The jetboil and similar stoves are very efficient and do transfer heat back to the fuel so will work in colder temps than simple gas stoves but there is a catch or 2.
First they are a complete cooking system which makes them quite expensive and you have to use the supplied pots. Forget about balancing a 8 pint billy on one or cooking for more than 6 people. For some people this is not an issue but must still be considered.
Second the heat exchanger does quench the flame a little so these stoves do produce more carbon monoxide. Always use with good ventilation. This is good practise with any stove but even more so with these.
I find the small 200gm gas canisters will last for a full three day trip with hot water boiled morning & night for dehydrated meals. That includes a couple of brew boils per day. If you are using it to heat real food it wont last as long, especially if simmering.
I would usually take a large 300ml cannister for a 3-5 day trip and have plenty of gas.
Agree with the advice about windshields, covered pots etc. but one point: the canister can explode if it gets too hot so monitor its heat.
I wrote up a set of guidelines for gas stoves if you look in the article page on this site.
http://www.tramper.co.nz/12406/guidelines-for-outdoor-stove-safety/
This post has been edited by the author on 30 October 2014 at 11:36.
Iso butane is what youll be wanting above the snowline. I just got back from South America where I used my little gas cooker well above 3500m mostly over 4000m. A small canister served me well for five days. Only burning for morning porridge. evening Couscous and two brews.
I weigh my 350 g canisters. Empty they are either around 133 g or 148 g depending on the brand. To boil water for drinks for 2 takes around 6 g. It would be the same for a BCC dehydrated meal. I find I use about 60 g for a weekend as we like our hot drinks and soup in the evenings. I have been known to put the canister in the sleeping bag in chilly environments for that morning cuppa.
Sometimes I've brought the rice/pasta component to the boil and then removed the billy and insulated it using my silk sleeping sheet and sleeping bag to save fuel. Wrapping the billy in newspaper is another option to protect your bag from the billy's heat (haybox method).
I have a small sack ive made from polar fleece, i stick my cannister inside it and chuck it into the end of my sleeping bag if it is very cold overnight. With the fleece bag on it you dont get woken up by a cold metal thing on your feet during the night.
The sack only weighs about 50 or so grams.
