What is the best cook set and why

[R-Tron 3108]

You're views, your reasoning and where you use it please.
This could very well help me to make a slightly more informed decision about my next purchase

 

[mountainm]

More details please. Solo camp? Light weight? Multiple nights? Favoured fuel type? Easy clean? One pot cooking?

 

[Haggis]

I have a preference for solo cook sets modeled after the Swedish mess kits: 2 pots and a stove/pot stand. I prefer to use one pot exclusively for boiling water and the second pot/pan is for actual cooking. The stove/pot stand I want to be suitable to use as a twig stove, it needs to also function as a windshield/pot stand for an alcohol burner, or an esbit type fuel burner. Finally, I want the entire kit, including the alcohol burner, to nest very small, and weigh under 1 pound, preferably well under 1 pound.

The Trangia Mini 28-T fits the bill perfectly. The Swedish Volcano Stove is similar to the Trangia Mini. One can also make up a such a cook set of bits and pieces of other cook sets. Everyone wants something different, this is just a description of what I like. The next fellow may be quite pleased with a homemade cat can stove and a thrift store grease pot, and the next wants something more elaborate,,,

 

[JonathanD]

I think it's down to you personally. I use my Crusader set for pretty much everything. sometimes changing the top plastic mug for another steel one so I have two cooking/boiling pots.

 

[Tank]

The fun but costly way is to find out what works for you.

All have their good and bad points depending on what you want to cook.

Your first thought should be what am I going to cook, boil in the bag, everything made from scratch, or am I going to eat steak and sausage. Will cook over fire. Etc.

 

[wales1]

Trangia 27. Compact, reasonably lightweight considering the options a trangia gives you. 2 pots, fryin pan, windshield (which is very stable, nothin worse than some über lightweight number that is unstable and ends up spilling your dinner over the ground!).
i find the trangia works in all weathers, covers pretty much every camp cooking eventuality you will encounter, be it cooking solo or for two and you have the option for using either a gas burner or meths (I tend to use gas most of the time).
its not that I favour this set as its the only one I have had, I have bought and tried all sorts in all conditions, and this thing has never left me pondering over a different cook system.

No doubt the die hard bushcrafters will prefer more traditional methods, horses for courses I guess, but being a sea kayaker and open boater that likes to explore whilst keeping the gear lightweight but usable I find this ticks all the boxes

As a side note, I did replace my hard anodised frying pan for a non stick one. I wouldn't replace the other pots with non stick as the hard anodised is more durable and the food I cook in the pots doesn't really stick as its mainly boiling up/reheating etc., and as I only use the frying pan occasionally it seemed sensible to get a frying pan that cooks eggs easily, rather than weld the buggers to the the pan!

Steve

 

[MikeLA]

It is personal preference. I like the crusader mug and a hexi stove. Compact and the flame dries me or my boots while cooking. tried a few and have gone back to this.

 

[PDA1]

A great deal is determined by the type of outdoor activity in which you will be participating. For a weekend of bushcrafting with no real distance to walk to a stationary camp site, Cast iron skillets and the like for use over open fires may be appropriate. I hilke in mountainous areas and need low weight and very simple food prep at the beginning and end of the day . So I use dehydrated pre-prepared meals, porridge and tea/coffeefor breakfast. For cost reasons I use DIY and recycled materials where possible, and cook sets are a great area in which to practice DIY

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124693...n/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124693...n/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124693...n/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124693...n/photostream/

I don't usually take the kitchen scales on a ride or hike, but this time , just to show total weight of 136 grams for the brew ki, I didt. Second picture is the boy scout pot from the thrift store at 99 cents. 3 shows the kit set up on an IMUSA 10cm pot which cost USD 2.35 plus sales tax. This weighs 98 grams. Finally, three stoves. left, the capillary action based on a 7.5 oz soda can 10 grams, right based on a 12 ox soda can 9 grams. The centre is a modified super cat stove, using a wick of carbon felt, to make it much easier to use in cold weather (no need to wait for it to bloom before putting the pot on, plus placing a cold pot on it will not cause it to extinguish. Being from the Boston area, I call it a wicked super cat stove -7gramswith dry wick. It is very fast and reliable,but uses more fuel per boil than the CAS type. Weight of components: 8oz yoghurt pot 6 g, pot 98/100, stove 9/10, lid and floor protection 7 each, windscreen 12, fuel bottle 10g, water bottle 37g. The 20 litre day backpack is 235 grams (REI Flash 20)

I had hoped that the photos would appear in the post, but you have to follow the linkse for breakfast and tea/coffee. So all I need to do is boil water. So here is my lightweight kit. Noy shown is the recycled spring water bottle used as an alcohol fuel container. Cost is, for me, an important factor, so where I can, I use recycled material and DIY.

