What pots or pans do you use?

[Captain Da Vinci]

I'm about to buy a stove for my trip for myself and best friend. I'm thinking about just getting a normal pot or pan you would use in a kitchen and not one of those kinds designed for backpacking and lightweight and all that shit. Anyone here do that? And regardless of what kind of pot you use, how do you keep yours clean?

 

[autumn]

That's probably a bad idea, if you're considering that it raises the question of your packs weight. Have you travelled before?

My advice: spend the $10 and get one that's travel-friendly.

 

[warlo]

There are tons of pots you can find that are not necessarily designed for traveling and are still lightweight. I found one stainless steel pot with no handle (that's usually where designs differ) that I consider perfect, its light enough and I found a aluminum top that fits perfectly and works for making dutch oven as well.
I'll recommend stainless steel all the way, aluminum is somewhat a sketchy thing to have, specially if you carry a wire mesh to clean with little or no water like I do.

 

[Captain Da Vinci]

That's probably a bad idea, if you're considering that it raises the question of your packs weight. Have you travelled before?

My advice: spend the $10 and get one that's travel-friendly.

well we're gonna be travelling by car mostly. only when we hit national parks and the like will we have to carry it. That's why I wasn't AS concerned.

 

[Kim Chee]

Cast iron is great for skillets will usually clean up with a damp towel if properly seasoned and oiled.

Stainless with clad bottoms is good for pots and pans. These easily clean up with elbow grease, soap and water.

I may be a bit of a kitchen snob but anything at a thrift store or garage sale will probably do the job without breaking the bank.

If you burn your food or procrastinate all bets are off on how easy it is to clean.

 

[Tude]

I'm all stainless steel with a very old cast iron dutch oven and a new fangled copper coated pan so I can do eggs (eggs and stainless steel do not mix). Cleaning is easy - have a sponge with a non scarring scrubber. And if I have had an issue cooking - they make a "Scotch Brite" stainless steel scrubbing pads that work great. Do Not use brillo pads. I still have a set of revere ware copper bottomed pans that I bought in the '80s that are still fine. I went to stainless to rid myself of the teflon.

Camping and stuff =I have some small cast iron pans and some other old lightweight stuff. BF likes his cast iron. I do believe he started to collect it at one time. Bet I can look out into the hallway and count 5 large pans, couple of small pans, bread loaf pan, etc. When we move there will be no way I will help with those boxes

 

[warlo]

I'm all stainless steel with a very old cast iron dutch oven and a new fangled copper coated pan so I can do eggs (eggs and stainless steel do not mix). Cleaning is easy - have a sponge with a non scarring scrubber. And if I have had an issue cooking - they make a "Scotch Brite" stainless steel scrubbing pads that work great. Do Not use brillo pads. I still have a set of revere ware copper bottomed pans that I bought in the '80s that are still fine. I went to stainless to rid myself of the teflon.

Camping and stuff =I have some small cast iron pans and some other old lightweight stuff. BF likes his cast iron. I do believe he started to collect it at one time. Bet I can look out into the hallway and count 5 large pans, couple of small pans, bread loaf pan, etc. When we move there will be no way I will help with those boxes

What is a brillo pad? interesting that there is a scrubbing pad made for stainless steel will look for it.
About eggs and stainless steel, its true and also with other stuff, but I have been quite good at cleaning without soap while traveling and leaving a layer of fat and who knows what that usually helps with the sticky stuff

 

[Tude]

What is a brillo pad? interesting that there is a scrubbing pad made for stainless steel will look for it.
About eggs and stainless steel, its true and also with other stuff, but I have been quite good at cleaning without soap while traveling and leaving a layer of fat and who knows what that usually helps with the sticky stuff

brillo pads: Brillo Pad is a trade name for a scouring pad, used for cleaning dishes, and made from steel wool impregnated with soap.

