A First Look At The New Jetboil TrailCook 1.2L

Jetboil TrailCook 1.2L

My most used stove and pot combination for winter camping for more than a decade has been the Jetboil MiniMo as it has a regulated burner and a wide pot with a heat exchanger. I’ve long thought this by far the best of Jetboil’s stove systems so I was  excited to hear that a successor was being launched featuring some of the new features that appeared in the revamped Flash 1.0L last year (my review here).

Melting snow with the MiniMo

The new model is called the TrailCook, and is available with 1.2 or 2 litre pots.  I have the TrailCook 1.2L to test. These are my first thoughts. I’ll be testing it very soon.

Where the Flash is intended for boiling water only the TrailCook is designed for cooking as well. To that end it has a regulated burner like the MiniMo to give good flame control for simmering. Regulated burners also work better in the cold than non-regulated ones like the Flash and the power output should remain constant as the gas canister empties.

TrailCook control

Like the Flash the TrailCook burner has a single twist and click dial that turns the stove on, activates the Piezo igniter, and controls the flame. Also like the Flash the igniter is protected in a ceramic casing and there’s a rubberised coloured grip zone you can hold without burning your hand.  The burner head is the same size as the Flash too. 

Burner, Piezo & Pot Support

The pot support is a completely different new design. Instead of a metal ring onto which the pot locks there are three folding arms. The pot sits securely on these but doesn’t lock in place. You can’t tip it very far without the pot falling off. It’s much more like a conventional pot and burner design. Other pots can sit on the supports though none I’ve tried so far are very stable.

TrailCook 1.2L pot

The pot has the usual heat exchanger on the base – Jetboil calls this a Flux Ring. The pot is made of ceramic coated aluminium so that food won’t stick. To avoid scratching the coating  I think it’s probably wise to use non-metal utensils. The total volume is 1.2 litres, but there is a maximum fill line of 700ml marked inside. This along with 300ml and 500ml marks plus ones for cups and ounces is engraved in black inside the black pot and difficult see without a light. There’s an insulating neoprene sleeve round the pot so you can hold it without burning your hand.

The pot has a secure insulated metal handle that clips over the top of the pot for storage and to keep the lid in place. This is much better than the limp fabric handle on the Flash. It’s needed so you can hold the pot firmly while stirring food. The transparent synthetic lid has steam and drain holes and a flip-up insulated knob.

The TrailCook 1.2L comes with a 300mll bowl that fits on the base – not available on the TrailCook 2.0L – and a plastic foldable canister stabiliser. The total weight is 591 grams. Without the bowl and stabiliser it’s 496 grams.

Burner, 100-size canister, & stabiliser in the pot

The burner, stabiliser and a 100 size canister will fit inside the pot. A 230 size canister will also fit inside but not with the burner. To protect the ceramic coating I would always wrap the canister in a cloth and store the burner in the cloth bag provided.

TrailCook 1.2L & MiniMo

So how does the TrailCook compare to the MiniMo?  The MiniMo’s pot is a bit smaller at 1 litre, which I prefer for solo use, and does lock onto the burner, which I also prefer. The MiniMo is also lighter than the TrailCook 1.2L at 413 grams in total and 366 grams without the plastic bowl that fits on the base. That’s a significant weight difference. The MiniMo is also slightly smaller when packed. I’m not sure about the ceramic coating on the pot. The MiniMo doesn’t have this and I’ve not had big problems with food sticking.

Important features shared by the MiniMo and the TrailCook are the regulated burner and the wide pot. These are what separate them from other Jetboil stove systems

The new plus points of the TrailCook are the single igniter/ one-off-switch/flame control (though the lack of a long lever means you have to get your fingers near the burner to use it – this is where the grip zone is useful) ), the ability to use other pots, the long handle, which is easier to hold firmly than the fold-out ones on the MiniMo, and the lid which is easier to get on and off than the MiniMo’s. The Piezo igniter is better protected too and so should last longer than the one on the MiniMo, which failed some time ago. And it you use the bowl the TrailCook’s feels much tougher.

The MiniMo is being phased out but will be available for a while longer.

