Looking for a lightweight, stable, and well-built canister stove for your bikepacking kit? The newly updated Vargo Jet-Ti 2 stood out enough to pull Logan back into stove testing after a long hiatus. In this review, he compares it to longtime favorites like the Snow Peak LiteMax and MSR PocketRocket to see how it stacks up in weight, boil speed, stability, and overall performance…

It’s been a while since I’ve written a canister stove review. I’ve tested dozens over the years, but truth be told, there isn’t enough change or innovation happening in this niche category to inspire me to put pen to paper. However, when the new Vargo Jet-Ti 2 landed on my desk, I thought it might be worth revisiting and reconsidering the subtle differences that can set one ultralight canister stove apart from the rest.

Even when considering it critically, there’s not much that makes one canister stove better than another, particularly when discussing ultralight canister stoves, which are streamlined models that are small enough to nest inside a minimal cook kit. All of the canister stoves I’ve used—well, most of them—get the job done. They’re compact, lightweight, and boil water quickly enough. Some perform better than others, but most fall short when it comes to simmering, which hasn’t been a major concern for me since I primarily use them to boil water for oatmeal, pour-over coffee, and quick meals.

That said, a few key features set certain models apart. Chief among those subtle variations is balance and stability. Some stoves have tiny or awkward pot supports that don’t feel secure, and others tend to get loose and wobbly over time—looking at you, MSR PocketRocket with the missing (and seemingly irreplaceable) base screw! Then there are those that just don’t boil efficiently or have too narrow a flame spread. There are also some that have an awkward shape that never fit in a neat nesting situation.

One of my favorites over the years has been the Snow Peak LiteMax (shown above to the right). As its name implies, it’s lightweight, plus, it boils water fairly quickly, and it’s compact enough to play well with various in-pot nesting scenarios. It’s not the most surefooted, although it keeps a small pot fairly stable since it has wider supports. The new Vargo Jet-Ti 2 is very similar to the LiteMax, particularly in terms of the base and the burner, which appear nearly identical when placed side by side.

This is the second iteration of the titanium Jet-Ti stove. It was introduced in 2005 and earned a reputation for its reliability and durability. Most notably, it was the only stove in a roundup by Backpacker Magazine that survived being chucked off a cliff. To mark the brand’s 20th anniversary, Vargo reimagined this fan favorite, featuring better performance, improved titanium construction, and a lighter weight overall. Weighing just 56 grams (1.9 ounces), the Jet-Ti 2 sports three dual-point pot supports that fold and rotate in one direction for compact storage, a flame adjustment lever, and jet ports that deliver 9,000 BTUs. It comes with a nylon carrying case.

Aside from being relatively small and light, one thing I immediately liked about the Vargo Jet-Ti 2 is that it skips the flimsy multi-folding parts often found on many ultralight stoves. As you can see in the overhead photo of it with others, the supports aren’t as wide, but it has a more solid feel when compared to almost all of these stoves. As a result, it sacrifices some compactness. To allow it to nest within my BOT 700 with a small 110-gram/4-ounce canister and a Bic lighter, I had to angle it and wedge it within the lid without the included case. It nests perfectly in the BOT XL with the case, for the record.

Speed isn’t of the utmost importance, coming from someone who generally prefers the solitude afforded by perfectly quiet alcohol burners on long trips. However, with a canister stove, especially when boiling water for coffee, it’s nice to get all the noise and bluster out of the way and get on with enjoying the morning. For fun, I pitted the new Jet-Ti 2 against the two most similar stoves I had on hand—the MSR Pocket Rocket and the Snow Peak LiteMax Ti—to see which boils water the fastest and how they compare in terms of noise level. The Vargo Jet-Ti 2 came in a solid middle place, boiling 400ml of room-temp water in 3 minutes and 14 seconds (03m:14s) using the titanium BOT 700. Under the same conditions, the Snow Peak LiteMax was timed at 3 minutes and 43 seconds (03m:43s), and the MSR Pocket Rocket was the fastest at under three minutes (02m:44s). The Jet-Ti 2 was the quietest, and it’s arguably has the most stable pot support.

Similar to the LiteMax, the Jet-Ti 2 performs above average when it comes to simmering, thanks to its decent valve control that allows for fine adjustments at the low end. It can maintain a low, steady flame, making it capable of simmering when needed. However, like any stove in this ultralight category, it doesn’t have a wide burner head—a non-issue with smaller cookware—which would make it less effective when using with pots over 1 liter or anything larger than a one-egg-sized frying pan.

• Model/Size Tested: Vargo Jet-Ti 2
• Actual Weight: 56 grams
• Place of Manufacture: China
• Price: $50 at AMZ
• Manufacturer’s Details: Vargo

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