Vargo Bot 700 Review (First Looks)

Introduction

The Vargo Titanium Bot 700 is a 0.7-liter (24 fl. oz) cooking pot with a watertight, screw-top lid. The Bot 700 is made of titanium and the lid contains a silicone gasket. I measured the weight of the pot (including the lid) to be 4.83 oz (137 g).

The Vargo Bot 700 has a reputation for being useful for cold-soaking dehydrated (or freeze-dried) food but is a very expensive option compared to an empty peanut butter jar, which is an excellent cold-soaking pot. The Bot 700, however, can be used for stove-top cooking as well – a plastic jar cannot.

There are some other metal cold-soak options from DIYers that have been made commercially-available by cottage manufacturers like Stormin’s, which are both lighter and cheaper. I picked one up off the used gear market last year and found that pot to be too fragile – it deformed easily when stored in my pack and accordingly lost its leak-proof seal in short order. Also, I never felt good about using an enameled aluminum jar designed for dry food storage for cooking.

Highlights

• weight of pot: 3.27 oz (93 g)
• weight of lid: 1.56 oz (44 g)
• capacity:  700 ml (24 fl. oz.)
• size: 4.1 in (105 mm) dia x 4.8 in (122 mm) height
• foldaway titanium wire grab handles
• screw-top lid with silicone gasket for a watertight seal
• the lid is deep enough to be used for cooking or drinking/eating small volumes of food or beverages
• MSRP $99.95

First Impressions

• The lid has a capacity for 8.5 fl. oz. (250 ml), and can be used for other purposes in addition to being a lid for the pot. First, you could use it to warm soup or tea when it’s in its inverted position during cooking. Second, you could use it as a mug/bowl for drinking. Third, with a small pot grabber, it could even be used as a miniature fry pan. Its practical capacity is closer to 6 fl. oz. (175 ml), which is obviously pretty small.
• The gasketed, screw-top lid works to contain any liquid I tried in it, including oily liquids, liquids with alcohol (it might make a great margarita shaker), and hot or cold foods. I had an older version of the Bot that wasn’t gasketed and it leaked like a sieve. This one (so far) seems much better, but only time will tell, I suppose.
• I’ve been using it for pre-soaking dehydrated and freeze-dried meals. My normal routine has been to cold soak my food for an hour or two, add a little more water, then heat it up when I get to camp and am ready for dinner. Unlike the screw-top plastic containers revered by most cold-soakers, the Bot 700 gives me the flexibility to cook and use with a stove as well.
• The Vargo Bot 700 holds my MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe, MSR Folding Spoon, Suluk46 Miksa carbon pot grabber (sometimes I bring it, other times I don’t), and a small (110 g net) fuel canister.
• It’s nice to have a cookpot with a secure lid that doesn’t require its own stow bag.
• I like having an extra 700 ml of water storage capacity if needed on the trail during a dry stretch.

I recently posted this IGTV Video showing how I have been using the Vargo Bot 700 in my mealtime routines this summer:

 

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A post shared by Backpacking Light (@backpackinglight) on Jul 3, 2020 at 5:47pm PDT

Limitations

• Titanium gets hot, especially the lid. Use a bandana or pot grabber to lift the inverted lid off the pot when cooking. And watch your mouth when sipping hot tea, it takes a few minutes for the rim of the lid (or pot) to cool down enough to drink.
• Don’t cook with the lid screwed on – only use the lid in its inverted position while cooking so as not to pressurize the pot contents and create an explosion hazard.
• It’s a $100 jar, and the price tag makes it a specialty item. If you’re cold soaking and not cooking and need cheap, stick with your peanut butter jar. It does everything you need without being able to use it with a stove.

Photos

Where to Buy

• Find the Vargo Bot 700 on sale using our Gear Finder
• or Buy Now from this preferred merchant