Antigravity Gear Pot Feedback

[Drew Davis]

I'm in the market for a new pot. I've read a few reviews but for the most part, they lack detail.

I guess what I'm after is whether the pots are durable over the long run. I've read some reviews that mention the pot warping with use. I thought that was weird.

Also, I generally cook for two – me and my wife. Do you recommend the 3 cup pot or the 2 quart? The 2 quart seems huge but the 3 cup may be all I need. Typically we cook a lipton side dish or some tortellini from Wal-Mart and split it. Could I cook two liptons in a 3 cup pot?

Thanks for the feedback in advance…

[Denis Hazlewood]

When soloing I usually carry a 0.9 or 1.3 liter pot. When Susan is along we use a 2 liter pot. This leaves up plenty of warm water for washing up. I have found the pots very durable. The older pots have a few small dings, mostly in the bottom corner, where one might bump them on a rock. As to warping: All of my titanium post have warped to some extent. It's fairly easy to bent them back into shape.

We rarely cook in the pot. Scouring post is a pain in the woods. We just boil water and reconstitute in our cups.

As with all ultralight gear: exercise caution.

[Stephen Nelson]

I have a .9 L evernew titanium that is very durable. With patience, I have even cooked for 4 people with it. I just heated water like Denis, but it has always been plenty if you don't mind doing it one a time for 2 person food and drink together or at one time for 2 person food only

[Drew Davis]

The Antigravity Gear pots are not titanium though are they? I thought they were aluminum – that's why I was wondering about their durability.

[Denis Hazlewood]

I guess you're right about AntiGravity Gear aluminum. I have found that aluminum dents more easily than stainless. You don't have to worry about the pots failing. I've never had one develop a leak, no matter how beat up they were. Remember that really beat up, blackened pots are the height of cool on the trail. Also you do not want to be cooking anything acidic in aluminum.

Titanium is a little stiffer than stainless, but is alot thinner. I haven't used aluminum for years. My Mom heard that autopsies revealed that alzhiemers sufferers had elevated aluminum in their bodies and sent me a bunch of stainless pots and pans. I switched to stainless until going to all titanium about 3 years ago.

You'll certainly save on weight with titanium, and the metal is very inert. No rust or worries about acidic cooking.

[john flanagan]

I'm also interested in these pots in the 3 cup size. When I compare the dimensions of this to 1 quart pots from Evernew and Vargo the dimensions are nearly identical, the AGG pot is a wee bit lighter (3.8 v 4.9 v 4.0), and the cost is $12 rather than $50. While the cost factor is blunted by the fact that Antigravity Gears shipping charge doubles the price…what the heck am I missing? What prevents this from being the pot of preference?

I find it puzzling that the volume is listed as 3 cups and the dimensions are the same as the other 0.9 liter pots. Does that mean that adding 3 cups leaves some space in the pot?

Given the shipping charge and my New Years resolution to give up purchasing gear "just to see" how it works, I add my curiosity to Drew's.

[James Pitts]

I recently bought one of the new BPL TI pots just to satisfy my curiosity and to use up my year-end coupon. It seems really nice -except- that the lid fits a little too tightly for my liking. I would go so far as to say it doesn't fit at all. Now I'll probably ditch the lid altogether and go with a piece of foil, but I think the ID of the lip of the lid needs to be just a tad smaller.

I will say that I have beat the tar out of my TI pots over the years and have never had a durability problem with them. Even the welded pieces have never come apart. I don't buy nonstick stuff so I can't say how nonstick TI cookware performs.

However, recently I have mostly been using the Fosters can Esbit stove combination.

On edit I'll add that I have put my TI pots right on the coals of a fire on many occasions to boil water. I have never had a pot warp. I am not sure if this is typical but that's my experience. I bet if the TI got thin enough this could be an issue but I don't know that for sure

I'll also add that it is my understanding that the link between alzheimer's and aluminum cookware is an urban myth. I'll see if I can find a reference.

[David Neumann]

I have purchased but not yet received the new BPL 500 ml pot and lid. I'm hopeful my lid fits because that was my main motivation for buying it. I've not had the greatest luck with a foil lid, although I've made decent ones out of heavy duty foil folded over twice.

I've also successfully used the 3-cup AGG pot and lid and have had great success with it for solo backpacking; cooking on either an alcohol stove or a canister stove.

I like the small pots with handles so it can double for boiling water and as a mug though.

[Denis Hazlewood]

James,

I don't say it isn't a myth. But it was eaiser to use stainless than argue with "the wisdom of Mom". She also says eat your dessert first.

Besides the stainless came in black. Might have boiled a little quicker.