Has soap in it and when you use it --- it kind of sheds out stuff from the pad (probably the steel wool) - but I have used it on some tough stains/burned pans with success (like my revereware) and It will scratch your stainless steel. I actually got an inexpensive scrubbing pad from a store that sells pans and stuff. When that wears out I will go buy some scotch brite stainless steel scrubbers.

oh yeah and I learned the hard way on my new set of pans with eggs. Dam that made a HUGE mess! The bf has some well seasoned cast iron pans and after cooking in them, "re-seasons" them with a little crisco.

 

[Desperado Deluxe]

What is a brillo pad?

a brillow pad is what you put in your pipe so you dont suck the rock through..

well we're gonna be travelling by car mostly. only when we hit national parks and the like will we have to carry it. That's why I wasn't AS concerned.

Bring a pot big enough to boil a good amount of water. Or take a water purifier

I personally carry an aluminum boy scouts style mess kit. Cost about $10 new at most sporting goods stores. Use brillow or some kinda abrassive scrubber to clean all the tar off that it collects from sitting on a fire. Wish I could find a stainless steel one but it seems their hard to find nowadays. Mines getting black as fuck and looks like it got hit by a car. A good bet is aluminum because it weighs less. Just grab something at a thrift store for a couple bucks and make sure it has a lid teflon is a no no.

 

[tobepxt]

ive always had my aluminum mess kit on the road.. theyre pretty terrible in comparison but get the job done and lightweight. i have a pile of pots and pans from friends and thrift stores i usually take one of those too when im hitching around. guess it really depends on what you wanna cook...

cast iron is a dream to cook with but unless you're rubber tramping its not all too practical.

 

[Kim Chee]

a brillow pad is what you put in your pipe so you dont suck the rock through..

Do you mean choreboy or am I missing out on the pleasures of inhaling vaporized steel?

 

[Desperado Deluxe]

[

Do you mean choreboy or am I missing out on the pleasures of inhaling vaporized steel?

Yes well the term choreboy probably originated with the original use of said substance

 

[Matt Derrick]

just wanted to chime in with what i have, which is a GSI Outdoors Bugaboo Backpacker Cookware Set:

http://amzn.to/293ycFk

i got this for my bike trip down the coast. i haven't used it yet, but i've used the bigger four person version when car camping and it's amazing. non stick surface and enough bowls and mugs for everyone; also collapses all into one tiny pot, which is great cause you basically have a kitchen's worth of pots and dishes in a super small space.

also, the lids with built in strainers are super useful.

 

[Captain Da Vinci]

Thanks everyone for the input! We ended up starting with stainless steel pot we got for 7 bucks. Since we're mostly making ramen and rice we fixed this would do for now. And for 7 bucks if we fuck it up we're not too concerned

 

[kecleon]

For cleaning I like those stainless scouring balls tthey'r like a ball of stainless steel that's one long continuos thin ribbon of steel made curly like a pigs tail bundled into a ball. It's hard to describe. It cleans anything and doesn't absorb water so dries fast it doesn't get dirty for ages if you do it right weighs and cost nothing.

 

[Ranger]

When I was hitch hiking around alot I used an MSR Alpine 2 stainless pot set, later I ditched the smaller pot and added their fry pan which nested well on the bottom and in the end I also added a GSI stainless ketalist. Being able to cook real meals for more than one person is a huge advantage and I went stainless because i often cook on camp fires. These days Im not living out of a pack and when I go roaming the backroads or hunting all I bring anymore is a 16" Camp Chef Lumberjack Skillet made of carbon steel and my trusty little GSI bottle cup, its a stainless mug that fits over a nalgene bottle and everyone should have one! That skillet will handle damn near anything just don't forget the axe/ matches...

 

[Renegade]

I use an old GI mess kit from 1982 that doubles as a frying pan and for bouling water i have a 18oz steel cup.

 

[benton]

I was on a budget so I went with a 1L Olicamp hard anodized aluminum pot and a cheapy trangia spirit type alcohol stove with stand. Oh and an aluminum windscreen.

I buy denatured alcohol from Walmart for $5 a quart and store it in a small mouth nalgene.

All I ever do is boil water so your mileage may vary.