Blaze stove : Kickstarter for a new Jetboil alternative?

[20DYNAMITE07]

So I was checking out Joe Robinet's YouTube bushcrafting channel, and he did a video on a kickstarter project for a new camp/expedition stove. It's called the Blaze stove, and it looks like a nice Jetboil competitor, and comes in two sizes.

I am in no way shape or form affiliated with Joe or Blaze... just thought it looked cool and was wondering what more experienced folks thought about it, since the price looks good on the kickstarter page.
Here is the video - though he misspeaks about the boil time, I guessing he read his notes wrong:

Incidentally, Joe's video's are pretty great, if you're interested.

Here's the kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/expedition/blaze-cooking-system-for-hiking-camping-expedition

$60 for the solo seems like a good deal to me. Any thoughts?

 

[thefishhawk]

I wasn't able to watch the video but looked at the page, what's the advantage? It just looks like a ripoff of a Jetboil with no significant changes. They changed the handle and put it in a bag I guess. I want to see something new.

When he said it has a 1000 watt burner, did he mean BTU? The only thing I think the Jetboil needs is better flame control if you want to use the pot adapter thing, but for what it does it's hard to improve.

 

[20DYNAMITE07]

I wasn't able to watch the video but looked at the page, what's the advantage? It just looks like a ripoff of a Jetboil with no significant changes. They changed the handle and put it in a bag I guess. I want to see something new.

When he said it has a 1000 watt burner, did he mean BTU? The only thing I think the Jetboil needs is better flame control if you want to use the pot adapter thing, but for what it does it's hard to improve.

Other than the handle, I can't really tell a difference. But I do think that the Blaze handle is better... but that may just be a preference thing. The video says that the Blaze has good flame control, but I don't know how it compares to the JB.

As for the watts... 1K watts = about 3400BTU. The larger Blaze puts out 1500 watts, and that's about 5KBTU.

The only advantage I can see here, is the pricing and the handle (IMHO), though burner control may be better, again I don't know for sure.

 

[thefishhawk]

My jetboil at least is pretty much off and turbo; maybe they've improved it since. The control spins a few rotations but they didn't put any partially on in it lol.

The standard JB Flash is 4500 btu and the Sumo which is about the size of the Team is 6k. So I guess Blaze is slightly less. Personally, I wouldn't go for a rigid handle. You can just pick up these up by hand, the insulation is fine. One more thing to break. A Sumo JB weighs 480g, the Team 500. the JB Flash and Blaze solo are the same 400g. I just don't see reinventing the wheel. It's super easy to pick up a JB on sale or closeout online, S&C, STP, whatever, so maybe the price is an advantage maybe not. It's hard to know until you can inspect the quality of each to compare. Cheaper could just be cheaper.

I don't know why, I don't mean to sound negative, just comparing the two really. I'm just a little hung up on the concept of ripping off a design for a kickstarter, weird to me. To me most of the kickstarter stuff (I don't check it a lot) should be something new and unique that someone is trying to get to market.

 

[OwyheeMagpie]

I love Joe's videos on YouTube but I sort of have the same feelings...it's just a Jetboil. I have a Jetboil SOL that I've owned for 7-8 years and I feel everything works fine, even the simmer control. Honestly, if I had to do it over I'd do a small MSR stove, Snow Peak titanium cup and nest it with a wide mouth Nalgene bottle. Also, the canteen shop/pathfinder school stainless steel stuff is ok. One thing sweet about the Jetboil is it boils water like crazy but I hate being reliant on fuel. At least with a cup, lid, or what other stuff you get you can cook with a stove or fire. I wouldn't put my Jetboil in a fire but that's just me. Oh, also check out a Zebra pot.

 

[Montana Cruiser]

It appears this could simply be someone importing knock-off's. A quick search on Alibaba of "solo gas stove" turns up more then one stove that looks a LOT like the ones on the video, and clearly a ripoff of the Jetboil design. http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=solo+gas+stove

If that's the case, I wouldn't trust a knock-off to boil my water in the backcountry, not the time/place to skimp IMHO.

 

[20DYNAMITE07]

Thanks for the input, everyone!!!
Looks like I'll just keep my eye out for a JB

 

[thefishhawk]

Steepandcheep, rei-outlet, sierra trading post (get on the mailing list for coupons); it's not hard to find a good deal on a JB.

 

[chris snell]

Needs a longer handle. The real danger with the Jetboil is a boil-over and burning yourself trying to turn it off.

 

[AML]

I noticed that Kickstarter has suspended donations. Guess someone else also thinks it is a knockoff.