[EndoftheTrail]

Dave:

Jasonklass bought the same BPL ti pot and he's also complaining about the lid:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/5567/index.html

[ryan g]

I used the AGG 3-cup pot for 900 or so miles this summer. I had no problems with durability.

The pot can hold two liptons/ramens/mashed potatoes/etc, as long as you don't use too much water.

[James Pitts]

LOL! Sorry, I should have read the post a little more closely. :)

Hey, mom knows best, right?

Tell your mom I need some new pots!

I have a few anodized aluminum pots that seem to work better than non-anodized aluminum pots. Their surface is harder. Aluminum has a much greater conductivity than titanium. I did a LOT of experiments with alcohol stoves and pot materials. Aluminum pots were the clear winner in "boil time". I played with anodized pots for a while for this reason but in the end wound up with my titanium stuff again.

[James Pitts]

Well, that does it for me… I have to find a way to make that lid fit now. That gives me something to tinker with this weekend.

[EndoftheTrail]

James, I've posted this before, but in case you missed it, follow the link below to see how I fashioned a lid for my SP 600 — something that you might consider doing for both your SP600 and your new BPL ti pot.

http://www.freewebs.com/jasonklass/benslid.htm

[Jeffrey Kuchera]

I used a grease pot with great success for five hundred continuous miles of hiking. I was cooking mainly on an alcohol stove and small fires. It did start to kind of get beat up. It still had plenty of life left in it when I retired it though. I actually moved from the grease pot to a slightly larger and heavier aluminum pot. The grease pot is very light and very modifiable. People complain about the lip rolling inward. Well then grind it off or find someone who is willing to help you grind it off. I actually remember hearing that someone is now making a grease pot where the lip rolls outward. Maybe you can machine a drain slit in the lid and remove the plastic knob and go with a nut and bolt instead. Or you can fabricate an altogether new lid with some aluminum flashing. You end up with a super cheap and super light solo pot. I should suppose you could get a great deal more mileage out of one if you don't abuse it on campfires as I frequenly did. Titanium is not worth the money in my humble opinion. The cheapest quality aluminum grease pot is definitely super dog tough. If you upgrade to a slightly better quality pot of aluminum such as offered by AGG it will last you for a while as it is even tougher than the grease pot. I guess I am saying I vote for ALUMINUM.

[James Pitts]

You know, I was looking at that web site the other day, the Titanium trowel project… outstanding! I didn't study the lid you made for your SP600 but I will now. Thanks, Benjamin.

[Denis Hazlewood]

James,
Look in the MYOG forum and see Bill Fornshells "Titanium Pottery Trowel for your SUL gear list". It's on page 3. Eric Nobel and I both made them. I have enough material to make 5 more. The difficult bending process has me shying away form making any more of them. Perhaps it will be a good "between Jobs" project.

I believe this is Bill's Trowel or it may be Eric's. I can't find th photo of mine. (Theirs are nicer)

[James Pitts]

I am not the least bit ashamed to say that I LOVED this project report. I want to try it out but I have three concerns.

First, I am pretty sure the resulting trowel won't put a dent in the root-bound ground of he Wisconsin Northwoods… :)

Second, I don't have a supply of the metal this trowel is made of.

Third (and I have a recommendation on how to address this)… I don't have a Mont Bell trowel to copy. Now if someone was to post a scanned image of that little piece of graph paper as a template with a scale on it… :)

I am not sure if that suggestion would violate some copyright law. I guess I could dig into the artist in me to actually sketch the perfect trowel of my dreams. :)

[Jim Colten]

You can get titanium from thru hiker. I am pretty sure that was Bill's source.

If you need larger than the sizes mentioned, use the contact us link and he'll provide other sizes.

[James Pitts]

Thanks! I ordered a sheet and am looking forward to my new project when it gets here… :)

[Bill Fornshell]

James,

I copied the Montbell Trowel picture and enlarged it till it was the right size then printed it out. Then I cut around it for my pattern.
Here is my
How To Thread

I did get my Titanium from Thru-Hiker. You can buy it in larger pieces than he lists on his web site. Email or call and tell him what you need.

[James Pitts]

Verrrrry smart. I'll most certainly go that route.

[Jim Colten]

Be sure to report on how well it works in root infested soil. I know that with the ubiquitous orange plastic trowel I need to cut the hole out (stabbing motions) rather than pry on it.

[Erin McKittrick]

I have a titanium pot that I've been cooking on fires with for years now. I've buried it in coals, I've occasionally even boiled it dry… It's all black on the outside, but there are only a few small dents, and those are all from dropping it.

-Erin
http://www.aktrekking.com

[Bill Fornshell]

Jim,

I used my Ti trowel on my hike in GA this past Oct. It worked fine but when I ran into roots that I could not cut through I just pulled out my K-Bar and chopped them up with that.

[Author]

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