This backpacking stove has so many great features, it’s hard to know where to begin. However, Jetboil loyalists everywhere certainly agree that it’s not one feature alone that stands above the rest but the sum of many features that combine to produce impressive fuel efficiency. Tests show that the Jetboil Group Cooking System (GCS) captures 75-80 of available heat, compared to the 30-40 of standard camping stoves. No wonder it received a 2006 Editor’s Choice Award from Backpacker magazine. The Jetboil GCS utilizes innovative integration technology to connect burner, heat exchanger, and pot such that they appear as one tight fitting unit. The end result is four minute boil times and test results showing that a 3.5 oz. canister of Jetboil Jetpower propane / isobutane fuel brings 12 liters of water to a boil. The tight fitting interfaces make it hard for the wind to find a way in, and the FluxRing (fancy word for heat exchanger) enabled pot captures virtually all available heat from the burner, concentrating it on the bottom of the pot. The Jetboil GCS’s cooking pot also contributes to the top-rate fuel efficiency. It comes with an insulating cozy that does its part to retain heat, and is made of hard-anodized aluminum with conductivity superior to stainless steel and titanium. When the time comes to break camp, the entire stove system fits inside the pot. For those who want to show off their culinary skills in the backcountry, the GCS is compatible with other cookware for browning, frying, and sauteing. One other feature that cannot go without mention is the piezo igniter for quick, matchless lighting. If typically cooking for just 1-2 people and keeping the meals simple, check-out the Jetboil Personal Cooking System (PCS). It comes with a 1 liter pot / mug combo but can be transformed into a GCS with separate purchase of the Jetboil 1.5 Liter Cooking Pot and Jetboil Pot Support and Stability Kit. Likewise, the GCS can be made into a PCS with separate purchase of the Jetboil 1 Liter Companion Cup.
