Has anyone practical experience on Ti cups pans etc. In theory it looks good, insoluble in anything a man can drink, low heat conductivity might be good might be bad, depends. Looks mostly cool. Can be anodized in several colours. Stronger than Al, lighter than steel. Somewhat pricey.
Titanium
- Thread starter TLM
- Start date
What's your question?
Lots of users on here my favourite pot is an MSR titan kettle. Had it for donkeys years and still as good as new. Does everything a pot needs to.
Frying pan is a bit of a fail. Works but not as well as steel. On a small gas stove the heat doesn't spread well and you end up with a super hot spot in the middle
Lots of users on here my favourite pot is an MSR titan kettle. Had it for donkeys years and still as good as new. Does everything a pot needs to.
Frying pan is a bit of a fail. Works but not as well as steel. On a small gas stove the heat doesn't spread well and you end up with a super hot spot in the middle
In my opinion food tends to stick to titanium faster than to stainless steel or aluminium.
So for real cooking with a low amount of water I prefere steel (or aluminium for trekking), but for soup, coffee and tea titanium is OK. It might depend on the flame diameter of the gas boiler if it works well with less water because titanium doesn't transmit the heat so well.
I guess with a spiritus burner or a larger diameter gas flame one has less problems as with a full power on one spot gas burner. Less gas and longer cooking time might be an option for small diameters, I didn't really try it out. I usually avoid cooking outdoors.
For the cup titanium is the best material.
Two minutes after switching off the gas you may grap the handles without any pot holder cloth.
As you know you burn your lips at an aluminium cup even if your tea slowly starts to freeze. Titanium works the opposite way: You can set your lips to the edge of the titanium cup even if the tea inside is nearly still boiling without burning your lips. Steel cups here work in the middle, let's say they behave neutral and are a good cheap low budged option if weight doesn't interest so much.
So I recommend to hikers who really cook aluminium pot and titanium cup.
Aluminium transmits the heat the best, what saves fuel, and is very light too. But it can melt on amber if thin or poor quality, especially the handles are in danger if not made from steel like you find it for example at a German or Austrian military mess kit which avoids melting handles. It's less good with gas stoves because it has a notch in the bottom which makes it tricky to use.
army-warehouse.com
(Spoon in steel or titanium if one really wants to throw the money out of the window to save 15g, the problem is just that currently nobody offers a convincing large titanium spoon.)
For people who drive in a car stainless steel is the best option and that's also trough for bears who carry the equipment just a few metres to a static bushcraft camp. The same for flat water canoeing with rare portages.
I do not regularly cook outdoors and prefere eating bread, cheese, salami and nuts - dried fruit mix in forest and field, but I carry pot and mug really every day around for cases if I need to cook on sundays or however a noodle soup. I carry a 750ml titanium Toaks mug with bail handle and folding side handles and additional a 450ml mug with side folding handles.
Currently the cheapest set like that is made by Tomshoo.
Toaks offers similar intelligent pots in several sizes up to 2 litres. They can be used very well on gas burners or other stoves but also hang under a tripod if we cook over a wood fire or amber, like experienced people usually do it.
www.toaksoutdoor.com
A pot without bail handle is nonsense in my opinion. Such constructions usually are sold by brands wich offer gas or spiritus burners and especially expensive gas cartouches.
If you run out of gas you get the problems you ordered if you didn't choose a pot with bail handle.
The survival expert Mors Kochansky recommended this BLACK aluminium pot with very good reasons. A black pot needs less fuel than a shiny one. (If you don't clean your usual pot too much it becomes black by the way.)
foxsurvivalgear.com
That's a similar stainless steel version, 3,5 litres capacity:
www.selfrelianceoutfitters.com
And the same in the very intelligent and experienced constructed 1,9 litres version.
www.selfrelianceoutfitters.com
Another well thought threw co struction 1,8 litres stainless steel:
www.walkonthewildside.de
And that's the 750 ml pot in a stainless steel version, available with nesting bottle too:
www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk
And here the Swedish mess kit, existing in aluminium and alternatively in stainless steel:
www.genuinearmysurplus.co.uk
Not so handy like pots with bail and folding side handles but also a good low budget 2 men option if weight isn't so important:
Stove with Primus 230g gas tin stored in stainless steel 12 cm Zebra billy can (1.5 ltr, tea) stored in 14 cm Zebra billy can (2 ltr, meal).
www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk
One just has to store the mugs under the bottles as usual, and to think about the plates, a British or Dutch mess kit for example.