Overall my first impressions of the TrailCook are positive though I wish it was a bit lighter. Now I have to use it and see what I think then.

I made a little video about the TrailCook.

Links:

TrailCook 1.2L  

MiniMo    

Flash 1.0L 

I am an Amazon Associate. If you buy from the Amazon links I receive a commission at no cost to you. Every click helps! Thank you if you do purchase something or click on one of my links. StoreID: christownse0c-21

An Equinox Walk & Camp In The Cairngorms: Glen Feshie & Mullach Clach a' Bhlair

Beautiful sunshine in Glen Feshie

A sunny forecast for the equinox suggested a walk to welcome the spring. Glen Feshie and the Moine Mhor beckoned (it always does). I hadn’t been there since last August – far too long. The sun was indeed shining and the air was warm as I set off down the glen. High above I could see remnants of a recent snowfall edging the rim of the Moine Mhor plateau.

The Allt Garbhlach, the biggest stream forded, running into the river Feshie

Snowmelt and recent rain filled the streams rushing down from the hills. Care was needed to cross them without getting water in my boots. I just managed it apart from a few splashes. The river Feshie itself was roaring but not as full as I’d thought it would be, enabling me to walk on shingle banks next to the water where the river had swept away the path. That happened many years ago and a new steep narrow trail now climbs over a wooded spur above the river, essential when the shingle is under water.

Shingle banks by the river Feshie

After a third ford I searched out a campsite, finding one close to a flooded boggy area that was overflowing into a stream in little cascades, an unusual sight. 

A bog above a stream

From my tent I could look up to snow-streaked hills. All around were ancient pines and their much younger offspring along with juniper bushes and slender birches. It was a wonderfully peaceful camp.

A view to the hills

Once the sun disappeared the temperature dropped rapidly and I was soon in my sleeping bag and warm clothing in the tent heating up water for some hot soup and then a spicy meal. Then it was time for a long sleep.

Early morning

The equinox dawned chilly, the overnight temperature 2°C, but the rising sun was soon filtering through the trees and warming the world. However clouds quickly swept in over the tops, clouds that were moving fast and occasionally covered the sun. I stayed in the tent for breakfast.

The old track

The sun was shining again when I set off. My plan was to follow an old track up the flank of the south-west ridge of Mullach Clach a’ Bhlair and then up to the summit on a clearer path. The old track isn’t marked on Ordnance Survey maps but the start of it is on Harvey Cairngorms maps though it disappears after half a kilometre or so. I remembered I'd descended it many years earlier but I couldn't remember much about it. 

The track became less distinct as it left the trees

What I found was a little-used overgrown off-road vehicle track, often just two indistinct lines cutting through the heather with little trees growing between them. Once out of the forest the heather was thicker and deeper and the track almost buried. The line could still be followed though. As the slope steepened it became stony with water rushing down it, a stream rather than a path.

Lochan nam Bo

Eventually the track reached windswept Lochan nam Bo and joined a clearer track that ran up the broad ridge over Druim nam Bo to Mullach Clach a ‘Bhlair. The views were spacious, a wide world after the confines of the forest. To the south the air was hazy, the distant hills shadowy shapes.

The summit of Mullach Clach a ' Bhlair. From the left on the horizon Braeriach, Sgor an Lochan Uaine & Cairn Toul

Once I reached the summit the snow-covered higher summits to the east were sharp and clear. Beinn Bhrotain, Monadh Mor, Cairn Toul, Sgor an Lochan Uaine, Braeriach. Wonderful familiar names, Wonderful familiar mountains. I never tire of them.

View over Coire Garbhlach to Meall Dubhag. The distant tiny pointed summit of Sgor Gaoith is just visible on the right

Although still sunny a strong gusty wind kept the air cold so I thought about descending back to Glen Feshie down a wide track just a kilometre away. This is the main way up to the Moine Mhor from this end of Glen Feshie.

