Backpacking Pots for Boy Scouts

[Joe Lynch]

My troop is planning on doing a lot of backpacking this year. We have most of the equipment the troop will need except for pots. Any recommendations of pots suitable for backpacking with scouts? What does your troop use?

We will most likely only be heating water. We have weekend trips planned to prepare for a 46 miler (Rae Lakes Loop) next summer.

I'm very hesitant to spend the money for titanium because it seems overkill for my troop but would like a step up from Goodwill.

Thanks

[Tony Ronco]

Have you considered a Stanco Grease Pot?

1.3 liter capacity. Good for buddy system cooking.

It is VERY affordable (UNDER $10! for the pot, lid, and a grease strainer) and if you lose the grease strainer and replace the large plastic knob on the lid with a couple of zip-ties, the pot set-up is actually LIGHTER than a comparable sized Titanium pot (but at fraction of the cost – good lesson for "A Scout is Thrifty").

Even if you don't change out the knob on the lid for a lighter weight alternative, the pot & lid are still very lightweight at measly 3.7 oz. (Still beats most similar sized Ti pots)

As a bonus, if you take a pair of shears and cut off the lip of the grease strainer piece then place it upside down in the bottom of the pot, you will have a reasonably functioning facsimile of a Bakepacker insert. Baking brownies or muffins is a surprising treat on a trek.

EDIT: Just for clarity – A 1.3 liter pot is for a Scout style buddy system cooking … especially good for re-hydrating … with no worries on your stove's weight capacity that a Philmont type approach would require. It is obviously not for a Philmont style patrol cooking that uses giant pots to serve everyone.

[Joe Lynch]

That's a great suggestion Tony, just what I was looking for.

Thanks

[Daniel Lee]

If your group needs a bit more volume, consider the aluminum pots available from Open Country (http://www.opencountrycampware.com/products/CAMPING-EQUIPMENT/Pots-and-Kettles/). Not exactly SUL but certainly sufficient. Our Philmont crew used a couple of the 4 qts last year.

Hope this helps…
-Dan

[Bruce Tolley]

For patrol, cooking +1 to the 4 quart Open Country. It is aluminum but weighs about the same as the Evernew 4 liter titanium.

For buddy cooking, the 2 quartt open country. These pots are relatively light and mostly indestructible.

If you want 1.5 or 3 liter pots, check out the Evernew aluminum pots available at Trail Designs.

Check out some of the articles on this site in the Philmont section to see what crews took to Philmont. many of these trip reports talk about freezer bag cooking. Note according to recent reports, Philmont has banned the use of freezer bags for freezer bag cooking for the sake of LNT and to reduce the amount of trash being collected at the staffed camps.

[M B]

Depends on how the cooking will be done. By patrol? in pairs? What stoves, whisperlite or pocket rocket? etc.

Not enough information

Handles are good for scouts.

[Joe Lynch]

We have one pocket rocket per patrol and will cook in patrols most likely.

[Bruce Tolley]

With the Pocket Rocket, the 4 liter and 3 ltier pots are out. You would have too much weight and an unstable stove and pot.

Even with 1.5 quarts of water in a 2 liter pot, you would have to be very careful.

[Tad Englund]

We have had very good luck with the non-stick alum MSR pots (came in a set of 2 pots, 1 lid and frying pan), we would only take one pot at a time. They have lasted about 8 years (we are close to replacing some shortly).
I haven't been able to find them online but MSR does have a 4.7 Litre version that I have but I think it is too big for Patrol method cooking (and too big for a pocket rocket).
I have found it worth the money to invest in good quality equipment and hold the boys accountable. Eight years for the price we paid is a very good value.

[Joe Lynch]

Thanks for the suggestions. All have been helpful.

[Bruce Tolley]

The 1.5 liter pot that was part of the MSR aluminum blacklite set would have been perfect for 2 scouts over a Pocket Rocket. MSR discontinued it. You might find the whole set online used.

You could check out the 1.2 liter Evenew Aluminum pot
http://www.traildesigns.com/cookware/evernew-ceramic-coating-1200ml-pot-eca184

I have used the 3 liter version for snow camping with my Troop and love it. There are other small aluminum pots on the Trail Designs site.

[Joe Lynch]

Someone posted on Gear Deals that Montbell is having a sale on Ti pots.

http://www.montbell.us/products/list.php?cat_id=56

I'm leaning towards the 1.3l pot or the 1.9l pot. At these prices, my boys can have Ti.

Thoughts?

[Tony Ronco]

Ti vs Aluminum:
Ti is stronger, more expensive, heavier (in terms of specific gravity), has less thermal conductivity, but it has an undeniable better cachet vibe than aluminum.

A thin wall aluminum pot (like the Stanco Grease Pot , etc.) is less than half the sales price of Ti and less than half the weight.

Sometimes to be happy with a decision, it has to be made on an emotional basis. You're leaning towards Ti, you don't have to rationalize it. Just go for it (guilt free)

;-)

[Bruce Tolley]

Titanium vs Aluminum

if all the Scouts are doing is boiling water, Titanium is OK. But if you ever foresee them wanting to cook a thick soup, or cook up a freeze dried meal in the pot, or do real cooking in the pot you are better off with aluminum. Titanium does not have good heat dissipation and is really nasty to cook with, very easy to burn the food.

While snow camping, despite my best efforts, stove on low, having the Scouts constantly stir, and use of a scorch plate, my very nice 4 liter Evernew titanium pot burned up on the bottom while cooking up a potato bacon cheese chowder.

[Jerry Adams]

When I was in scouts, we went to the back door of a resteraunt and got used #10 tin cans : )

[Dan Yeruski]

Walmart sells Imusa aluminum mugs/pots. $2.00 for the 10cm(2 cup) and $4.00 for the 12cm.

When Jerry was in scouts they had ice boxes in restaurants and the ice was delivered on the backs of the "iceman" :-))))

DY
Adventures In DIY Stove Making

[Brian Reyman]

+1 to Open Country pots. Several size choices – the two liter ones would suit you well. And a great bang for your buck. Under $20 at REI and only an ounce or two heavier than titanium options at 3x the cost.

Our patrols use that exact setup – pocket rockets and 2 liter open country pots – mostly for water boiling – and do quite well with them.

[Bob Shaver]

We use stainless steel pots with a handle on the side, and a hinged lid. They could be small coffee or tea pots. Being steel, they are indestructible. Each holds maybe 6 cups of water, plenty for 2-3 scouts to heat water and add to freeze dried or cocoa. They were cheap I'm sure. Not the lightest, but did I say indestructible? That is a good thing when dealing with scouts.

[Kevin Sweere]

Options if you lack $$…..

Options if you only boil water and cozy cook in Ziplock bags (why would anyone do otherwise?) ……

For solo or buddy cooking,
—- unmodified pop can (1-cup) $1….. or 24 oz Foster beer can (2-3 cups), $2 So simple & lightweight, easily replaced. Need potholder or glove to pick it up. Need strong windscreen to protect it from being crushed in pack… suggest aluminum flashing.

For larger group,
—- go to Goodwill, Salvation Army or such thrift store, buy whatever small aluminum pot they have, $5. Medium and large steel coffee cans that stoves can fit inside, free. Durable Walmart 9-cup coffee pot in camping section, $20. Need potholder or grabber in all cases.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Olicamp makes the Space Saver hard anodized aluminum pots that fit on a Nalgene and weigh just a bit more than a comparable size Ti pot. They are about $13 on eBay.

Walmart has cheap stainless pots with folding handles.

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