Jet boil vesus Kelly Kettle

[freebird134]

Originally posted by ozy clint:
freebird- i have a jetboil SOL titanium and i believe it's the lightest setup for trips of the duration you speak of. there are lighter stove and cup setups, for example a titanium kovea stove and evernew titanium cup which i used to use. but on long trips the jetboil blows it out of the water. for 13 days i can get away with the jetboil and two 100gm cans of gas. with the kovea setup i had, i had to take a 100gm can and a 230gm can to get the same amount of boil ups. the jetboil is that much more efficient! so although the jet boil is heavier than the other setup, (not including cans) for long trips it works out to be a lighter system because you don't have to carry as much gas. jetboil and two 100gm cans is lighter than kovea stove, Ti cup, 1x100gm can and 1x 230gm can. for trips upto 4-5 days the kovea stove wins. but your pack is lighter anyway on those trips so the little weight penalty of the jetboil is acceptable to me.

I pretty much agree.  There are lighter options for a stove (Esbit, for example) and you have to consider packing out the empty canister and (i'm a worrier) possibly a backup canister just in case something happened to yours.  That's why we pack 2 smaller ones, rather than 1 big one.  But what you say is dead on!  The JetBoil Ti is really hard to beat (except in price!).

[Michael Pfander]

The only camping I have done above timberline has been in the tundra.  There were things to burn in that place too.  I take a MSR when I plan on cooking something as opposed to just boiling water.  For what ever its worth I have been using a Kelly kettle for over 5 years now.  It has been on a Montana sheep[and is going again this year] at least one elk hunt and sometimes 2 each year since I got it.  My only complaint is that it smokes with wet fuel.  We normally pack into wilderness areas 15 or 20 miles.  I do take a small tube of JB weld in case I knock a hole in it.  Haven't had to use it.  Anymore I cook the tenderloins on a fire.  I haven't carried a gas stove for quite a while.
MAP

[FarmerMarley]

LIke someone else said I think they are like apples and oranges. Not comparable.

I haven't tried a jetboil yet but I did get a mid-size Kelly Kettle a few years back after much research. I really liked the idea of being able to use any type of burnable fuel, and not buying canisters.

I have used the Kelly Kettl on several car camping trips, however it is not the easiest thing to pack in a backpack. Not heavy but it is awkward and kinda bulky. It does a good job of boiling water for a small amount of twigs, bark, or whatever. Mine almost always smokes like crazy though!

For canoe type camping, or with pack animals, or cars I think the kelly kettle is a good option. But I'm definitely considering getting a jetboil for more lightweight hunts where everything is on my back.

One other thing that may or may not be a consideration for you, if there should be a situation where you can't just go buy more fuel canisters at the local REI or Wally World, the Kelly Kettle will still work.

[Walt Francis]

MAP, like you I prefer to cook the meat on an open fire.  However, a fire is not always an option.  We flew in for the moose hunt and wanted to keep disturbance of the area down to a minimum.  I got my moose on the second day of an eleven day hunt, we wanted to give my the best chance of taking his moose, thus no fires.

[kibok&ko]

personaly I really enjoy the fact  of being able of not buying any gas can and just carryng the KK

with the pint one capacity you can make a good cup size of coffée + noodle soup

but the traditional gas things can be more easy to use

never think about the smoke perhaps must be

the fire restriction can be an issue , during the roe deer summer hunt i dig a hole to use my kk but i stay vigilant

[Bob B.]

Well, I am someone who spends significan time in the back country alone.  Last summer I did a 32 day solo trip in Woodland Caribiou Provential Park ( North western Ontario).

I have used a jetboil and really like it.  However, I have been using ( and like it better) 442 coleman single burner as well as a Littlbug twig stove   http://www.littlbug.com/  .  The Littlbug, like the Kelly, will burn fuel on hand, twings pine cones etc.  It is lighter and packs to nothing, wraps around my sleeping bag.  

This way, like others have mentioned, I can use either, but if there is a fire ban I am good to go with the white gas stove ... and I can simmer.  I bake bannock on it, boil water, fry fish etc.  ALso with the twig stove I can cook on that, or use it as a smudge to keep insects away.

I feel I have more options and carry less - all good.

Bob.