So for real cooking with a low amount of water I prefere steel (or aluminium for trekking), but for soup, coffee and tea titanium is OK. It might depend on the flame diameter of the gas boiler if it works well with less water because titanium doesn't transmit the heat so well.
I guess with a spiritus burner or a larger diameter gas flame one has less problems as with a full power on one spot gas burner. Less gas and longer cooking time might be an option for small diameters, I didn't really try it out. I usually avoid cooking outdoors.
For the cup titanium is the best material.
Two minutes after switching off the gas you may grap the handles without any pot holder cloth.
As you know you burn your lips at an aluminium cup even if your tea slowly starts to freeze. Titanium works the opposite way: You can set your lips to the edge of the titanium cup even if the tea inside is nearly still boiling without burning your lips. Steel cups here work in the middle, let's say they behave neutral and are a good cheap low budged option if weight doesn't interest so much.
So I recommend to hikers who really cook aluminium pot and titanium cup.
Aluminium transmits the heat the best, what saves fuel, and is very light too. But it can melt on amber if thin or poor quality, especially the handles are in danger if not made from steel like you find it for example at a German or Austrian military mess kit which avoids melting handles. It's less good with gas stoves because it has a notch in the bottom which makes it tricky to use.
Bundesheer Essgeschirr, oliv, Alu, neu - Army-Warehouse GmbH
army-warehouse.com
(Spoon in steel or titanium if one really wants to throw the money out of the window to save 15g, the problem is just that currently nobody offers a convincing large titanium spoon.)
For people who drive in a car stainless steel is the best option and that's also trough for bears who carry the equipment just a few metres to a static bushcraft camp. The same for flat water canoeing with rare portages.
I do not regularly cook outdoors and prefere eating bread, cheese, salami and nuts - dried fruit mix in forest and field, but I carry pot and mug really every day around for cases if I need to cook on sundays or however a noodle soup. I carry a 750ml titanium Toaks mug with bail handle and folding side handles and additional a 450ml mug with side folding handles.
Currently the cheapest set like that is made by Tomshoo.
Toaks offers similar intelligent pots in several sizes up to 2 litres. They can be used very well on gas burners or other stoves but also hang under a tripod if we cook over a wood fire or amber, like experienced people usually do it.
TOAKS Titanium 1600ml Pot with Bail Handle
Large enough to prepare a meal for two, this TOAKS pot offers a convenient bail-style handle that allows you hang the pot right over the flames.
www.toaksoutdoor.com
A pot without bail handle is nonsense in my opinion. Such constructions usually are sold by brands wich offer gas or spiritus burners and especially expensive gas cartouches.
If you run out of gas you get the problems you ordered if you didn't choose a pot with bail handle.
The survival expert Mors Kochansky recommended this BLACK aluminium pot with very good reasons. A black pot needs less fuel than a shiny one. (If you don't clean your usual pot too much it becomes black by the way.)
Where to buy Four Dog 1.8L “Mors” Camp Pot + Lid - Fox Survival Gear
The favoured pot of legendary wilderness instructor Mors Kochanski, author of the "Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival" Book.
foxsurvivalgear.com
That's a similar stainless steel version, 3,5 litres capacity:
Stainless Steel 120oz. Bush Pot | Self Reliance Outfitters
The large Pathfinder Stainless Steel Bush Pot is extremely durable, fire ready, lightweight, and ideal for bush pot cooking for a small family.
www.selfrelianceoutfitters.com
And the same in the very intelligent and experienced constructed 1,9 litres version.
Stainless Steel 64oz. Bush Pot | Self Reliance Outfitters
The Pathfinder Stainless Steel Pot Cooking Kit is lightweight, durable, and has the capacity to cook a hearty meal for a small family.
www.selfrelianceoutfitters.com
Another well thought threw co struction 1,8 litres stainless steel:
Bushcraft Ausrüstung bei WalkOnTheWildSide
Bushcraft Ausrüstung im Outdoor Shop WalkOnTheWildSide kaufen ✓ Trusted Shops ✓ portofrei ab 40€ (DE) ➽ Schneller Versand
www.walkonthewildside.de
And that's the 750 ml pot in a stainless steel version, available with nesting bottle too:
TBS 750ml Stainless Steel Billy Can Cup with Bail Handle & Lid
The TBS 750ml pot with a bail handle is truly an excellent piece of kit. It has so much going for it and has been really well thought out for the
And here the Swedish mess kit, existing in aluminium and alternatively in stainless steel:
Genuine army surplus and outdoor products available in Darlington and across the UK
Genuine Army Surplus offer customers the biggest and best range of genuine army products in the North East. Buy online today or call 01325 481 366 for more information.
