The Loadout Room
Professional Gear Reviews
Editors Note: Professional dirtbag Leo Jenkins reviews and gives and exclusive look at Jetboil’s new, Genesis Base Camp stove. Traveling on his way from Alaska to Argentina, Leo is somewhere in Central America cooking with the Jetboil Genesis Base Camp stove. Enjoy! The JetBoil Genesis Base Camp is available here.
Wether I’m backpacking, kayak camping or truck camping, my first order of business in the morning is making coffee. I have a Black Rifle Coffee t-shirt that reads, “But first, coffee”. And that about sums up my priorities in the morning. At home, my options are easy, Keurig or Espresso Machine. In the woods or on the shores of the Great Lakes, it’s a different story all together. Thank God for those compact cooking systems like Jetboil and MSR. Although I own stoves from both manufacturers, the newly designed 2018 Jetboil Flash is by far the quickest to boil water.
Advertised to boil water in 100 seconds, the new Jetboil Flash has taken food preparation to the next level. To create the new Flash, Jetboil optimized every detail of their existing stove. Modeling the combustion and selecting materials to optimize efficiency, speed and precision. With that, the engineers were able to reduce the boil time of their best performing stove by a full minute. So when my wife hears the Jetboil start up, she has a bout 3-4 minutes to roll out of the Tepui for a fresh cup of French Press coffee.
The compact size and performance of the Jetboil cooking systems should be on-board any campers packing list. With several accessories available from Jetboil, users can customize the stove for various adventures. I added the pot support accessory so I can use a small frying pan atop the Flash burner. Obviously the Jetboil coffee press is a must have. As I stated earlier, “but first, coffee” is my morning mantra. Another handy item is the hanging kit. For those that camp in the winter, this accessory allows users to safely hang the entire Flash cooking system from the ceiling of their tent. Another nice feature is the ability to store the pot support and coffee press inside the Flash stove.
At 13.1 ounces and only 4.1″ x 7.1″ in size, the Jetboil Flash will fit in the mesh water bottle pockets on the side of most hiking backpacks. Affording easy access to a warm meal or drink in only a couple of minutes. Tactical Tailor in Lakewood, Washington even makes a Jetboil pouch for attaching to the Molle system. For me, the Jetboil Flash stays just under the top flap of my backpack when hiking. Or the tailgate of my truck when traveling overland.
Watch as Evan from Black Rifle Coffee uses the Jetboil system to make a cup of kick ass Sniper’s Hide blend, while on the range doing man shit.
Products used in this video:
Sniper’s Hide blend:
https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/coll…
Pick up the Jetboil Coffee Press:
http://amzn.to/2rjNNcg
Might as well get a Jetboil while you’re at it:
http://amzn.to/2pOeGnP
Get the Blackbeard patch:
https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/coll…
Get the BRCC zip up hoodie:
https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/coll…
*Photo courtesy of Black Rifle Coffee Company
Day 1
This is the first year that I tried hunting Elk with a bow. I was surprised at just how different it was to deer hunting. Elk are always on the move, eventually they may circle back to an area they use, but you need to be much more active to find them. So far, I haven’t filled my tag. Lucky for me, Washington State has a late archery season, and I am planning on trying again during this time.
During scouting I had found a lot of bedding areas, rubbing trees, and dried droppings. These areas were the first place that I decided to check out. One such area was an open area with a river on its back-end. There was grass, about waist-high, and plenty of intersecting game trails throughout. The field raised in elevation as it led to the tree line. I found clear sign of beds, and fairly fresh dropping. Unfortunately, I was unable to see, or lure an elk to this spot. I spent the better part of the first day in this area, and after I lost my light, I headed back to camp.
It had been a warm summer and the heat was lingering as we drifted into fall. Throughout deer hunting, I had been using boots that were just a little too hot for me. After deer hunting, I decided to go look for an inexpensive pair of boots that I could use during elk season. I ended up going with the LaCrosse Quick Shot 8 Real Tree boots. The Sportco that I shop at had them on sale for $69, so I decided to give them a try. I have put plenty of miles on these and I have no complaints. If you are on a budget, and are looking for a lightweight, quality boot, give these guys a look.
Day 2
Day two, I decided to walk some well established game trails. Basically, I loaded up my day pack for the day (food, water, etc.) and started walking. Prior to this, I had taken the time to study my map, and figure out some backstop landmarks. If you aren’t familiar with this, all you do is find something on the map that you can’t miss, such as a river. So heading on a general azimuth (direction of travel calculated by degrees on a compass), if I should run into the river, I know that I have gone as far as I had planned (reached my backstop). To make sure that I was on course I would take a compass reading from time to time. When you first start out using this technique I suggest that you take compass readings often.
After eating lunch I decided to do some bugling (elk bull call). I didn’t get a call back, but I definitely heard something near the top of the hill that I was on. I loaded up and began a slow, methodical stalk. It sounded as if a large animal was moving around. I followed these sounds for about 10-15 minutes. As I was about to crest the hill, I decided to notch an arrow. I flipped my strong hand over to set my release, nothing happened. I looked down at my hand, my release was gone. My mind raced, did I drop it, why on earth wouldn’t I have bought a spare, could I shoot this bow without?
