With festival season in full swing and campsites buzzing, we took the Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System for a spin to see if it lived up to its reputation as a compact, all-in-one camp kitchen.
Designed for campers who want convenience without compromising on performance, this two-burner stove system promised a lot and mostly delivered.
Jetboil, founded in 2001, built its name on fast-boiling, fuel-efficient stoves for backpackers and adventurers. The Genesis marks a shift toward group and car camping, offering a foldable, dual-burner setup that’s both portable and powerful. It’s aimed at campers who want gourmet-style cooking in the wild without lugging a full kitchen.
The Genesis system weighs in at around 4.1 kg and folds neatly into a self-contained travel pack. The carry case is thoughtfully designed, with Velcro-secured pockets that kept our fuel regulator and accessories from rattling around. It’s compact enough to stash in a car boot or festival trolley, and the collapsible handles made it easy to carry from car to pitch.
Setup was intuitive, once we figured out which way was up. The stove unfolds like a clamshell, and the 5L pot and 10-inch frying pan nest perfectly inside. The pots lock into place with a satisfying click, and the auto-ignition levers sparked to life without fuss. We appreciated the stability of the unit, even on uneven ground, and the minimal clean-up afterwards was a dream apart from the egg! You can see how shiny it was and really only needed a quick wipe-down and done.
Performance-wise, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. While Jetboil claims a 3-minute boil time, ours was closer to 6–7 minutes, especially in breezy conditions. The windscreen, though present, didn’t offer much protection, and we had to shield the flame manually at times. Frying required constant attention, as the heat distribution wasn’t entirely even as our eggs cooked faster on one side of the pan than the other.
That said, for casual campers like us, the Genesis was more than sufficient. It handled everything from bacon and eggs to pasta with ease. Whilst it’s not the cheapest option on the market retailing around £399 you’re paying for clever design, portability, and versatility. Aesthetically, it’s a sleek bit of kit and comes with a one-year warranty, which adds peace of mind for those new to outdoor cooking.
The Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System is a well-designed, user-friendly stove that suits festivalgoers, glampers, and weekend adventurers alike. It’s not perfect – wind resistance and the price are its main drawbacks for me but for those seeking a reliable, space-saving solution, it’s a worthy companion under the stars.
If you’re not a hardened camper but still want to eat well outdoors, this might just be your new favourite festival essential.