Not so handy like pots with bail and folding side handles but also a good low budget 2 men option if weight isn't so important:
Stove with Primus 230g gas tin stored in stainless steel 12 cm Zebra billy can (1.5 ltr, tea) stored in 14 cm Zebra billy can (2 ltr, meal).
Zebra Billy Can with Metal Loop Handle Clips
Zebra Billy Cans have always represented one the best value products you can buy as they are superb quality stainless steel and will last for ages.
One just has to store the mugs under the bottles as usual, and to think about the plates, a British or Dutch mess kit for example.
Last edited:
I have titanium cups, canteen, pots, plates. I am however the epitome of the 'should focus on losing weight' rather than shedding pack weight. They can burn things when cooking if not stirred or looked after. Cooking with sugar, such as porridge, can cause a problem burning really quickly.
Thanks Erbswurst that is truly "for users of Ti in utensils. So far for over 50 years I have used Al or SS, am thinking of material upgrading a few things.
So the low heat conduction does cause actual problems. As pure Ti surface oxidises in microseconds all we actually see is Titaniumoxide (like with Al) surface and that apparently is not nonsticky.
I'll start looking for a mug, a small pot or combination and a spoon, a Ti Spork does exist but I am not very happy with the plastic ones.
So the low heat conduction does cause actual problems. As pure Ti surface oxidises in microseconds all we actually see is Titaniumoxide (like with Al) surface and that apparently is not nonsticky.
I'll start looking for a mug, a small pot or combination and a spoon, a Ti Spork does exist but I am not very happy with the plastic ones.
Nice one @Erbswurst 
I have a mug, and it's lid, that matters keeps the heat in and the ash, etc., out, spork, tiphoon long handled spoon (really useful) a fork and knife.
The only other Ti thing I might acquire is a billy a bit bigger than my mug.
My Ti stuff is about ten years old now, and it has lasted really well. Had a lot of use one way and another too.
Great for boiling up in a hurry, easily coloured with blow torch to make it unique and recognisably 'yours' around a communal campfire, food will stick if not stirred. A layered aluminium base is a better bet for cooking, but you can melt aluminium on a campfire (melted the backside out of a huge maslin pan on one, it was for dye and it ran dry) so it too needs care, and I'm not for lugging cast iron about in my rucksack.
The mug and the cutlery are pretty good. A billy I'd use for boiling up stuff, and I love the lightweight of it. I wondered about a bowl and plate, but I don't cook or re-heat on those and plastic does fine.
I have a mug, and it's lid, that matters
keeps the heat in and the ash, etc., out, spork, tiphoon long handled spoon (really useful) a fork and knife.The only other Ti thing I might acquire is a billy a bit bigger than my mug.
My Ti stuff is about ten years old now, and it has lasted really well. Had a lot of use one way and another too.
Great for boiling up in a hurry, easily coloured with blow torch to make it unique and recognisably 'yours' around a communal campfire, food will stick if not stirred. A layered aluminium base is a better bet for cooking, but you can melt aluminium on a campfire (melted the backside out of a huge maslin pan on one, it was for dye and it ran dry) so it too needs care, and I'm not for lugging cast iron about in my rucksack.
The mug and the cutlery are pretty good. A billy I'd use for boiling up stuff, and I love the lightweight of it. I wondered about a bowl and plate, but I don't cook or re-heat on those and plastic does fine.
@Toddy
As you see
I studied
Potologie.
An important point to understand is that nowadays exist dehydrated "trekking" meals where you boil water in a titanium pot and put it into the food package. You eat out of the food package, not out of the pot.
You don't need to clean the pot, the pot may have a smaller capacity and the food doesn't stick to the pot.
I do not recommend this horrible expensive option for bushcraft and trekking use and see the reason mainly for mountain sports and real expeditions.
