JetBoil or MSR MicroRocket

by **Kessler10** » 04 27, 2016 • [Post 1]

Trying to decide between a jetboil or a MSR microrocket (or any other tiny pack-able stove) for backcountry/backpacking hunts

https://www.rei.com/product/830340/msr- ... cket-stove.

At first I thought the disadvantages to a Jetboil was you could not put a larger pot on the burner to boil water or cook. for example a 2 liter pot. So being limited to just the 1 liter capacity (or less depending on what model) of the Jetboil. I foudn that to be a major con to the Jetboil.

Then the other day i saw Jetboil has an adapter you can buy for $10 so it will hold larger pots like a 2 liter pot. So you have the functionality to do both. just use the provided capacity of Jetboil so you can carry each day and boil 1 liter or less.
then have a 2 liter pot back at camp so you can cook larger portions at your camp. this leads me to believe the Jetboil is a far superior product than the MSR microrocket or any other small backpacking. stove.

Is my rational make sense and accurate?>

thanks!
Luke

by **Brendan** » 04 27, 2016 • [Post 2]

If you've got the time, this is a good Podcast on the subject:

http://www.grittybowmen.com/gritty-podc ... ron-snyder

I'll put in a spoiler. Aron isn't a fan of JetBoil and prefers Primus and MSR.

by **Ilikefire** » 04 27, 2016 • [Post 3]

I have a jetboil and I really like it, I use the 1 liter pot but am looking at the frying pan option for the jetboil as the next investment.

I have been looking at this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015SRB5 ... 8QLC7&vs=1 instead of the jetboil because it's a bigger pot and the lid can double as a mini fry pan. The overall price is nice also. My hunting and hiking partner has the Pocket Rocket and he seems to like it a lot unless it's windy then he said his flame will get blown out if he doesn't use a wind shield, which to me is just some added weight. For the price is get a jetboil and a stove like posted above and use them as you see fit.

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by **saddlesore** » 04 27, 2016 • [Post 4]

Two of my hunting buddies had the Jet Boil. I have the Pocket Rocket. After watching them I prefer my Pocket Rocket. lt is more versatile and smaller

by **Indian Summer** » 04 27, 2016 • [Post 5]

I have no experience with the MSR but I don't think anything brings water to a boil faster than a Jetboil. You'll come to appreciate that especially if you want to cook larger quantities. It saves fuel too. I love mine. It's taken some abuse and I've never had an issue. My fuel cans last forever.

What do you have in mind to cook that needs a larger capacity?

by **husky390** » 04 27, 2016 • [Post 6]

This is what I've used with the Crux stove for the past three years. The pot has measuring marks on the pot (a must have) and it boils water in no time at elevation.

https://www.optimusstoves.com/us/us/22- ... e-cook-set

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by **Marshmstr** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 7]

I love my jetboil, how fast water comes to a boil is amazing...when wanting to cook a "real meal" and there is ample water available I bring my Optimus nova with pot set.

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by **Kessler10** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 8]

Indian Summer wrote:I have no experience with the MSR but I don't think anything brings water to a boil faster than a Jetboil. You'll come to appreciate that especially if you want to cook larger quantities. It saves fuel too. I love mine. It's taken some abuse and I've never had an issue. My fuel cans last forever.

What do you have in mind to cook that needs a larger capacity?

If I would want to boil noodles (for 2 people), make those soups that you just add water to and have it in a bigger pot, etc. Or even boiling a larger quantity of water (2 liters) at one time for a quick impromptu back country shower. Things like that. Seems like the Jetboil capacity is just a bit to small for some of those jobs. But I would for sure buy that adapter deal to put a bigger pot on the jetboil for things like that, has anyone used that?

Also if I were to buy the coffeee press for the boil. then I would be making coffee in the same container as I would be boiling water for a meal. Wont my boiled water taste like coffee?

thanks!

by **saddlesore** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 9]

you can carry two Pocket Rockets in the same space as one Jet Boil

by **Kessler10** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 10]

saddlesore wrote:you can carry two Pocket Rockets in the same space as one Jet Boil

Agreed. But you also must carry whatever size pot you want to use with that pocket rocket. I am leaning more towards the pocket rocket, because I feel its more versatile. Until i saw the Jetboil has that adpater so I can use a 2 liter pot back at camp. then I would just carry the jetboil with its incldued cup on my day hunts.

if I go with pocket rocket I would buy a 2 liter pot and 1 liter pot. During my day hunts I would take the 1 liter pot and pocket rocket with me and leave the 2 liter pot back at camp. So If i need to spend a night in a hole ill have my 1 liter pot and MSR rocket and can boil my 2 cups of water if needed.

the Jetboil obviously is much more fuel efficient, which is a big deal in back country of course. So you guys can see my dilemma on deciding which one to go with. Buying a pocket rocket and a 2 pot set (1 liter and 2 liter pot) is about the same price as buying a Jetboil. But I would still need to purchase the 2 liter pot and adpater for my jetboil .

man, think I am now even more undecided. :roll:

by **saddlesore** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 11]

Yea,but if you have to carry a bigger pot for a Jet Boil anyway, it doesn't matter..
I carry a metal cup that holds 12 ounces and during the day I can heat a full bottle of water for a cup of coffee or a pack of soup. The Pocket Rocket fits inside the cup ,along with paper towel folded up , a spoon and a Bic lighter.

