Jetboil Sol Titanium Stove

Ok, so I will start with the fact that this is my first camping stove. I did a lot of research on the different stove options out there and many of them seem to be very similar, they all boil water. So after you look at that you get into the purist wars "JETBOIL FOR LIFE" "MSR FOR LIFE"... ok great but devotee's to one brand don't always get the best equipment since they aren't willing to switch brands. I ended up deciding to go with the JetBoil for 2 main reasons.Firstly, they have a Coffee pot accessory, this may seem inconsequential but the JetBoil Stove comes with a cup, and this cup is perfectly designed for its Coffee Press. So the stove w/ the cup will do all the water boiling and all you need and for the addition of not even 2oz you can turn the cup into a coffee pot. That is A GREAT ADVANTAGE.Secondly is something I already did mention, it comes with a cup. This is great in my eyes. Most other stoves you just buy the stove then have to worry about your pots. Granted JetBoil locks you into buying only there pots in order to utilize the FluxRing technology, but you know what, as long as they have the cups/pot/pan that I'd want, for what purpose should I buy from another company?NOW SPECIFICALLY ON THE SOL TII went with the Sol over the cheaper model JetBoil Stoves because of the Flame Regulation which should allow an easier cooking of not 100% water based meals, also the TI because of the light weight construction since I will be using this stove primarily for backpacking. I want something as light and small as possible that I can put in my hiking bag which will still be durable, and since TI is both super light and strong it was an easy decision for then slight extra $ over the non TI, Sol.FIRST IMPRESSIONSI opened the pack and the whole bundle was light but upon opening it all up I found the pieces are all SUPER light almost to the point of feeling flimsy then I remembered they are TI and upon closer inspection it is definitely durably built in appearance, I'll have to give it a good testing before making my final call on durability. The one drawback I see to this model which is something I have seen a lot of complaints about is the fact that this Neoprene sleeve is apparently thinner then the previous models and so is the handle this makes it hotter and harder to hold and the sleeve almost wants to pull up the container.The stove is definitely what I expected and actually makes some very good coffee since the first thing I made with it was a cup of coffee. So my favorite brew will always be with me on hikes now.

Update 3/15/16: Reduced from 4 to 3 stars. The igniter has been worn down from many hours of use. I ordered a replacement from Amazon not realizing that the replacement was for the old PCS system. When I wrote the company for the part, they said the product was discontinued and they would do it for $20 plus shipping (or discounted burner replacement since I'm such a "valued" customer). The PCS replacement part was only $7 and I could do it myself. Jetboil seems to be constantly changing their product line, the Helios system is gone too, and coming up with new versions of basically the same thing in a lot of crazy color and not supporting the customer once they own the product, especially an old model. Given the high price, I expected more. I have definitely decided against buying a larger second cup for my family and will move on to another system.I used this for the first time on a 3 day in ADKs after recently upgrading from the orginal model, which I had for several years and really liked, but wanted the lighter model.The weight of this probably can't be beat for something that can be used as stove and mug. The minimum weight is 8oz without fuel (vs 15 from the original.) I usually bring a extra stainless steel bowl anyway in case I want a hot drink and a hot meal at the same time (I don't like drinking out of the plastic measuring cup, but it can be done). The pot stabilizer can be used to adapt the stove for use with any pot as well if the need arises. The boiling time probably cant be beat either....16ozs in around 2 mins to a rolling boiling. I brought a second fuel since the first was almost empty, but it ended up lasting the whole trip. It was impressive. Some other perks vs the original include the stranier, the see-through lid and the fuel control that extends away from the unit. This is supposed to simmer as well.Some negatives, which are a little frustrating considering high expectations and high price. The neoprene insulation does not insulate very well and it's hot to the touch after a boil. I was able to pick up the old model while it was boiling, but you cannot with this one. Also, the neoprene does not come on and off very easily for cleaning or drying. It was a little tricky since there are straps inside connected to the handle. I supposed this is so you can grasp the handle like a mug, but both the straps and using the handle are akward. The color of the neoprene made it look very dirty after only one trip. Finally the connecting between the stove and the pot was very, very flimsy. It held while cooking, but the groves and notches that are supposed to lock in, do not fit snuggly and the pot will keep spinning like the worn out top of a jar.Important things to consider: It's only for boiling water. You can add dehydrated food to hot water in the pot and eat, but you can't simmer or cook food...it will burn to the bottom Also, it's only good for up to 2 people provided you bring another bowl. You don't really need to spend the money on this if you're not a ultra-light enthutiast, but in any case, its an impressive stove.

I found this to be a a fantastic upgrade from my old Esbit pot. I was able to consistently boil 2 cups of water in an average of 2:15 as compared to the 7-8 minutes the Esbit took. It compacts up nice and tight, and the slightly heavier weight is worth the time it saves heating water. I was able to three boils in the time a friend with an Esbit system boiled once. My only complaint so far is that the bottom cup is too fragile for a backpacking stove. On my first outing with it, the bottom cup (skirt cover) cracked in two while I was pressing the top lid back on. I don't know if the cold weather contributed to the fragility of the cup, or if I hadn't considered how brittle it really was, but I certainly didn't manhandle it or anything. To JetBoil's credit, customer service agreed to do a one time good will replacement on it. However, I really expected something more durable with a $130 system. A less brittle plastic or even a metal cup of aluminum or titanium would be ideal.Bottom line: Boils water super fast and packs up great, but you will need to baby the cheap plastic cup.Customer service note: If you have to call Jetboil customer support, you will instead call Johnson Outdoors. None of their menu choices actually use the word JetBoil so you have to choose the Eureka Tent product line and you'll get the right people. An email to customer service went unanswered for 2+ weeks, but a phone call achieved a resolution in less than 5 minutes.

I was fortunate to get this at a heavily discounted price but even at the RRP this is an exceptional peace of kit that will have you cooking and making brews while miles away from civilisation. The weight is amazing and the efficiency is remarkable, a single 100ml gas canister seems to last me forever. It's important to except the limitations of what a jetboil can do, this isn't designed to cook gourmet food from scratch but if your boiling water for rehydrated rations or making hot drinks there really isn't a better option available.