Gear Review: MSR Alpine 4 Pot Set
A stainless steel three-pot set that is bombproof.
[bombproof]
Nothing beats stainless steel when it comes to blending affordability and durability. This no-nonsense, three-pot set comes with three-, two-, and one-liter pots, each with a matching lid/plate/pan, plus pot gripper. It’s ideal for tough-on-gear families, trip leaders, and people who favor steel wool over Softsoap.
Three staffers have a combined 40 years of wear on their Alpine sets—but you’d never know it by how they look: shiny and undented. Stainless steel doesn’t conduct heat well, which can cause hot spots and burned food unless you’re diligent about flame control and stirring. But there’s no need to baby these
.5-millimeter-thick pots when faced with scorched-on rice: Brillo pads and metal utensils are fair game.
Bonus: Use the pots to dig out an icy tent platform or the lids as cutting boards. Tradeoff: weight. $70; 2 lbs. 2 oz.; msrgear.com