Are Mess Kits Necessary?

[Hannie]

So I been thinking of what potware to bring on my thru hike. I want lite and functional( I will be boiling food and perhaps frying sometimes) I thought about bringing a mess kit but do not want to add a lot of weight. Any of you bring one? What do you guys think?

[Feral Bill]

I carry two pots, one to cook, one to boil water for drinks and cleanup. Many people seem to take just one. A lid that doubles as a fry pan sounds good for you. Add a spoon and cup and you're set.

[Rocket Jones]

For what you want to do, get a lightweight pot w/ frypan lid. Carry a cup and spoon. Eat out of the pot/pan.

[Toolshed]

mess kits - Cub scouts - Too much unneccessary stuff not well built.
If solo, you need only a light re-usable spoon (REI Acetal is nice for a buck) small pot with lid (look at Ti) and a cup, insulated or not, for yourself. I also carry an old superlight 2 cup tupperware knockoff for sharing.

[harryfred]

Pot to boil at least 1 liter with lid that will work as a fry pan. Light my Fire spork, green scrubby, dedicated bandanna, and small container dish soap (rarely used). Stove and fuel. cut the bottom 4" out of a plastic jug (makes a nice wash pan) put it all in a draw string sack from Walmart with a lighter. I also carry a very small container of bleach (multitasker) and I have a dedicated kitchen knife. I also have a 2 cup plastic travel cup with lid that I can carry ouside my pack.

[jacob_springsteen]

I have two titanium pots plus a pan/lid for the larger one. The smaller pot is used for hot beverages or double duty as a secondary pot to boil water outright when the larger is being used. I normally carry one pot to boil water and/or cook meals in. I wanted a hot beverage cup and after weighing a few plastic coffee cups vs. the smaller titanium pot, I was surprised how much lighter the smaller pot was. Hence it goes in the pack as a multi-use cookware item now. This is basically the set-up I use :

http://www.ebay.com/itm/snow-peak-ti...item43ac91d18b

[harryfred]

I also have several Coleman/Boy Scout type mess kits I use. though the internals away, keep the bottom pan and top pan. Put a soda can stove, small bottle of fuel, lighter, bandanna, and spork inside. Perfect for a short hike.

[garlic08]

You see more than a few frying pans in hiker boxes along the trail.

My "mess kit" has evolved more than anything in my pack, I think. I started with the full mess kit, went to a single pot and cup, then gave up on cooking and now only carry a plastic cup and a spoon. The beauty of it is, it's such an easy thing to change along the way if you're not happy with it. You can even pick up a free pan if you really want one.

[Summit]

Depends on the hike you want to do. If doing a very long hike, limit yourself to one lightweight pot and lid, or a Jetboil (which doubles as a pot and cup and has its own lid). If you're going on more of a pleasure hike and like to cook (and eat!), then maybe add a lightweight frying pan. Coffee presses are nice if you like good coffee (again Jetboil sells a French press accessory that is very light).

[daddytwosticks]

I haven't fried anything while hiking since 1983. Too much clean-up. Yes, I'm lazy.

[Hannie]

Thanks gusy! I am bringing one pot, cup, and spork. Seems to be the best. Looking into the jetboil!

[Don H]

Pocket Rocket stove
Snowpeak 600ml Ti cup and foil lid.
Plastic spoon

[Hikes in Rain]

I got my old Boy Scout mess kit back in the early '60's, when I was eight. Used the heck out of it for years, mostly on fires which let me use both the pot and pan at the same time. The whole kit is wonderfully scarred by fire! When I got married, we added a 2-quart Mirro (I think; no markings on it). Worked well for me, and later, us.

When I started section hiking the Trail back in the early 90's, I naturally took my old kit with me. Used a Whisperlite instead of a fire, and it didnt take long to realize I had too many pots and pans, or not enough stove. I discovered Lipton Sides with meats on my own, but made them in the skillet like I'd been taught long ago. Worked OK, but then I used the pot for coffee the next morning, and eventually looked at what I used vs. what I was carrying. Hmmm...

So now, I use a 0.9 L Titanium pot, with a little alcohol stove and Lexan soup spoon. Still hang on to my old Sierra cup, as much for nostalgic reasons as utility. Big weight savings, and I'm no longer carrying stuff I don't use.

I still have the old BSA kit, and likely always will. Every once in a while, I feel retro.....

[peakbagger]

Tryng to fry anything with a mess kit style fry pan is difficult especially over a camp stove. With a lot of patience and grease, you can do a good job over coals but the clean up is a pain. Most lightweight pots have a cover that can act as a small frying pan but I expect you wont use it. After a few days food becomes "fuel" and all you want to do is to heat it up and eat it quickly, a fry pan would be too much hassle.

[Summit]

Thanks gusy! I am bringing one pot, cup, and spork. Seems to be the best. Looking into the jetboil!

The heat flange cover on the bottom of the jetboil is a usable plastic cup. I use it to fill my water bag when the water source is just a seep. The jetboil cup/pot is cool because the "cozy" pot wrap allows you to hold it when it's hot, something you can't do with a titanium pot. The French press accessory is the bomb if you love real gourmet coffee. It's certainly not the lightest cooking system solution but it's darn convenient with multi-purpose uses and NOTHING brings water to a boil faster.

A small canister will last about a week and the larger one about two weeks (one three cup and one two cup boils per day). To be fair, there is a downside with a jetboil. It is basically a refined blow torch so you cannot simmer and "cook" food very easily. You can get it to burn low but even then if cooking pasta, etc. you have to constantly stir to keep it from burning/sticking. It's really designed for fast boiling water to hot re-hydrate meals.

It is also great for "freezer bag cooking" as with a one-quart freezer bag, you can effectively cook pasta and instant mashed potatoes (staple food for long distance hiking). Pour the boiled water in the freezer ziploc bag containing pasta, potatoes, Mountain House meals, stir, and then slip the ziploc bag into the cozy cup and put the lid on it. The insulating properties of the cozy cup, which is hot from just boiling water, are excellent and you get a better "steep cook" than a ziploc exposed to open air. As you can tell, I absolutely love my jetboil!

[Hannie]

That really helps Summit!

[Papa D]

One - one liter pot - TI / MSR - plentybig to cook in - doubles as water collectionscoop and coffee cup - make your own"mess kit"

[Sailing_Faith]

I just got a Ti 1l pot for my birthday, and already have a UL coffee cup....

...

[Papa D]

Nice - i can't find a pic, but sometimesI carry an old style chinese take-out (thinkfried rice) box as something to eat out ofin addition to my pot - not really necessarybut they do fold up like oragami.

[Papa D]

Sorry about the runons in my post - on phonin trail shelter ( Little Laurel)