I began retracing my steps, but no release. After finally convincing myself that it wouldn’t have just fallen off, I began the hike back to where I had last taken my gear off, lunch. After looking around my lunch site I eventually found the release. This got me thinking, maybe a camouflage release isn’t the best idea, and it might be a good idea to get a spare. Disaster adverted, unfortunately this wasn’t the only brush with disaster I would encounter on the trip. With another day in the books I headed into camp.
Camp, as we called it, was just an area on State Forrest land that was large enough to park two trucks. My buddy Dan and I would head there once we were done for the day. I put a canopy on my truck this year, and I was using the truck-bed as my mobile camp. It didn’t really matter where I parked the truck, I had everything I needed in the back. I also had the opportunity to further test out my Coleman cooler.
Using some of the ice retention tricks I previously wrote about (here), I was able to keep all my perishables good during deer, and elk hunting. One thing I did do differently, was to place items inside a 1 gal bags prior to placing them in the cooler. As the ice melted these items weren’t ruined by the water. The melted ice water was extremely cold, and I didn’t want to drain it from the cooler, the bags solved this problem. I am still super happy with this cooler.
Day 3
I woke up early and started to get breakfast and coffee going. We each cooked our own food, but because I had a JetBoil I would get hot water ready for oatmeal, and coffee. I am a huge fan of JetBoil. I have had the flash cooking system for years, and have never had a problem. The only down side to the flash system is its size. If you are preparing water for more than just yourself, then you end up having to boil it out in batches. To overcome this I purchased the 1.8L spare cup, allowing me to boil a single batch of water.
I do most of my cooking off of the tailgate of my truck. I had parked at an angle the night before, so I decided to attach the fuel can stabilizer. I ignited the burner, filled the cup with water, and began doing some other tasks. I went to retrieved something out of my truck and after slamming the door, I heard something fall at the back of my truck. I envisioned the 1.8L cup of hot water spilled all over the back of my truck.
What I didn’t envision was the back of my truck on fire. There was fire on, and all around the JetBoil. The fuel can was emitting a loud hissing sound, as fire danced all around it. I stood there dumbfounded, my brain was having difficulty processing the information that my eyes were seeing. Finally I reacted, I raced to the cooking system and twisted the fuel control value to off. It kept burning. It was at this point I realized that I basically had what amounted to a grenade in my hand. Without further hesitation I hurled the can away from the back of my truck, and dove in the opposite direction.
I landed near Dan, who promptly asked me, “what the F*&k are you doing”?! I brushed myself off and explained to him what had happened. I guess that the throw had been hard enough to extinguish the flames. However, we could still hear the hissing sound, and decided to wait until that stopped before we went over. I retrieved the cooking system and removed the fuel can. I immediately attached it to a different fuel can and activated the igniter switch. It fired right up like nothing had happened. Lesson learned, make sure that the surface you leaving your cooking system on is stable, and as flat as possible.
Day 4
This is when the weather changed. The temperatures dropped, and it began to start raining. I was super happy that I packed the Milwaukee M12 heated jacket system. If you remember, I had first tried this coat out while grouse hunting. It still continues to kick ass. I can’t over emphasis the importance of getting an inverter if you are planning on taking this coat off the grid for more than one day. It works great, but you will definitely want to recharge it at some point, and unless you have a generator with you an inverter is a must. As it poured on us, the jacket held its ground just fine. I look forward to testing it further.
Unfortunately, the weather didn’t help me find any elk. Dan had an opportunity at a cow – female elk – earlier in the day, but narrowly missed his shot. We kept hunting throughout the day, and as night began to settle in, we gathered up our gear and prepared to head for home. It was another hunt in the books. Although I didn’t harvest an animal, I learned a lot about my gear, and had a great time. Now it is time for me to refocus my attention on Loki (Wirehair Pointing Griffon), and get him chasing some birds. It is still really early to expect too much out of him, but exposure/experience is always a good thing for your dog.
If you want to share some pictures from your successful hunt, please feel free to submit them in our comms check.
Over the past decade, developments in camp-stove technology have improved remarkably. Canister stoves were once looked down upon if you spent any time in the mountains or at higher elevations. For years, liquid-fuel stoves were considered the only real option for efficiency and reliability. That also meant you had a stove that had to be primed, took up more space, and had to be lit manually. Liquid-fuel stoves do offer the benefit of being able to use a variety of fuel types, making international travel simpler, but they can be very finicky to light when used in high winds.
Whether using a canister or liquid-fuel stove, the ability to adjust the flame and fuel output has generally been a matter of either on or off. Enter the Jetboil MiniMo and their new simmer control.
The Jetboil MiniMo follows Jetboil’s slogan of fast, compact, and efficient. The new simmer control greatly improves efficiency of previous models and seems to take a new step forward in stove performance. If your only need is to boil water or melt snow, having a flame or fuel control may not be an issue. In that case, super light and fast should be your go to. If you want to actually cook food with your stove, having the ability to control temperature increases the variety of food you can prepare and aids in fuel conservation. The Jetboil MiniMo is a fine mix between light, fast, and versatile.
