As soon as I ran the news on the Genesis Basecamp Stove, I knew I had to get hold of one. This all-in-one system looked like the perfect accessory for my upcoming family road trip in Wales: it's portable, fully equipped with pans, and takes up little space compared to its capabilities.
Jetboil is renowned for its quick-heating and super-portable water-boiling units, some of which, such as the brilliant Jetboil Flash, we have previously reviewed on T3. Just like the Flash, the Genesis Basecamp Stove is a self-contained unit, only on a larger scale.
Jetboil, but make it gourmet
What is the Genesis Basecamp Stove, I hear you asking? Well, it consists of a folding 2-burner stove, a 5L FluxRing Cook Pot, a 10" ceramic-coated fry pan, windscreen, fuel regulator, and fuel can stabiliser.
As you can see, it's a solid setup; however, the magic is that all of this fits into the carry bag supplied with the kit. The 2-burner stove folds into itself and can be nestled into the FluxRing Cook Pot, with the fry pan acting as a de facto lid.
The full kit weighs only 9.1 lbs (4.1 kg) and sits perfectly on the mini camping table we bought during the trip, as we realised it would be very awkward to cook on the ground with such a pretty stove. You can use it on any surface, but I found it's best if you show some respect by elevating the Genesis Basecamp Stove off the ground.
Another benefit of the dual burner setup is that, unlike the Flash, you can use any pan with the Genesis Basecamp Stove. Granted, the included pots and pans are the perfect fit, but if you have a percolator on hand, you can also use that without issue.
The company claims it takes 3 minutes and 15 seconds to boil 32 oz (1 litre) of water in the 5L FluxPot, which I found to be accurate. To clarify, like most camping stoves, boiling means the water reached 100 degrees Celsius, not that it's bubbling over like there is no tomorrow.
The Genesis Basecamp Stove has a piezo igniter, so you won't need to worry about matches or lighters. The provided hose has a screw on connector, so make sure the canister you buy has an appropriate outlet.
(Of course, you can always buy fuel from Jetboil, but if you're like me, you'll only remember you haven't packed any when you're halfway to your destination in the car.)
Cook like a champ, not like a scout
I went on the aforementioned road trip with my wife and son, and the Genesis Basecamp Stove provided the perfect setup for cooking breakfast and dinner. You can use the pan to cook eggs while using the pot to warm water for the tea/ coffee simultaneously. Magic!
I was struggling a bit with the windscreen, though. It should wrap around the stove to shield the fire from the inevitable gusts when you're camping, but no matter how I rotated it, the plastic rim wouldn't sit properly. I resorted to loosely covering the stove with the windscreen, which wasn't perfect but provided sufficient coverage from the elements.
Another weak point, so to speak, of the Genesis Basecamp Stove is its size. You will need to have both stoves on the cooking surface, as I don't think there is a way to detach and use only one. The provided pots and pans are also generously sized, which may be excessive for solo campers (unless they enjoy cooking large quantities of food).
I appreciate that both of the above pain points are like splitting hairs, and perhaps also pointing out the obvious, but they are worth mentioning. At £399/ $449.99 (~AU$691.10), the Genesis Basecamp Stove is far from an impulse buy, and I would certainly do my research before investing in one.
A luxe kitchen for car campers
That said, it's really hard not to like it, especially if you enjoy eating more than just dried ramen noodles and trail mix while camping. There is a growing number of people who choose camping over booking a hotel, but don't want to miss out on their creature comforts – the Genesis Basecamp Stove is perfect for them.
Backpackers are still better off choosing one of the smaller Jetboil models, or something like the ridiculously small Primus Micron III. However, car campers who travel around with a small vehicle and therefore can't take everything but the kitchen sink with them for the trip should certainly consider the Jetboil Genesis Basecamp Stove.
The Genesis Basecamp Stove is now available at Jetboil US and Jetboil UK for the recommended retail price of $ 449.99/ £399 (~AU$691.10).
