CUTTING WEIGHT: HOW JETBOIL DEVELOPED THEIR LIGHTEST STOVE SYSTEM EVER
Innovation is a core value at Johnson Outdoors and this commitment is shared with our family of brands, including Jetboil. It's in their blood, it's what they do day in and day out. When Jetboil was founded in 2004, their goal was to provide a hot drink or warm meal to backpackers anywhere, anytime. And when that first Jetboil personal cook system, Flash, launched, it revolutionized how outdoor enthusiasts boil water on the trail by providing a fast and easy way to do it. Since then, everything they do is driven by innovation, and their newest system, Stash, is the latest incarnation of these beliefs.
We got a chance to speak with Jetboil’s Brand & Product Manager Sara Lawhead who led the design, production, and launch of Stash.
Jetboil revolutionized the backpacking industry in 2004 with Flash, what's changed since 2004?
“The great thing is that we've seen a huge spike in participation, and I think that's really the biggest change besides the gear. Participation continues to increase and I think people have really used the outdoors as a way to stay healthy and active. It's important for us to really remain connected to that community and understand and solve some of the pain points that are out there today.
What hasn't changed is the weight. As backpackers, we carry everything on our back. What we found through research, consumer panels, and by having conversations with people on the trail, is that people are having to make sacrifices when it comes to meals. People are cutting stoves from their pack because of the weight. That's what we set out to solve, and that's really what Stash is all about.”
Where does a process like that start? How do you solve such a big challenge?
“It's been a long time coming. We've had this idea and this concept for about three years now. The challenge was to really minimize that sacrifice and be able to provide a hot meal, anywhere anytime, but still be able to provide that Jetboil performance. So the challenge I gave to the engineers was to take Flash, which is our best-selling stove, and cut the weight by 50%. At the time, it was unheard of. There was no way that that was feasible. But kudos to the team, because they were able to analyze and scrutinize every single aspect of the stove and really shave down or minimize components that weren't necessary for a lightweight system.
We were also able to do so much field testing both internally and externally, and were able to build that that feedback into the development process at an early stage. So when we were getting ready to launch, we were super confident with what we were putting out there.”
How is Stash changing the way people enjoy the outdoors?
“I think the biggest thing with Stash is that it’s opening a lot of people up to carrying a stove that might not have even considered it before. As I mentioned, backpackers and other adventurers have to make sacrifices to save weight and pack space, and a stove can be one of the first things they shed. With Stash weighing in at just 7.1 ounces and packing down into a really small size, it’s a lot easier to bring a stove system with you on longer treks and reward yourself with a hot meal at the end of the day, or a cup of coffee before you set off in the morning. When you’re at camp for the night and have a Jetboil, and all your friends are eating granola bars, jerky, or cold soaking ramen, you're the hero.”
Jump over to the new Johnson Outdoors Outdoor Adventure Blog to learn more about how our family of brands pursue excellence in innovation. For more information on Jetboil’s lightest and most compact stove system ever, Stash, visit www.jetboil.com.
Tagged Camping