Page 14 - 2015 AMA Autumn

by Ryan Lang
If you are off into the hills for anything other than a day trip, a stove is usually quite high up on the kit list. There are a huge
selection of stoves and cooking systems available on the market. Everything from the trusty issued solid fuel ‘Hexi’ cooker to very sophisticated multi-fuel pressurised systems.
This review will concentrate on personal cooking systems that utilise gas canisters. Gas cooking systems may not be first choice if you are planning to be operating at altitude or low temperatures. They are also less popular in remote places due to availability of replacement canisters.
Gas cooking systems come into their own when being used in the UK. The altitude and temperature ranges generally don’t have a significant impact on their performance as long as you look after the canister when the temperature drops. It is for this reason that they are widely available for purchase within the UK and a popular choice amongst outdoor enthusiasts.
The personal cooking system was born in 2001 in New Hampshire when the Jetboil company was formed. This idea was simple and brilliant, a gas stove which connects to an insulated cooking pot which can all be packed inside the cup when not in use. The idea has been so successful that almost all personal cooking systems have followed the same development path. Therefore it’s no wonder that they all look the same!
The stoves that are being reviewed in this article all work on near identical principles. They are all personal cooking systems that use a hard-anodised cooking ‘mug’ with integral heat exchange fins at the base to eke as much efficiency as possible out of a small canister of fuel which screws onto a burner which, in turn, clips to the mug.
Yes, there are lighter alternatives on the market if saving every gram is your thing. Using an MSR pocket rocket with a metal mug may save weight, but it is far less efficient than a personal cooking system. It is also pretty annoying when the precari- ously balanced cup slides of the top of the stove just as the water has reached boiling point!
Overall
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Cooking time #####
Robustness #####
Usability ##### Cost #####
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Cooking time #####
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kit on trial
Stove review Sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor Jetboil Sol
Weight: 300g
Dimensions: 16.5 x 10.4 cm
Average half litre boil time: 2 min 15 sec
The Sol comes with the standard 0.8 Litre cup which is a suitable size for individual use. The stabilising tri-pod is sturdy and provides a good support base for the stove. The cup connects easily to the burner via a simple and positive twist lock system. A pot adaptor is also
included which allows the burner to be used with other pots rather than just the supplied cup.
The measuring marks are visible inside the cup
which makes it easy to identify how much water has
been poured into the cup. Lighting the Sol with an
un-gloved hand is simple using the integrated push
button igniter, but a bit more awkward to do with mountaineering gloves. From personal experience I always carry a lighter as the push button igniters have a tendency to break.
The gas regulator is extendable which makes cooking temperature easily adjustable even when wearing gloves.
The Sol is sturdy and simple yet still reasonably lightweight compared to most of its competitors. When everything is packed inside the cup, there is an annoying rattle but this can easily be rectified by stuffing a pan scourer inside the cup. To be fair to the Sol, this rattle seems to affect all stoves!
MSR Windboiler
Weight: 432g
Dimensions: 17.1 x 10.2 cm
Average half litre boil time: 2 min 30 sec
The Windboiler comes with a slightly larger 1.0 Litre cup which can either be a plus or negative point depending on your view. 20% larger than its rivals, but 20% more hot water or cooking space!
The stabilising tripod is sufficient but less sturdy than the Jetboil equivalent. This can be an issue considering the size of the system, when it’s full it can be top heavy and unstable. The cup connects to the burner with ease and has an extendable regulator so there is no problems when using it in winter whilst wearing gloves. There is no self igniter on the windboiler which means you must carry a lighter.
Unlike conventional backpacking stoves, the Windboiler does not have flame jets, which makes them impervious to windy weather so that they burn hotter and longer on the same amount of canister fuel. It is actually quite hard to get this stove to simmer as it is so efficient. On a few tests, I actually switched the stove of by mistake when trying to turn down the temperature.
The system has an internal trip mechanism that shuts the stove off if it becomes to hot. The stove can be reset once it cools down by following a few instructions. In my opinion this makes the system overly complex.
Overall the Windboiler is a good system, but slightly larger and heavier than its rivals. It performs very well in the wind compared to others but most people would probably seek shelter when cooking anyway. The lack of self ignitor may be a problem for some.
12 ARMY MOUNTAINEER