But it's necessary to understand this point to understand what's going on and why from a classical point of view unusual pot sizes and ultra light versions exist.
@TLM
If you mainly want to cook a tea or coffee for yourself, look especially at the mentioned Tomshoo option! That is relatively inexpensive.
As you see
I studied
Potologie.
An important point to understand is that nowadays exist dehydrated "trekking" meals where you boil water in a titanium pot and put it into the food package. You eat out of the food package, not out of the pot.
You don't need to clean the pot, the pot may have a smaller capacity and the food doesn't stick to the pot.
I do not recommend this horrible expensive option for bushcraft and trekking use and see the reason mainly for mountain sports and real expeditions.
But it's necessary to understand this point to understand what's going on and why from a classical point of view unusual pot sizes and ultra light versions exist.
@TLM
If you mainly want to cook a tea or coffee for yourself, look especially at the mentioned Tomshoo option! That is relatively inexpensive.
Nice one @Erbswurst
I have a mug, and it's lid, that matters
The only other Ti thing I might acquire is a billy a bit bigger than my mug.
My Ti stuff is about ten years old now, and it has lasted really well. Had a lot of use one way and another too.
Great for boiling up in a hurry, easily coloured with blow torch to make it unique and recognisably 'yours' around a communal campfire, food will stick if not stirred. A layered aluminium base is a better bet for cooking, but you can melt aluminium on a campfire (melted the backside out of a huge maslin pan on one, it was for dye and it ran dry) so it too needs care, and I'm not for lugging cast iron about in my rucksack.
The mug and the cutlery are pretty good. A billy I'd use for boiling up stuff, and I love the lightweight of it. I wondered about a bowl and plate, but I don't cook or re-heat on those and plastic does fine.
I've been meaning to get one of those long handled spoons for years, they look dead handy
TLM have a look at the "keith" and "fire maple" brands on aliexpress.
All sorts of styles and lids in sizes from about 300ml up to 3ltr
Quality isn't quite on par with msr pots but certainly good enough
@Toddy
As you see
I studied
Potologie.
An important point to understand is that nowadays exist dehydrated "trekking" meals where you boil water in a titanium pot and put it into the food package. You eat out of the food package, not out of the pot.
You don't need to clean the pot, the pot may have a smaller capacity and the food doesn't stick to the pot.
I do not recommend this horrible expensive option for bushcraft and trekking use and see the reason mainly for mountain sports and real expeditions.
But it's necessary to understand this point to understand what's going on and why from a classical point of view unusual pot sizes and ultra light versions exist.
@TLM
If you mainly want to cook a tea or coffee for yourself, look especially at the mentioned Tomshoo option! That is relatively inexpensive.
I'm old enough, and fussy enough, that those meals are just a no go for me. I do take your point about the meals and pots though.
I wish there were a lightweight girdle/griddle/bakestone/tawa with a fold down handle. I cook on a cast iron one at home virtually daily, though my old one was cast aluminium, and at a settled camp I take a cast iron one along. Every kind of flat bread, bannock, etc., is possible on one. Exceptionally useful. From oatcakes to roti, from tortillas to tattie scones, it's all good food
Last edited:
Oh you ought to have a go, you really should
Instant smash, season it, make it up with hot water and oil or butter and let it cool to below hand heat. You can add an egg if you like, but it's not necessary. Stir through flour (doesn't matter self raising, plain or wholemeal) until it makes a 'dough', just use a knife to do that, keeps everything simple and clean. Roll out wee balls, pat flat and bake both sides.
Brilliant if you add some grated cheese through the potatoes, though I know you like bacon, you can use bacon fat in the potatoes and crumble up some rashery bits to add to the dough.
If you're doing it at home roll out to teaplate size and cut in quarters and bake those on the bakestone. Electricity about a 4 on the cooker rings, gas just about half way. If the flour browns too quickly, turn it down. Campfire at the edge of the fire, don't let the flour burn and it'll do fine.
Easiest tasty campfire breakfast food
and standard ingredient to go with a Full Scottish, Ulster or English MREs are ok if nothing else is available. So far on longer treks I have always used a Trangia but now I think I'll gather a close-by set based on gas and small pots or large mugs, eating is often light and tea of more importance than heavy trekking meals.
Only good for boiling water and for drinking cups. It's not hard to cook in titanium, it's impossible. You will burn and scorch everything. Anodised aluminium for cooking, titanium for lightweight "boiled water" cooking, steel for open fire stationary bushcraft type cooking.