[David Yukon]

By the way,I do pack my KK pretty much every where I go. It is far from being heavy. I got mine with the optional pot support and a small pot, I can do soup, I can make toasts, and can use a small frying pan and do eggs and bacon etc etc etc.... way more versatile rig, way more simple, I just like its simplicity... Just like hunting with my LB, no gizmos, simple!!

[Smallwood]

I have a jetboil and have used it as high as 12,000ft and it worked perfectly. boils water in about 2 to 3 minutes, it self ignites. I'm really happy with it, and i found the jetboil website has a ton of recipes to try with any kind of similar stove. I also have a  http://www.511tactical.com/All-Products/Bags-Backpacks/H2O-Carrier.html  to carry the whole thing in to keep it protected.

[fnshtr]

I had planned to purchase a jetboil, but ended up with this instead. It's an Optimus Crux. A 4 oz. canister fits inside and the whole package includes stove, canister, small (very) frying pan and 2.5 cup pot for MH meals. I can hunt for 14 days on two 8 oz. canisters.

[fnshtr]

Separated pieces. I would recommend this to anyone.

[Andrei101]

Originally posted by FarmerMarley:
Mine almost always smokes like crazy though!

 

Keep the flame high and it will not make so much smoke.

      "are you still here? where am I?"

[ozzyshane]

Here is on the check out solostove.com

But it is very hard to beat the jetboil it is just so easy to use Thanks Shane

[FarmerMarley]

Wow, I checked out the website for the Littlbug stove mentioned above...looks pretty sweet! Versatile, resilient, and simple like the KK but looks like easier to pack, plus more efficient for large volumes, and alcohol fuel option.

[Matty]

I went with a slightly different approach when I was once in the market for a similar product.  I thought I was sold on the jet boil. But decided to go with my own hodgepodge. GSI makes the pinnacle soloist and the pinnacle dualist. I got the dualist.  Incase my better 1/2 comes along. Comes with titanium pot plastic bowls with covers sporks, a cover for a pocket rocket etc.. Then I bought a pocket rocket stove.  Then use snow peak fuel. Works awesome. And super compact!!

[twistedlim]

Jetboil only. I have used a number of stoves and Jetboil is by far my favorite.

[HenrikBP]

I just pulled out my 30 year old Trangia stove, and for fun did some web searching. Turns out alcohol stoves are still in use by hunters and hikers. They're super easy to work with, you can get fuel for them everywhere, and there are many new and interesting options out there. Including DIY burners made from a single soda can:

   

Just another option.

[kibok&ko]

[Tutanka]

Lots of good information in this post.  The way  I see it, is what are your primary uses for it going to be.  If you want a quick light setup to boil water then the Jetboil is a good choice.  I personally try to stay away from any stove that I have to physically build a fire, will they get the job done, sure they will.  But, how much time do you want to spend messing around with a fire, especially when you are up early and to bed late.  

However, what if you are going to want to use the stove to do other things that just boil water?  Things like large pots and frying pans, then you may be better off buying just a stove and outfitting it with various cookware assortments.  

Last, what type of fuel source are you going to use, liquid fuel (white gas..etc.) or do you want to stick to canisters.  The nice thing about liguid fuel is that it tends to perform better at higher altitudes and lower temps, and you can refill at your convience.  Canisters at least to the best of my knowledge cannot be refilled.  

For the reasons listed above I have a Soto head that I will use with canisters if I am looking for light weight and boiling water.  However, if I am looking to get more out of my stove I use a MSR Whisperlite Universal.  The nice thing about the MSR is that I can run it off canister fuel or liquid fuel, all I have to do is change the jets in the fuel system.  Also, the base and holding tray on the MSR are built to hold bigger pots and pans.  The downside is that it is a heavier setup.  

I really do not like the ignition switches on the Soto or the Jetboil  I prefer to have a stove that you light with a match.  I am sure you will get different opinions on this, but I have seen the ignition switch go out on the Jetboil on more than one occasion.  Sure, it can be replaced, but only if you have a spare with you.

[Steve O]

And that right there^^^^^^^^^^^is why my answer said for   MY style the JB was perfect.

BTW, you   can light a JetBoil with a lighter or match if your ignitor breaks.  My original has traveled at least 50,000 miles of airplanes, trucks, boats, quads, horses, and backpacks and I've not replaced part one.

[wingnut]

We used Jetboils in Moose camp and loved them.  Now you can't fly with the fuel so we are back to gas stoves.

If your not going to fly into camp go with the Jetboil.

Mike