Of course, I carry mine in my saddlebags,but the entire Jet Boil takes up a lot more room. One of the bigger fuel tanks will last me all ten days on a hunt , using it just for lunch

I have been doing this elk hunting just shy of 50 years and have sorted out what works best and what doesn't.

30-40 years ago,we were using those brass SVEA stoves that used coleman fuel and you put a little bit around the base of the burner and lit it to build pressure. Then they came out with those Whisper Lite stoves that had a detachable fuel bottle but they all sooted up if you forgot to turn them off correctly and then you had to tear them apart and was constantly cleaning out the jet. All the back packers back then thought they were the cat's meow,but I guess they were never caught in a situation where they had to have a fire fast, but couldn't because the stone had clogged up. I took to always carrying a road flare in my day pack because of that

by **Lefty** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 12]

Luke I dont do the Ultra light gear.
I will have some gear stashed before season if I hunt one area. Likely it will include a Camp Chef Stryker and when I do summer back pack trips this summer.
I will take more gear, and walk slower,( or in the canoe)

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camp-Che ... lsrc=aw.ds

by **CurlyTail** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 13]

I feel like the Jetboil is designed for personal use (1 person). The pot is insulated, so it boils faster with less fuel. Very efficient, but small.

I tend to agree that the 1 liter pot is too small for 2-4 person meals. I don't know much about the adapter you have found, it it may just turn a jetboil into a pocket rocket, unless the larger pot is also a jetboil product.

If you plan to go solo - I would go jetboil, if you have a partner or two I would go pocket rocket or equivalent and get the larger pot. I prefer a 2 Liter pot for most Mountain House meals, and a 1.5 liter pot for the "supplemental" food to go with it like instant mashed potatoes or instant rice. 1 liter would be perfect for personal use. Too small a pot and you end up boiling water twice taking twice the time and twice the fuel.

I would have a hard time going out with only one canister of fuel regardless.

Just another note : Canister fuel is only good in temps above 20 degrees. For bitter cold, the canisters ice up and the fuel stops flowing. Then you have an icy canister between your legs for 15 minutes - not recommended. For true winter camping, you need liquid fuel stove.

That set that Ilikefire posted up looks hard to beat. Cheap, compact, the right size, with a built in ignitor so you cannot forget you matches.

by **CurlyTail** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 14]

Saddlesore - Those original Svea brass stoves were something else, once they got warmed up they would have a pulsating sound that to this day evokes great memories. I even had an aftermarket pump and fuel cap to eliminate the eyedropper step. Seems silly now. Super dangerous flare-ups , and could never use in the tent or under a tarp until well warmed up. I still have one on display in my Den as a nostalgia piece.

by **Kessler10** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 15]

thanks for all the feedback

i am going to go with the Micro Rocket (Newer version of pocket rocket) and the GSI pinnacle dualist cookset. Comes with a 1.8 liter pot, 2 bowls, 2 mugs, 2 sporks, and looks to pack down to about the same size as a Jetboil. But will allow me to cook larger meals. Like Bear Creek soup, bowl pasta noodles, etc. Seems to be a good setup for catching all the scenarios. Cooking at camp with 2 people, or cooking for your self alone down in a hole. Small and light enough to take each day.

Also thought about buying the sea to summit X-pot. It flattens to pack very well, very light, and I can boil up about 4Liters of water if i need to. I do not necessarily need it, but I liked the idea of it. mainly just for boiling large amoutn for showers or using it to have more room when making large quantity of soup.
X-Pot is a fully featured cooking pot that combines the heat-distribution of aluminum with the flexibility of silicone.

Sea to Summit X-Pot
http://www.seatosummit.com/product/?ite ... &o3=120-20

Pinnacle Dualist Cookset
https://www.rei.com/product/830774/gsi- ... ht-cookset

by **saddlesore** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 16]

Curly.
I still have two and I think I might have bought one of those pumps .

I had one almost blow up with a big flare one hot summer day up in the Flat Tops in Colorado. That was exciting. Sure didn't have to worry about a fuel cannister turning icey.

by **Lefty** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 17]

CurlyTail wrote:Saddlesore - Those original Svea brass stoves were something else, once they got warmed up they would have a pulsating sound that to this day evokes great memories. I even had an aftermarket pump and fuel cap to eliminate the eyedropper step. Seems silly now. Super dangerous flare-ups , and could never use in the tent or under a tarp until well warmed up. I still have one on display in my Den as a nostalgia piece.

My wife still has hers stuffed in a box with the rest of her old packing gear.
Her fuel can had quite and odor, and this thick yellow ooze

by **CurlyTail** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 18]

I love that strainer lid. Looks like a great choice!

by **Indian Summer** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 19]

Bear Creek Soup? Tell me more. I'm always looking for new menu items.

by **Kessler10** » 04 28, 2016 • [Post 20]

Indian Summer wrote:Bear Creek Soup? Tell me more. I'm always looking for new menu items.

add boiling water and serve. 20 flavors. I usually get at least 2 big meals out of one bag.Lower sodium than Mountain House and good change.

If I am truck camping I add chicken, meats, or fresh veggies. But they are good enough on their own if backpacking and only have boiling water. $5 a pop.

http://www.bearcreekcountrykitchens.com/soups.php