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Monday, March 26, 2012

The New Jetboil Sol

In 2004, backpacking stoves experienced something of a revolution:  The Jetboil PCS was introduced.  The Jetboil PCS is the very definition of a "game changer" -- The Jetboil PCS really shook up the backpacking stove world (in a good way, I might add).

Has Jetboil rested on its laurels?  No, indeed not.  Jetboil is now on what I would consider its third generation of stoves, the new, high-tech Jetboil Sol.
The new, compact, lightweight Jetboil Sol
I've now completed my review of the Jetboil Sol.  Below, I'll list all the blog posts I did in the process of reviewing the stove as well as a to my final review which is hosted on Seattle Backpackers Magazine.  Below the links, I'll include a few items that I didn't have space for in the magazine article.

The new version of the Jetboil has a significantly lightened up burner consisting of far less material.
The new burner of the Jetboil Sol
The new burner includes a much improved piezoelectric ignition system.
The improved piezoelectric ignition of the Jetboil Sol (upper left of burner head)
Included with the pot and burner are the canister legs (stabilizer) and universal pot support.  With the first generation of Jetboils, these items had to be purchased separately.
Universal pot support (top) and folded up canister legs (bottom)
Notice in the below photo that the ground is sloping.  With the high center of gravity of a narrow pot like on a Jetboil, one might be worried about the stove tipping over.
The canister legs help prevent the stove from tipping over
The canister legs make the stove significantly more stable on sloping or uneven ground.

The universal pot support locks securely into place.  This isn't just some cheesey little metal thing that rests up on top of the burner just waiting to be knocked off.  No, when rotated and locked into place, I found that I could suspend the stove from the universal pot support.  Now, that is a solid connection!
You can hold the stove up by the pot supports -- when they're locked in place.
With the universal pot supports, you can use any pot from any manufacturer (within reasonable size and weight restrictions)
A Jetboil Sol with an Evernew 1300ml pot on top
The Jetboil Sol has a lot of nice features, including the ability to do some real cooking (if you're willing to fiddle with the valve a bit -- it's tricky in the lower range of the stove).
Preparing to do some real cooking on a Jetboil Sol
I really like what I see in this the third generation of products from Jetboil.  If a person wanted to get just one stove that would do pretty much everything for three season cooking, the Jetboil Sol will do you.  For temperatures below about 20F (at sea level), I think another stove system might better serve.

I thank you for joining me on another Adventure in Stoving,

HJ

All JetBoil related posts
Coming Soon:

A review of the new Jetboil Sumo pot (1.8 liter)
The new Jetboil Sumo pot (1.8 liter)

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My apologies to real people, but due to Spammers I have to moderate comments. I'll get to this as rapidly as possible but do understand that I like to hike and there's no internet in the wilderness. Take care and stove on!