I was on the A.T. I saw people using there alcohol stoves and I thought they were not very effective. I made my food and cleaned up from eating by the time they would get there water to boil. Just because I had seen it first hand it has ruined me for buying, making or having an alcohol stove. Just saying.
OMG the stove gods will strike you down :bananayes it just seem lighter and I take about and hour break for lunch then setup for the night so to shave off a few oz I thought it would be neat to try
OMG the stove gods will strike you down :bananayes it just seem lighter and I take about and hour break for lunch then setup for the night so to shave off a few oz I thought it would be neat to try
Some people are REAL sensitive about there stoves.
Buzz_Lightfoot
07-05-2009, 17:10
The only problem I have had with mine is in the winter. The canister freezes up and will not work. So I have stopped taking my JB in winter and use my simmer light white gas stove. O.K. here it goes I AM NOT trying to make people mad or start an arguement here. When I was on the A.T. I saw people using there alcohol stoves and I thought they were not very effective. I made my food and cleaned up from eating by the time they would get there water to boil. Just because I had seen it first hand it has ruined me for buying, making or having an alcohol stove. Just saying.
Thanks for the infor Snowhoe. Below what temperature does the cartridge become unusable?
I am just curious about the popcan stoves is all. If I made one it would be just to see how they work.
BL
The larger canisters (220 gr) work better in cold weather than the 110 ones. What I do is place the canister near me and as soon as I wake up, I pull it into the sleeping bag for a few minutes. That will warm them up and if you light it fairly quickly after exiting your sleeping bag, it'll run fine, at least in temps down into the low teens. BTW, this is a butane - cold weather issue, not limited to Jetboil, but any butane canister burning stove. Warm the canister (not with a fire! :eek: ) and problem solved. Alki stoves also don't work well in very cold weather. Even white gas stoves have problems. With the ease in which you can warm a canister, I think that makes them the cold weather stove of choice.
The only problem I have had with mine is in the winter. The canister freezes up and will not work. So I have stopped taking my JB in winter and use my simmer light white gas stove. O.K. here it goes I AM NOT trying to make people mad or start an arguement here. When I was on the A.T. I saw people using there alcohol stoves and I thought they were not very effective. I made my food and cleaned up from eating by the time they would get there water to boil. Just because I had seen it first hand it has ruined me for buying, making or having an alcohol stove. Just saying.
Not an argument, just a matter of priorities. Some people like to have their food ready quickly, so an alcohol stove is less desirable option. Others don't care, so it is less of an problem. Personally, I don't mind waiting, so an alky stove works for me. Just another HYOH non-issue.
Thanks for the infor Snowhoe. Below what temperature does the cartridge become unusable?
Approx 15F as stated by manufacturers.
As others said, you can heat up a canister/alcohol to help mitigate issues with cold weather.
Canisters/Alcohol can work for simply boiling a few meals.
However for deep winter camping where snow must be melted in vast quantities, white gas is generally better overall esp in efficiency.
(Alcohol stoves are used in the Iditarod apparently. They also carry a lot of fuel. So who knows.)
In the end of the day, most of us are not doing deep winter camping, climbing Everest or doing the Iditarod. :) Bring a stove you like and works for you and your needs. Remember: There is no best gear.
The views still rocks, the wildflowers are still awesome and the time spent in the woods are great. The mountains really don't care what widget you bring. :)
RedneckRye
07-07-2009, 14:07
Remember: There is no best gear.
Once again Mags hits the truth right smack on the head.
Clearly he is one of the smartest guys around here.
I've used my jetboil now for the better part of 2-3 years, and have used it well over 100 times... Very efficent, very fast and so far very reliable... As summit said, you just got a bad one... Even after all that use and abuse, it still looks great, with the only minor blemish being a scold mark on the bottom of the pot from buscuits gone wrong.
As for winter use, being in Canada, most of my outdoor adventures happen at or below freezing so i've had lots of chances to try different tips and tricks out with canaster stoves including the jetboil. Here is the best solution i've found to maintain effective use of canister below freezing.
1. While hiking keep your canaster close to your body, such as an inside pocket of your parka, I prefer the 110g canasters for this as they are less bulky.
2. When it comes time to use the stove, take the bottom protective plastic cover off the bottom of the pot and fill with water. (group cooking system)
3. Place the canaster into the water so that at least 3/4 of an inch of the bottom of the canaster is in water...(don't use the support tripod feet)
4. Proceed with your cooking with the canaster in water.
5. Before bed heat a hot water bottle to toss in your sleeping bag as well as your canaster, come morning you will have unfrozen water to begin the process all over again for cooking in the morning, as well as a warm canaster.
Enjoy the jetboil, there a good stove!
Buzz_Lightfoot
07-07-2009, 14:52
1. While hiking keep your canaster close to your body, such as an inside pocket of your parka, I prefer the 110g canasters for this as they are less bulky.
2. When it comes time to use the stove, take the bottom protective plastic cover off the bottom of the pot and fill with water. (group cooking system)
3. Place the canaster into the water so that at least 3/4 of an inch of the bottom of the canaster is in water...(don't use the support tripod feet)
4. Proceed with your cooking with the canaster in water.
5. Before bed heat a hot water bottle to toss in your sleeping bag as well as your canaster, come morning you will have unfrozen water to begin the process all over again for cooking in the morning, as well as a warm canaster.
