quick question about Titanium

[Mike Drinkuth]

In comparing cookware, I'm noticing titanium sets costing a LOT more than stainless steel or aluminum. Sometimes almost three times as much. In many cases it pairs off only an ounce or so. Where's the value. What's the benefit of Titanium that i'm missing?

[Lone Wolf]

Your missing nothing Mike. It's way overpriced. Don't get snowed into buying it.

[smokymtnsteve]

Lone wolf as much a i agree that a lot of the expensive crap that gets sold at outfitters is pretty silly stuff...I do have a titanium cookset..got the whole thing... including two pots and the lid fry pan and even that really expensive cup..but it's real lightweight and has helded up now for two hard years and I stay in the woods a good bit...even do a little work for a company called
InTo The Woods. inc ... even though the titanium sets are a Little expensive I'm glad I have mine... some folks cut wieght by just having one pot and sometimes it's Titanium..but I like having the two pots makes it easier on me when I'm making not tea and honey for folks...and I like to do a little "real cooking" out on the trail; and the extra pot comes in handy....

What I would really like to have out with me though is a cast iron griddle and hot pancakes in the AM.. but cast iron is heavy

thinking about shipping my cast electric griddle in a boonce to hostels along the way and making pancake breakfast..think that would work in neels gap????


NOC you can buy pancakes so want need it there ...

[Lone Wolf]

I carry 2 pots also. Both stainless steel that I bought in 1986. I carry a non-stick fry pan too.

[smokymtnsteve]

.....

[Lone Wolf]

If the shoe fits...

[SkyKing]

I worked in the Titanium industry for 5 years and can tell you the stuff is dang near INDESTRUCTIBLE! I use it and have had great service. Stainless..we all know how durable IT is. TI is lighter but cost more. I TRY not to let cost be the deciding factor, but what I want and need. Guess that's why I drive a dually and not that wimpy 1/2 Ton! Anyway....TI vs SS vs AL......I think it's all a matter of personal preference. Don't fault anyone's choice...........EXCEPT cast iron!!!! (Smokymtnsteve) If ya ever bring the waffel griddle..let me know.

[stranger]

Titanium is fine as long as you work for an outfitter and get gear at a percentage off wholesale, other than that I wouldn't waste your money on it. I paid $20 for my titanium pot, but I wouldn't pay retail for it...it's not worth it.

[RagingHampster]

I love titanium. In some cases, you can get away with using aluminum and go even lighter (such as the soda-can stove).

Pare pounds off with your big three before paring ounces with cooksets...

[chris]

I'm trying to pare off pounds around my gut first; then I'll worry about saving 5 oz. from a Ti. pot.

[RagingHampster]

Yeah I have a black-bear gut too. It's the juice that powers my big-mileage days! Nevertheless, I could lose about 15 pounds (6'1 230lbs). I like to be around 210-215 (retaining a little pudge). Ate too much this Holiday season!

I've upped my hiking to about 15mi of Snowshoeing a week, lift weights 3 times a week, and have cut down on the General Tso's Chicken Take out (Wimper).

My first week-long hike this year may come in may (if I can get the time off). I'll be thru-hiking the 110+mi Metacomet-Monadnock trail in central/western Massachusetts.

[Presto]

You are missing nothing. TI costs more, weighs a little less than aluminum and is about the same strength.

[RagingHampster]

Actually thats wrong.

Titanium is heavier than aluminum, but much stronger than it. It's also much lighter than steel, and a little less as strong. When building something for durability with lightweight in mind, titanium is definetly the material to use. In most cases it is lighter than the same product made from aluminum, because less material is needed (due to it's much higher strength). In some cases where strength is not needed, aluminum is the best option because it is lighter (ie Soda Can Stoves).

Anyways, Ti is very expensive, but for those wanting to shave 4 ounces here and 5 ounces there (adding up to real pounds, not cutting toothbrush handels), it is a very practical material. I have Titanium alloy Pots, Trekking Poles, and Soda-Can Stove Stand.

[Presto]

I know that TI is stronger than aluminum, but not too much more practically speaking. My ti - pot still suffered a few dents along the way, much the same as what I would expect from aluminum. I am one of the suckers that paid full price for the ti, and I'm glad I did. It served me well for 6 months and it was lighter than any alternative.

I read an article recently on leki's "titanium" trekking poles. The article said that they contained no titanium but just contained less of the same material used in their other poles. The company then named them titanium sice they were lighter than the regular poles. I could believe that since the price is not very different between the two. Does anyone else know anything about this? That also makes me wonder if the "titanium" poles are - in fact - weaker than the makalus. Furthermore - is there a company that makes true titanium trekking poles? It seems they would cost a fortune. Raging Hampster or someone must know something about this.

[RagingHampster]

Leki obviously doesn't have solid Ti poles, it's probably just a little smidgen they alloy with the aluminum. The biggest weight savings come from the slimmer design, not Ti.

Most (Perhaps All) "Titanium" products are indeed alloyed with Aluminum.

I took a couple materials classes during my 3 semesters at UMass for mechanical engineering, and I should drag the books out to throw some numbers up but I'm lazy and going to bed (I work 3rd shift). I can tell you that the materials I'm most excited about are polymers that are being developed. Light emitting fabrics, super-strong polys, and color-adaptative fibers. Think of a tent that could go from clear to forest-green at the touch of a finger, journals and head-bands that emit light, and a 2oz clothing wardrobes, etc. How about an umbrella with solar-cells in the fabric which could power a super-strength ultralight plastic fan for cooling your tent & eliminating condensation. I can't wait to see what we will be hiking with 10-20 years from now!

[stranger]

The Leki Ultra-light are definitely weaker than typical Super Makalu's...any day of the week. I think "flimsy" would be a better word to describe them...but it's questionable how rock solid they need to be to work properly. I would go with the stronger poles personally...and the people at Leki feel the same I can promise you that.

[smokymtnsteve]

TI tent pegs anyone??

[Jumpstart]

Lets see: My husband is a titanium and carbon fiber fanatic. We had fun shopping for our AT trip, and I'm surprised we didn't get a trail name from how much of the stuff we had. Yes, it's more expensive and about the same weight, but he coolness factor is there

4 Titanium Leki Super makalu ultralight poles
2 Titanium MSR cook pots
2 titanium mugs
2 titanium sporks (snowpeak)
6 ultra-light titanium tent stakes
1 Titanium fuel bottle... (later reaplced with a poland springs bottle)

I think that was all....

[RagingHampster]

Oh yeah I have Snow Peak Ti Stakes, and MSR Ti Fork & Spoon.

[LBJ]

Hey Skyking this question is for you:
I have a Titanium pot. I inadvertantly put in on the stove with nothing in it. A few minutes later I smelled it and shut the stove off. The bottom of the pot -both inside and outside- is now a bright blue that won't come off. Have I weakened the pot by doing this, and have I made it unfit for cooking by making it toxic somehow?(This is not a pretty looking blue color)