Snowbanks on the edge of Coire Garbhlach with Sgor Gaoith just poking up on the left and Braeriach on the right

I was at the start of the descent when a steep hard snowbank stopped me. I couldn’t see how far down it extended or how much steeper it became. Just walking down it without donning my crampons seemed unwise. I was reluctant to stop and put them on for what might only be a short distance though. I also realised I was reluctant to leave the heights and the huge views and feeling of freedom so soon. The wind was at my back now, the sun was bright, and I was going well. 

View across the Moine Mhor to Sgor Gaoith

So I turned away from the steep snow and headed north across the Moine Mhor towards Carn Ban Mor and another track that would bring me down to the road in Glen Feshie not far from my car. There might be steep snow on this too. If there was I’d just have to deal with it.

Snow and water on the Moine Mhor

The walk across the Moine Mhor was glorious, the landscape shimmering and glowing. I crossed many snowfields, some soft, some crisp and crunchy. There were several pools where the edges of a snowbank had collapsed into a hollow. The water in them was dark. Small streams rippled across the brown moorland where the snow had thawed.

Looking back to Mullach Clach a' Bhlair

Reaching the final track I turned and looked back to the gentle rounded dome of Mullach Clach a’ Bhlair. Clouds were building up again. I didn’t mind. The equinox had been splendid.

There were snowbanks on the descent but none that needed crampons. I soon left them behind. Dusk was falling as I reached the first trees. A couple of stumbles and my head torch came out for the last half hour. A full mountain and forest day was over.

I made a little video of the trip.

Sleeping Mat Thoughts

With my old Therm-A-Rest Ultralite and a tent full of mats ready for making a video

I started thinking about mat and tent combinations for the first time last year. The idea had never occurred to me before because it had never been necessary. Why would the two items affect each other? Until fairly recently they didn’t but now some mats are thick enough to reduce headroom and end space in a tent, especially a lightweight solo one.

Camp on the Cape Wrath Trail with the Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT. 2024

I decided to make a little video about this as I’d never seen it discussed anywhere. Then I thought I might as well talk about the different types of mats and my views on them and that became the main theme of the video. Mat thickness does appear at the end!

Reviewing the different mats I’ve used over the years and the advantages and disadvantages of each seemed a good subject for a written piece as well. So here it is, with photos from over the decades.

1978 in the Cairngorms with a closed cell foam mat strapped to my pack

Back when I started backpacking closed cell foam mats were all there were. The standard was the Karrimat, usually in bright yellow. They were 9mm thick and warm enough most of the time. There was a thinner green 3mm version too. I used this for a few years. How I ever slept on such a thin mat I can’t imagine now.

Closed cell foam (ccf) is tough and durable. That’s it’s big advantage. CCF mats can be chucked on the ground with no fear of punctures and generally treated roughly. They do lose a bit of thickness after much use and the edges can get tattered. But they still work. Given that the cost is low in the first place they’re great value for money.

Closed cell foam mats are great for just chucking on the ground and using as a seat or to put gear on

Ccf mats aren’t very heavy (200-400 grams depending on thickness) but they are bulky. They’re usually carried on the outside of packs, which is convenient for using one during the day as a sitmat. The big drawback is that they’re not very comfortable. As there was no other choice I used ccf mats on hundreds of nights in my first decade of backpacking, including my first long walks, the Pennine Way and Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Camp on the Pacific Crest Trail with my first Therm-A-Rest self-inflating mat. 1982

Then around 1980 I discovered the existence of a new self-inflating mat called a Therm-A-Rest that was filled with open cell foam and said to be far more comfortable than ccf. I soon got one and discovered that the claims were true. The comfort was a revelation. No more ccf for me! (I wrote a piece about the invention of the Therm-A-Rest back in 2018).

With the Therm-A-Rest Ultralite on my Canadian Rockies walk. I was obviously confident in its durability. It lasted the trip. 1988

That first Therm-A-Rest was quite a bit heavier at 652 grams than ccf but I still took it on my Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike. I just loved the comfort. Cascade Designs, the makers of Therm-A-Rest, then brought out an UltraLite version that weighed 468 grams in the ¾ length version so I changed to this and took it on the Continental Divide Trail, Canadian Rockies, Yukon Territory and Scandinavian Mountains walks, totalling about 7000 miles and hundreds of nights. I also used it on all the shorter walks I did during the ten years it lasted. It is by far my most-used mat.

