What do you consider to be the best cookware kit?

[bfoxg8r]

The Ti kits are nice. Super lightweight, however, they are not the best to cook with. It seems they don't heat up fast or evenly.

I've got a MSR non-stick set. Very light, and nests together into a compact package.

[paulj]

If you are hard on gear, avoid titanium. The metal is tough, but the pots are made from the thinnest sheet possible, both because of the cost, and the weight savings. These pans are aimed at backpack packers who want the lightest possible gear. Rough use may not break them, but certainly will dent them.

I am probably too careful with my gear to give advice, but:
- all my kitchen gear is carefully packed in a plastic storage bin (8 gal RM). This maximizes the amount of gear that can fit an given space, but also keeps it from banging around
- my main pots are the aluminum ones that came with the stove, an alcohol Trangia stove set. For the main task of boiling water, non-stick is not necessary.
- for foods that stick, like scrambled eggs, I like to use a small GSI non-stick wok. I pack that carefully in a plastic bag to minimize scratching.
- I also have a GSI hard anodized 10" dutch oven. Hard anodized is better than stainless steel or bare aluminum when it comes to sticking, though not quite as good as well seasoned cast iron or PTFE.

- I like the inexpensive GSI plastic plates and bowls. They are lighter and more flexible than their lexan bowls, but I have yet to break one. Plus the plastic cleans very easily.
- I also have several inexpensive aluminum plates (from REI). I've used one for years as a heat shield under the stove, and got a couple of more because they nestled well with the rest of the gear.
- another durable choice for table ware is (blue) speckled enameled steel. Coleman sells these, though most of what I have is distributed by GSI. Mexico is a major producer. It is also a good choice for pots and pans, even coffee pots.
- restaurant supply stores are a good source for sturdy sauce pans and fry pans, usually thick aluminum. However they can be awkward to pack.

paulj

[ntsqd]

Even though it really takes shavings or a flame beyond that obtainable with a camp stove, my reaction to exposing Ti to flame is "Ah, no thanks!".

I once read that Napoleon had an aluminum spoon because at the time it was a far more exotic metal than silver. I sort of feel the same way about a Ti spoon. But then I can't back-pack either....

My own cookware is a hodge-podge of stuff from stores like Big Lots, $.99 Store, etc. Service is a 4 place cheap set of home use service stored in a rectangular Tuperware along with the can opener, spare lighters, and a couple steak knives. Must admit though that I've been searching the forum & elsewhere for ideas to better pack it all into a smaller yet more usable system.

[MuddyMudskipper]

I have not seen this pot/pan set before: Neat! How do you isolate the pans from each other when transporting so that the bottom of one pan isn't rubbing/scraping/scratching the non-stick portion of the top of another?

I use the thin foam that the cook set came with. It prevents scratches, no noise, and everything packs away snug (the small pot in the center stays in the center).

[FourByLand]

Saw the T-Fal in action and it is surely something to consider.

[spressomon]

I use the thin foam that the cook set came with. It prevents scratches, no noise, and everything packs away snug (the small pot in the center stays in the center).

Thanks! A couple more questions: Is the gauge of the aluminum thicker as a home use type cookset would be or is it thinner more akin to a backpackers cookset weight? And do you have just the one, which looks like a multi-purpose lid or do you have a couple lids for the pots/pans?

[MuddyMudskipper]

Thanks! A couple more questions: Is the gauge of the aluminum thicker as a home use type cookset would be or is it thinner more akin to a backpackers cookset weight? And do you have just the one, which looks like a multi-purpose lid or do you have a couple lids for the pots/pans?

The aluminum is a thinner gauge than a regular household cookset and very lightweight. The TFal set is a 1/16" thick and the RR pots and pans I have are 1/8" thick. There is one lid for the the 22 cm frying pan and 22 cm Dutch oven but I'll use one of the other smaller frying pans if I need a lid for the smaller saucepan or vice versa.

These are the specs:

Frypan 22 cm

Frypan 16 cm

Saucepan 14 cm (1L)

Saucepan 20 cm (3L)

Dutch Oven 22 cm (4L)

Strainer Cover 22 cm

[Wyoming Shooter]

Has anyone found a good source for this set? Google doesn't produce much for me. Thanks. ELN

[DesertRose]

I am sold on the Snow Peak Field Cooker. Even a strainer for pasta...

I second that. I love to cook, and at home use a combination of old seasoned cast iron, Le Creuset, and Calphalon . . . but needed something a little more portable and easy to clean for our camping kit.

Used to use Tfal, but I'm really concerned about silverstone and ingesting that stuff . . . we got the Snow Peak set and it's incredible. Heavy enough for good heat, easy to clean, and it nests beautifully.

We have a full set of the Snow Peak titanium plates/utensils/mugs, and everything - including the Snow Peak GigaPower stove - fits into the cookware and it has a nice net bag.

I think Expedition Exchange has them (http://www.expeditionexchange.com)

[westexasrepublic]

I like that T-fal,....but what is Silverstone?

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/de..._tfalsets.html <this is what I found on TFAL.> and this is what it says on that page> NOTICE: TFAL has discontinued this product for 2007. Please check out the other non-stick camping cookware sets we carry from leaders like Primus & GSI. The HAE sets from GSI would be considered superior to TFAL, while similar in price.

this is the next best thing, kinda pricy, > http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/de..._50107_7pc.php