User Review: Jetboil Flash Cooking System

Summary

Great little backpacking stove, both space and fuel efficiency in a clever, self contained package, but the best part is how fast it boils water and the stabilization means you won't spill it either. Great for hikers who want to go light and minimal but still have a hot drink or meal.

I LOVE this stove.   This is the easiest stove I have ever used. It fits in my pack easily and includes everything but the food and water.

The self contained package includes a small burner, built-in 2 C pot, neoprene cover and handle, additional bowl/cup, lid, stabilizer and fuel canister. All of it, including the small fuel canister, makes into a 4 x 7inch cylinder, with no wasted space or weight. Setup is almost instantaneous. Open it up, screw on the fuel canister and its ready to light.

The igniter never failed and burner adjustment fine tunes the flame easily. Only used for boiling water, but that is all the cooking I do on a backpack trip and this stove does it extremely fast, under two minutes. Get your dehydrated meal pack ready before you turn on the burner because the water boils that fast.

Extras: No need to wear gloves to handle it as it comes with a built in cozy. Pot can be used as a your coffee cup, comes with a sipping lid and handle, and a keeper for a spoon. The handle can be used to attach to the outside of your pack. An extra cup for sharing attaches to the bottom so it is adequate for two people.

There is no external wind screen but the burner is somewhat self sheltered, so the design works well and it did not seem to be affected by the wind at all. Max safe limit is marked at 2 cups, but looks like it will hold 4.  I have done over 3 before I noticed that warning, but honestly it is so quick, you don't need to do more.  

I used it last summer for backpacking and it is now our favorite stove, even when we have a vehicle to carry a larger stove. We have used it in the Idaho mountains around 5 - 8000 feet on five day backpack trips for three people.  Carried extra fuel, but never needed to refill the canister during the trip.

Packs up quickly and easily too, but remember how to pack it back together, as it only works in one order.  Fits nicely and compactly into my backpack, and unlike my previous stove which was in a soft bag that I always worried about damaging my stove, this one is self protected by the pot and cup.