Montbell pots

For virtually any cook pot or skillet made out of any metal, if you do get hot spots on it, they can be eliminated easily. Take the round lid of an ordinary steel soup can, smooth the edges, and punch in some holes around the perimeter. That's a flame spreader. Place that above the stove burner or below the cook pot.

–B.G.–

That sounds just like the old method for getting an XGK stove to simmer. I still have a #10 lid with filed edges somewhere.

"That sounds just like the old method for getting an XGK stove to simmer."

Yes. Sometimes the old solutions are still good solutions.

Another guy had a #10 steel can lid, and he flattened it out more to make it into an ultralightweight skillet. Uhhh, OK.

–B.G.–

How big does the can lid need to be in relation to the bottom of the Ti pot and does it really need holes?

In most skillets, the hot spot will be in the very center, and it will be about as wide as the flame. Basically, the flame spreader needs to be larger than than, but not by much. With a small skillet, I would think that a standard soup can lid was as big as we ever used. With a large skillet, it might be larger.

If you used a flame spreader that was far too large, it would be very counterproductive. If you spread the flame out to the outside of the skillet, you might waste most of your heat.

No, it is not absolutely necessary to punch holes in the perimeter. That's just the way that we made them 35 years ago, and they seemed to work OK. Besides, punching holes in it will lighten the spreader.

–B.G.–

del

Thanks David, for the explanation of differential expansion. You are a fount of knowledge (or in the internet age, a 'font' of knowledge). So, aluminum clad thinwall SS it is. If they can make it in a competitive 3-5 oz range for .7-.9 L size, I'll buy.

Regards flame spreader — doesn't it necessarily cut down on efficiency? Because now the flame is being spread out (cooling?) and heating an intermediary.

LOL, look at the size of the thread drift here. But interesting conversation.

>"Regards flame spreader — doesn't it necessarily cut down on efficiency? "

Bob's carefully worded description of a flame spreader wouldn't hurt efficiency much – a bit larger than the flame, smaller than the pot, and I'd guess you're at 80% of the heat rate of the burner directly. The spreader is heated only once and that happens quickly. Also note you'd only use the flame spreader during delicate cooking, not during water boiling.

With 250,000 BTU/hour burners (that's equal to 25-30 BPing stoves), I've used a large flat rock, a 9"x9" base plate for a railroad rail, and a grid of copper pipe with flowing water as flame spreaders – none of which are UL. Punching holes in a tin can lid is MUCH lighter. A piece of SS screen would potentially be even lighter. Similar to what we used in Chem Lab. Titanium sheet metal also ought to be quite well (a thinner piece would hold up nicely).

Gsi Haluite is comparable in weight to the MB ti pots. 6.3 oz I believe. Plus that includes the neoprene sleeve as well as the sip top. Also comes with silicone grabber and a spoon.

"Bob's carefully worded description of a flame spreader wouldn't hurt …"

David, in today's litigious society, we can't be too careful.

Yes, I've used a piece of titanium foil for this as well, but a steel soup can lid is just begging to be recycled. Besides, if I punched holes in titanium foil for this, I would then be forced to find a new purpose for the punchings.

–B.G.–

I got what was listed as a 900 mL pot, #1 I believe it was, and was suprised to see it holds the same amount as my old Tibetian 700 mL Titanium cup. I'm thinking someone is wrong though I can't say which one yet. :)

I have an old sigg pot that's black coated aluminum outside SS inside with a SS lid/frypan its 3 quarts I believe and weighs like 13 oz. Lid included. Then you added a outback oven ul and a 19 oz white gas stove, sierra cups to eat out of add a few utensils and you had 3 1/2 pounds oh don't forget the spare bottle of fuel for all that baking and simmering and fuel in the stoves bottle now your at 4 1/2 to 5 lbs…. I like my ti. P.S. how's that for thread drift

Can anyone else comment on the capacity of these pots?
Does the "900ml" pot really only hold 700ml?
Are they accounting stating that the whole system, pot and lid, hold 900ml together?
If so, that is sucky! :D
Thanks,
Owlsley

I believe that most manufacturers list volume as maximum capacity. This is not necessarily the same as useful volume depending on whether you are merely heating water or trying to simmer a meal.

I have the 900ml Montbell pot and will measure the volume when I get home although I will guess that 750ml is the most I would try to put in to reduce the likelihood of boiling over.

"Does the "900ml" pot really only hold 700ml? "

Reba – What makes you think this is the case?

Cooker #1 TECH SPECS: Body: 5.4" x 2.6"
Doing the math puts the volume ay 975 ml, so assuming the dimensions are "outside", and the "inside dimensions" are a little less, 900 ml seems pretty reasonable.

Anyone have a measuring cup?

I have the Montbell Cooker #2.

It is supposed be 1.3 liter capacity.
I show it will hold just over 1.1 liters.

Sounds like they may be adding the capacity of the lid?

Most people would probably find that 0.7 liters is a good size.
Not me though.

"Reba – What makes you think this is the case?"

Because of the comment made by Brad Hawkins stating his "900ml" montbell pot is the same capacity of one of his 700 ml pots.

I need a nice little stainless copper bottom Revereware pot to cook on! Those copper disc and clad bottom pans still rule…

Not really lightweight and my backcountry cooking is pretty rudimentary (and I love cooking at home – haven't taken that into the woods but in my defense I'm new to the entire sport/hobby so I've been consumed with other gear aspects). I have managed to accumulate too many stoves already however … and still want a Kovea Spider. Alas.

Anyway – I don't really need another pot – but these are a great deal.

By the way…

When I don't have to hike for miles and so UL is not a goal, I bring along an aluminum disk a little wider in diameter than my pot. I made it from a piece of 1/8' or 3/16" plate that I had laying around. My pot rests on it over my alcohol stove.

It reduces the scorching effect of the thin walled pot, so I can make the impossible dishes like bacon and eggs and even make popcorn.

It is a big hit, especially around the campfire when I can produce potful after potful of popcorn while beer is being consumed.

The Montbell 900ml pot holds just that, filled to the brim. My Snow Peak 600ml cup holds 600ml. My Montbell 1.3 liter pot holds about 1175ml. This isn't enough of a volume increase to justify the increased weight versus the 900ml pot, but at least I got it heavily discounted.

Thanks for taking the time to do the measurements.

Thanks Matthew!

I got the #1 cooker which was spec'd at 900ml and that is what it holds brimming full. For the record, The lid holds 400ml.

I normally carry a Snowpeak 600, which works great for 2 cup boils, but the 900 will be good for 2 people or a 2 cup dehydrated dinner plus a little more for a drink or wash water, or real cooking.

That would explain why my Montbell 3D 1.9 litre pot only looks marginally larger than my Evernew 1.3 litre. Ah well, it only cost $28 and change.