It is right, that one of the easiest ways to save weight is to save it in the kitchen equipment.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to buy titanium pots.
If I compare these handy large 750 ml mugs I mentioned we see that the stainless TBS pot weighs 220g, the nearly identic Tomshoo titanium mug weighs 130g.
That is only a difference of 90 g!
I have round about 40 things in my 3 seasons equipment and if I would say 40 times, "Ah, it's only 100g!" I would carry in the end 4 kg more stuff.
Knowing this I bought a lot of very light modern stuff, counting really every gram, because 40x25g is 1 kilogram and I feel the difference of a full or empty water bottle on my back.
But this didn't mean that I tried idioticly to reach the official 4,5 kg mark for a complete ultra light trekking equipment.
And even though I had in the end 6 kg of equipment without food and water, several items of my every day used lightweight equipment broke within only one year.
I bought for my travels the Esbit titanium folding fork and spoon because it's the only set in a normal size. Other titanium spoons I have seen are nearly as small as tea spoons, no miracle that they are lighter than a usual stainless steel spoon from grandmas kitchen drawer. Perhaps I have seen all currently available titanium spoons. My usual job is to hang posters for classic concerts in shops, I do that round about every 3 days in an other town and if I come along a rucksack shop I make an intermission and look what they offer. I guess I know half the rucksack shops in France and Germany.
Yes, I bought a fork. I usually travel for my job 4 month of the year around in France carrying mainly my bushcraft equipment and I need the fork because I often buy cake in the bakers shops.
After reassembling Esbit spoon and fork every third evening I threw the stuff out of the rucksack after a year and put my Wehrmacht cuttlery kit in it, which is a short fork and a short spoon that can be sticked together to get a very long Spork. It's called Göffel, from Gabel and Löffel, fork and spoon.
The spoon covers the fork if carried in the rucksack, so that the fork can't destroy the other equipment. In my opinion the best what ever was constructed.
It's made of aluminium and only a few grams heavier than this stressy modern titanium solution from Esbit.
I guess, the Finish army used it too, by the way. I don't know it, but I guess it, because most Finish army stuff was constructed in Germany for many years.
And wouldn't I carry the Wehrmacht Göffel but instead of it a relatively light and very cheap usual stainless steel spoon from mummies kitchen drawer it would weigh the same.
Mummies cheapest and lightest spoon is only 20 g heavier than the Esbit titanium spoon and that is a point that isn't discussed so often.
At one side we have ultralight trekking forums which discuss crazy light summer trekking equipment and count every gram. At the opposite side we have the bushcraft fraction which discusses chopping knifes of 25 cm blade length and cotton tent sheets, bombproof mugs and Särmä 100 litres rucksacks which have empty the same weight as the complete summer trekking equipment of the ultra light trekking fraction.
Stupidly the long lasting 6 to 12 kg lightweight 3 seasons equipment of the nineties came currently out of fashion. And I tell you a secret: Years ago I packed 3 season equipments for boy scouts around 10 kg rucksack weight with civil usable parts of the old Wehrmacht equipment!
We used a short packing list and historic old school stuff, and it was so light that 12 years old girls could easily carry it on several weeks long trekking tours.
Somehow the stuff became heavy during the eighties, the answer was the ultra light trekking movement.
I kept the old short packing list and took the lighter Nylon and Polyester versions and easily reached a base weight of 6 kg (without water and food), added comfortable stuff like ultra light head torch and pegs and replaced last summer breaking civil equipment with the lightest long lasting stuff I found. Nowadays most of my stuff has a NATO Stock Number but it's current military equipment and usually not military surplus stuff from the eighties.
(My 1000 deniers Cordura rucksack is from the eighties, 34 litres, 820g, still made by Heim in Germany.
www.asmc.de
And my fitting German army folding mat is so old too. Its the back pillow of the rucksack, by the way.)
What I mean is, that it is necessary to buy electronic kitchen scales and write a list with the complete stuff one carries around and to compare the weight of the T-shirts in the own wardrobe, the weight of the socks and all and everything to find the bricks in the own rucksack.
It is without any doubt a difference if I pack my stuff for summer conditions in France and Germany or for April or October for hiking in Finland. But it's also right that Helsinki isn't located in Lapland and during the summer it usually doesn't snow there too.
