New Cook Pot?!

[jeepingetowah]

What did you buy with your REI dividend?

Jetboil Sol Aluminum Companion Cup

Wallace - Supa Chef

[Stick]

Good choice going with the Al rather than the Ti version. There has been some issues showing up lately with some peoples Ti versions... I have not had any issues with mine, but to be fair I don't really use mine. As you probably know, I love my alcohol stoves much more than canister stoves...I like to keep one though to use as a loaner stove when others go with me.

If you are a fan of canister stoves and prefer to mainly just boil water then you will enjoy this system.

Edited March 22, 2012 by Stick

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Hey Supa Chef,

Still trying to decide what to do with my dividend. Probably more energy gels and bars, etc... When in doubt I just order food since I know I'll be able to use it.

Are you planning to use this with a JetBoil?

Edited March 22, 2012 by Aaron

[jeepingetowah]

Testing is declared over. This thing did nothing except act just like any normal cookpot when used in conjunction with alcohol. I am returning it, and now I am over my Jetboil fix.

I don't advocate petroleum based fuels when I have the option of going with alcohol. I know that there is toxicity within Denatured alcohol. However, I personally feel that canisters are not inline with my outlook in that respect. So no, I won't buy the Jetboil stove, and will have no need for the Jetboil companion cup either. Hopefully I will write up a short description for the blog and explain how it did not impress, but rather performed nearly identically to the Snow Peak 700 cookpot. I have read these results on the web before, but had to get hands on to fully understand. Now I know... and knowing is HALF the battle!

Go ahead A, say it... "I knew you would return it!" (no shame in my game)

It's better to try and fail than to have never tried at all

Wallace - Supa Chef

[Stick]

This would be a good topic for discussion...so I will have to dig up some better info on this...

I am under the impression that the purpose of the flux ring is to diffuse a small, but high pressured flame so that the heat is spread out and better distributed. I think that the key here is the high pressured flame...which an alcohol stove will not produce. Saying this, I agree with you Wallace for sending the cup/pot back if you were planning to use it with an alcohol stove set-up. I just don't see how it would have made any difference.

As I am sure you know, there are a number of alky stoves out there (I mean a lot!) and they will all act differently with different cook pots. However, with an alky stove, chances are, a wide enough diameter pot to capture the flames beneath it rather than allowing them to lick up the sides will allow for the best heat distribution. And with a proper windscreen, the best fuel efficiency.

However, for someone wanting to use the companion cup with a canister stove, I believe that there would be a bit of an advantage then. It may be hard to notice with just a burn or two, but I feel like it would be there. It would be interesting to do a burn with a similar size cook pot on the same (canister) stove while measuring the fuel canister before and after the boil, and then to do the same with the companion cup. I am curious as to what kind of difference their would be...

I will have to contact Hikin' Jim about this...

Also, you said that the companion cup performed nearly identically to the Snow Peak 700 cookpot. What do you mean by "nearly?" Just curios....I guess I will have to wait on your write up though on your blog huh?

And if it is any help, with my Jetboil Sol Ti at my home at an elevation of about 500' above sea level and temps of at least 50 F or more I can get 2 cups of water to a full rolling boil to the point that it is boiling over the pot and I am rushing to turn the pot off in an average time of 1:50 to 2 minutes. It really is pretty amazing...but I still love my DIY alky stoves...

Edited March 26, 2012 by Stick

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Hey Wallace,

Interesting idea, was there no difference in fuel usage / time whatsoever? If the Companion Cup did turn out to be more efficient for you, it would be interesting to see just how long of a trip / stretch it would take to make up the weight difference between the Companion Cup and your lighter Snow Peak 700. Unless Stick has the right idea that it won't make much of a difference without a high pressure flame.

And yes, I knew you would probably return it - How are you not on REI's blacklist yet?

[Stick]

Here is an interesting video in which a guy uses a high pressure chimney-jet alcohol stove with the Sol Ti Companion cup and achieves a 3 minute boil time with 2 cups of water. Perhaps, with the correct stove, this pot will be beneficial?

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Interesting video - It looks like the priming process did add another minute + on top of the 3 minute time, and I'm wondering how much extra fuel was used to prime the stove in addition to the 15cc / ~ 1/2 oz referenced. Either way, that does seem very quick and efficient!