New camp plates: plastic or metal (aluminum, etc)?

Metal plates have an interesting feature. Put near-boiling food on them, and you may burn your fingers.
Bacteria? Try washing the plates with a bit of warm water and soap. Very simple.

Cheers

So you're saying go for plastic?

Yep.
We (my wife and I) use GSI plastic Inform bowls. These have a wide base so they don’t tip over. And they nest.
The Cascadian ones are nice but they can tip when on a ‘soft’ surface – like inside a tent.
URLs to reviews included.

Do you ever find that the deepness of the bowl prevents you from cutting food on it (eg its not a plate that doubles as a cutting board as well)?

> the deepness of the bowl prevents you from cutting food on it
Two parts to the answer.

First, yes, the shape of a bowl is like that, so I often carry a small flat square of 1 mm polyethylene as a cutting board – bread, cheese, meat, etc etc. It's quite light, and very versatile. two bowls for my wife and me, but one cutting baord.

Second, by using a separate cutting board, I do not damage the surface of the bowls. That makes it much easier to clean the bowls after use. Just hot water and a drop of detergent.

With the Inform bowls, it is possible to tip them upside down and use the flat base if all you are doing is putting butter and jam on biscuits, or something similar.

Cheers

I'm with Roger when it comes to bowls. I just carry a cut down ZipLoc wide bottomed fridge' bowl to fit in my 3 cup pot that goes with my CC Sidewinder stove. Inside the bowl sits a plastic measuring/drinking cup. The pot lid covers both and the pot fits in a light ripstop bag. The pot lid is my "cutting board".

My rolled up Sidewinder stove goes in its Tyvek sleeve and into a mesh stove bag along with lighter, Lexan spoon, pot gripper and tinder for the ESBIT tabs.

… BUT the fishy smelling ESBIT tabs go in an aluminized, tightly rolled top coffee bag! (Before ESBIT I used to think only TWO things smelled like fish… ;o) heh, heh

I use alpha bowl with lid. Its a fav piece of gear. Cover can used to cut on or as plate. Can transport liquids without leakage. Very durable. Not the lighest but all needs considered, its the best.

Derrick

Hi derrick,
I cant find the alpha bowl anywhere – that the same as the Delta bowl?

http://fozzils.com/

lightweight and easy to pack. I only use the large bowl. I can use it as a bowl, cup, measuring cup, or leave it unsnapped and use it as a plate or cutting board.

Oh my . . . Too much multitasking: "alpha" should read "delta".