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I have long rejected the thought of cooking ‘systems’ in preference for the flexibility afforded when I can pick the pot and stove best suited for my trip. The Jetboil Zip, and by extension the whole Jetboil cooking system has challenged that preference with an efficient and well-designed system demonstrated in the Jetboil Zip.
The Jetboil Zip is generally designed around the thought that in the backcountry you will mostly be eating freeze dried food, and so its principle use is that of boiling water.
Fully-loaded (Fuel and all accessories), the Jetboil Zip weighs in at 560 grams, or 20 oz. Without fuel you start with 370 grams / 13oz. The cup has a capacity of 800ml (27 fl oz) and the system maintains compatibility with all of other systems in the Jetboil family. The inside of the cup has measuring lines up to 500ml, perfect for most freeze dried meals. This makes the Jetboil Zip system perfect for a single individual as you are easily able to boil water for your food and a bit extra for that cup of tea you may need.
One of the particularly nice features of the Jetboil Zip system is its efficient use of space in your pack. Within the 800ml space you are able to fit the stabilizer tripod, stove, fuel (100 gram Jetboil fuel), and a pot stand. The lid features a spout for sipping/pouring as well as a strainer. The bottom of the cup has the standard Jetboil Flux Ring (a build in heat exchanger / windscreen) and a protective cap that doubles as a measuring cup. If that seems like a lot to fit together the insulating cozy has a diagram indicating the order everything fits. For a tiny weight savings, if you are not bringing another pot you can leave the pot stand at home.
Putting the Jetboil together is relatively easy. The pieces are all straightforward to assemble and you can tell quickly what goes where. Using the stabilizer tripod is a little cumbersome, though probably useful of you are on uneven ground. As well, getting the cup on to the stove itself can be a challenge when having to line up the slots. Granted this was my first time using it. I’m sure with time there is a certain intuition that helps get everything lined up properly.
The stove is well built and of solid construction. The Jetboil Zip stove requires you bring a lighter or matches (which are probably good to pack anyway) and has very good heat output. It has a ring that fits around the bottom of the companion cup and is designed to minimize exposure to wind, relying on the flux ring and metal supports to either deflect or slow with wind enough that it maximizes heat being applied to the cup. It is not the best windscreen, but it is far better than cooking without a wind screen at all. The control knob allows decent flame control, though its small size would make it difficult to use with gloves.
The Jetboil Zip has an advertised boil time of 500ml in just over 2 minutes, 30 seconds. However, living in the Pacific Northwest means that there is a vast variety of conditions that may be encountered. I took the Jetboil to the park where the temperature was about 7 Celsius/45 Fahrenheit with the goal of boiling 500ml of ice cold water. In only very mildly breeze conditions and on slightly uneven ground the Jetboil Zip took the water from very cold to a rolling boil in 3 minutes 25 seconds. It feels like hardly a wait if you start another activity while you’re water is boiling.
At the end of the day I found the Jetboil Zip to be a decently made and highly efficient product that has convinced me of the usefulness and efficiently of the Jetboil system in the backcountry. Boiling water is probably the most common activity and this stove does a great job of it. The 800ml capacity is perfect as it fits everything one person needs in a nice compact space. I found that the control knob, stabilizer tripod, and the task of getting the cup on to the stove are a bit finicky, but with a bit of practice I would expect it would get better. For a simple, no frills, and yet highly efficient stove, you cannot go wrong with the Jetboil Zip. However, if you are looking for a few more features, I would strongly consider the Jetboil Sol system as it is a similar size but with easier flame control, piezo ignition, and a little less weight.
Summary:
Pros:
– Reasonably light – weight
– Compact stove
– Very efficient at boiling water
Cons:
– Flame control knob is small
– Cup and stabilizer tripod are finicky
The final verdict:
A well-built, compact and efficient stove that performs well for a single person, but lacks a number of features possessed by other members of the Jetboil family.
Prepared by Graeme A.
This Jetboil Zip was borrowed from Chris Pund at http://www.thegearhouse.com. As always, opinions are those of the writer and are the same recommendations we’d give close friends.
