Jetboil Stash stove system: $129.95

Stash 0.8-liter aluminum pot with FluxRing   131 grams

Stash plastic pot lid 16 grams

Stash titanium stove 59 grams

Stash stove carrying case 6 grams

Fuel canister stabilizer 26 grams

Total Weight 238 grams

Total Weight, without stabilizer and stove case 206 grams (7.3 ounces)

**We purchased all items and were not solicited to review any item in this blog post.

The new Jetboil Stash stove system is compact and relatively lightweight (238 grams). Jetboil accomplished this by reducing the weight of the stove, lid, and pot. By addressing all three of these areas Jetboil effectively reduced the weight without compromising performance.

The three prong stove weighs just 59 grams because the burner cup is made from lightweight titanium. To save weight Jetboil did not include a push start ignitor or a fuel regulator. Simmer control is not as good as other backpacking stoves but still functions.  The stove puts out a maximum flow rate of about 1.9 grams of fuel a minute which is about half the flow rate of the average lightweight backpacking stove. The low fuel flow rate increases boil time but optimizes fuel efficiency.

The plastic pot lid is only 16 grams which is about half the weight of a similar titanium lid. The plastic lid also has a nice pour spout which makes it easy to pour water. The lid is also designed to securely hold a 100 gram fuel canister and a BIC Mini lighter.

The 0.8-liter pot (actually measured closer to 0.9-liters) is formed from thin hard anodized aluminum and weighs just 131 grams. About 30% of the pot weight comes from the FluxRing (estimated 40 grams) permanently attached to the bottom. The pot is marked with 0.25 liter and 1 cup increments making measuring water easy. The pot should always be used with liquid inside the pot so the pot doesn’t overheat and damage the FluxRing. The pot securely fits into place on specific grooves on the three prong stove support. However, the pot does not lock on the stove support. The silicone covered handle keeps the handle cool and also folds over the lid securing everything in place.

The Jetboil Stash system which includes stove and aluminum pot retails for $129.95.

Just 3.6 grams of fuel to boil 2-cups of water

The new Jetboil Stash stove boils water like a champ without using much fuel. Jetboil made this possible by optimizing the low stove fuel flow rate of around 1.9 grams per minute with the specially designed FluxRing aluminum pot. The low fuel flow rate on the Stash stove keeps the flame centered under the pot and more contained by the FluxRing.  A larger flame would escape the FluxRing and reduce the overall fuel efficiency. Our tests showed you can boil 2-cups of 72°F water at 5,280 feet in 1:55 with just 3.6 grams of fuel. This is about half the fuel consumption used in most lightweight backpacking stoves. This means a 100-gram fuel canister could yield about 27 two cup boils under the most ideal cooking conditions. Which closely agrees with Jetboil estimate of 24 two cup boils from a 100-gram canister.

Stash stove fuel efficiency comes from the Jetboil FluxRing and low fuel flow rate

The Stash 0.8-liter FluxRing aluminum pot weighs in at 147 grams with lid. The pot weight is 41 grams heavier than the same sized titanium pot and lid. The heavier Jetboil Stash pot is due to the weight of the FluxRing located on the bottom of the pot. The Stash stove makes it easy to switch from using the Stash aluminum FluxRing pot to any other standard cooking pot. However, when not using the Stash aluminum FluxRing pot the fuel efficiency plummets. The time to boil 2-cups of water with the same sized titanium pot was 3:08 and used 6.0 grams of fuel. Switching to the titanium pot increased cooking time and fuel consumption by about 63%. When using a generic aluminum pot with a similar FluxRing the boil time was 2:18 and used 4.4 grams of fuel. Switching from the Stash aluminum pot with FluxRing to a generic copy reduced fuel efficiency and increased boil times by 20%. The Jetboil Stash low fuel flowing stove is optimized for use with the included Stash aluminum pot with FluxRing.

The Jetboil Stash system performed well in the wind

The Jetboil Stash system was tested in 0, 1, 2 and 4 mph simulated wind speeds. It performed remarkably well when used with included FluxRing aluminum pot. Even in a simulated wind speed of 4 mph the stove boiled water in 3:32 and only used only 6.7 grams of fuel. The Jetboil FluxRing on the aluminum pot provided better than expected wind protection. The Jetboil Stash system burned on average less than half the fuel in the wind than other popular backpacking stoves.

Other backpacking stove systems are lighter

The Jetboil Stash system is heavier than other lightweight backpacking stove systems. This is because the Jetboil Stash system includes a FluxRing that adds about 40 grams of weight to the bottom of the cooking pot. This extra weight makes it heavier than all the other ultralight stoves tested. Because of this fact it is often overlooked as a stove of choice for long-distance backpacking. If you are hiking where it is easy to resupply every few days and don’t plan on running out of fuel when using a 100 gram fuel canister, then the lighter and less fuel-efficient stoves might be the better choice.

Below is a weight comparison of the Jetboil Stash stove system with five popular lightweight stoves using a titanium pot.  All stoves were compared using a 100-gram fuel canister.

Under some conditions the Jetboil Stash stove system is the lightest choice

The utility of the Jetboil Stash system becomes clear if you must carry a larger 230-gram fuel canister with your lightweight stove. The graph below illustrates how the Jetboil Stash with a 100-gram fuel canister is significantly lighter than other lightweight stoves with a 230-gram canister. Under these conditions it makes sense to consider the fuel efficient and lighter Jetboil Stash system.

