Hey time to make this thread back on the scene as many of us buy gear and sharing our experiences and pros and cons can inspire others.
That was the case when i first met
@viveen4wd : i had seen maybe all the reviews possible on YouTube about the JetBoil and really thought i was just fine without it and my stove was doing the job. But then i saw it in action. We used his jetboil everyday on the trail and at the basecamp and this thing was a real game changer. So when i got back home i was 100% sure i needed one and it had became a priority.
It was in my amazon cart and i was about to hit the purchase button when my wife told me "have you considered a copy that would be cheaper ?". I am not a "copy" guy. I am not searching for the lowest price when i buy something i like, but i understood challenging the Jetboil had never been an option and i would be silly to buy the jetboil without considering the whole market offers.
So i went to search for new VS reviews and found the Fire Maple (FMS X2). And here is why i decided to buy it : not because it was cheaper, but because i thought it was even better than the original Jetboil
1) the 1L pot is actually a real liter whereas on the big jetboil it is the maximum volume and it asked to leave an empty space so even you don't REALLY have one liter
2) the pot has a sturdy folding handle and i prefer that a lot VS the soft neoprene handle on the Jetboil
3) the lid is made of transparent plastic, allowing you to control / see the boiling / cooking inside the pot VS the silicon opaque lid of the Jetboil.
4) the stove is shipped with the little metallic thing to adapt the stove to anything else that would not be the original pot, so let's say another pan or frying pan, VS jetboil sells it as a 15€ option.
5) considering the 4 important points leading me to my "ok this thing is better (for me) than the jetboil, the price (59 euros delivered VS 130€ for the Jetboil) led me to the "take my money" button.
Many months of real outdoor use (even cooking potatoes in it) after, i have zero regret and would buy another one if had to. But everything is working nicely as day 1. If you're on a budget, this is the best option. And if you are NOT on a budget but don't care about the brand tag, this is the best option. Only con to me : it is noisier than the Jetboil.
