JetBoil SOL vs MSR Pocket Rocket

slim9300

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Dan and I did some testing this weekend.... here's the video.


[video]https://vimeo.com/42515075[/video]

Aron. You done stirred up the hornets nest. JK! ;)

I'm curious what difference there would be if the Pocket Rocket had the tin foil windscreen that everyone always talks about.

Thanks for the comparison by the way.
 

Chem-E

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I would like to bring up a point that I consider most in stove boiling times.

Sure a few minutes does not seem like much when you are sitting at your desk, checking out product information, or comfortably waching a video of stoves boiling side by side in the luxery of central heating.

But man when its 4:20am and you are camped at 12000', beat tired from several days of malnourishment, a body that aches all over despite the 4 ibuprofin you ate before bed. Waiting an extra 2 minutes for coffee is absolute torture. Those two minutes can be the longest 2 minutes of your life somtimes in the backcountry.

Do Not Take Boil Times Lightly!
 

dotman

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I'll probably update once my PR dies but the day I do not have the patience to wait 3min or 4min to boil my water well I don't know but I have had plenty of good times with the PR and the cost vs time for the JB just isn't there for me yet. I can wait, and if I'm to the point where I think I'm dieing of hunger well I'll just have a snack while I wait :)

Currently since I already have the PR I can put the money of a JB towards optics savings. Now if I didn't have a stove it would be really hard to not pick the JB but if it is out of budget do not discount the PR, it is very dependable and gets the job done.
 
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Gman

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I would like to bring up a point that I consider most in stove boiling times.

Sure a few minutes does not seem like much when you are sitting at your desk, checking out product information, or comfortably waching a video of stoves boiling side by side in the luxery of central heating.

But man when its 4:20am and you are camped at 12000', beat tired from several days of malnourishment, a body that aches all over despite the 4 ibuprofin you ate before bed. Waiting an extra 2 minutes for coffee is absolute torture. Those two minutes can be the longest 2 minutes of your life somtimes in the backcountry.

Do Not Take Boil Times Lightly!

I couldn't agree more. I was actually talking about that this weekend. And it's even worse if you're boiling next to someone who's done a few minutes before you. Seems to increase the "felt time" exponentially.
 

stephen b

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Great video aron- thanks for sharing.

My thoughts as far as speed comparison goes- my MSR Pocket Rocket is rocket fast compared to my ultra light weight set-up;)
But, the PR is heavier, so- because of that the lt. wt. one is the one I carry most often for 3-5 day trips. My light weight stove is my old Boy Scout solid fuel stove ( 1 oz. ); and I use it with either Esbit tabs or Weber tabs. It boils 16 oz. of H2O in a speedy 6-7 minutes. And my pocket rocket is usually about 3:30 or so for 16 oz.

And what do I do with the extra time waiting for my water to boil- I usually just either get gear ready/ broke down; lay in bag for a few minutes; get dressed etc.

Or I guess I good just sit there and watch the water boil ( you know- the pot never boils when you watch it ) and chew my nails and curse at my stupid ineffective solid fuel stove. :mad:

Or I good figure out something else effective to do with my time as I stated above. For me, my usual daily life is in enough of a rush-I do not have to be a speed demon during my Enjoyed wilderness experience.

But different folks- different priorities.
 
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dotman

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On another note, boiling time means nothing if your stove breaks down. As stated in the video, Dan's PR is 5 years old and still going strong, which many of us have also experienced. Will the JB still be going strong after 5 yeara well only time will tell. I like to be able to trust my equipment and as Aron stated he was not fond of prior JB products. For the price the JB should last 10+ years. I just trust my old slow PR even if I have to put a make shift wind screen in the case with the stove :)

I know this is stupid but do you have to use the JB cup for the stove to even work? Yeah I know who would not use it but just wondering if you could use a frying pan or if you can only cook in the canister?
 

slim9300

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On another note, boiling time means nothing if your stove breaks down. As stated in the video, Dan's PR is 5 years old and still going strong, which many of us have also experienced. Will the JB still be going strong after 5 yeara well only time will tell. I like to be able to trust my equipment and as Aron stated he was not fond of prior JB products. For the price the JB should last 10+ years. I just trust my old slow PR even if I have to put a make shift wind screen in the case with the stove :)

I know this is stupid but do you have to use the JB cup for the stove to even work? Yeah I know who would not use it but just wondering if you could use a frying pan or if you can only cook in the canister?

That's a good point. I expect the new JetBoils are as good or better than the old ones when it comes to longevity. I have an old one that I have had since I was 19 or 20. So that's 7-8 years. It's still going strong and I have never even replaced the push button starter. It's slow and less fuel efficient when compared to my Primus ETA Solo (or the new Jetboil SOL), but very trusty. Just my .02
 

mtbshark

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how do you like the Primus ETA solo??? I am debating between that and a JB SOL.


That's a good point. I expect the new JetBoils are as good or better than the old ones when it comes to longevity. I have an old one that I have had since I was 19 or 20. So that's 7-8 years. It's still going strong and I have never even replaced the push button starter. It's slow and less fuel efficient when compared to my Primus ETA Solo (or the new Jetboil SOL), but very trusty. Just my .02
 

Chem-E

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The pocket rocket is not MSR's top end stove. They do not intend it to compete with the JB. Their answer to the JB is the MSR Reactor. This seems like a sweet setup, but it costs $159. And its heavy, 1lb 2oz.
 
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dotman,

Yes, the JB stove can be used without their cup and fluxring. The fluxring is their main selling point as it increases the efficiency of the whole unit, making better use of the BTUs put out by the stove.

JetBoil has a support (the Pan Locking Pot Support shown below) that attaches to the stove and serves as a base for a frying pan or pot on their stove. JB also has their own fluxring frying pan and I have made stew in it that I didn't want to heat up in the cup and made fried eggs and bacon in it while my morning tea steeped in the cup.

Here is what my setup includes:

Original JetBoil with full height cup (I have the utensil kit shown on the side of the cup, but I normally just use an old long handled spoon from an MRE instead)
file_3_3.jpg

Pan Locking Pot Support (the silver thingy) and Stabilizer (the black three-pronged thing, which attaches to the fuel cannister as shown in the previous picture)
stabilizer_open.jpg

JetBoil Frying Pan that will sit on top of the support bracket
Pan_SetUp_wStabilizer_2.jpg
 
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dotman

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dotman,

Yes, the JB stove can be used without their cup and fluxring. The fluxring is their main selling point as it increases the efficiency of the whole unit, making better use of the BTUs put out by the stove.

JetBoil has a support (the Pan Locking Pot Support shown below) that attaches to the stove and serves as a base for a non-JB frying pan or pot and that you can use with their stove. JB also has their own fluxring frying pan and I have warmed up stew in it that I didn't want to heat up in the cup and made fried eggs and bacon in it while my morning tea steeped in the cup.

Here is what my setup includes:

Original JetBoil with full height cup (I have the utensil kit shown on the side of the cup, but I normally just use an old long handled spoon from an MRE instead)
View attachment 1826

Pan Locking Pot Support (the silver thingy) and Stabilizer (the black three-pronged thing, which attaches to the fuel cannister as shown in the previous picture)
View attachment 1827

JetBoil Frying Pan that will sit on top of the stove (if you have an original JB you will need to use locking pot support as the original stove has a ceramic piece that sticks up just a little bit too high to use the JB pan, or any pan for that matter, by itself)
View attachment 1825

Thanks, I always wondered if it was only a water boiler. This makes it more appealing but not until the old msr dies on me :) I just can't get myself to update what works just because something new came out. Kinda like my good old Hoyt will be around awhile longer.
 
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