Jetboil Flash Java Kit Review
There are so many different cooking systems you can choose from that it can make a beginner backcountry hiker go cross-eyed. Matt and I were checking the cooking systems out at our local REI this past week and finally committed to a cooking relationship with Jetboil Flash Java Kit. It surely lives up to its name!
This purchase did not come easily. We researched and checked packing weights, durability, storage, and how fast you can cook for seven people on the trail. We watched Youtube videos and found that Jetboil was one of the favorites among backpackers. In one video, a YouTuber beat the Jetboil up pretty well by throwing it around and submerging it in water, and it still worked.
Why Spend Money on a Jetboil
Matt and I are penny pinchers, who wouldn’t be with eight kids? Jetboil is NOT the cheapest cooking system on the market but it’s on the high end. The average cost of a backpack cooking system is around $30.00-$40.00 for the burner and fuel. The Jetboil was $109.00. You might ask, “Why should a family spend this kind of money on a cooking system?” Let me give you our reasons.
Jetboil is Fast Enough to Feed the Type 1 Diabetic!
A major factor in our choice was efficiency. Our family is large, and when we need food, we need it fast. We need simple and dependable. A considerable issue for us is that we have TWO Type 1 diabetic children.
Hannah and Abbie are NEVER left out of our adventures due to their diabetes; we just adapt to whatever we need to do. The Jetboil was top-notch in easy setup, with fast water boiling (about 2 minutes!) and dependable, so should we need food for either one of the girls quickly, this system could provide that.
Our TOP 4 Reasons We Bought a Jetboil Flash
Once we bought the Jetboil, we came right home and tested it out. We are coffee drinkers, so we purchased the Jetboil Flash Java kit. It performed as well, if not better than we had expected. As we sipped our coffee, we discussed the benefits of this purchase.
- It was easily assembled.
- It boiled water faster than we thought. (Due to being in a controlled environment, I am sure)
- It came apart well for easy cleanup.
- The fuel lasted longer than projected.
We tested it again the next day, preparing our whole dinner that night with one Jetboil. That little stove just kept on cooking and performed amazingly well. We cooked just over an hour with it and fed the whole family. We realized that after we had finished, we might need two systems, which did not surprise us.
The foods we tried were Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings, Alpine Aire Creamy Potato Soup, Ramen Noodles, and three dried soups from an Amish Market. The prepackaged items were excellent. The soups were a BUST, took too long to cook, and were just disgusting!
I am providing the link to the Jetboil Flash Java Kit, the one we chose. Please feel free to ask us any questions about this item. We are happy to share our successes and failures with you.
I just updated this blog, and it has been quite a few years since we started. That little Abbie was 9 in that picture, and she is 16 now! How time flies, but would you believe these Jetboils we have are still going strong? What a great investment! We still love them.
Happy Hiking,
Matt and Brandy
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