Simmer control – This is the standout feature for the camp chef. I recommend getting the pot support to go with the system. If you are car camping or out on the river, throw on the pot support, add a cast-iron skillet, and make up some bacon and eggs without burning them to a crisp.
Metal handles – The large metal handles fold up against the pot body and are large enough to use when wearing ski gloves.
Low spoon angle – The Jetboil MiniMo is shorter and wider than most stoves of the same volume. This creates a lower angle when eating directly out of the pot. If you are just boiling water, this is not a huge concern, but if you want to cook with the pot, it’s very simple to get food to your mouth without making a mess.
Push-button igniter – This thing rocks. This isn’t the igniter on your old gas grill at home. It doesn’t take 15 clicks to get the stove started, and it seems much more robust than previous models. On a recent trip to the Cascades, I stopped to boil some water and have lunch at 9,000 feet. The winds were constantly above 20 mph and gusting up to 40 mph. I put on my belay jacket, threw down my pack to use as a windbreak, and with one click of the igniter, I was on my way to having a GOOD-TO-GO meal. (Try their Thai curry. Yum.)
Insulated drink-through lid and measuring cup – The upgrades on the lid are a huge improvement from Jetboil. The lid fits tightly, but goes on and off hassle-free. There is a small port in the lid that allows you to drink directly from the pot or use it to pour hot water, coffee, or tea. The inside of the pot has graduated markings, so the guessing game is eliminated when you need an exact measurement for your dehydrated meals. Another cool addition to the lid is the fuel-canister stabilizer (included), which snaps into the lid for easy storage.
Burner storage bag – The Jetboil MiniMo comes with a soft storage bag that covers the burner while it’s stored within the pot. The soft bag prevents the non-stick surface of the pot from being scratched and worn down by the burner bouncing around while in your pack.
Colors – Available in Carbon (shown), RealTree, Sapphire, or Yama Purple
Size – 32 oz. / 1.0 L
Boil time – 2 min. 15 sec. per 16 oz. of water. I have found that even in high winds, the flux-ring technology is very efficient and the boil time does not vary much, if at all. The speed in which it boils water has actually caught me by surprise a couple of times.
Water boiled – 12 liters per 100 gram Jetpower can. This is a perfect size for a single overnight trip to the mountains or backpacking. On a recent trip, this was enough fuel for my climbing partner and I to melt snow for refilling our bottles, boil water for cooking, and make coffee in the morning.
Dimensions – 5″ x 6″
Weight – 15.9 oz. / 450 g (this includes the fuel stabilizer)
MSRP – $129.95
As stated before, the Jetboil MiniMo cooking system is highly versatile. Whether you are climbing in the mountains, backpacking, or car camping with your family, this stove will serve its purpose with speed and efficiency. I have used this stove for the last couple of months and have been very impressed with how little fuel it uses. With a number of available accessories, including a pot support, hanging kit, and coffee press, you are not limited to just a pot and burner.
I love having coffee in the morning, and instant really isn’t my thing. With the coffee press, I am able to bring a small ziplock with some grounds of my choice and have a delicious brew anywhere. If you are new to the camp-stove market, or are looking for an upgrade to your current system, the Jetboil MiniMo is definitely worth checking out.
Look for a full review at the end of the summer.
Whether you’re out on a multi-day patrol or hiking your favorite mountain range, nutrition is the key factor. On a hike you may have all the lightest kit offered on the market, but without a good source of energy you will hit the wall and put yourself in danger. You certainly don’t want food to take a lot of space in your pack, and that is true for both the weekend adventurer and the professionals out there.
I recently had the opportunity to try AlpineAire dehydrated foods, which I purchased from Mountain Equipment Coop here in Canada. I usually buy other brands but this one caught my eye in the new arrivals section, and the “recipe” they offered looked promising.
I bought Southwestern style beef and nachos, Chicken burrito bowl, Veggie burrito bowl and Bandito scramble, which is basically onions, bacon and scrambled eggs.
Each packet packs around 700 calories for main dish and breakfasts. I haven’t tried sides or desserts yet, and there is no intel on their website about the nutrition facts.
AlpineAire foods need to be cooked, which is no big deal on a multi-day hike, but in the military you don’t always have the luxury to heat your food. Still, on some occasions swapping out your tasteless rations for civvie stuff just brings morale right back up! Just use a burner like the Jetboil MiniMo and in 10 minutes you’ve got yourself a hot, tasty and nutritious meal that’ll keep you going for hours. Be aware that the breakfasts with eggs need hot water first to rehydrate, and then need to be cooked in some sort of cookware like the GSI Micro-Dualist prior to being eaten.
These are also great for the preppers among us because they offer family-sized cans that can be easily stored and will feed a family of four in an emergency situation, whatever it may be. And most of the menus offered for the single packets are available in family size too.
At MEC, each packets retails for about 8-9$ CAD, and a quick search over the internet found them for around 4$ USD. Almost as cheap buying MREs and significantly tastier!
Give the AlpineAire foods a try, you will not be disappointed.
(All pictures are courtesy of AlpineAire foods.)