MSR Alpine Stowaway 1.1-Liter Cookpot Overview

Backside Line

The MSR Alpine Stowaway 1.1L cookpot gives superior sturdiness and warmth dispersion at a hard-to-beat value. CleverHiker gear analysts and editors might feed a military with our assortment of Stowaways, however we’ll be trustworthy, they’re normally utilized in automobile tenting eventualities. Nonetheless, they work nice with quite a lot of range setups, can deal with extra concerned meal plans, they usually final perpetually.

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

On the upside, cooking on chrome steel feels rather a lot 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 break. 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 convey it house to wash within the kitchen sink.

Talking of sturdiness, the Stowaway can simply stand as much as years of cooking instantly 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 frequent 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 eventualities. We evaluated its non-stick properties by egg-cooking trials and measured boil effectivity with 500 mL of water. Subject testing within the Rocky Mountains allowed us to judge efficiency throughout numerous situations and range setups. 

Cooking Efficiency

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

The chrome steel can also 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 simpler to manage general.

Since chrome steel is extensively utilized in house and industrial kitchens, the Alpine Stowaway is pretty just like what most individuals are used to cooking on. This makes it superb 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 simplest to wash, so it’s a good suggestion to pair it with some metal wool.

Weight & Packability

Weight and packability aren’t 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 likely one of the heaviest pots that we examined, with an general packed weight of 14.7 ounces and a capacity-to-weight ratio of 107mL per ounce. At practically a pound, this pot will add a big quantity of weight to your pack, so it’s finest used with a pair or a bunch that divvies up shared objects.

The 1.1 model of this pot will take up a big quantity of actual property in your pack as effectively. The general packed quantity of about 147 cubic inches is giant even for a one-liter pot, and the massive diameter eliminates the power to pack it in a aspect pocket. The brief, squat form of the pot solely accommodates a 4-ounce gas canister, albeit with loads of additional house for a backpacking range. 

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

Usability

The simplicity of the pot lacks fancy bells and whistles, but it surely cuts down on price and gives easy performance. The chrome steel cooking floor, though semi-non-stick, lacks a non-stick coating and generally is a exercise to wash.

The deal with is sturdy and in a position to maintain numerous 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 well 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 is likely to be a downfall for individuals who take pleasure in extra concerned cooking, it makes for safe storage of leftovers. The lid additionally includes a small deal with, but it surely tends to get scorching.

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 adequate stability, which might result in spillage or worse.

Sturdiness

One other energy of chrome steel, together with its wonderful 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 possibly can even cook dinner instantly on scorching coals with this pot, which isn’t one thing we might 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 elements, 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 possibly can even use it for self-defense.

Ought to You Purchase the MSR Alpine Stowaway cookPot?

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

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

Though it’s positively not ultralight, the folding deal with and latch maintain all the things securely, eliminating the necessity for a stuff sack. In a bunch setting the place gear weight may 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 is likely to be the proper pot if you happen to’re a bushcrafter who loves cooking instantly on the hearth or somebody who normally automobile camps however sometimes desires to backpack shorter journeys.

What Different Backpacking Cookware Ought to You Take into account?

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

MSR Fusion Ceramic 2-Pot Set Overview: This cookset gives 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 contains two giant pots. 

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

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