bowls (if anybody even uses 'em)

[ishmael86]

Surely no ultralight hiker uses a bowl, but for anybody out there camping with kids or cooking for two or more in one pot, here's an idea:

Thai Kitchen makes these rice noodle bowls which, besides being very tasty, come in a semi-permenant sort of plastic bowl which weighs nothing but is surprisingly tough for an instant lunch container and is designed to have boiling water poured into it. I suppose it's on the level of those gladlock containers advertised to be bought, used for a while, and thrown away, but unlike gladlock bowls, comes already full of lunch. They are rather low-cal meals, though, so only take 'em if you don't need major calories or want to lose a little weight )

[TOW]

not that i am an ultralighter, i am not, i just eat directly out of the pan that i do all my cooking in...............

wanderer

[neo]

i am a one pot,cooker,eater,drinker,lighter and less dishes to carry or do. neo

[TakeABreak]

Well I have two thoughts on this matter.

1) If hiking with other hiker's, you know and trust (sanitary wise), a bowl come in handy. I started with a very light plastic bowl in 2000, a few evening's, I few a other hiker's made high carb dinner's each, one made rice, another stuffing mix, another mashed potato's and i made mac & cheese and opened up a couple cans of tuna. Those of us with a bowl took 1/4 out of each pot. the others figured it out, it was nice because a few were low of food, it was February, so we all got a tastey meal and got to share a little. I must emphasize be careful about sharing food a lot of people get sick this way. Make sure the other person starts with a clean pot and hands and it should be o.k.

2) I got rid of the bowl as I got ahead of the other hikers and started to lighten my pack, no the bowl does not way but a couple of ounces, but every ounce counts, when cutting weight.

I do mostly just eat right out of the pot, less to clean and carry.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I carry my need to stay dry electronic items and smaller baggies of food, etc. - things like spices, medications, dried egg powder - in an entree-size gladware container (a bit bigger than a sandwich size). I use the container as a mixing bowl for prep / place to allow food to re-hydrate (wrapped in a fleece jacket to conserve heat) and a plate at meals. Since there are two starving dinos at meals, having two things along to eat from (the pot is the other dish) keeps us from committing murder or getting divorced.

[NJHiker]

I use a similar "Uncle Ben's Rice Bowl"....about a 16 oz super cheapo recycleable plastic thing....weighs next to nothing, but it's convenient because I can throw it out after I return home. I also carry a pair of Sierra cups (8 and 12 os) for hot beverages

[soulrebel]

I have a jetboil system which is like a pot and also has 1.5 cup plastic bottom which can be used for a small slurp, but since I usually hike with my wife, we added an orikaso dish.
I'm impressed--i wanted a cutting board, 1st stage silt filter, and bowl, coffee filter it does it all.
I think $6.00 at Rei indestructible (no flames) lifetime guarantee. Weight 1.5oz
http://orikaso.com/

the plate seems to do all 3--I kick it in under the water bladder in my vapor trail to add a lil more to the frame--

[peter_pan]

Smee and I use one (15 grams) bowl and our .85 qt Antigravity gear coated pot (111 grams) and cut down gripper (16 grams), Jim Wood type Super Cat stove (5 grams), home made wind screen (15 grams), sandwich baggie (1 gram)for the stove and gripper to cut any rattle and keep pot from being scratched, alcohol bottle ( 14 grams) as our kitchen for two. That is 172 total or 6.0 oz.

The pot lid could be replaced with alum foil for a net saving of 33 grams or 1.2 oz. We keep the lit because it seals the pot with strength in the pack, is more efficient ( saves fuel), saves folding and unfolding time.

Typically, we heat two cups of water to rehydrate dinner ( in the foil bag/ or baggie if home made), While it rehydrates and warms, we do a second pot for coffee or desert in the pot. Chow is pour half in the bowl, cut the top of the bag to make the second bowl. It all comes together Time wise as a complete meal.

Clean up is reduced to the bowl user pouring the last oz or so of coffee in the bowl, rinse and drink, repeat if necessary.

This sturdy, flexible, durable system and techniques serves us well for less than 3 oz each.

Could we use the pot instead of the bowl? Yes, but heating the second or third pot of water could be a delay or affect meal item timing. It would make cleanup marginally more work and be a minor decrement in sanitation with some one drinking the dish water. You do drink your dish water, don't you....LNT.

Pan

[Footslogger]

I use papers myself ...did I say that ??

'Slogger

[hobojoe]

i always just cary a glass bowl......for the nice clean taste!!!