What is the optimal pot size to have for a solo thru hiker? I currently have a 2L MSR titanium pot. This seems too big. It weighs under 7 oz. with the lid. It also acts as a crushproof container to carry my alcohol stove, stand, and fragile foods or powdered foods. What size do other hikers use while soloing? I don’t think I would like using a small mug to cook in (too messy and more of a burn risk).
Ohioan
I would of said yes before…but now that I got a 2 qt pot for 3 people in our upcoming hike, I now say it’s a great size.
For one person you have enough to cook your dinner, have a cup of tea/coffee; and best of all enough water left over for a warm bath before bed!!!
AlohaTink
I have a .9 liter Ti pot, which is perfect for a solo hiker. Holds my alcohol stove, lighter and pot gripper. yes, 2 Liter is too big, unless you’re a really hungry hiker who boils up multiple packages of ramen.
Bluebearee
A 2 liter pot is perfect for 2 people, but I agree with Bluebearee and think it’s pretty big for a single hiker. It might give you plenty of room to cook, but it’s extra weight you don’t need and it will take up a lot more space in your pack. That can be a big deal if you’re going with a smaller pack.
A one liter pot will give you plenty of room to cook in, and it doesn’t have to have the “mug” shape. Some people like the tall narrow pots, but they don’t necessarily work well with certain types of stoves, because the stove flames go up the sides of the pot instead of heating the bottom. When that happens, you burn food on the sides, and waste a lot of fuel. Your pot shape should be dictated by your stove’s flame pattern. A wider flame pattern means a wider pot will be more efficient.
Chipper
I carried the same pot on all three hikes and found it to be the perfect sized pot. The one thing peope are not bringing up is that having a wider base on a pot makes water boil quicker than a smaller based pot. If you are carrying an alcohol stove, as I did, you want the ability to boil as quick as possible and then to return to a boil when cooking two ramens, or one mac and cheese or any of the other “normal” dishes a thru hiker eats… The pot is light and provides an excellent hard case for alcohol stoves and other other semi fragile things you might carry. For me that meant my digital camera, my mp3 - and you know it kind of gives a little more protection for any electronics you carry from water as well.
Well, good luck on your hike and those are just my two cents worth…
Peace,
ASWAH
aswah
that’s my thought. If you didn’t already own one, I’d say get a one liter pot, but life is full of compromises. If it weighs 2 oz more, I’d be willing to bet that the heating efficiency of a wider base (as Aswah pointed out) will save you enough fuel to negate much of the extra weight (as long as you don’t try to boil double the water!) Fill it up with your stove and the like when packing, as you’ve been doing, and you’ll be good to go.
My 1,000 Mile Hike and Paddle Across Alaska
Colter