Mess-Kit vs small pot and a few other gear questions

[todd52]

Hi

I currently have a wally-World mess kit. I think I paid just under $10.00 for it. It is kind of large, bulky and has a few sharp edges that stick out. I noticed the other day that they also have a small, ceramic-coated pot (blue in color) for under $3.00 but it doesn't have a lid. It's cheap, small and you can fit things in it to save space. I would only be boiling/purifying water, making coffee, soup, instant oatmeal/grits/cream of wheat, boiling rice, instant potatoes, and maybe use it for a few other things. Should I keep the mess kit or go with the small pot with no lid?.

Also, is it safe/legal/socially acceptable to carry a standard medium-sized 3-blade pocket knife. It would only be about 3-4 inches long and I would like to carry it either in my pack or on my belt.

[The Cleaner]

Forget the mess kit....about all you can do is make a mess with it.......

[todd52]

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear. Mess kits have too many parts too (just more stuff to clean!).

I also meant to ask: what is the best kind/brand of regular store-bought bar-soap to use?. I've hear of Dr. Bronners and a few others but I'm trying to stick to items that can be purchased at any grocery store.

[The Cleaner]

My last trip to WW I saw a nice pot w/lid about 3C size,anodized aluminum.Kind of tall and a small stove will fit in it.

[Rocket Jones]

Skip the mess kit. The cheap pot is workable, and you can make a lid out of heavy duty aluminum foil. Another inexpensive option is the "grease pot" from K-Mart. It's small and lightweight, has a lid and the word "grease" stamped into the lid.

I carry a medium sized Swiss Army Knife. You'll see all kinds and sizes of knives on the trail, ranging from folks who carry nothing more than a single-edge razor blade up to Rambo survival monsters. What I've found is that I use the scissors on my knife more often than the blades.

[todd52]

IS it ok to use if the pot doesn't come with a lid?.


My last trip to WW I saw a nice pot w/lid about 3C size,anodized aluminum.Kind of tall and a small stove will fit in it.

[todd52]

Sorry, don't know how the "IS" (caps) got in there.

[Rocket Jones]

I also meant to ask: what is the best kind/brand of regular store-bought bar-soap to use?. I've hear of Dr. Bronners and a few others but I'm trying to stick to items that can be purchased at any grocery store.

Ivory. Pure soap, no perfumes or additives.

[rocketsocks]

Use tin foil in place of a lid. As far as the knife goes, it use to be we'd lay a blade across our hand and if it lie between those measurements, it was good and legal, though that's just a folk method. It probably would never come into question unless there were an issue, ie; someone reported you as have a machete, and upon investigation it was found it was only a pocket knife, but you ran into a hard headed Leo that wanted to check the ruling....I honestly I forget what it legal and what is not, and it likely differs from place to place.

[The Cleaner]

Dr. Bonner's is best try, to find it at a local health food store......or you might use the Camp Suds liquid.It only takes a few drops to clean and be sure to rinse well....

[todd52]

I was thinking in terms of a Case knife. They are made of high-quality case-hardened steel and hold an edge really well. I see a lot of different Swiss Army knock-offs (some from China) and I'm thinking the blades wouldn't hold an edge for very long or might break. Is this right?

[Starchild]

The Walmart mess kit, if it's the one I am thinking about, while usable is awkward to use. The smaller pot is just too small for most things and tippy/spilly not to mention boil over prone due to it's small height, the pan with the attached handle makes it back heavy. High temp cooking, in this case white gas, along with not enough room to stir caused things to stick/burn and the pot was a loss.

While usable, I would go for something just a step up and feel you will be glad you did. The above mentioned k-mart grease pot cost in the same range (under $10), and is much better investment as long as you can get over the word grease on the lid as that can't even be hammered out totally.

[todd52]

The grease pot sounds really good but I am having trouble finding it at KMart's online store. Would anyone mind posting a link to the pic/description on KMart's site?. It sounds just like what I'm looking for. Thanks!.

[waterman1148]

Go with a Case knife. Best in the U.S.

[Rocket Jones]

Here's a source for the grease pot in a set with a cozy and pot gripper (http://end2endtrailsupply.com/Stanco_Greasepot.html). More than I'd personally want to pay, but considering the cost of the materials it's a fair price. If nothing else you can see what the pot itself looks like.

[Starchild]

Here's a source for the grease pot in a set with a cozy and pot gripper (http://end2endtrailsupply.com/Stanco_Greasepot.html). More than I'd personally want to pay, but considering the cost of the materials it's a fair price. If nothing else you can see what the pot itself looks like.
The pot gripper in that above link is very useful with the grease pot, though any pot gripper will do.

While I didn't find the grease pot on the kmart web site, I did find it at one of their larger stores, it is not by the pots, but by kitchen miscellaneous stuff. There is also a Walmart version though it is less desirable because the lip rolls in instead of out, meaning harder cleaning and for that one is it not possible to use a Caldera cone.

[Rocket Jones]

Rather than a gripper, what I did was to drill a hole on opposite sides, just under the rim, and use a length of solid copper wire as a pot bail. I also cut a small slot in the lid on each side so the lid still fits tightly. When not in use, the wire stores inside the pot.