I wouldn't recommend to use a very light sleeping bag in Finland, but I recommend to weigh the cotton spare clothing because cotton is heavy and doesn't really keep back the body warmth.
I think it isn't necessary to compare the weight of titanium spoons in the internet offers, but it would be a good idea to throw all and everything on the kitchen scales and to write the weights of every item in a packing list, to understand what's going on in the own rucksack.
Pay attention that you don't get ultra light stuff addicted, in my opinion this stuff isn't constructed for Scandinavia.
But things like the Hilleberg Akto one person tent or other responsible high quality lightweight stuff should become a case of your interest. And for example a twenty years old winter sleeping bag which doesn't work so well any more could perhaps be replaced with a new Snugpack or Carinthia sleeping bag. This stuff became very light in the last 20 years.
I own the British made Snugpak Special Forces sleep system, SF1, SF2, SF bivvy bag. The filling comes from Switzerland. That's incredible good lightweight stuff.
I think there is a reason why Savotta makes high quality stuff which is a bit heavier. But do you really need all of it for a summer hike around Helsinky?
I think it's a good idea to make a difference between summer and winter equipment.
If you really thought about the weight of every item in your packing list perhaps you will decide that you want to try a titanium pot. But you will see, that a titanium spoon is nonsense, if you just could shorten the packing list.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to buy titanium pots.
If I compare these handy large 750 ml mugs I mentioned we see that the stainless TBS pot weighs 220g, the nearly identic Tomshoo titanium mug weighs 130g.
That is only a difference of 90 g!
I have round about 40 things in my 3 seasons equipment and if I would say 40 times, "Ah, it's only 100g!" I would carry in the end 4 kg more stuff.
Knowing this I bought a lot of very light modern stuff, counting really every gram, because 40x25g is 1 kilogram and I feel the difference of a full or empty water bottle on my back.
But this didn't mean that I tried idioticly to reach the official 4,5 kg mark for a complete ultra light trekking equipment.
And even though I had in the end 6 kg of equipment without food and water, several items of my every day used lightweight equipment broke within only one year.
I bought for my travels the Esbit titanium folding fork and spoon because it's the only set in a normal size. Other titanium spoons I have seen are nearly as small as tea spoons, no miracle that they are lighter than a usual stainless steel spoon from grandmas kitchen drawer. Perhaps I have seen all currently available titanium spoons. My usual job is to hang posters for classic concerts in shops, I do that round about every 3 days in an other town and if I come along a rucksack shop I make an intermission and look what they offer. I guess I know half the rucksack shops in France and Germany.
Yes, I bought a fork. I usually travel for my job 4 month of the year around in France carrying mainly my bushcraft equipment and I need the fork because I often buy cake in the bakers shops.
After reassembling Esbit spoon and fork every third evening I threw the stuff out of the rucksack after a year and put my Wehrmacht cuttlery kit in it, which is a short fork and a short spoon that can be sticked together to get a very long Spork. It's called Göffel, from Gabel and Löffel, fork and spoon.
The spoon covers the fork if carried in the rucksack, so that the fork can't destroy the other equipment. In my opinion the best what ever was constructed.
It's made of aluminium and only a few grams heavier than this stressy modern titanium solution from Esbit.
I guess, the Finish army used it too, by the way. I don't know it, but I guess it, because most Finish army stuff was constructed in Germany for many years.
And wouldn't I carry the Wehrmacht Göffel but instead of it a relatively light and very cheap usual stainless steel spoon from mummies kitchen drawer it would weigh the same.
Mummies cheapest and lightest spoon is only 20 g heavier than the Esbit titanium spoon and that is a point that isn't discussed so often.
At one side we have ultralight trekking forums which discuss crazy light summer trekking equipment and count every gram. At the opposite side we have the bushcraft fraction which discusses chopping knifes of 25 cm blade length and cotton tent sheets, bombproof mugs and Särmä 100 litres rucksacks which have empty the same weight as the complete summer trekking equipment of the ultra light trekking fraction.
Stupidly the long lasting 6 to 12 kg lightweight 3 seasons equipment of the nineties came currently out of fashion. And I tell you a secret: Years ago I packed 3 season equipments for boy scouts around 10 kg rucksack weight with civil usable parts of the old Wehrmacht equipment!
