Gearhead Picks: Jetboil Flash

Looking for a backpacking stove? Here on Gearhead Picks, Backcountry Gearhead Hailey Terry walks you through her favorite lightweight backing stove, the Jetboil Flash Stove. She talks about who she recommends this stove for, as well as the features that set this stove apart from other backpacking stoves on the market.

Welcome to Gearhead Picks! I’m Hailey Terry, a Backcountry Gearhead. When I’m not here in the office you can often times find me backpacking some of the incredible trails that we have here in Utah. That means I end up eating a lot of meals on the trail, which is why a good stove is key when I’m backpacking. In this episode, I’m going to share one of my backpacking stoves of choice with you which is the Jetboil Flash Stove.

This stove weighs about 13 ounces so it definitely won’t weigh you down. All the components, including the fuel canister if you get the 100-gram size, pack down into the insulated cooking cup to save a lot of space in your pack. Since the capacity of the cooking cup is 1 liter, I recommend this stove for backpacking-style meals for one person. But If you’re just using it to boil water for meals or coffee, it’s great for you and a partner.

Now, let’s get to the fun stuff.

The cooking cup and insulating sleeve, the lid, fuel canister stabilizer, and bottom cover are all included. The push-button igniter is easy to use so there’s no need to panic if you forget a lighter.  I love the Flash because it boils water SUPER quick. It takes about 100 seconds to boil 16 fluid ounces of water. I mean, who wants to wait a long time for dinner after a full day on the trail?!

Another cool feature of the Flash is that the logo on the insulating sleeve of the cooking cup is actually a heat indicator. It turns orange when your water is ready so you don’t waste any fuel. Jetboil improved the lid on the newest version of the Flash so it’s super secure, and it has a built-in strainer that’s perfect for draining the water out of your pasta. And the bottom cover doubles as a measuring cup and bowl for extra space efficiency in your backpack.

Thanks for watching Gearhead Picks! If you have any questions about the Jetboil Flash Stove or any other piece of hiking, camping, or backpacking gear, drop Hailey a line at hterry@backcountry.com. Happy trails!