SOTO Thermostack Combo Backpacking Cookpot Evaluation

Backside Line

We put the SOTO Thermostack Combo’s 4-season functionality to the take a look at on winter backpacking journeys and ski journeys within the Rocky Mountains, and it didn’t disappoint. 

The tightly becoming lids and insulated cozy hold meals heat noticeably longer than different cook dinner units, so your meals doesn’t go chilly fairly as rapidly in chilly circumstances. The double-wall insulated mug provides yet one more layer of consolation when temperatures plummet. 

The cooking efficiency of the Thermostack doesn’t exceed any wild expectations, but it surely’s on par with ultralight cookware. The hard-anodized aluminum pot distributes warmth higher than titanium, and the stainless-steel mug effectively retains warmth. 

Though there are a number of elements, the set maintains an impressively light-weight design, packs down properly, and can be utilized as particular person items or as a whole equipment. For the ultralight backpacker, SOTO provides a ton of worth on this modular, 4-season cook dinner set.

For these in search of a extra minimal ultralight possibility or one thing that may cook dinner for the entire household, try our full information to backpacking cookware.

How We Examined

Along with evaluating every particular person part in a managed setting, we put the Thermostack to the take a look at within the faculty of exhausting knocks. As a result of it’s a 4-season cook dinner set, we acquired out into the Rocky Mountains in the course of the winter months, cooking piping sizzling meals in its 750mL pot and sipping cozy drinks in its insulated mug.

Cooking Efficiency

The cooking efficiency of the SOTO Thermostack Combo simply holds its personal subsequent to different light-weight pots. However the bonus of the Thermostack is that it provides a bit of further consolation. The 750 mL predominant pot is constructed from hard-anodized aluminium for quick and even warmth distribution. 750 mL is the right measurement for a single-person meal, and the medium diameter of the pot is less complicated than the tall/slender types.

Though the pot doesn’t characteristic a non-stick coating, it retains cussed meals like eggs at bay pretty effectively, so long as you stir repeatedly. If meals is left to sit down within the pot, nonetheless, cleanup would require a good quantity of elbow grease. That’s to not say the SOTO Thermostack can’t cook dinner recent meals, but it surely’s finest suited to brothy meals like ramen. 

The perfect a part of the SOTO Thermostack is its stainless-steel and titanium cup combo, which nest collectively to create an insulated, double-wall mug. We wish to warmth water rapidly within the titanium cup after which pour it into the stainless cup earlier than nesting them collectively for a fast, comforting beverage.

Weight & Packability

The load and packability of the SOTO Thermostack Combo strike a contented center floor amongst all our examined cookware. It’s nearly double the load of the lightest pot on our record, however removed from the heaviest. Nonetheless, because it’s a three-pot set, you may select what to deliver and what to depart at dwelling for every journey. 

For comparability, we measured the full weight of the set to be 10.8 ounces, and the minimal weight (comprising a 750 mL pot, pot lifter, lid, and stuff sack) to be 5.7 ounces. The capacity-to-weight ratio is common for pots of this measurement at 188 mL per ounce.

All elements nest collectively neatly with barely sufficient further room for a small backpacking range and a lighter. An extra 4-ounce gasoline canister gained’t match contained in the pots, however it’ll sit on prime of the pots and keep secured contained in the prolonged mesh collar of the stuff sack. Should you decide to depart the smaller cups at dwelling, a 4-ounce gasoline canister will match contained in the bigger 750 mL pot. All elements collectively (not together with gasoline) take up about 94 cubic inches of pack area.

Usability

The SOTO Thermostack Combo options distinctive design parts that make it notably well-suited for cold-weather tenting. The primary of which is the insulated coozie/storage sleeve. 

The insulated coozie is constructed from tarpaulin and a laminated aluminum sheet to maintain your meals hotter for longer. The lids additionally assist with this endeavor with a tightly becoming silicone seal. Collectively, the lid and comfortable effectively retain warmth and scale back cooking time.

For added consolation in chilly circumstances, see the included cups – one stainless-steel and one titanium. The stainless-steel cup nests snugly into the titanium cup with the included collar, making a double-wall insulated mug that retains your drink sizzling and your hand excellent. The mug additionally comes with its personal tightly becoming lid.

For a deal with, the combo comes with an aluminium pot lifter. The lifter has a squeeze grip, but it surely doesn’t get sizzling like some connected handles. It’s appropriate whereas the lid is on, however proves to be a bit awkward. 

So as to add the toppings to this cake, each lids are geared up with drain holes and a pour spout. Neither is as efficient as on some bigger pots, however they get the job achieved.

Sturdiness

There are a number of totally different supplies and elements to contemplate when it comes to sturdiness with the Thermostack, however total, it’s constructed to final. The 750 mL pot is constructed from hard-anodized aluminium for fast and even warmth distribution and good cooking efficiency. This one requires probably the most care, nonetheless, as aluminum is the least warmth and scratch-resistant of all of the supplies. 

The 400 mL cup, which acts because the outer wall of the double-wall mug, is constructed from titanium. Probably the most burly and sturdy of the three is the stainless-steel 350mL mug (interior wall). The stainless-steel is the heaviest and retains warmth the very best.

The weak factors of this equipment are the pot lifter and the plastic lids. Though the lids are fairly sturdy, plastic is inherently weak to warmth and cracking, so simply attempt to not stomp on them or toss them within the fireplace, and also you’ll be good.

Ought to You Purchase the SOTO Thermostack Combo?

The SOTO Thermostack Combo is a flexible cook dinner set appropriate for varied types of backpacking. The 750mL pot (when used alone) is gentle sufficient even for probably the most ultralight backpacker’s requirements, and the insulated mug and comfortable present added consolation for individuals who admire the luxuries of dwelling. For winter tenting, we might even take into account the total equipment essential and effectively inside ultralight winter pack weights.

Whereas titanium pots do little greater than boil water effectively, the aluminium 750 mL pot gives a contact extra cooking efficiency. It’s barely thicker than most titanium pots and disperses warmth extra evenly. 

The good Thermostack design successfully turns this equipment right into a 4-season cook dinner set. The tight-fitting lids, insulated cozy, and double-wall mug do a superb job at conserving meals and drinks heat in chilly temperatures. 

Though there are various elements and shifting elements, SOTO didn’t neglect packability of their design. The pots nest collectively neatly with sufficient area for the pot lifter, a mini lighter, and even SOTO’s bigger Windmaster range. 

General, the SOTO Thermostack Combo is right for the 4-season ultralight backpacker or anybody who enjoys a bit of further consolation year-round.

What Different Backpacking Cookware Ought to You Think about?

For funds buys or family-sized cooksets, try our full information to backpacking cookware. 

Toaks Titanium 750mL Evaluation: This totally titanium pot is probably the most fundamental, most ultralight possibility on our record and a very good funds purchase. 

Evernew Pasta Pot 1L Evaluation: The Pasta Pot is a big capability titanium pot with useful options for varied varieties of cooking. It lacks the 4-season compatibility of the Thermostack however is likely one of the finest all-around pots on our record.

MSR Path Mini Solo Cookset Evaluation: That is mainly the Thermostack with out the additional 4-season options. It has a pot lifter and a plastic lid. As a result of it’s a thicker aluminum pot, it cooks and cleans up equally to the Thermostack.

Snow Peak Titanium Mini Solo Evaluation: Just like the Thermostack, the Mini Solo is a two-pot set. It lacks 4-season consolation however is all titanium, so it’s lighter.