 

[British Red]

Triple ovened Aga, full set of 18/10 stainless pans, Enamel roasting ware and a chicken brick

 

[Dregs]

Triple ovened Aga, full set of 18/10 stainless pans, Enamel roasting ware and a chicken brick

But is it available in titanium?

 

[sandbender]

"...I think it's down to you personally. I use my Crusader set for pretty much everything..."

It is amazing how versatile a Crusader mug can be, I have even managed bread (well a roll/bap) in one.

"...Triple ovened Aga, full set of 18/10 stainless pans, Enamel roasting ware and a chicken brick..."

I use a Zebra pot (medium) for any serious cooking. The supplied handle will punch holes in your pack so either replace it or make a carry bag out of the leg of an old pair of combats or wrap it in some thick(ish) cloth.

The inner tray when combined with an inverted main pot or lid makes a good baking tray/mini dutch oven for bread/tatties/cattails etc.

And a big pot is useful when out foraging...

At a push, you can also use a Zebra to dig a hole, keep insects at bay by turning it into a mobile smudge fire and keep a piece of King Alfred's Cake smouldering just enough and not burning away in half an hour because the wind is blowing

Another advantage of a large billy is that it provides in pack storage for fragile items, that might be your mobile phone and GPS but can also include crushable foodstuffs, felt hats etc.

 

[rik_uk3]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Pce-Cam...003?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5af59da533 copies of Bulldog billy cans and a good all round set for not a lot of coins

 

[tombear]

Lightweight, which ever of the nest of Evernew non stick titanium fits the bill, if with the family the whole lot in a big ceramic non stick ally' pan from the same folk.

Heavyweight, 15 and 12 inch Aussie bush ovens, Hillbilly comedy size steel frying pan with extra large Lauditch folding trivet, 22 pint thermette, a couple of stacking zebras to do sides or soups in. Ash shovel and welding gloves. Lots else besides but those are the pans.

atb

Tom

 

[JonathanD]

It is amazing how versatile a Crusader mug can be, I have even managed bread (well a roll/bap) in one.

Absolutely. I've found that swapping out the plastic cup with another steel one improves it even further. You can put bothe cups together and make an oven or container for steaming, making it even more versatile.

 

[tombear]

Has anyone got their hands on the larger size of crusader mug yet? If the quality is as good as on the standard size I'm definitely tempted.

atb

tom

 

[MikeLA]

Has anyone got their hands on the larger size of crusader mug yet? If the quality is as good as on the standard size I'm definitely tempted.

atb

tom

Not used one but seen one and I preferred the old version. Perhaps someone can give you a more accurate answer though.

 

[petrochemicals]

Solo, I use a large skillet, the wider pan is more versatile. I never think I wish I had a saucepan.

 

[JonathanD]

Not used one but seen one and I preferred the old version. Perhaps someone can give you a more accurate answer though.

Seen and handled the old one. If it was steel it would be better, in alu it's rubbish.

 

[Angry Pirate]

I think that, as said earlier, you will need to learn from experience what you need in a cook set and what to buy.
I use an alpkit titanium mug for lightweight stuff either on a gas stove (for lightweight backpacking or d of e expeds) or on a wood fire (gave up on hexi when they stopped paying me to use it and on meths when I tried cooking Xmas dinner on a trangia on top of Cadair Idris). If I'm family / base /woodland camping I'll use a discontinued tefal cook set.
I have used various other bits over the years from mess tins to msr cook sets and have found flaws in all.
I reckon by the time you have worn out your webtex crusader stuff you'll have worked out it's limitations and will have a fair idea of where to chuck your money next.

 

[tombear]

Aluminium?! Well I won't be bothering if its ally'. That's a disappointment.

cheers!

Tom