MSR Alpine Stowaway 1.1-Liter Cookpot Assessment

Backside Line

The MSR Alpine Stowaway 1.1L cookpot provides superior sturdiness and warmth dispersion at a hard-to-beat value. CleverHiker gear analysts and editors may feed a military with our assortment of Stowaways, however we’ll be sincere, they’re often utilized in automotive tenting situations. Nonetheless, they work nice with a wide range of range setups, can deal with extra concerned meal plans, and so they final endlessly.

The chrome steel pot presents a stark distinction of strengths and weaknesses. It’s removed from ultralight and takes up a major quantity of pack area. Thus, it’s finest used with a bunch that may divvy up shared gadgets.

On the upside, cooking on chrome steel feels loads like cooking in an actual kitchen. It heats up slowly and evenly, providing rather more management than titanium or aluminum. Though it may be cussed to wash relying on what was cooked in it, there isn’t a fragile non-stick coating to wreck. It’s additionally good that in your final backcountry meal, you’ll be able to simply lock the lid, stuff it within the pack, and produce it dwelling to wash within the kitchen sink.

Talking of sturdiness, the Stowaway can simply stand as much as years of cooking immediately on a hearth or abuse from clumsy backpackers. It’s even sturdy sufficient to make use of for self-defense if you happen to so select.

Though the Stowaway lacks some widespread cooking options, it’s by far essentially the most sturdy one in our information to one of the best backpacking cookpots.

How We Examined

Our complete testing of the Alpine Stowaway pot spanned a number of real-world situations. We evaluated its non-stick properties via egg-cooking trials and measured boil effectivity with 500 mL of water. Discipline testing within the Rocky Mountains allowed us to judge efficiency throughout varied situations and range setups. 

Cooking Efficiency

The MSR Alpine Stowaway is nice for minimalist base camp cooking. Stainless-steel heats up a lot slower than different cookset supplies resembling titanium or aluminum. Though this ends in a slower boiling time, it considerably reduces the burn threat.

The chrome steel can be comparatively thick and distributes warmth extra evenly. This even warmth distribution makes for evenly cooked meals, and the thickness of the metal retains warmth for longer. The big pot diameter additional distributes warmth evenly and makes cooking simpler. These attributes collectively imply that warmth is less complicated to manage total.

Since chrome steel is broadly utilized in dwelling and business kitchens, the Alpine Stowaway is pretty just like what most individuals are used to cooking on. This makes it supreme for newbie backcountry cooks or those that like a little bit extra management for in-depth base camp cooking.

The draw back of chrome steel is that it’s not the best to wash, so it’s a good suggestion to pair it with some metal wool.

Weight & Packability

Weight and packability are usually not the Alpine Stowaway’s robust fits. The tradeoff to chrome steel’s comparatively superior cooking capability is its added weight. 

The Alpine Stowaway 1.1L is among the heaviest pots that we examined, with an total packed weight of 14.7 ounces and a capacity-to-weight ratio of 107mL per ounce. At almost a pound, this pot will add a major quantity of weight to your pack, so it’s finest used with a pair or a bunch that divvies up shared gadgets.

The 1.1 model of this pot will take up a major quantity of actual property in your pack as nicely. The general packed quantity of about 147 cubic inches is giant even for a one-liter pot, and the big diameter eliminates the flexibility to pack it in a facet pocket. The brief, squat form of the pot solely accommodates a 4-ounce gasoline canister, albeit with loads of further area for a backpacking range. 

The folding deal with and latch maintain the lid securely in place, however it’s a good suggestion to carry alongside a cleansing fabric to scale back rattling from the additional inside area.

Usability

The simplicity of the pot lacks fancy bells and whistles, however it cuts down on price and provides simple performance. The chrome steel cooking floor, though semi-non-stick, lacks a non-stick coating and is usually a exercise to wash.

The deal with is sturdy and capable of maintain a variety of pot weight, and it stays cool when cooking. It additionally folds up and latches to carry the lid and the pot’s contents in place. Though the latch is safe, we discovered it may possibly get caught and be a little bit awkward to work with.

The minimal pot lid doesn’t have any drain holes, a pour spout, or a stress launch. Whereas the simplicity may be a downfall for individuals who take pleasure in extra concerned cooking, it makes for safe storage of leftovers. The lid additionally encompasses a small deal with, however it tends to get sizzling.

As a result of the bottom of the pot is so giant, with a diameter of about 6 ¼ inches, it’s best used with bigger backpacking stoves. Ultralight stoves lack ample stability, which might result in spillage or worse.

Sturdiness

One other power of chrome steel, together with its glorious warmth management, is its superior sturdiness. The thick chrome steel is unlikely to warp or bend even after years of use over excessive warmth. You might even cook dinner immediately on sizzling coals with this pot, which isn’t one thing we’d suggest for skinny titanium or aluminium. 

The deal with and latch are essentially the most noticeable weak factors on the Alpine Stowaway just because they’re the one transferring components, however even these elements are very sturdy. 

The Alpine Stowaway is the proper pot for anybody who’s tough on their gear or enjoys cooking over a hearth. It’s so heavy-duty that you could possibly even use it for self-defense.

Ought to You Purchase the MSR Alpine Stowaway cookPot?

For anybody who appreciates practical simplicity, at-home cookability, cozy over-the-fire cooking, or a killer funds purchase, the Alpine Stowaway 1.1L is a no brainer that may final a lifetime of untamed meals. 

What it lacks in options, it makes up for with glorious cooking efficiency. Though it takes some time to boil water, the thick chrome steel heats up slowly and evenly, similar to your pans at dwelling. It’s nice for newbie backcountry cooks or anybody who enjoys sautéing contemporary meals within the backcountry.

Though it’s undoubtedly not ultralight, the folding deal with and latch maintain all the pieces securely, eliminating the necessity for a stuff sack. In a bunch setting the place gear weight might be distributed throughout a number of packs, the 14.7-ounce weight isn’t too heavy for a sturdy, home-style cooking floor.

The Alpine Stowaway may be the proper pot if you happen to’re a bushcrafter who loves cooking immediately on the hearth or somebody who often automotive camps however often desires to backpack shorter journeys.

What Different Backpacking Cookware Ought to You Think about?

In our full information to backpacking cookware, we’ve examined cooksets for each backpacking type.

MSR Fusion Ceramic 2-Pot Set Assessment: This cookset provides one of the best cooking efficiency of any cookware on our listing with its use of light-weight, ceramic-coated aluminum pots. Though it’s a little bit heavier than the Stowaway 1L, it consists of two giant pots. 

Stanley Journey Nesting Two Cup Cookset Assessment: That is one other ultra-durable chrome steel cookset. It’s tall and slim versus brief and large, which lends itself extra in direction of soups and sizzling drinks than cooking, however it’s lighter and comes with two cups.

Evernew Titanium Pasta Pot 1L Assessment: The Pasta Pot is one of the best steadiness between an ultralight cookset and useful options. It doesn’t cook dinner meals as evenly as stainless, however it has a large base and a sturdy deal with.