RidgeRest closed cell foam mat strapped under my pack on the Arizona Trail. 2000.

I stayed with Therm-A-Rest self-inflating mats for many more years and walks. In all that time I only ever had two punctures, both quickly found and mended. I did go back to a closed cell mat, a Therm-A-Rest RidgeRest, for the Arizona Trail as I wanted to sleep out under the stars whenever I could and I reckoned there might be too many spiky things in the desert for a mat that could be punctured. With a ridged surface (hence the name) this was more comfortable than the flat ccf mats of earlier years but I still missed the comfort of a self-inflating mat and returned to one for future walks.

Original NeoAir, 2008

Until, that is, Therm-A-Rest reinvented the air bed with the inflatable NeoAir. This was said to be even more comfortable than a self-inflating mat as well as being lighter weight and more compact when packed. I was convinced. I still am but soon found a big disadvantage – durability. Over the years I’ve had inflatable air beds from half a dozen different brands fail, often out in the wilds where repair was difficult if not impossible.

Camp on the Pacific Northwest Trail with the inflatable mat that later failed. 2010.

The first time an inflatable mat became a deflated mat was on a cold stormy night on the Pacific Northwest Trail when I found myself wrestling the mat into a freezing lake in the dark trying to find the leaks. I did have a short thin ccf mat with me but also a quilt, the only time I’ve used one on a long walk. You really need a warm mat with a quilt! I did manage to find and patch the leaks though the mat still went down several times a night. As soon as I could I swapped it for a self-inflating one.

In Death Valley with a NeoAir XLite mat and a foam pad to protect it. 2016

With a few mats the problem has been the internal walls tearing so one end of the mat swells up like a balloon. As well as making a mat difficult and then impossible to use this also led to the fear that it might explode during the night with an almighty bang.

In the Colorado Rockies with the Therm-A-Rest self-inflating mat Andrew Terrill loaned me after my inflatable mat failed. 2019

Three times on long walks I’ve borrowed old well-used self-inflating Therm-A-Rest mats to replace failed inflatable ones. There was a message there but it took me a while to learn it.

Keeping warm in an igloo on a Therm-A-Rest Prolite Plus & a Therm-A-Rest RidgeRest. 2007.

I still use inflatable mats. I don’t trust them though so I always carry a ccf mat as well, , (usually a 190g Multimat Superlite 8), which rather cancels out the weight and packed size advantage of inflatables. And I am thinking of going back to a self-inflating mat despite the extra weight and bulk. I still have a Therm-A-Rest Ultralite and a Therm-A-Rest Prolite Plus. It’s time I used them again. The Multimat plus my lightest inflatable mat, the Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT, weighs 560g, the Multimat plus the Prolite Plus is 640g. I have heavier ccf and inflatable mats I use occasionally but those are my lightest combinations. I don’t 120g is significant except maybe on long trips where weight really matters.

Sitting on the Multimat Superlite 8 with the NeoAir XLite NXT just visible in the tent. 2023.

As well as being more durable an advantage of a self-inflating mat is that there’s still some insulation if it does deflate as it’s full of foam. They don’t even out bumps and dips in the ground as well as an air bed, though better than ccf, but they don’t fail often either. You also don’t need to think about headroom in a tent either. My thickest self-inflating mat is 3.8cm, my thinnest air bed 7.5cm. In a small tent with a 90cm high point and low ends the difference is noticeable.