Summary

Pros

• Extremely fuel efficient when boiling water
• Better performance in the wind compared to other stoves
• Compact design and very little rattle

Cons

• Designed to boil just water
• Higher cost than other stoves
• Slightly heavier than other backpacking stoves systems

Jetboil is known for their fuel efficient stove systems using the FluxRing technology. They are also know for being heavy cooking systems when compared to other lightweight backpacking stoves. The new Jetboil Stash stove system addresses this earlier weight problem and now provides a lighter alternative without making big compromises on performance. The value in the fuel efficient Jetboil Stash stove system becomes apparent when you plan on boiling a lot of water between resupplies. This is because most ultralight stoves are limited to a maximum of fifteen 2-cup boils on a small 100-gram fuel canister. The Jetboil Stash can boil almost twice as much water or around twenty seven 2-cup boils using a 100-gram fuel canister. So if you need to boil a lot of water between resupplies and want to avoid carrying the heavier 230-gram fuel canister then the Jetboil Stash stove system can be a better lightweight option.

Note: All these tests were conducted in a controlled environment. I plan on testing the Jetboil Stash stove system on a 210+ mile John Muir Trail hike this summer. I will take one 100-gram fuel canister and report back with the results!

**We purchased all items and were not solicited to review any item in this blog post.

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You’re going on an epic 6-month hike and have decided to carry a lighter to light your stove. What lighter should you choose?

We compared a BIC full-sized lighter, a BIC Mini lighter, and a Clipper Mini lighter. The BIC Mini lighter was the clear winner for a United States-based hike, because it was the lightest, most affordable, most compact, and widely available. The Clipper Mini came in second because of the higher cost, heavier weight, slightly larger dimensions, and lack of availability in the United States. But if you are hiking in Europe, the Clipper Mini is a great choice.

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The BIC lighter is a very common lighter in the United States. It is readily available at grocery stores, gas stations and is very reliable. The BIC lighter is about 3 1/4 inches long, 1 inch wide and ½ inch thick and lasts a long time. With normal use a full sized BIC lighter can last two thru-hikes or over 5,000 miles of hiking!

Weight Full: 21.8 grams (0.77 ounces)

Weight Empty: 17.1 grams (0.60 ounces)

Total Fuel Weight: 4.7 grams (0.17 ounces)

Estimated Number of Lights: 4,500

Typical Cost: $1

How long will the BIC full sized lighter last?

The BIC lighter can provide more than 4,000 lights. However, it really depends on the burn-time of the flame. If you are lighting a stove, you will likely use a 0.75 second flame and burn around 0.001 grams of fuel. This means you have about 4,500 lights from a full sized BIC lighter. However, if you are lighting a campfire, you will probably need at least a 3-second flame, which burns about 0.004 grams of fuel. In this case you will get about 1,100 lights from the BIC lighter. In either case a BIC lighter could easily last a year with limited daily use. From our tests we estimate that a BIC lighter can produce a flame for a total of about 55 minutes. The manufacturer states that the lighter should not stay lit for more than 30 seconds. 

How to Estimate Remaining Fuel

Shine a bright light on the edge of the lighter to illuminate the fuel inside the lighter. Illuminating the lighter in a dark area can make it easier to see the fuel level. Dark colored lighters make it harder to see the fuel level.

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The Clipper Mini lighter is a compact lighter (2 ½ inches long and ⅞ inches wide and about ½ inch thick) just slightly larger than the BIC Mini lighter. It is popular because you can refill the fuel and replace the flint. However, the Clipper Mini lighter is difficult to find in stores in the United States. But it is available online. Based upon my experiments, I conclude that the Clipper Mini can easily last an entire six-month hike. 

Weight Full: 13.9 grams (0.49 ounces)

Weight Empty: 11.1 grams (0.39 ounces)

Total Fuel Weight: 2.8 grams (0.10 ounces)

Estimated Number of Lights: 3,300

Typical Cost: $3

How long will the Clipper Mini lighter last?

The Clipper Mini lighter can provide more than 3,000 lights but it really depends on the burn-time of the flame. If you only us it to light a stove — a ¾-second flame, which burns about 0.001 grams of fuel — you  should get about 3,300 lights. However, if you are lighting a campfire, you will probably need at least a 3-second flame, which burns about 0.003 grams of fuel. In this case you will get about 830 lights. In either case the Clipper Mini lighter should easily last a 6-month hike. From our tests the Clipper Mini can produce a flame for about 40 minutes and burns fuel at a rate of about 0.0011 grams per second. But you should not light a Clipper Mini for more than 30 seconds.

Clipper Mini lighter bonus features

The Clipper Mini lighter is not your normal disposable lighter. You can actually refill the Clipper Mini lighter with butane and replace the flints! Below you can see a picture of the lighter disassembled. 

If you plan on refilling the Clipper Mini lighter with butane, make sure the butane refill tip is the correct size. Standard Zippo butane refill tips are not compatible with the Clipper Mini lighter.

How to Estimate Remaining Fuel

Shine a bright light on the edge of the lighter to illuminate the fuel inside the lighter. Illuminating the lighter in a dark area can make it easier to see the fuel level. It can be difficult to see the fuel level on dark-colored lighters.

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