We used a short packing list and historic old school stuff, and it was so light that 12 years old girls could easily carry it on several weeks long trekking tours.
Somehow the stuff became heavy during the eighties, the answer was the ultra light trekking movement.
I kept the old short packing list and took the lighter Nylon and Polyester versions and easily reached a base weight of 6 kg (without water and food), added comfortable stuff like ultra light head torch and pegs and replaced last summer breaking civil equipment with the lightest long lasting stuff I found. Nowadays most of my stuff has a NATO Stock Number but it's current military equipment and usually not military surplus stuff from the eighties.
(My 1000 deniers Cordura rucksack is from the eighties, 34 litres, 820g, still made by Heim in Germany.
BW Jägerrucksack Cordura oliv
Der BW Jägerrucksack Cordura ist ideal für Wanderungen. Durch das Cordura-Material ist er äußerst abriebfest und stabil. Neben dem Hauptfach bieten…
www.asmc.de
And my fitting German army folding mat is so old too. Its the back pillow of the rucksack, by the way.)
What I mean is, that it is necessary to buy electronic kitchen scales and write a list with the complete stuff one carries around and to compare the weight of the T-shirts in the own wardrobe, the weight of the socks and all and everything to find the bricks in the own rucksack.
It is without any doubt a difference if I pack my stuff for summer conditions in France and Germany or for April or October for hiking in Finland. But it's also right that Helsinki isn't located in Lapland and during the summer it usually doesn't snow there too.
I wouldn't recommend to use a very light sleeping bag in Finland, but I recommend to weigh the cotton spare clothing because cotton is heavy and doesn't really keep back the body warmth.
I think it isn't necessary to compare the weight of titanium spoons in the internet offers, but it would be a good idea to throw all and everything on the kitchen scales and to write the weights of every item in a packing list, to understand what's going on in the own rucksack.
Pay attention that you don't get ultra light stuff addicted, in my opinion this stuff isn't constructed for Scandinavia.
But things like the Hilleberg Akto one person tent or other responsible high quality lightweight stuff should become a case of your interest. And for example a twenty years old winter sleeping bag which doesn't work so well any more could perhaps be replaced with a new Snugpack or Carinthia sleeping bag. This stuff became very light in the last 20 years.
I own the British made Snugpak Special Forces sleep system, SF1, SF2, SF bivvy bag. The filling comes from Switzerland. That's incredible good lightweight stuff.
I think there is a reason why Savotta makes high quality stuff which is a bit heavier. But do you really need all of it for a summer hike around Helsinky?
I think it's a good idea to make a difference between summer and winter equipment.
If you really thought about the weight of every item in your packing list perhaps you will decide that you want to try a titanium pot. But you will see, that a titanium spoon is nonsense, if you just could shorten the packing list.
Last edited:
I'm another titanium user (or 'titty' as I like to think of myself).
I use a Toaks 750ml mug because it's very light and slides nicely underneath a 1L nalgene bottle.
I also have a titanium gas burner (can't recall the name of it, got it from Alpkit) and a titanium spork (that purchase was pretty much an in-joke with a friend. I got it on Amazon and it was surprisingly cheap).
For boiling water for a brew up it's great. Being lightweight is an added bonus (my burner and bottle weight less than the weight of a 58 bottle alone!). Because the titanium is thin it also cools down quickly (I tend to get rid of any excess liquid by given it a quick blast on the stove).
I ummed and ahhed about a titanium cooking pan. In the end I decided not to purchase one because I'd heard repeated reports that titanium is not as good at 'spreading' the heat and it also sticks.
So I have restricted the titanium to my brew kit, which gets used more than anything else, and I also thought that it gets taken when out for a walk so I want it light.
I use a Toaks 750ml mug because it's very light and slides nicely underneath a 1L nalgene bottle.
I also have a titanium gas burner (can't recall the name of it, got it from Alpkit) and a titanium spork (that purchase was pretty much an in-joke with a friend. I got it on Amazon and it was surprisingly cheap).
For boiling water for a brew up it's great. Being lightweight is an added bonus (my burner and bottle weight less than the weight of a 58 bottle alone!). Because the titanium is thin it also cools down quickly (I tend to get rid of any excess liquid by given it a quick blast on the stove).
I ummed and ahhed about a titanium cooking pan. In the end I decided not to purchase one because I'd heard repeated reports that titanium is not as good at 'spreading' the heat and it also sticks.