This 9cm thick mat really restricted the space at the foot end and the headroom in this small tent

Links to mats mentioned:

Multimat Superlite 8

https://amzn.to/4boow7z

Therm-A-Rest RidgeRest

https://amzn.to/4slnb8X

Therm-A-Rest Prolite Plus

https://amzn.to/4bdiXKE

Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT

https://amzn.to/4bFurqh

I am an Amazon Associate. If you buy from the Amazon links I receive a commission at no cost to you. Clicking then finding your own items within 24 hours also helps but with a much smaller commission. Every click helps! Thank you if you do purchase something or click on one of my links. StoreID: christownse0c-21

A Look At The April Issue Of The Great Outdoors

The theme of the latest issue of The Great Outdoors is doing more with less, whether that's keeping gear in good repair so it lasts well or finding budget and second-hand gear. Peter Macfarlane combines the two, finding used items of clothing (Gore-Tex jacket, fleece jacket, fleece salopettes, baselayer) and a  daypack for a grand total of £53 and describing how he returned them to working order. He also writes this month's Long Review, describing how well his Fjallraven Keb Trousers have lasted and how he cares for them.

There's also a round-up of budget gear reviewed in TGO over the last year or so. The Skills section covers maintaining and repairing gear with some examples from TGO contributors including myself on patching torn mesh pockets on a pack.

Away from budget gear Steph Wetherall tests the Smartwool All Season Merino Base Layer and Francesca Donovan tests the Berghaus Farren leggings and trousers. In a comparative review Fiona Russell tries three women's hiking shirts and I try three men's. 

Back to the low cost theme there are 50 tips for hillwalking on a budget covering gear, transport, travelling overseas, accommodation, food, and more.

In the long features JB Smith finds solitude in the Rhinogs in Eryri/Snowdonia, Ailsa Sheldon explores St Patrick's Way in Northern Ireland, and David Myers hikes the Alpenpasse-Weg in the Swiss Alps.

Shorter pieces include Nadia Shaikh on the orange-tip butterfly, a review of the film H is for Hawk by Francesca Donovan, Rachel Hewitt on the dangerous precedent for women set by a rule change for the Spine Race, Jim Perrin on Y Berwyn, and Juls Stodel considering mountain rescue in her Uphill Struggles column.

Wild Walks looks at seven ridge walks. In the Highlands James Roddie relishes Conival and Ben More Assynt, Alex Roddie tackles Liathach, and Simon Stokes scrambles up Curved Ridge on Buachaille Etive Mor. The Lake District has Norman Hadley on the Wasdale Horseshoe, James Forrest on the Deepdale Horseshoe, and Vivienne Crow on the Kentmere Round. Finally in South Wales Ian Battersby walks Cribyn and Fan y Big.

A Walk In The Woods & First Use Of A New Stove

 

A breezy, sunny day in early March. The sun warm, shaded areas cool, the wind chilly out in the open. The distant mountains shining with fresh snow, their summits in and out fast-moving clouds.

The first buds are just appearing on birches, rowans and willows, only noticeable from close up. The grasses are still mostly faded yellow but again a close look reveals tiny spurts of fresh green in a few places. 

I wandered through meadows of sheep and down into some sheltered woods. Here amongst some ancient pines I found an old log for a seat and stopped to relax and enjoy the quiet beauty of the forest and the warmth of the sun. 

I'd brought a new stove unit with me to try out - the Fire Maple Star X1 Pro - and I set this up to boil water for a mug of coffee. I made a little video of this.

Note: As I am an Amazon Associate if you buy from the Amazon links I receive a commission at no cost to you. Clicking then finding your own items within 24 hours also helps but with a much smaller commission. Every click helps! Thank you if you do purchase something or click on one of my links.

In Search Of Changing Light In The Cairngorms

Late afternoon light

One afternoon a few days ago I headed up into the Cairngorms in the hope of seeing the sunset. The day was sunny and quite warm for the last day of February but the forecast was for cloud coming in from the south-west on strong winds. I hoped this wouldn’t arrive too soon but at just the right time for the setting sun to colour the clouds red and gold.

My favourite times in the mountains are dawn and dusk. However, as I’m a night person who wakes up slowly as the day progresses I see far more of the latter than the former, especially on day walks. To see the dawn I need to be already there, camped high up. An early start from home and then walking in the dark doesn’t work for me.

Blue sky on the ascent

On this walk I also hoped the change in the weather would bring more complex and variable light. Brilliant sunshine and a blue sky are wonderful and I do love them but changing light is more interesting. It makes for better photographs too.

Clouds approaching.