Enjoy the jetboil, there a good stove!
Pardon me, but why put the canister in water?
Pardon me, but why put the canister in water?
Sorry Buzz, i'm no scientist so I can't give you a diffinitive answer as to why that improves the effecency but I can tell you that it does... I assume that the water draws the coolness out of the canaster allowing the liquid to gas conversion to happen more effectively...
I can assure you that it does however make a significant difference in effeciency. Using water around the canaster will increase effecency from 9-12 boils per canester in below freezing temps to an easy 15-18 boils...(110g size)
Like I said, lots of trial and error have lead me to this little trick...
Enjoy your stove..
Buzz_Lightfoot
07-07-2009, 15:14
Sorry Buzz, i'm no scientist so I can't give you a diffinitive answer as to why that improves the effecency but I can tell you that it does... I assume that the water draws the coolness out of the canaster allowing the liquid to gas conversion to happen more effectively...
I can assure you that it does however make a significant difference in effeciency. Using water around the canaster will increase effecency from 9-12 boils per canester in below freezing temps to an easy 15-18 boils...(110g size)
Like I said, lots of trial and error have lead me to this little trick...
Enjoy your stove..
Hmmm interesting. I'm thinking that maybe the water warms as the meal cooks and thus transfers that heat back to the canister?
Pardon me, but why put the canister in water?
Because as long as the water is above freezing (not in a solid state) it will equalize the metal to be above freezing. I believe the science is thermodynamics, but i could be wrong.
Hmmm interesting. I'm thinking that maybe the water warms as the meal cooks and thus transfers that heat back to the canister?
Well initially that was my thinking too, and why I tried this idea in the first place... However, while cooking you can hold your hand or touch the canaster all over and you feel next to no heat being reflected back down from the the bottom of the pot. Also, on one particularly cold day, the surface of the water around the canaster actually started to freeze before my meal was finished cooking....:-?
Perhaps there are some science minded folks on the board that can jump in and give a real explanation for this trick...
Wow, i was slow to the response on that one. :D
Ladytrekker
07-07-2009, 16:27
I have an MSR pocketrocket and my friend has the jetboil I thought mine heated water much faster than hers. The one thing we noticed with hers is that wind screen is imperative it would not boil even after 5 mins until we put up something around the flame and then it finally boiled. I was on my 2nd cup of coffee by the time she got hers made.
I have an MSR pocketrocket and my friend has the jetboil I thought mine heated water much faster than hers. The one thing we noticed with hers is that wind screen is imperative it would not boil even after 5 mins until we put up something around the flame and then it finally boiled. I was on my 2nd cup of coffee by the time she got hers made.
Windscreen? It has built in wind protection.... Not once have I used or found a need for a windscreen with the jetboil....:-?
Windscreen? It has built in wind protection.... Not once have I used or found a need for a windscreen with the jetboil....:-?
I second that. Are you sure you were using the stove correctly? It wasnt up side down was it?:) HAHA
Well initially that was my thinking too, and why I tried this idea in the first place... However, while cooking you can hold your hand or touch the canaster all over and you feel next to no heat being reflected back down from the the bottom of the pot. Also, on one particularly cold day, the surface of the water around the canaster actually started to freeze before my meal was finished cooking....:-?
Perhaps there are some science minded folks on the board that can jump in and give a real explanation for this trick...
The majority of the fuel in the canister is liquid with a layer of gas on top. It is under pressure so the majority of the fuel remains in a liquid state.
As the fuel is drawn off through the top, the pressure in the canister goes down. As the pressure drops, the boiling point of the fuel lowers. The fuel "boils" as it changes from liquid to gas.
While the fuel "boils" it is absorbing heat from the surrounding area. If the cannister is immersed in water it "pulls" heat from the water.
Heat is pulled from the water until it reaches its freezing point, 32 F. The water stays in a liquid state at 32 F until a certain number of BTU's is pulled ( I can't remember the actual number off the top of my head ) and then the water changes state and turns to ice.
Its the same principle as how a refrigeration system works, without all of the hardware. It has been known that some folks have replaced the refrigerant in their cars air conditioning system with propane, which works great until a leak develops, the propane ignites, and you can imagine what happens after that.:(
The majority of the fuel in the canister is liquid with a layer of gas on top. It is under pressure so the majority of the fuel remains in a liquid state.
As the fuel is drawn off through the top, the pressure in the canister goes down. As the pressure drops, the boiling point of the fuel lowers. The fuel "boils" as it changes from liquid to gas.
While the fuel "boils" it is absorbing heat from the surrounding area. If the cannister is immersed in water it "pulls" heat from the water.
Heat is pulled from the water until it reaches its freezing point, 32 F. The water stays in a liquid state at 32 F until a certain number of BTU's is pulled ( I can't remember the actual number off the top of my head ) and then the water changes state and turns to ice.
Its the same principle as how a refrigeration system works, without all of the hardware. It has been known that some folks have replaced the refrigerant in their cars air conditioning system with propane, which works great until a leak develops, the propane ignites, and you can imagine what happens after that.:(
Smart people rule! Thanks Yaduck9!!:sun
:: FAITH IN HUMANITY RESTORED FOR THE DAY ::