So I have restricted the titanium to my brew kit, which gets used more than anything else, and I also thought that it gets taken when out for a walk so I want it light.
We called the spoon/fork combination "a mystery" because nobody could figure whether it was an entrenching tool or eating utensil.
Light weight makes sense when walking long distances but here close to home (Helsinki area) a few kilos does not matter that much. I would rather have the extra comfort or pack of cookies.
Last years long walk had me carrying some 27 kg at the start. Basically ready for a week with a days extra food. Decided that a slightly lower weight might feel more comfortable. So now I am putting it together hopefully going to be ready for end August for the next long walk.
Light weight makes sense when walking long distances but here close to home (Helsinki area) a few kilos does not matter that much. I would rather have the extra comfort or pack of cookies.
Last years long walk had me carrying some 27 kg at the start. Basically ready for a week with a days extra food. Decided that a slightly lower weight might feel more comfortable. So now I am putting it together hopefully going to be ready for end August for the next long walk.
@Wander
Do you use this here?
alpkit.com
It's sold under several brands, to find it it helps to write "gas stove 45g" in the surch machine.
It burns with a concentrated flame to one little spot, but it's also my piece of choice.
It seems to be the currently lightest gas burner on the market that works without any problems. But one should know, that it doesn't work correctly with cartouches from Optimus because they have a slightly different screw ventile. All other gas bottles with screw ventile work fine.
Do you use this here?
Kraku ultralight camping stove
Collapsible titanium camping stove weighing just 45g. Tiny pack size perfect for ultralight adventures and solo wild camping. Free delivery, free returns, 3-year warranty.
alpkit.com
It's sold under several brands, to find it it helps to write "gas stove 45g" in the surch machine.
It burns with a concentrated flame to one little spot, but it's also my piece of choice.
It seems to be the currently lightest gas burner on the market that works without any problems. But one should know, that it doesn't work correctly with cartouches from Optimus because they have a slightly different screw ventile. All other gas bottles with screw ventile work fine.
No. I use this one:
Koro mountaineering stove
A high powered titanium camping stove weighing just 124g for mountaineering in subzero conditions. Compact design and made from titanium to save weight. Free Delivery Free Returns Same Day Despatch
alpkit.com
And this is the pot/mug I use:
Titanium 750ml Mug / Pot - backpackinglight.co.uk
Welcome to backpackinglight.co.uk a web shop specifically aimed to help the 'lightweight backpacker' , 'hiker' and any 'lightweight' traveler get more from their trip. Hopefully this site will introduce you to the exciting world of having much more fun, because you are carrying considerably...
www.backpackinglight.co.uk
@TLM
Should you put together a list of your lightest stuff with the listed weight of every single item and show it us here in the thread I could look through it and perhaps give you a few recommendations about long lasting lightweight stuff.
I always was interested in the weight of our gear because I went for hiking with boy scouts, for example in Finland too, and was responsible for the load we had to share.
I weighed the stuff still 30 years ago with the letter scales. And I invested a lot of time in the last years to find the best lightweight solutions on the current market.
I just have the weight of every item of my stuff in the brain and would surely find some bricks in your packing list immediatly should you carry unnecessary heavy equipment.
The easiest way for me and others would be to write down the "base weight", that means all stuff EXCLUDING water, food, soap, fuel. Because that is the usual way lightweight freaks use to work and compare.
The amount of water, food, soap and fuel of course changes from tour to tour and just disturb scientific thoughts about hardware.
Should you put together a list of your lightest stuff with the listed weight of every single item and show it us here in the thread I could look through it and perhaps give you a few recommendations about long lasting lightweight stuff.
I always was interested in the weight of our gear because I went for hiking with boy scouts, for example in Finland too, and was responsible for the load we had to share.
I weighed the stuff still 30 years ago with the letter scales. And I invested a lot of time in the last years to find the best lightweight solutions on the current market.
I just have the weight of every item of my stuff in the brain and would surely find some bricks in your packing list immediatly should you carry unnecessary heavy equipment.
The easiest way for me and others would be to write down the "base weight", that means all stuff EXCLUDING water, food, soap, fuel. Because that is the usual way lightweight freaks use to work and compare.
The amount of water, food, soap and fuel of course changes from tour to tour and just disturb scientific thoughts about hardware.
Similar threads