Blue sky and sunshine accompanied me up to the north ridge of Cairn Gorm. The breeze was light and I didn’t need hat or gloves. That changed when I reached the ridge and met a much stronger cold south-west wind that was bringing clouds. 

Clouds getting closer.

Summits not too far away were already vanishing into greyness. To the east though the hills were still in sunshine. The lighting was already dramatic.

Stac na h-Iolaire

Heading down the north ridge I had the wind at my back. There were large areas of hard snow but I was able to skirt round these, as I had on the ascent, and my crampons and ice axe stayed on the pack. Ahead the crag of Stac na h-Iolaire glowed gold in the now low sun.

Suddenly in the mist

Seemingly out of nowhere mist enveloped me and snow and hail began to fall. Visibility went from hundreds of kilometres to a few hundred metres. The temperature dropped noticeably. The squall was brief. After ten minutes or so it had passed over and was just a grey cloud heading north. A useful reminder of how fast the weather can change though and the need to always be prepared for that.

Lochan na Beinne & Loch Morlich

The aftermath of the squall revealed a thin drifting band of mist between the shining waters of Lochan na Beinne and Loch Morlich. The mist caught the low sun, shimmering in the light. Above the sky was now mostly overcast.

Sunset

Descending there was one brief glimpse of colour in the sky before the clouds thickened and all was grey. The weather had changed.

The trickiest part of the walk was the final stretch. The path was muddy and in places icy. It was growing dark rapidly. I managed without a headlamp until a final steep descent to a bridge over a rushing burn on a narrow path with patches of snow and ice. Then the day was over. There’d been no spectacular sunset but there had been interesting light and just getting up into the mountains and forgetting about the rest of the world, especially at the moment, felt such a relief.

A New Stove System From Fire Maple

I'd just finished a comparative stove review for The Great Outdoors magazine (to appear soon) when another stove arrived, this one the Fire Maple Star X1 Pro Cooking System.* This follows the familiar pattern of a heat exchanger pot that fits on top of a canister stove. There are a few interesting features on this version of the design though. Note that this is just a first look. I haven't used the stove yet.

The litre-size pot is made of aluminium and has a rubbery lid that fits well but not too tightly. The best feature is the long stainless steel handle which locks firmly into place and folds over the lid when the unit is packed. This is excellent and far better than the webbing loops found on some similar stove systems which I always find a little uncomfortable and insecure. The handle has insulating material over it so it shouldn't get too hot.

The pot has a stretchy cosy, two stretchy cosies in fact, one plain black, one with red markings that I really like. With cosy and lid the pot weighs 276 grams.

Similar stoves often come with plastic bowls that fit under the heat exchanger. I don't find these very useful as they easily get dirty from the heat exchanger and are vulnerable to cracking. The Star X1 Pro doesn't have one of these. Instead it has a Tritan plastic bowl that fits inside the pot. It weighs 61 grams. I'll probably leave it at home.

The burner unit is substantial with thick plastic supports and a raised metal surround that should help keep off wind.  There's a Piezo igniter and a small control knob.

The pot fits on top of the stove via two slots that slip over little nodules on the inside of the metal surround. The pot can then be twisted to secure it in position. Once this is done it feels very stable.

The burner, bowl, and a 100 gram canister can be packed inside the pot. A 230 gram canister will fit but if you put the burner in as well it protrudes above the top so you can't close the lid. The burner weighs 188 grams.

The complete unit weighs 525 grams on my scales, which is 30 grams less than Fire Maple's figure. Leave the bowl behind and that comes down to 464 grams. This weight is typical for this type of cooking system.

I'll take the unit on my next camping trip and see how it does. Fire Maple says it can boil 500ml of water in 1 minute 42 seconds using 4.5g of fuel. That's a very fast boil time and very low fuel usage. I'll be interested to see what it does in my tests.

 

The cost is £39.26, which is very low.

I made a little video about the stove.

*I am an Amazon Associate so if you buy from the Amazon links I receive a commission at no cost to you. Clicking then finding your own items within 24 hours also helps but with a much smaller commission. Every click helps! Thank you if you do purchase something or click on one of my links.