Cooking Set

Can anyone recommend a camping pan set? I'm looking for something a bit like the MS Alpine Cookset but, well, better. It seems a bit heavy to me, and according to the reviews has a raised section which means that things burn.

My criteria are:

a) a lid which can also be used as a frying pan, and (hopefully) I can pack my stove inside the pan and lid together to make a neat package (I don't think I need more than once saucepan)

b) I prefer the separate handle I think, as we might also want to use them on an open fire (some of the others have handles with plasticy coatings which I asume will just burn/melt

c) not too heavy, OK to cook on, reasonbly robust, all the things one would want from a set of pans ...

Cheers

Orian

I have the Vango 1 man set and although not the lightest (535g) it's nice and compact.

14cm frying pan

900ml pot

700ml pot

cup

and at the outdoormegastore it's reduced to £9.99

I think a lot of people round here just take a single pot.  My pot's an Alpkit MyTiMug, which was only £15 at the time I got it.  Obviously it's not going to be a decent frying pan, but it *does* double nicely as a mug.

Perhaps if you're after a really light solution, you could get a light pot with lid, and some kind of plate for frying on an open fire?  You'd also need a pot grab, but this kind of doubling-up is the fastest way to a lighter pack.

I'd wonder why you need a frying pan? That implies carrying oil/butter/fat and fresh food to fry =  mucho weight? If you are on your own, 1 pan is fine. For 2+  people then a second pan is a nice luxury.

Anyways, my suggestion is non-stick aluminium: as light or lighter than titanium, non-stick makes life very easy, and cheap. See here for example (also sold by Millets and Field&Trek).

I'm with Micheal Dray on this one.

I also use the Vango one man set and have found it flawless.  The copper bottoms really help heat things up quick, and the shiny copper bottom on the frying pan doubles as a shaving mirror for me, and I use the frying pan as my plate if I'm cooking a pudding also.

Look at this for value.

I have looked at this in the flesh, so to speak, and was very surprised (pleasantly so) by its quality. I already have several cooksets including the optimus trek kettle, which this closely resembles, or I would have bought one. The one I saw was on sale at £19.99 though.

Try looking at their Altitude range too and you will find what you are looking for I'm sure.

I have a MontBell 1L Ti pan and lid which while superbly light is not the best thing to cook a meal with, you have to be extremely careful to prevent sticking/burning. I don't have anywhere near the same problem with my anodised Alu optimus trek kettle.

Funny, Mal, but I was thinking of posting the Gelert Altitude sets.  Go Outdoors had them a few weeks back, but they seem to have gone.  I had a look at them in my local shop (Altimus), and they looked pretty reasonable.  The 5pce set was £25.  The advantage over the Ascent set is that they don't have handles, but come with a grip.

The Altitude IV looked the best set; 1.6 & 1.2l pans, 19cm frypan/griddle, 15cm frypan/lid and pot grip.

What about these on flea bay -

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Trek-Lite

The quality is very good for the price.  Probably batter quality than alp kit but not quite there with MSR.

I have the Tibetan 550 pot (as well as an alpkit one) and they do plates as well. 

Have sent another

Mmmmm I like the Primus trek kettle - but if I want a lightweight set I take my MSR titan kettle - bloomin good bit of kit.

Thanks Trev

In fact they have the MSR titan down to £35 - I havent seen it cheaper (except the one I bought for £20 but thats another story)

> In fact they have the MSR titan down to £35 - I havent seen it cheaper

I got mine to £44 bundled with a Pocket Rocket from The Outdoor Shop.  You won't find it at that price now, though...

The Trek-Lite stuff looks good (at least the Ebay store pictures do).