I've posted a few things leading up to this, but I've now completed my review of the Jetboil Sol.


The new Jetboil Sol

The new Jetboil Sol features a smaller, lighter pot in either all aluminum or in titanium with an aluminum heat exchanger. In my weighings, I found only about a 1oz difference between the two. Please see the table in my review for details. In addition to the smaller, lighter pot, both versions of the Sol feature this significantly lightened up burner with substantially improved piezoelectric ignition:



The new burner is good, but the regulator valve makes real cooking difficult. The adjustment is tricky to say the least in the lower end of the burner's range. Still, cooking can be done if one is willing to fiddle a bit.



For the review as well as all posts leading up to the review, see: The New Jetboil Sol

HJ

Another very informative review Jim. Thank you once again. I always look forward to your stove posts.

I again thank you for your help getting my old MSR stoves up to speed. All are working perfectly again, thanks to your expert advise.

I'll keep writing them as long as I can. I certainly enjoy it.

My pleasure.

HJ

I really like the fact that this new system comes with the universal pot support. Frankly, I didn't even look at the JetBoils earlier because I wanted the flexibility of using different cookwear depending on the situation.

I'm curious, when using the universal pot support is this stove more wind resistant than other upright canister stoves? By the pictures it almost looks like it would be.

It is worth considering that when you are purchasing small containers or pots with less mass, the weight differential between titanium and aluminum may not justify the additional expense of titanium.

I recently bought a sierra style cup with a folding handle. It was available in either aluminum or titanium. The weight differential was less than an ounce, according to the manufacturers, but the ti cup was twice the price of the aluminum. I decided I could stagger along with the 2.4 oz weight of the cheaper version.

I like everything about titanium, except the price! I have a little Snow Peak "starter set" with a small Ti pot and a manual Snow Peak stove and it is one of my favorite setups for backpacking. I did get a super deal on it so I cannot complain about the price. The stove has been flawless and I have never overturned the pot while cooking.

I never "got" the Jet Boil. Seems too limiting, too pricy for a canister stove and really doesn't offer much advantage when cooking. There just wasn't anything that appealed to my wallet or my "gear freak" need to buy.

I really prefer a good white gas stove for all but the shortest of trips. More flexability and no empty canisters to haul.

I kinda have an attraction to the new MSR Micro Rocket but so far I have not given in to the urge to get one. I really like Jim's posts and blog. Keeps me informed on what is out there and how it really performs in the field.

When I joined this forum, I didn't give a hoot about small stoves. I had my campfires, and my double and single Colemans.

Because of Hikin Jim's articles, I'm now interested, and I even bought one (OK, it's only a Trangia, but that's a big step for me).

The stories, pictures, and reviews are fascinating. Thanks for doing them.

Agreed!!

Denis,

The thing that gives Jetboils an edge over most upright canister stoves is the heat exchanger and frame that mounts directly to the burner. The heat exchanger and frame shield the burner somewhat from wind.

I don't think there's anything about the Jetboil that makes it innately wind resistant though, so absent the heat exchanger and frame (as when you're using the universal pot support), I don't think you'd do any better than any other stove.

HJ

Very true. The weight difference between the all-aluminum version of the JetBoil Sol and the mostly-titanium version is about 1.1oz. The price difference is $30.

Is that the only reason you stagger when you hike?

HJ